If you are looking for a unique and historic place to say I do, look no further than the Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, NC. A Highland Brewing Company wedding means getting married in the first brewery in Asheville (that is the first one that was actually legal) with amazing vibes and great views. 

I had the opportunity to capture Erin and Erik’s wedding here at the beginning of September, and it was so much fun. Not only was the venue beautiful, but the vibes were amazing, and everyone was having a blast! 

So, if you’re thinking about having a Highland Brewing Company Wedding, take a look at how Erin and Erik made it their own and learn a bit more about the venue. 

About The Highland Brewing Company Wedding Venue

A newly married couple standing on the rooftop of the Highland Brewing Company with their arms around each other as the smile.
Rectangular tables set up in rows in an industrial style space at the Highland Brewing Company.
A bride and groom smiling with their arms around each other.
A small wooden frame at the end of an aisle with plants hanging from it. On either side of the aisle are clear chairs for wedding guests to sit in.

Like I mentioned earlier, this was the first brewery in Ashville, beginning production back in 1994. When the brewery first opened, they were working out of the basement of a downtown taproom and could only make 6,500 barrels of beer in a year. 

In 2006, they moved to where they are now and have slowly expanded over the years. Today, they have grown from a 6,500 per year production number to producing over 40,000 a year. They have really grown to become a staple of the area, and part of that is because it is family-owned. 

Originally opened by Oscar Wong, the brewery is now run by his daughter and continues to exude that local, friendly vibe it has always had. One of the best things about this venue is that they are committed to sustainability. So not only are you getting the wedding of your dreams, but you can feel good about the footprint you are leaving! 

When it comes to where you will say I do, there are two different locations at the venue that you can choose from. The Event Center and Rooftop is one of the best wedding venues in Asheville. 

It is a three-level area that has everything you could want. Across all three levels, you’ll find a wedding suite, massive ceilings and windows, wooden bars, a prep kitchen for your caterers, an elevator, and a full stage equipped with everything you need to dance the night away. 

At the top is the rooftop that has amazing views of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance and offers a stunning place to have your wedding ceremony or your cocktail hour! During the winter months, when you can’t access the rooftop area, you still get the mountain vibes with the mural they painted of the mountains on the first floor. 

This larger area in the venue can accommodate up to 200 people for both the wedding ceremony and a seated reception, so even larger weddings will be completely comfortable here. 

The other option for locations here is the Barrel Room. This is a slightly smaller option and is perfect for more intimate weddings of around 60 guests. You can also use this area for your rehearsal dinner or a welcome reception as long as it is under 80 people. 

This is a more casual, yet still elegant, option with racks of wooden barrels lining the room and plants hanging along the ceiling. You also have a bar overlooking part of the brewery’s production area and a private patio. 

This really is a stunning place to kick off your wedding festivities or have a more intimate wedding ceremony! 

About the Couple: Erin and Erik

A bride and groom holding up their ring fingers and showing off their white sneakers on the rooftop patio of the Highland Brewing Company.
A bride and groom kissing under a tree while she holds a bouquet of flowers.
A groom standing behind his bride with his arms wrapped around her as they smile.

Erin and Erik met all the way back in 2018 after matching with each other on Tinder. Their first date was at a brewery in Orlando, so when they were picking out a wedding venue, they felt like choosing a brewery was the perfect full-circle moment for them. 

The two love to go to State and National Parks and hike together, so naturally, when Erik was deciding where to pop the question, a State Park was the answer. On a New Year’s trip with a group of friends, they were hiking in Cloudland Canyon State Park, and Erik got down on one knee and proposed right in front of a waterfall. 

When we were talking about what they were most excited about for their wedding, it was all about celebrating with the people they love all in one place, and let me tell you, it was so much fun. Everyone brought so much energy and light to their wedding, and it is an event none of them will ever forget. 

Erin and Erik’s Perfect Wedding at Highland Brewing Company

Getting Ready and Detail Pictures

A bride and her bridesmaid standing next to each other with their arms around each other laughing as they hold bouquets of flowers.
A groom standing behind his groomsmen with his arms wrapped around him like a prom picture.
A bride standing with her bridesmaid as she holds up her bouquet.
A groom fake punching a groomsmen before a wedding.
Groomsmen standing in a circle as they all hold up drinks to cheers.
A makeup artist applying makeup to a bride's face as she sits in a chair.
A close up view of a pug with a tuxedo bandana around their neck.
A pug with a tuxedo bandana standing at the feet of a wedding couple.

