Megan & Patrick’s Wedding at The Cloth Mill at Eno River 

It’s not every day that I get to photograph a friend’s wedding! I was beyond excited when Megan Collins, my college suitemate, booked Fancy This Photography. Megan and Patrick Prince hosted a winter-wedding ceremony and reception at The Cloth Mill at Eno River in Hillsborough, NC on Dec. 11, 2021. 

Megan first met Pat through her former roommate Estefany, who dated Pat’s twin brother David (Estefany and David are now engaged). Megan and Pat were just friends until they reconnected as singles in 2018. Pat needed a date for a friend’s wedding in Savannah, Georgia and Megan agreed to go as a friend. Spoiler: Megan and Pat left that wedding as more than friends. 

On Aug. 14, 2020, Patrick proposed to Megan in Spruce Pine, NC. Megan didn’t expect an engagement when they originally set out on the camping trip. But, she grew suspicious when Pat asked if she planned on putting makeup on before a hike. Suspicion grew even more when Pat bribed Megan to finish the hike with a prize. The bribery was necessary because Megan was ready to turn around when the “moderate” trail had them both grasping at roots to reach a romantic waterfall view. 

The couple jumped right into wedding planning after Megan said “yes” to Pat’s hiking proposal. When selecting a photographer, the bride-to-be remembered her fun former college suitemate.

“Ever since [Nikki] began Fancy This Photography, I’ve followed her work and have been a big fan of her style,” says Megan. “Nikki and her team were a dream to work with - neither of us are particularly comfortable in front of a camera, but they made Pat and I both feel at ease, and really captured all of the fun in the day.”

Keep scrolling to witness Megan and Patrick’s winter wedding at The Cloth Mill at Eno River.

Planning a Wedding at The Cloth Mill at Eno River in Hillsborough, NC

The Cloth Mill at Eno River is located in Hillsborough, less than five minutes from I-40 and I-85 and 15 minutes from downtown Durham. Franklin St. is just a 20-minute drive away and it takes approximately 45 minutes to get to downtown Raleigh from the venue. The Cloth Mill can accommodate a maximum of 250 guests for both a ceremony and reception.   

Rental of The Cloth Mill at Eno River includes: 

• Exclusive access to the outdoor courtyard, mill, dressing suites and amenities

• Tables and chairs for 250 guests 

• Market lights

• 10 hours of venue access

• Three custom portable bars

• Catering prep kitchen 

• Privacy

• Ample free parking

Couples who get married at The Cloth Mill can choose from their exclusive list of caterers. The venue also has a full ABC license, which means they offer a wide variety of liquor, beer and wine. Bar packages include beer and wine only, specialty drinks or full-service liquor options.

My favorite thing about The Cloth Mill at Eno River are the gorgeous, cathedral-size windows. Seriously. It looks magical when the sun sets just right, and the warehouse windows create marvelous shadows. The Cloth Mill is a large space, so there is tons of room for creative event design. Combine this with exposed brick walls and original wood beam flooring … It's simply beautiful.   

“We had a wonderful experience at The Cloth Mill,” says Megan. “It was the perfect backdrop for our vision of the day, and Nicole and her staff were super great to work with.” 

Outdoor Wedding at The Cloth Mill at Eno River 

My favorite moment from Megan and Patrick’s wedding at The Cloth Mill happened during the ceremony. It was when Megan's dad, Tim Collins, walked her down the aisle. You could tell that he was so proud and happy for his daughter. Those photos are some of my all-time favorites. 

The ceremony was held outside and began at 4 p.m. Megan’s cousin, Matt Waller, played live guitar during the event. Abbe Collins, the bride’s sister, served as Maid of Honor and Lindsay Finch, the bride’s best friend, was Matron of Honor. The bride’s cousin, Amy Ancone, Estefany Vruwink, sister-in-law, and friend, Ashley Prince, were bridesmaids. Megan and her father walked down the aisle to the song “Bron-Yr-Aur” by Led Zeppelin. 

Pat’s twin brother, David Prince, served as best man. Matt Barnes, Kevin Holmes, Erik Woods and Scott Pitaro are longtime friends and happily claimed the role of groomsmen. The ceremony was officiated by Reverend Richard Spell, Patrick’s uncle. Mr. and Mrs. Prince exited the ceremony to the song “I believe in a Thing Called Love” by The Darkness. 

