Winter Engagement Photos in the Blue Ridge Mountains with Morgan and Riley

This engagement shoot with Riley and Morgan was one of those unforgettable experiences that will stick with me forever. Morgan sent me her Pinterest link early on and as soon as I saw the vibe she was going for I knew the PERFECT spot for their session. She wanted an early morning, moody, fog shoot with lanterns by the water. They were vacationing in Blue Ridge so we met halfway in Ellijay at one of my favorite spots.

Little did I know, it was going to be one of the coldest shoots I’ve ever done.

It all started with an early wake-up call—like, really early.

I started the drive up to Ellijay a little after 5am well before the sun was going to peak through. It was still dark when I arrived at our first location—a local reservoir I LOVE with gorgeous large rocks and a panoramic mountain view over the water. The air was crispyyy, the kind of cold that immediately numbs your fingers and makes you wonder if your toes are still attached to your body. I sat in the heat enjoying the quiet stillness of the beginning of blue hour, right before the sun rises, when everything feels calm and untouched.

Once we met up and got started, Riley and Morgan were absolute champs, with a crazy wind chill and being right on the water adding an extra -10 degrees, we set up two real flame lanterns that added a GORGEOUS a warm glow to the scene.

Aside from how beautiful the scene was, there’s just something so undeniably special about blue hour itself. The sky is this gorgeous shade of indigo, the world around you is still asleep, and there’s a quiet beauty that’s hard to describe.

As we worked our way through the shoot, I was in awe of how natural Riley and Morgan were in front of the camera. Their connection was so effortless, even though they were shivering a little bit in the cold (okay, maybe a lot a bit).

We made our way to the next locations: a live oak tree in a field and then to a dock on the local lake. I’ve always had a soft spot for the South’s live oaks—there’s just something about them that feels timeless, like they’ve seen decades of stories unfold beneath their branches. It was the perfect spot for Riley and Morgan to share a quiet moment before we moved on to the lake.

I love our North Georgia lakes in winter, we have some of the best views with the mountains surrounding most of them. This dock we went to was empty and peaceful (except for one friendly fisherman wondering what in the world we were doing in fancy clothes in 20 degree weather...he laughed all the way up to his truck). It was super windy and even more cold still being right on the water so I ended up making the best of things and throwing a blanket over these two to create more of intimate feel.

By the time we wrapped up the shoot, I was so cold I could barely move my fingers to pack up my gear—but I also couldn’t stop smiling because I knew we had captured something beautiful. Even though our limbs were frozen and we were all ready to jump into a warm car, the photos we created were worth every bit of it.

I always say that I specialize in adventure and candid moments—and this shoot was the perfect example of why. I want my couples to feel like they’re having an experience, not just a photoshoot. Whether it’s braving the cold for a sunrise session in the mountains or hiking to a hidden waterfall, I love creating memories with my couples that feel as authentic as their love.

Even when it's freezing, even when it's a little uncomfortable, the raw beauty of those moments is what makes it all worth it. Riley and Morgan’s love shone through every shot, and it was an absolute privilege to capture this special chapter of their story.