While Erin and her wedding party were having a nice calm morning getting ready to walk down the aisle, we were able to capture some beautiful candid moments with her family. Erik and his wedding party definitely took relaxing and enjoying yourself on your wedding day to heart. 

Drinks in hands, sliding down banisters, fake punches, and prom pictures were a few of my favorite moments from the pre-wedding festivities. 

After having way too much fun taking portraits with them, I captured some detail pictures of their gorgeous rings, wedding vows, a personalized bottle of whiskey, and their dog’s adorable outfit. 

Side note: their dog’s name is Taco, and he is an absolute star and totally elevated the wedding. 

The Ceremony

A bride and groom during their first kiss with their officiant behind them.
A bride walking down the aisle with her parents on either side of her.
A bride and groom walking back up the aisle after getting married and high-fiving a guest.
A groom laughing as he stands up with his bride during their wedding.

Next, it was time for the ceremony, and it was such a beautiful ceremony. They opted to have it up on the rooftop, and it was the perfect day with not a cloud in the sky. It is such a rare thing to have a sky that clear and blue so we definitely took full advantage of it!

You could really feel the love that both of them have for each other throughout the entire ceremony. They both had such big smiles on their faces the entire time, and you could tell that they were so excited to start their new life together. 

Cocktail Hour and Post-Ceremony Portraits

A bride and groom kissing while standing on a rooftop patio with a view of the mountains.
A bride smiling while she wraps her arms around her groom from behind.
A bride and groom standing together smiling after getting married with their pug sitting at their feet.
A man holding a small child as they both smile at a wedding.

After the ceremony, everyone stayed up on the rooftop for their cocktail hour as we took some portraits. Taco got involved in the action, and he looked so adorable with his parents. 

I also loved that we were not only able to get some amazing photos of Erin and Erik with their families, but we were also able to capture a ton of the guests that were there. This is also a big benefit of having a second shooter. I was able to take their portraits while my wedding bestie, Ala’na, was capturing cocktail hour candids! 

Oftentimes, you get amazing photos of you and your partner but not so much of everyone at your wedding. However, it is just as fun to look back ten years from now and reminisce about all of the people that you love who were at your wedding and how much fun it was having them there. 

We did get to sneak away for a bit for some more intimate portraits, and I just loved how much these two let their personalities shine through and just genuinely enjoyed being with each other. 

The Reception

A bride and groom during their first dance with their guests watching from behind.
A wedding couple smiling and laughing while one holds a beer and the other holds a plate with a slice of cake.
Two wedding guests dancing back to back as they squat down during a reception.
A groom with his tie around his forehead on the shoulders of another person during their reception.
A bride and groom being held up by their wedding guests during their reception as they throw a rugby ball.
A couple kissing while standing in between their wedding guests who are holding sparklers.

Finally, it was time for the party, and let me tell you, this was a party. Sure, we had some amazing and loving moments during the toasts and first dances, but once those lights went down, everyone started to turn up. 

Now, I’ve been at a ton of weddings, and they all have amazing parties, but this reception was just next level. I’m talking rugby balls being thrown around, ties going from around their necks to around their foreheads, shirts being taken off and swung around, the newlyweds being lifted up onto people’s shoulders. This wedding was definitely one of the most fun events I have been a part of. 

Shoutout to the Other Vendors

On top of the amazing vibes that everyone brought to this wedding, it also would not have been possible without the incredible vendors I had the chance to work alongside: 

Final Thoughts on a Highland Brewery, Asheville Wedding

Honestly, I don’t have enough great things to say about this wedding venue and this wedding in general. The Highland Brewery Company wedding venue has so many things to offer and is the perfect spot for a wedding in Asheville. 

If you are thinking about a wedding here or are still looking for a wedding photographer, I’d love to chat. My favorite thing about being a wedding photographer is capturing timeless moments between you and the people you love for you to look back on for years to come. 

If you think we are a good fit, click here to get in touch or head over to learn more about all of my wedding photographer packages! 

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