The Apple Barn Engagement Session
Jacob’s family takes a family trip every year to go to the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area, and they always attend the Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre dinner show. So, when it came time to propose, he collaborated with the staff at Sweet Fanny Adams to propose to Courtni on stage. Plus, their families were hiding in the back behind the stage lights ready to film and photograph the whole thing. I love proposal stories because everyone has their own personal and unique way of doing it. In this case, it was the ultimate personal and unique way so I knew immediately that we had to incorporate that into their Apple Barn engagement session somehow.
Fast forward to our summer family vacation. When we normally go down to Anna Maria Island for a week, this year I was pregnant and zika was running rampant down in Florida, so my sweet sweet in laws stayed close for us and we did a cabin in the Smokies. At the end of our trip we went to the Apple Barn. A place that I haven’t eaten at dozens of times, but the difference this time was that we spent the first 20 minutes walking around the grounds before heading into the restaurant. As we discovered new areas of the Apple Barn property, I kept thinking to myself how fun it would be to bring a couple here. There are so many pretty photogenic spots to take clients to. Then I remembered. Courtni and Jacob are going to come to Gatlinburg to have the first half of their session at Sweet Fanny Adams… I wonder if they would do the second half of their session at The Apple Barn?? So I asked them and because they are totally awesome, they both agreed that if I thought that was best, they are totally down. Then I called the Apple Barn (and I have to throw this part in there because I know I’m going to receive so many messages from other photographers asking if I had to pay to shoot there) to confirm that this was allowed, and sure enough… I could just show up and shoot. I didn’t have to schedule an appointment, arrange a permit, or pay a fee… we could literally just show up and shoot any time we wanted.
I could not be more thrilled with the outcome. Courtni and Jacob are utterly adorable. The backdrops were both so personal to them (because low and behold, they actually eat at the Apple Barn every year with their family while they’re in town!) and gorgeous, and we had the BEST time venturing around the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area. I am TOTALLY down for going back to the Apple Barn for portraits if anyone wants to go!
I’m a Knoxville Wedding Photographer that loves to travel…I shoot anywhere! Click here to contact me with any questions you have about pricing or booking! If you liked what you saw above, go ahead and follow me on Facebook or Instagram to see my daily updates of the latest sessions!
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