McGuire's Millrace Farm wedding photographer

I've photographed more weddings at McGuire's than at any other venue. It's ten minutes from my house.

McGuire's Millrace Farm covers 110 acres just outside Murphy, NC. The McGuire family has run it since 1999, on land that's been farmed since 1878, and it still feels like a farm: rustic, open, mountains on the horizon, and a family that knows what it's doing.

If you've just come from the McGuire's site, you've seen the Birch Garden, the Belvedere, and the barn. I've stood in every one of those spots in every season and every kind of weather. That's useful on a wedding day. I'm not learning the property while you wait.

Ceremony aisle through the Birch Garden at McGuire's Millrace Farm in Murphy, NC, by Nathan Baerreis

What it's like to photograph here

The Birch Garden. More than a hundred river birches, planted by Mr. McGuire himself. It's the most requested ceremony site on the farm, and the trees filter the late light in a way I never get tired of.

The Belvedere. Open field, mountains behind you, sky overhead. On a clear evening it's one of the widest ceremony views in the county.

The barn. Tall tongue-and-groove ceilings and rows of chandeliers. After dark, with the lights up, the room glows.

The small places. The arched foot bridge over the pond, the courtyard, the old buildings that were here long before the weddings. I have favorite spots in all of them.

Working with me at McGuire's

I focus on the moments while you live them.

At a farm this size, knowing where to stand matters. I know which side of the pond catches the evening light, how long the walk is from the Birch Garden to the barn, and where to take you when it rains. Natalie and the McGuire's team and I have done this together many times, so the day runs quietly in the background.

I take a small number of weddings each year, on purpose. Yours won't be one of three I'm juggling that month.

"We were thrilled with his professionalism, happy demeanor, and calm guidance." Kelly, married at McGuire's Millrace Farm

Planning notes for a McGuire's wedding

  • Take a lap. Right after the ceremony, walk the property together for ten minutes. It's the only quiet you'll get all day, and it's where some of my favorite pictures happen.
  • Rain isn't a disaster. Window light in the barn and the old buildings is soft and flattering. Some of my best McGuire's portraits were taken on gray days.
  • Plan the exit. Sparkler send-offs work well on the path outside the barn. Ask the venue about their current rules.
  • Birch Garden or Belvedere? The Birch Garden is more sheltered and intimate. The Belvedere is bigger and more exposed to weather. Both photograph well. Pick the one that feels like you.

A story from a McGuire's wedding

Couple kissing in the Birch Garden aisle as guests cheer at McGuire's Millrace Farm in Murphy, NC, by Nathan Baerreis

Once in a blue moon, everything goes exactly, inexplicably, perfectly right. Holly and Dayna's wedding was one of those days, a run of serendipity and nat 20 rolls from start to finish. They said their vows under a flower arch in the Birch Garden, then spent the night in the barn dancing inside a circle of their people. There was nothing to see except love. I rarely find myself at a loss for words, but here we are.

Couple dancing inside a circle of friends in the barn at McGuire's Millrace Farm in Murphy, NC, by Nathan Baerreis

Bubble send-off kiss outside the barn at McGuire's Millrace Farm in Murphy, NC, by Nathan Baerreis

More McGuire's couples

Morgan and Tyler got married in the barn, dressed for winter in greenery and deep red flowers. They had a wonderful wedding party, and the day was practically perfect. The picture I keep coming back to is Morgan on the dance floor with her Nana, who is 100 years old.

Bride dancing with her 100-year-old Nana at a McGuire's Millrace Farm reception in Murphy, NC, by Nathan Baerreis

Taylor and Landon relaxed into the day and got lost in their moments, trusting me to be there to record them. That's my favorite way to work.

Couple kissing on the wooden footbridge at McGuire's Millrace Farm in Murphy, NC, by Nathan Baerreis

Sarah and Aaron had what the McGuire's team called their pink day: pink florals by Faire Fleur House, place cards by Sola Calligraphy, and Natalie Gibbs coordinating.

Bride with a pink bouquet at McGuire's Millrace Farm in Murphy, NC, by Nathan Baerreis

Evelyn and Ryan's place cards were a project of their own. Ellie Gebel of Sola Calligraphy and illustrator Sarah Allam spent months on them: hand-illustrated, laser cut, letterpress printed twice, crowned with a pearl, and finished in calligraphy. Flowers by Flowers at McGuire's.

Hand-illustrated letterpress place card topped with a pearl at McGuire's Millrace Farm, by Nathan Baerreis

Let's talk

Getting married at McGuire's, or still deciding? Send me a note. I'm usually back within a day. If you'd like to see packages first, they're over here.

Also nearby: Brasstown Valley Resort and Nantahala Weddings & Events.