By Radhika McDiarmid, founder of Radian Photography, a North Carolina wedding photographer specializing in medium format film, Super 8, and editorial documentary weddings.
Mountain Resort • European Charm • Luxury Wedding Weekends
A timeless mountain retreat where exceptional hospitality, storied gardens, and the charm of Highlands come together to create one of the Southeast's most unforgettable wedding destinations.
Planning an Old Edwards Inn wedding? We'd love to help tell your story on medium format film, digital, and Super 8.
A Place That Feels Like It's Been Waiting for You
Old Edwards Inn weddings
Nestled in the walkable mountain town of Highlands, North Carolina, Old Edwards is less a single property than an entire experience. Historic inns, tucked-away gardens, award-winning restaurants, cozy fireplaces, and winding stone pathways spill into the surrounding streets, making it feel as though the town itself is hosting your wedding. Guests don't simply check into a hotel. They settle into a mountain village that invites them to slow down, reconnect, and savor every part of the weekend.
That sense of place is what makes Old Edwards so extraordinary.
The best wedding weekends aren't built around a timeline. They're built around the moments in between. Coffee on a balcony before everyone wakes up. A walk through the gardens with your grandmother. Friends gathering around a fire pit long after dinner has ended. A quiet stroll down Main Street after your welcome party, when the mountain air finally cools and the realization settles in: We're really here.
Those are the moments we remember. They're also the moments we love to photograph.
As a studio specializing in medium format film, digital photography, and Super 8 cinema, we're drawn to destinations that reward observation rather than production. Old Edwards doesn't ask you to manufacture beautiful moments. It creates the space for them to unfold naturally. The architecture, gardens, changing mountain light, and slower pace all encourage people to be fully present, which is exactly where our favorite photographs begin.
If someone asked us to describe the perfect Radian wedding in three words, they might be: Intentional. Singular. Unhurried. Old Edwards embodies all three.
AT-A-GLANCE
Highlands, North Carolina
A charming mountain town in the Blue Ridge Mountains, approximately 2½ hours from Asheville, Greenville, and Atlanta, making it an ideal destination for guests traveling from across the Southeast.
Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) for guests traveling longer distances.
- Multi-day wedding weekends
- Destination weddings
- Guest experience
- Intimate celebrations and full-property buyouts
- Editorial portraits paired with documentary storytelling
Old Edwards offers a variety of event spaces suited for intimate gatherings as well as celebrations with well over 200 guests, allowing couples to create an experience tailored to their vision rather than fitting into a one-size-fits-all ballroom.
+ Your wedding feels like an entire vacation.
+ One of the Southeast's most walkable luxury destinations
+ Exceptional food and hospitality from beginning to end
+ Mountain landscapes without sacrificing refined design
+ Gardens, historic architecture, and beautiful light in every season
+ Endless opportunities for genuine, unscripted moments
Medium format film.
Documentary candids.
Editorial portraits that never interrupt the celebration.
Super 8 films that feel like memories rather than productions.
Old Edwards is one of those rare venues where every one of those approaches feels completely at home.
Many luxury venues ask guests to arrive for a wedding.
Old Edwards invites them to stay for a weekend.
As photographers, that's one of the biggest reasons we recommend it so often. When everyone has time to settle in, the photographs become richer. We get to document not only the ceremony, but the coffee before breakfast, the laughter spilling out of a wine bar after the welcome party, the quiet anticipation before getting dressed, and the conversations that continue long after the music has ended.
Those are the photographs that become family history.
Why Old Edwards Inn Weddings Feel Different
A Photographer's Perspective
Every photographer has venues where they instinctively slow down. Fearrington is one of ours.
The light here rarely feels harsh. Mature trees soften the afternoon sun, brick pathways bounce warm tones back into portraits, and the gardens create depth in nearly every direction. Even after years of photographing weddings, we're always discovering another quiet corner that feels made for an intimate portrait.
But what we appreciate most isn't the scenery. It's the pace.
Because guests are staying on property or nearby, there isn't the frantic energy of people rushing between hotels, transportation, and timelines. Couples often share breakfast with family, take walks through the gardens before getting ready, or enjoy an unhurried cocktail hour while everyone reconnects.
Those are the moments we remember long after the formal portraits. They're also the moments that become family heirlooms.
As film photographers, we especially love how Fearrington rewards careful observation. The gardens shift throughout the seasons, ivy climbs historic brick walls, candlelight glows through restaurant windows after sunset, and soft North Carolina light wraps beautifully around people instead of demanding dramatic editing.
It's a place that doesn't need to be exaggerated. It simply needs to be noticed.
Beyond the Wedding: Why We Love Highlands
One of the greatest luxuries Old Edwards offers isn't found within the resort itself. It's just beyond its front door.
