For the couples who would rather wander off into the woods.
If your dream wedding day involves hiking through the forest, standing beneath a waterfall, and getting your dress a little dirty along the way, Ozone Falls might just be your kind of place.
Tucked into the Cumberland Plateau in East Tennessee, Ozone Falls feels like you've stumbled into another world. The trail winds down through the woods before opening up beneath a massive waterfall, surrounded by rock walls, moss, trees, and all the wonderfully wild things that make Tennessee so beautiful.
And photographically? It is a DREAM.
What it's like to photograph at Ozone Falls
One of my favorite things about photographing here is how many completely different scenes you can create in such a small area.
There are quiet wooded trails, huge rock formations, pockets of sunlight filtering through the trees, and of course, the waterfall itself. It gives us room to wander instead of standing in one spot trying to manufacture a hundred different photographs.
And that's generally how I love to photograph couples anyway.
We'll walk. Explore. Climb on things we probably shouldn't. Stop when the light looks beautiful. I'll give you direction when you need it, but I also want to leave space for the two of you to actually experience the place together.
Because the photographs I love most usually happen somewhere in between the ones we planned.
Could you actually elope at Ozone Falls?
For an adventurous couple wanting something intimate and nature-filled, Ozone Falls is an incredible backdrop for an elopement or adventure session.
But this isn't a manicured venue, and that's part of what makes it so beautiful.
Expect uneven terrain, rocks, roots, dirt, and a hike down into the gorge if you want those dramatic photographs beneath the falls. Your shoes may get muddy. Your hair may get windblown. Your dress might pick up a leaf or twelve.
Personally, I think that's where the magic is.
If you're considering actually holding your ceremony here, make sure to check the current Tennessee State Parks rules, permit requirements, trail conditions, and any photography or ceremony restrictions before making plans.
A few things I'd recommend before your Ozone Falls photos
Wear shoes you can actually move in for the hike—you can always change once we reach our spot. Bring water, and embrace the fact that we're going into nature, not a studio.
I'd also plan around the light rather than simply choosing whatever time is most convenient. The way sunlight moves through the trees can completely change the feeling of your photographs, and we'll work together beforehand to choose a time that gives us the best conditions possible.
Most importantly, don't be afraid to get a little messy.
Sit on the rocks. Walk through the water. Let your dress touch the ground. Run around barefoot if it's safe. Kiss under the waterfall. This is supposed to feel like an adventure, not a photoshoot you're trying to keep perfectly clean.
Your wedding day can look like this.
There is no rule saying your wedding photographs have to happen inside a venue.
Maybe your story belongs beneath a waterfall.
Maybe it's on top of a mountain, deep in the woods, beside a quiet lake, or somewhere entirely different that means something to the two of you.
Wherever it is, I want to photograph it in a way that lets you remember more than what everything looked like.
I want you to remember how it felt to be there.
Planning an Ozone Falls elopement or couples session?
I'm a Tennessee and North Carolina wedding, elopement, and couples photographer specializing in artful, story-driven photographs for adventurous people.
If Ozone Falls—or somewhere equally as beautiful, sounds like your kind of place, let's make some art out of your story.