Waterfall Engagement Session | Nashville, Tennessee Photographer

Janessa and I go way back – all the way back to 2008. We’ve truly been friends since the moment we first met. So when she started talking about her dream of having engagement photos at a waterfall, I couldn’t help but jump in with suggestions. It’s no secret that Tennessee has some of the most beautiful waterfalls around!

After extensive research, we settled on Carmac Falls at Evins Mill (please note this is private property and you will need to contact the linked venue 24 hours in advance for permission to access the falls). The waterfall is gorgeous and the lure of having basically a private waterfall (for a fee, of course) was too good to pass down. Of course, there was a bit of hike to get to the falls. I, for one, was not prepared for how physically demanding that hike would be (…or maybe I’m just out of shape.)

The path to the waterfall is labeled “The South Trail.” It was a humid Sunday afternoon; it basically felt like we were swimming through the air, but we were determined. We stopped more than once along the way for a few shots of Janessa and Chris before reaching our final destination.

These two first met through their friends. After lots of teasing from those friends about how they were basically dating, they made it official! Because of how natural and perfect they were together, Janessa pestered Chris about proposing for a long while. Chris in turn faked proposals with silly props like milk rings and ring pops. When Janessa was least expecting it, Chris created a scavenger hunt, leading to a very real proposal! Aren’t they just the sweetest?!

Janessa had only one photo request besides the waterfall – a spinning photo! We reached this bridge and thought that this would be the perfect scene for a spin.

Further along down the trail, we got our first glimpse of Carmac Falls. We should’ve realized the hike down to the waterfall would be grueling when we saw how far down the waterfall truly was from this point! Lessons learned! The light in this spot was definitely not amazing, but I took it as an opportunity to be artsy and creative.

While the ropes and poles that have been staked into the ground may not be the most picturesque, I thought this photo aptly illustrates how steep parts of this hike were! According to my iPhone, we climbed 20 floors! These two made it look like a breeze!

We finally reached the lower level and were only a short walk away from the waterfall. Along the path we found a quaint, moss covered area and paused for one more photo op before the epic, scenic ending we were all waiting for.

And FINALLY we reached Carmac falls! The mist from the cascading water was a welcome perk. Janessa and Chris were obviously feeling the falls – basically straight out of a romance novel. I have the best clients.

The Carmac conveniently has tons of large rocks located in front of it. We climbed our way over as close to the falls as we could get. The waterfall created the most amazing breeze, giving Janessa that sexy windblown look. I’m telling you, things got pretty steamy!

One thing I thought was really neat is how every angle gave a different backdrop. I love the little trickles of water falling off of the rocks next to the waterfall! I may or may not have directed Janessa and Chris underneath those at a later point…

Seriously, this is one of the most romantic engagement sessions I have ever photographed. An adorable couple at a giant waterfall?! Sounds like a dream come true to me! Please enjoy way more photos than I normally include in my blog posts. The waterfall made me do it.

As if the waterfall was not enough, these two were brave enough to even get in the water. This engagement session just kept getting better and better!

 

Here they are being ridiculously adorable under the trickling mini-falls to one side of the Carmac. I cannot with these two, they’re the cutest!!

For once I remembered that I also carry a polaroid camera around in my camera bag and it was charged. I seized the opportunity to take a photo of Chris and Janessa in front of the waterfall (immediate gratification!) as well as a photo of just the waterfall for my own non-existent collection of polaroids. I really need to use it more often! I borrowed Janessa’s beautiful, sparkling ring for a shot with the polaroids as well.

What this blog post fails to show you is the grueling hike back up the hill. I promise you, it took my legs at least three days to fully recover! Was it worth it? 100% yes.

Engagement sessions are the perfect opportunity to get some adventure in! I’d definitely love to tag along and photograph more adventurous sessions like this one! Hit me up – let’s plan your next adventure!