Unlike many destination venues, Old Edwards is woven into the fabric of Highlands, a mountain town where independent shops, galleries, cafés, and restaurants are all just a short walk away. Guests can spend the morning browsing local bookstores, hiking to nearby waterfalls, enjoying a leisurely lunch on Main Street, or unwinding at the spa before gathering for the evening's celebrations. The wedding becomes the centerpiece of a weekend that feels like a true mountain getaway rather than a single event.
As photographers, we love destinations that encourage people to arrive early and linger after the last dance. Those extra hours are where some of our favorite photographs are made: grandparents sharing coffee on a porch, friends laughing during a stroll through town, or a newly married couple stealing away for an evening walk beneath the twinkle lights on Main Street.
Highlands has a rhythm that's difficult to manufacture. It invites people to slow down, reconnect, and be present with one another. That's exactly the kind of environment where meaningful photographs happen naturally.
For couples planning a wedding weekend, we always encourage building time into the itinerary to experience the town itself. Your guests will remember the ceremony, but they'll also remember discovering a favorite coffee shop, hiking to a waterfall, or ending the night around a fire pit after an unforgettable dinner. Those shared experiences become part of the story, and that's what transforms a beautiful wedding into a truly memorable weekend.
- Browse the shops and galleries along Main Street
- Hike to Dry Falls or Bridal Veil Falls
- Spend an afternoon at the Old Edwards Spa
- Enjoy cocktails on a patio overlooking the mountains
- Explore nearby Cashiers for scenic drives and local boutiques
- Take a leisurely morning walk before the wedding festivities begin
Our Favorite Things to Do in Highlands
Spaces We Love at Old Edwards Inn
One of the reasons Old Edwards Inn continues to be one of our favorite luxury wedding venues in North Carolina is that every celebration can feel entirely unique. The property offers a collection of distinct event spaces, each with its own atmosphere, yet all connected by the same commitment to thoughtful hospitality and timeless design.
As wedding photographers, we're constantly thinking about how a space changes throughout the day. Where does the light fall? Where do guests naturally gather? Where can a couple steal away for five quiet minutes without disappearing from their celebration?
Old Edwards is one of those rare venues where every answer leads somewhere beautiful.
If we could design the ideal setting for a mountain wedding, it would look a lot like The Farm.
Rolling meadows, mountain views, towering trees, and a reception pavilion that feels refined without feeling overly formal. It has all the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains without competing with them.
From a photography perspective, this is where Old Edwards truly shines. Portraits made just before sunset feel soft and cinematic, while the surrounding landscape creates a sense of scale that's difficult to find elsewhere in North Carolina. It's a venue that looks spectacular on digital, but it's especially beautiful on medium format film, where the subtle color transitions and mountain atmosphere become even more pronounced.
One of the things we appreciate most about Old Edwards is that beautiful portrait locations aren't confined to one designated garden.
Instead, flowers, stone pathways, mature landscaping, and tucked-away courtyards are woven throughout the property. That means portraits never feel like a separate production. We can simply wander with a couple for ten or fifteen minutes, allowing moments to unfold naturally while creating editorial images that still feel connected to the day.
Our favorite "venue" at Old Edwards might actually be everything between the scheduled events.
The walk back from dinner. Main Street after sunset. A quiet morning on the veranda with coffee before getting ready.Friends gathering around a fire pit. Parents watching the mountains disappear into the evening light.
These aren't locations you'll find on a venue map, but they're often where the photographs that matter most are made.
The Farm at Old Edwards
The Gardens
The Inn & Historic Highlands
One of the reasons Old Edwards Inn continues to be one of our favorite luxury wedding venues in North Carolina is that every celebration can feel entirely unique. The property offers a collection of distinct event spaces, each with its own atmosphere, yet all connected by the same commitment to thoughtful hospitality and timeless design.
As wedding photographers, we're constantly thinking about how a space changes throughout the day. Where does the light fall? Where do guests naturally gather? Where can a couple steal away for five quiet minutes without disappearing from their celebration?
Old Edwards is one of those rare venues where every answer leads somewhere beautiful.
If we could design the ideal setting for a mountain wedding, it would look a lot like The Farm.
Rolling meadows, mountain views, towering trees, and a reception pavilion that feels refined without feeling overly formal. It has all the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains without competing with them.
From a photography perspective, this is where Old Edwards truly shines. Portraits made just before sunset feel soft and cinematic, while the surrounding landscape creates a sense of scale that's difficult to find elsewhere in North Carolina. It's a venue that looks spectacular on digital, but it's especially beautiful on medium format film, where the subtle color transitions and mountain atmosphere become even more pronounced.
One of the things we appreciate most about Old Edwards is that beautiful portrait locations aren't confined to one designated garden.
Instead, flowers, stone pathways, mature landscaping, and tucked-away courtyards are woven throughout the property. That means portraits never feel like a separate production. We can simply wander with a couple for ten or fifteen minutes, allowing moments to unfold naturally while creating editorial images that still feel connected to the day.
