Rechelle & Ryan A Love that Returned to Grow

There are weddings that shift something inside you—this was one of them.

Photographing Rechelle and Ryan’s day wasn’t just documenting a ceremony—it was witnessing healing. They had been married once before, young and unsure, but life led them back to each other with deeper roots and four children in tow.

I fell in love that day.
I fell in love with watching their oldest walk Rechelle down the aisle.
With vows that weren’t just between partners, but promises made to their children.
With the way Ryan kissed away an ant bite on their toddler’s leg, mid-ceremony.
With joy that radiated from every corner of Wayah Bald Fire Tower up in the Nantahala Forest of Western North Carolina.

This wasn’t just a wedding—it was a reunion of hearts, a ceremony of second chances, and a family choosing one another all over again.

This day reminded me why I photograph weddings. Not for the perfect light or curated details (though we had both), but for the real, raw, beautiful moments that hold us together.

Thank you, Rechelle and Ryan, for showing me what love looks like when it’s lived-in, forgiven, and fiercely protected.

You changed me.

— Emilie
Appalachian Wedding Photography

Weddding Location: Nantahala Weddings & Events