As Biltmore wedding photographers we enjoy the uniqueness each Biltmore wedding presents. I mean, come on. We totally saw a bear at this wedding. (Scroll down for that image!) 
Daphne and Jason were 1st, SUPER gorgeous and also super kind to us. Their joy was evident.
Probably one of our favorite parts of the ceremony was the dove release at the end. But more on that later!
Let’s back up to the beginning of the day to when everyone was getting ready.
Daphne and Jason opened gifts from one another before the first look.
It’s all in the details.
The gorgeous Daphne! Wendy and Amanda with Blush Asheville gave her EXACTLY what she wanted when it came to her hair and makeup. Daphne was so very happy with how it turned out!
This was our first time doing a first look under the wisteria at the tennis lawn.
While we were there we snagged a few shots with the bridal party.
That veil though.
As we were taking photos at the entrance of the Biltmore house, one of the bridesmaids told us to look up at Diana. I was really concerned that those guys were having a picnic and that the bear was in for an afternoon snack. But alas the bear turned and walked up the hill toward the tent. The guys never even looked up from their phones.
The walled gardens at Biltmore are so so lovely. I am glad we had an opportunity to shoot with them before heading to the ceremony!
The ceremony was at the Inn on Biltmore Estate. There was a chance of rain but we had wonderful weather!
For Jason’s Dad.
Let the ceremony begin!
Howard Hanger does SUCH a great job officiating weddings. He puts so much meaning with a dose of laughter into each ceremony.
The kiss…
Then a release of the doves!
We have always loved this little added touch of the guest blowing bubbles as the bride and groom exit the ceremony.
A few candids of Daphne’s lovely family.
Onward to the reception inside the Inn at Biltmore.
Biltmore’s floral and pastry team did an EXCELLENT job making Daphne’s vision for her wedding day come to life.
Daphne and Jason used a lot of our engagement photos for special touches around the reception. We loved that and were so honored!
The FOOD!! So yummy!
This sign is everything. And this DJ had quite the set up! We knew it was going to be a fun party!
Jason and Daphne had a wonderful choreographed first dance!
They nailed it!
Candids are our favorite moments to capture.
This is Daphne with some of her relatives. These moments are so so sweet.
Another beautiful moment was when Daphne’s mom sang to the couple.
This father/daughter dance was so so special.
Jason’s mom is not a dancer, so Daphne’s mom swung Jason around the dance floor.
Cake cutting time!
Toasts.
Let the party begin!
Congrats Daphne and Jason!
Shout out to these professionals that made this day so so amazing.
Wedding coordinator – Devyn Leigh Events
Venue coordinator – Andrea Feightner with Biltmore
Where you purchased your dress – Winnie Couture in Charlotte
Makeup artist – Wendy with Blush Asheville
Hair designer – Amanda with Hughes Hair Design
Floral designer – Elizabeth Borchers with Biltmore
Caterer – Biltmore Catering
DJ or Band – DJ Ben Felton
Officiant – Howard Hanger
Cake designer – Biltmore
Rental company – Classic Event Rental
Videographer – Alan and Ian with Crown Alley Films
Now enough from us, here is a bit more from Daphne and Jason about their big day!
A bit about Daphne:
I was born and raised in the Philippines until I was 13 years old and then my family and I moved to Fort Myers, Florida to start a new life. When I was in college, I met Jason and we started dating. A year later he moved back to North Carolina but long distance didn’t work out so we ended up breaking up. I graduated from college and started working as a Respiratory Therapist and then traveled to Syracuse, NY to work for three months. I never would have imagined that Jason and I would talk again after the break up in Florida, but we did. Thanks to Facebook we reconnected again. I decided to move to North Carolina to be with him.
A bit about Jason:
I am 38 years old. Grew up in West Virginia in a very small town. I moved to North Carolina and lived there for a while before moving to Cape Coral, FL where I meet Daphne the love of my life. Ended up moving back to Maiden, North Carolina where I now live with Daphne, my son Kyle, and all our pets.
How did you meet?
We started talking through a dating website in Florida and after a few days we decided to meet in person. Daphne was unique from anyone I had ever meet and I wanted to learn everything about her. From the first date, I just wanted to spend time with her getting to know her more and see how things would go.
Describe your first date?
We meet at a restaurant for dinner on our first date. I remember seeing Daphne for the first time and thinking that she was even prettier than I expected from the pictures I saw. During that first date, we talked a lot and I felt so comfortable talking to her. It was like I was out with a friend that I had known for years. My original plan for our first date was to just go to dinner and see if I wanted a second date. I felt like it went so well that I didn’t want it to end. During dinner, we were talking about movies, so I decided to take a chance and ask her after dinner if she wanted to go watch a movie. So, I guess we had our second date the same night. When the night was over is when we had our first kiss, at that moment I knew I was hooked and had to see her again.
How long have you been together?
About 4 years of total
What are your favorite hobbies and activities to do as a couple?
Hiking, fishing, traveling, movies, and chasing waterfalls.
Who popped the question and HOW?
Jason, one of our favorite hobbies was hiking to different waterfalls and taking in the scenery around so I thought it would be fitting to pop the question in front of a waterfall, I wanted to surprise her and try not to give any clues that I was going to ask her. So, I arranged a nice getaway to a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina for her birthday to try to not be obvious. I also arranged for my niece and her husband to “accidentally” run into us while we were there, so she could get pictures and videos for us. After hiking up to the waterfall I dropped to one knee and asked her to spend forever with me. I was so nervous that I was going to drop the ring into the waterfall. She said yes, and she then started planning our wedding.
Why did you pick Asheville and the Biltmore Estate?
Almost all our guests were traveling from out of the state, so we wanted to give them a great experience that they would remember a lifetime. The Biltmore offered such a beautiful setting and I know with Daphne cherishing her photos, that it would make for breathtaking pictures.
What adjective best describes your spouse on your wedding day?
She looked stunning. Daphne has always been gorgeous in my eyes but especially on that day.
Jason not only looked charming to me but also very neat in that tuxedo.
What tangible detail of your wedding day did you love the most?
The decorations were perfect and the layout of everything. The ceremony looked like it came straight from a fairy-tale. The reception also with the layout of the DJ and the white dance floor with the projection was priceless. Having white dove release at the end of the ceremony and having the string quartet play the ceremony music has made it extravagant experience overall.
How many guests attended the wedding?
60
What did you and your guests eat at the reception?
Progressive dinner with buffet style main course. Wild mushroom gratin, bouquet of baby field greens, cucumber, grape tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette. For the main course, we had roasted chicken breast with wild mushroom, bacon vinaigrette and garlic herb roasted strip loin veal jus
What was the flavor of your wedding cake?
Almond, Vanilla, and Chocolate.
What is the one of the funniest things that happened on your wedding day?
Daphne’s aunt taking pictures and videos of everything including the sign that said it was an unplugged ceremony.
What was your first dance song and why did you pick it?
Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.” The song was so moving and relatable to us. We also worked so hard on the dance with professional lessons and a ton of practice.
What stood out to you the most when you think of your wedding?
Being able to have that wonderful experience at such a beautiful place and sharing my commitment to Daphne in front of the people that we love the most. It was like a fairy tale wedding dream came true.
What is on your “bucket list” to do together as a married couple?
Travel more to see and experience different places and cultures.
