The Magnolia Venue | Smoky Mountain Destination Weddings
There is something extraordinary about the Great Smoky Mountains, and I am certainly not the only one who thinks that. Last year, GSMNP broke yet another record for the most visited National Park with 12.5 million visitors. So it’s easy to see why the Smokies is one of the top locations for destination weddings in the USA. Although the scenic views are beyond incredible, for me personally, the significance of this magical place extends beyond the endless stretch of mountains and settles deep within my soul. I have found pieces of me buried in this land: surfaced inner-light as the sun set on Hyatt Lane, discovered truth journeying to unmapped waterfalls, and ultimately, found self-love all because these mountains hold space for you to exist as your authentic self.

Mountain Top Wedding Venue in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
With every wedding I photograph at The Magnolia, a Smoky Mountain wedding venue, all of these thoughts and emotions flood back into conscious awareness. Each time I stand on the balcony of this mountaintop venue, I am gently reminded of how beautiful life is and how thankful I am to experience East Tennessee. As one of their preferred photographers, I am lucky to be here quite a bit, and I get just as excited with each new wedding to share the energy of this space with others. To add to the excitement, they also have a second venue, The Trillium, that is currently in construction and opening Fall 2021.
I am forever grateful the owners took a chance on me their opening year. Maybe they felt connected through our names or maybe something more. I do like to believe that fate has a say in things, and without a doubt, there is strong sense of synchronicity behind the word magnolia.

Mother Nature giving The Smokies it’s name!
I swear this place will never grow old. What is really neat is you truly never know what you are going to get when it comes to what the weather wants you to have on your wedding day. I’ve seen every mood Mother Nature has to offer here, and with each, they are wonderfully beautiful in their own way. Some highlights:
fog, literally in the clouds































Mother Nature couldn’t make up her mind:
cloudy to sunny to cloudy to full on pouring rain












































full sun in all its power



















mix of overcast and bright







Know that whatever the Universe has in store for you that you’ll no doubt have a beautiful day in the Smoky Mountains. In addition to Magnolia + Ember for wedding photography, here are some fellow vendors that I’ve personally worked with and can highly recommend (that are also part of The Magnolia’s preferred list) to help bring your magical vision to life:
Planning + Coordinators:
Custom Love
Devynn Crawford Events
Elite Planning Services
Absolute Wedding Perfection
DJ + Live Music:
Stephen Goff Entertainment
Floral Design:
Echelon Florist
Bartending:
Elite On The Rocks
Single Barrel Events
Hair & Makeup:
Bangs and Blush
Officiant:
Magnolia Matrimonies
Catering:
Rosa’s Catering
Dead End BBQ
Shuttle:
Elite Shuttle Service
Dessert & Coffee Truck:
Gelato Brothers
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