Round Peak Vineyards Wedding in Mt Airy, NC
Mike and Maddy’s Vineyard Wedding in North Carolina | Apollo Fields | Outdoor Wedding Photographer | Mountain Wedding Photography | Round Peak Vineyard Wedding Photos | Mt. Airy, NC
Ever since I first read The Alchemist by Paulo Cohelo I have carried the theme of pursuing your “personal legend” with me wherever I go. It’s all about listening to and trusting your intuition in your life decisions. The famous line that resonates from the book is, “when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it,” and after shooting Mike and Maddy’s engagement photos in NYC and vineyard wedding in North Carolina, it’s really hard not to believe it.
During Mike and Maddy’s engagement session, Heather got one of my favorite Apollo Fields photos of all time when we stumbled across a fire hydrant spraying into the street. Then after driving nine hours to Mt. Airy, North Carolina a few weeks later, the rapidly changing weather on their wedding day at Round Peak Vineyards helped them chart a few more. The rain started to fall immediately after we finished doing Mike and Maddy’s ceremony and family formals, and Heather seized the opportunity to grab some playfully dramatic shots of them carrying umbrellas. It poured for another hour or two only to give way to a milky golden sunset and a soaring rainbow! Mike and Maddy were all smiles as they adapted their day to Mother Nature’s beauty.
If Mike and Maddy had cancelled their wedding or engagement shoot; if they didn’t bring the celebration to Mike’s family in North Carolina; if they didn’t bring the energy despite all that they’ve been through in both of the events, if, if, if. So many conditions and variables changed the course of the celebration of their love but none of them changed the nature of it. Because Mike and Maddy knew what they wanted [to celebrate their love], the universe conspired in their favor.
Mike and Maddy had so many opportunities to fold and postpone their wedding altogether (There would’ve been no shame in taking this action). But instead they persevered and just worked harder to make it happen. Every one of their 20+ guests were tested for COVID in advance of their outdoor celebration. They focused less on what they were missing and more on what they could do. Their hard-nosed go-with-the-flow vibe created beautifully genuine moments around every corner.
On our drive down to North Carolina we got a flat tire when we were about an hour outside of the venue. We bought a patch kit at a gas station and I began to get to work in the parking lot so we could get back on the road. Heather was standing there with her hands on her hips, watching as her adorable baby bump protruded in the light of the sun, while I took off my shirt and wore only bright orange-ish pants--I can only imagine what the rural Virginians thought of us. Then, out of nowhere, two men, and then another came to our aid, and supplied us with a reamer that wasn’t included in the patch kit. We were done in a matter of minutes. We tried to offer them a drink, money, or anything we could give to show our gratitude but they refused it all. There were so many things that could go wrong in the planning of Mike and Maddy’s wedding, but because of their energy and effort, and our kind southern strangers, the universe wound up conspiring in all of our favor.
Enjoy these photos from Mike & Maddy’s Round Peak Vineyard Wedding:
vendors:
Apollo Fields | Photography
Round Peak Vineyards | Venue/Catering
Jenny Yoo Watters Bride | Dress
Indochino | Suit
Oh hey! It’s us…
…Loving what we do! Want to book your own wedding or session?
Why We Love Mountain Weddings: A Return to Our Roots
Mountain Weddings | A Return To Our Roots | Adventure Couples | Rocky Mountains | Colorado Elopement Photographers | Apollo Fields Weddings
Adventures in the mountains are tiring, dirty, and dangerous. One slip can devastate even the most experienced hiker. Yet us adventurers continue to voluntarily thrust our bodies and minds into the wilderness at the mercy of unpredictable winds and crumbling rock faces. Some people think we’re crazy – but fellow adventurers know that there is no peace like the solitude of the woods. We at Apollo Fields say bring on the perilous terrain because there’s nothing we love more than a photo session in the wild or a rustic mountain wedding!
That’s because mountain weddings celebrate people and nature alike, intertwining the roots of our lives with the organic networks that thrive beneath the soil. We walk between the trees on trodden paths, sometimes blazing trails of our own. The smoke from our campfires pierce the dark mountain sky, signaling to those in the area that warmth and laughter is but a few paces away. Darkness falls upon the screens of our devices. Far removed from cities forged in steel and concrete, the stars in the open sky ignite our imaginations. There is no need for anything or anyone other than what is here.
