Game of Thrones-Inspired Wedding Shoot at Spruce Pine Castle Goes Viral on the Web

By Jesse Wood

Featuring work done by folks in the High Country wedding industry, video and images from the Game of Thrones-inspired wedding shoot at the Smithmore Castle in Spruce Pine have gone viral on the web.

First published by the Huffington Post several days ago, the story has been featured in the BBC, Cosmopolitan, Time, Martha Stewart and many more publications and news outlets. Katie Lee of the Charlotte-based Katherine Elana Photography dreamed up the idea and then brainstormed with Charlotte-based wedding planner Samie Roberts of Something Perfect about how to put it together and who to invite to help put on the shoot.

“It’s been quite a whirlwind this past week seeing all of the press that this shoot has gotten!” Lee said. “When I first came up with the idea, I knew it was something that had the potential to be a big hit, but I never could have imagined the amount of interest its garnered.”

Though the shoot has just now gone viral, it took place in February, timed to happen two weeks prior to the premiere of this season’s Game of Thrones, which is the most popular show in the history of HBO.

“It was one of those scenarios where everyone we involved put as much time and heart into the project as we did and it truly showed when we got to Smithmore,” Lee said.

The shoot also included Wolfdog, who happened to be River the “Ambassadog” from Full Moon Farm Wolfdog Sanctuary . Lee explained, “I think the question I get asked the most about the shoot is if River is a real wolf (which is partly true- he is a wolf-dog hybrid) and how on earth I was able to get him to be in the shoot. Honestly, that part was very easy! I searched online for wolf rescues in the area and came across Full Moon Farm. I emailed them and explained what I was doing and let them know that I would be happy to give a donation to their organization for their time, since they are a non-profit. They were totally into the idea!”

Local wedding planner Elizabeth Hempfling of Events by Elizabeth Ashley participated in the shoot. Hempfling manages the Smithmore Castle in Spruce Pine and hosts her company events at the venue. She said that styled shoots such as the Game of Thrones-inspired shoot is trending in the industry.

This shoot was done in the hopes of gaining exposure. I think everyone would call this a success as organizers field more requests involving this shoot.

“We knew that it would hopefully land in a wedding magazine and be good exposure for all of our businesses,” Hempfling said. “Never in a million years did we think it would go this far.”

Check out other stories published about this shoot, see the list of vendors and view photos below:

VENDORS

Photographer: Katherine Elena Photography

Venue: Smithmore Castle

Video: Dorn-Long Films

Planners: Something Perfect and Events by Elizabeth Ashley

Dresses: RCB Fashion

Hair: Mirror Bomb Studio

Makeup: Makeup by Lauren Nicole Cirillo

Rings: Trumpet & Horn

Ring box: The Mrs. Box

Calligraphy: Writing on Hearts