Overlook Barn Summer Mountain Wedding Styled Shoot

It’s no secret that COVID has taken a huge hit on 2020 weddings. With most couples opting to postpone their big celebration, we have seen very few weddings happen since March. By now we are really missing weddings and interaction with our friendors! While we are impatient to get back to in-person human connection, one way that vendors can occupy their time and talents right now is through styled shoots!

Speaking of styled shoots, our team planned an amazing styled shoot last August in the North Carolina mountains! We were so excited that this shoot was published in the 2020 Winter/Spring edition of Heart of NC Weddings! Our vision for the shoot was colorful, casual elegance. For a summer mountain wedding vibe, Overlook Barn was the perfect location and venue! The views at Overlook Barn are breathtaking enough, but with the fabulous florals provided from Callista Designs, along with impeccable attention to detail from our other outstanding vendors, the shoot was even more romantic and exquisite than we could have imagined!

To set the scene of an August wedding in the North Carolina mountains, we were inspired by the bold shades of late summer blooms including pink, coral, and magenta. Large, lush café au lait dahlias stole the show and fresh moss accents on the tables brought the outside in. The stationery featured watercolor renderings of the barn and surrounding mountain views, finished with magenta calligraphy. 

For the ceremony, we chose an a-frame geometric arbor to imitate the shape of the mountains and a rug at the altar for a touch of a bohemian feel. Low, lush flower boxes sat on the ends of wooden benches to line the aisle. The fellas donned navy blue suits while the bridesmaids were in blush and teal Jenny Yoo dresses to complement their colorful bouquets. Our stunning bride wore a strappy summer Truvelle wedding dress, featuring a lace top and tulle skirt.

The doors to Overlook Barn were decked in greenery and blooms, creating a breath-taking entrance to the reception. Suspended greenery ran across the barn above the guest tables as well, with stunning gladiolus blooms placed throughout.

Blush velvet napkins added additional texture to the tables and served as a dainty backdrop to the brilliant watercolor place cards that doubled as menus! Gold flatware and taper candles added elegance to the tablescape while colorful glassware and teal floral vessels kept the design whimsical and eclectic.

The four-tiered cake with sculpted buttercream flowers sat atop a simple white cake stand as this statement cake needed no distraction from its detail! Custom sugar cookies were another uniquely designed dessert, including replicas of the barn, peachy hearts, and plaques of watercolor mountain ranges. 

Wedding cake at Overlook Barn Summer wedding

A nod to late-summer yields in the mountains, we crafted a fig hibiscus cooler cocktail that was both delicious and refreshing. Wooden drink stirrers with iridescent mountains resembling the a-frame ceremony backdrop reflected the beautiful colors accentuated throughout the room just perfectly.

One of our favorite parts of the shoot? Spirits were served from the back of a vintage 1947 Dodge pickup transformed into a bar! Wood taps and a bartender in suspenders took us back to all the feels of summer love as if the evening were straight out of The Notebook. 

From all the gorgeous colors to the charming, reclaimed wood barn venue with mesmerizing views, this shoot truly captured the mountain wedding of our dreams!

Totally inspired now to plan your own styled shoot? GREAT!!

Here are some tips we recommend for executing a safe styled shoot during a pandemic:

-Select a well-ventilated (outdoor if possible!) venue or location with plenty of space to spread out.

-Be diligent about setup timeline and communication to lessen the number of vendors setting up at the same time.

-Encourage everyone to bring their own water bottles and snacks, and provide boxed or individual vendor meals (if applicable).

-Require vendors to do a temperature check before entering and have a sanitation area on-site for frequent use of hand sanitizer, along with Lysol wipes for doorknobs, equipment, etc.

-Consider using a real-life couple as your models to eliminate individuals from different households getting cozy for the photographer. ;) Better yet, if you are including wedding party models, using real couples for these as well will help reduce intermingling between households even further!

Thank you to our fabulous vendor team that made this gorgeous styled shoot possible!

Publication – Heart of NC Weddings

Venue – Overlook Barn

Planner – A Southern Soiree

Photographer – Richard Barlow Photography

Cake – Ten Bloom Cakes

Florist – Callista Designs

Bride and Bridesmaids' Jewelry – Poppy & Co.

Hair and Makeup – Brushes and Braids

Stationery – Blush and Blue Designs

Specialty Rentals – A Bushel and A Peck Vintage Rentals

Linens/Dinnerware – CE Rental (Raleigh)

Dress – Gilded Bridal

Dress Designer – Truvelle Bridal

Bridesmaid Dresses – Bella Bridesmaids (Raleigh)

Bridesmaid Dress Designer – Jenny Yoo

Menswear – Bernard's Formalwear

Cookies – Southern Sugar Bakery

Glassware – Green House Picker Sisters

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