Asheville Wedding Photography at The Omni Grove Park Inn during Hurricane Helene

If you’re searching for a wedding photographer at The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC—first of all, you’ve got excellent taste in venues. Second of all, let me tell you about the time I photographed a wedding there… during a literal hurricane.

Friday, September 27th. Hurricane Helene rolled into Asheville with downed trees, city-wide power outages, and blocked roads. It was chaos. And it also happened to be Jack and Tess’s wedding day at The Omni Grove Park Inn. Here are some examples for wedding photography at this beautiful venue on this historic day.

Getting There Was an Adventure

To even get to the wedding, I parked off Kimberly Avenue and hiked—yes, hiked—up to the hotel, climbing over downed trees in my wedding-day suit. When I arrived, disheveled and with a small branch sticking out of my shoulder like some kind of forest accessory, Jack saw me and just laughed. The relief on his face made the whole morning worth it.

The hotel was running on generator power. No lights. No elevators. No cell service. But The Grove Park Inn and the team at Firefly Event Company? Somehow pulled off magic.

Improvisation Meets Elegance

With only half the wedding vendors able to reach the venue, everything became a creative team effort. The wedding turned into a candlelit celebration—intimate, raw, beautiful. It had that kind of energy you can’t plan for, only embrace. And the food? Somehow the kitchen delivered one of the best fish dishes I’ve ever had—without electricity.

There’s something about photographing a wedding when nothing goes to plan that sharpens your focus on what does matter: the people, the emotion, and the unshakable joy that finds a way through the storm.

Why The Grove Park Inn is Still One of My Favorite Places to Photograph

This wasn’t my first time photographing a wedding at The Grove Park Inn, and it won’t be my last. Even in the middle of a hurricane, the place held its warmth and charm. The Blue Ridge backdrop. The stone architecture. The tucked-away corners and grand fireplaces. It’s the kind of place where stories live well beyond the wedding day.

As a wedding photographer who’s captured everything from mountaintop elopements to downtown celebrations, I can confidently say: The Grove Park Inn is one of the most atmospheric and visually stunning venues in Western North Carolina.

Final Thoughts

Would I recommend getting married during a hurricane? Probably not.

Would I show up again for a couple like Jack and Tess under those same conditions? Every single time.

If you’re looking for a wedding photographer who knows The Grove Park Inn inside and out—and won’t let a fallen tree or a power outage stop them from showing up—I’d love to talk.

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Wedding Vendors

• Venue: The Omni Grove Park Inn – Asheville, NC
• Planning & Coordination: Firefly Event Company
• Wedding Photography: Nathan Rivers Chesky Photo & Film

Planning your own wedding at The Omni Grove Park Inn or elsewhere in Asheville? I’d love to hear about your vision—reach out to inquire about your date here.