Our favorite "venue" at Old Edwards might actually be everything between the scheduled events.
The walk back from dinner.
Main Street after sunset.
A quiet morning on the veranda with coffee before getting ready.
Friends gathering around a fire pit.
Parents watching the mountains disappear into the evening light.
These aren't locations you'll find on a venue map, but they're often where the photographs that matter most are made.
Old Edwards Inn Weddings Are Perfect For Couples Who:
- Believe your wedding should feel like a weekend away with your favorite people, not a single eight-hour event.
- Care deeply about guest experience and want everyone to leave feeling genuinely cared for.
- Love mountain destinations, boutique hotels, thoughtful design, and exceptional hospitality.
- Want editorial portraits that feel effortless rather than overly posed.
- Are drawn to medium format film photography for its timeless quality and depth.
- Love the nostalgic feeling of Super 8 films that preserve movement, laughter, and atmosphere in a way digital video never quite can.
- Appreciate architecture, gardens, incredible restaurants, and walkable towns.
- Want your wedding photographs to feel honest, emotional, and beautifully understated.
- Would rather spend time with your guests than disappear for an hour of posed portraits.
- Believe the most meaningful photographs are usually the ones you never planned.
If We Were Planning Your Old Edwards Wedding Weekend...
For couples hosting a full wedding weekend, we'd encourage guests to arrive a day early whenever possible.
Check into the inn. Explore Main Street. Enjoy dinner at one of Highlands' incredible restaurants.
Wake up the next morning already feeling like you've escaped everyday life.
As photographers, we rarely begin documenting on Thursday, but we love knowing those memories become part of the weekend's rhythm.
The wedding day begins slowly.
Coffee. Mountain air drifting through open windows. A quiet breakfast with family before hair and makeup begin.
Because so many guests are staying nearby, there's an ease to the day that simply doesn't exist at venues where everyone is driving in from different hotels.
After the ceremony, we typically recommend keeping portraits intentional but efficient. One of our philosophies at Radian is that your wedding should never revolve around photography. Instead, photography should revolve around your experience.
We'll create timeless editorial portraits on medium format film while leaving plenty of space for cocktail hour, conversation, and celebration.
As the sun begins to set behind the mountains, we'll often slip away for just ten quiet minutes together. No elaborate production. No endless posing.
Just a chance to breathe, soak it all in, and create photographs that feel every bit as meaningful as the moment itself.
Meanwhile, our second photographer continues documenting your guests, because those stories deserve to be remembered, too.
The welcome party is one of our favorite events to photograph.
Everyone is relaxed. The anticipation is building. Old friends reconnect while new friendships begin.
Without the structure of a wedding day timeline, people naturally settle into conversation, laughter, and celebration.
Those documentary moments are exactly why we love photographing wedding weekends.
A final breakfast.
One last walk through town.
Guests lingering a little longer than expected because no one is quite ready for the weekend to end.
Some of our favorite wedding weekends don't end with the last dance.
They end around a breakfast table.
With hugs in the parking lot.
And with the quiet realization that everyone experienced something truly special together.
Why We'd Recommend Old Edwards Inn to Our Closest Friends
Some venues are beautiful because of their architecture. Others because of their setting.
Old Edwards Inn is memorable for a different reason. It changes the way people experience a wedding.
We've learned over the years that the celebrations people remember most aren't necessarily the biggest or most elaborate. They're the ones where everyone had time to settle in. Where guests wandered into town for coffee together before the ceremony. Where dinner lingered because no one was watching the clock. Where a walk through the gardens became one of the favorite memories of the weekend. Old Edwards makes those moments possible.
As photographers, we believe the most meaningful wedding images rarely come from elaborate styling or perfectly orchestrated poses. They come from genuine connection. A father quietly adjusting his daughter's veil. Friends embracing after years apart. A newly married couple taking a slow walk through Highlands after the reception, finally able to exhale together.
Those moments can't be scheduled. They can only happen when a place encourages people to be fully present.
That's what we love most about Old Edwards.
If someone we loved asked us where to host a wedding that felt elegant without being formal, luxurious without being extravagant, and deeply personal without sacrificing incredible hospitality, Old Edwards would be one of the very first places we'd recommend.
Not because it's one of the Southeast's most celebrated luxury wedding venues.
Because it creates the kind of weekend that people still talk about years later.
And those are exactly the kinds of stories we hope to preserve.
Why we love photographing destination wedding weekends
The most memorable wedding photographs rarely happen during the ceremony.
They happen over coffee the morning after. During a quiet walk through the gardens before guests arrive. Around a long dinner table on Friday night when everyone is still catching up. On a dock just before sunset, when the schedule finally gives way to conversation.
That's one of the reasons we're drawn to destination celebrations and wedding weekends. These venues invite people to linger, and the photographs become richer because of it.
Rather than documenting a single day, we're able to tell the story of a place, a gathering, and the relationships that made it meaningful.