That is really what nature provides us. A home. A place for our minds to rest and dream with sights and smells rather than artificial mental stimuli. Dopamine kicks and oxytocin spikes are the results of biochemical technological deception. Immersing ourselves in nature resets our minds, syncing our systems with the gentle trickle of a mountain creek. Why else do you think listening to the sounds of nature on our iPods puts us to sleep?
Us adventurers risk our bodies for the sake of our minds. We realize that we are part of our natural world, not separate from it. Yes, we’ve broken free from the food chain but our minds still live in the woods. They still long for the unknown despite our 21st century tendency to cling to mindless chatter rather than embrace the infinitude of silence. The darkness that engulfs the night is terrifying, but the brightness of our screens blinds us into stagnation. Thus we must venture into the mountains to find that which technology cannot provide.
The mountains present the perfect landscape to celebrate a wedding. Safely tucked into a mountainside, loved ones find comfort in the company of friends and family. With nowhere to turn for entertainment than stories around a campfire, memories whirl about the floating embers like little flakes of nostalgia. All of life’s troubles melt from the end of a stick holding a smoldering marshmallow. But back in the banquet halls and beneath the vaulted church ceilings, we remain confined in the artifice of our human existence. We say break the walls down and run for the hills. That’s where love really learns to take root.
Adventures are risky but they present opportunities for growth. By staying safely in our homes and living rooms we forget that we were once at home in the mountains. When considering where to get married think not for where is most lavish, but where you feel the most connection. You might be surprised that you feel most comfortable in the darkness of the woods.
Photography: Heather Huie for Apollo Fields
Writing: Terrence Huie for Apollo Fields
Locations: Guanella Pass | Chautauqua Dining Hall | RMNP | Estes Park Resort | Lookout Mountain | Garden of The Gods | Pikes Peak | Grand Lake Western Riviera | Shrine Pass
Rocky Mountain National Park Elopement Photographer
There’s something special about reaching high altitudes after traversing treacherous terrain that rewards tired legs and beating hearts. It could be as simple as endorphins being released from the exercise or something more complex like measuring our mortality against the backdrop of conquering massive mountains. Either way, climbing mountains and taking in epic views defines the meaning of awesome.
Callie & Josh's Intimate Mountain Wedding | Rocky Mountain National Park | Estes Park, Colorado | Adventure Wedding Photography | Apollo Photojournalism
Heather and I’s first hike together was near Lake George in upstate New York. It was short, but I remember scrambling up the last couple hundred feet, thinking that the summit was just over the next ridge quickly exhausting myself in the process. When we finally reached the top, I scanned the seemingly endless rolling green hills, panning across the horizon like my eyes were breathing in the refreshing mountain air.
There’s something special about reaching high altitudes after traversing treacherous terrain that rewards tired legs and beating hearts. It could be as simple as endorphins being released from the exercise or something more complex like measuring our mortality against the backdrop of conquering massive mountains. Either way, climbing mountains and taking in epic views defines the meaning of awesome.
We love documenting mountain weddings because they’re so organic and personal. When we immerse ourselves in towering pines and humbling rock faces, we stand in nature to celebrate love as members of our natural environment rather than separate from it. We say scrap the white tablecloths, vinyl tents, and stuffy reception halls and step into the woods and feel the rain. There’s a time to be clean and then there’s a time to feel something, celebrate, and cut loose – we believe your wedding day should be the latter.
Living in Arvada, Colorado, is like living in front of the armoire of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, because at a moments notice we can open up the doors and wander through a world of meandering roads, trickling creeks, and splashing waterfalls. Adventures are never in short supply when the beautiful unknown is less than an hour drive away. This proximity to the Rockies makes mountain weddings accessible realities rather than fleeting dreams.
Let us document your dream mountain wedding, but first... why do you want to get married on a mountain?
Some of our favorite mountain spots in Colorado:
Rocky Mountain National Park for it's famous landscapes and epic elopement locations
Pikes Peak for that "on top of the world" feeling
Guanella Pass for the best views of Mount Beirstadt without all of the hiking
Alderfer / Three Sisters Park for a close-to-Denver adventure and awesome 360 views
Some of our favorite mountain spots outside of Colorado:
Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia for those epic rolling mountains and blue hues that never disappoint
Buck Mountain in Lake George for some of the best Adirondack views
Breakneck Ridge in Cold Spring NY for a close to New York City adventure and cute town to explore
Mount Killington in Vermont for the best New England autumn colors
Sharp Top Mountain in Virginia for light-tight 360 degree views