Beautiful Bridal Portraits by Fancy This Photography 

Bride Megan looked angelic in a strapless, ball gown wedding dress from New York Bride & Groom of Raleigh. Statement earrings from Olive + Piper and green shoes from the Sarah Jessica Parker collection completed her winter wedding-day attire. Megan’s hair and makeup were both styled by Wedded Kiss. 

The Best of Both Worlds: Black & White and Colorized Images 

I used two Nikon cameras to capture Megan and Patrick’s wedding. One camera is a Nikon D850 and the other is a Nikon D750. You might notice that some of the images in this blog are in color and some are in black and white. If strong emotion is showcased in a photo, I love to also include a black and white version of the same image. In other words, any black and white photos that clients receive will always also have a colorized version.

How to Capture a Wedding Veil: Let It Be 

Megan had a fabulous wedding veil. Sometimes, a veil will do what it wants to do. My advice? Let it be. Veils that are cathedral length are stunning. As wind catches a veil, it creates a cinematic motion in the air. The best way to photograph the veil when this happens is as-is. I like to lean into my photography organically. To me, this is what made Megan’s bridal portraits so unique.

Winter Wedding at The Cloth Mill at Eno River 

Guests enjoyed a cocktail hour after Megan and Patrick’s ceremony. During this time, the newlyweds sat together and ate dinner in privacy. This brief, intimate moment gave them a chance to breathe and cherish the day. Raleigh-based Donovan’s Dish catered the formal wedding reception. 

The wedding’s theme was under-stated Christmas with lots of candles and greenery. Ivory, white, gold and green filled the color palette. Linens, place settings and glassware rented from American Party Rentals paired perfectly with floral designs by Specialties Events.

Instead of a traditional guestbook, Megan and Patrick asked guests to sign a personalized Jenga game set. Miniature mercury glass holiday ornaments served as escort cards - a nod to Pat’s job as a contractor. 

Raleigh-based Love Cake prepared an incredible, four-tier wedding cake adorned in flowers. Megan’s mother, Judy Ancone Collins, added 600-plus assorted handmade Christmas cookies to the dessert table. These paired perfectly with individual, old-school cartons of milk.

As you can see, I simply adore warehouse-style weddings. Click here to see Joshua and Stephanie’s industrial-chic celebration at The Bottle Factory in Monroe, NC. 

Photographer // Fancy This Photography
Venue // The Cloth Mill at Eno River
Wedding Dress // New York Bride & Groom of Raleigh
Bridal Shoes // Sarah Jessica Parker
Earrings // Olive + Piper
Hair & Makeup // Wedded Kiss
Tux Rentals // Men’s Wearhouse
Cake // Love Cake
Florals // Specialties Events
Catering // Donovan’s Dish
Linens, Place Settings & Glassware // American Party Rentals

Courtney & Josh’s Cloth Mill Wedding in Hillsborough, NC

“When we realized it would be raining on our wedding day, my main concern was what did that mean for our pictures?! But with Samantha behind the camera, I later realized I had nothing to worry about! With her incredible talent, what might have seemed like an unfortunate forecast actually became the backdrop to magical pictures. In fact, everyone who sees our pictures can't believe how gorgeous they are! When looking for a photographer, I wanted someone who could capture more of the natural and candid moments, and Samantha did a stellar job at that. But the magic of Fancy This doesn't stop there. With Nikki at the helm, they also have just about the best customer service you can imagine! In a hectic wedding planning season, her warmth and enthusiasm were such a gift. Not to mention her thoughtfulness at every turn! I would wholeheartedly recommend Fancy This Photography. They not only capture amazing images, but they're an absolute joy to work with in the process!”— Courtney, the Bride

This couple has been such a joy to work with. From the very beginning, Courtney had my heart. Her kindness and generosity shown thrown with every conversation. Courtney and Josh chose to marry one another at one of the prettiest venues in Hillsborough, NC — The Cloth Mill. With its urban charm, twinkly lights, and amazing window light—this was the perfect venue for this duo.

It was a charming wedding that took place the weekend right after Thanksgiving. It ended up being a rainy day, but, the happiness of the two together made that little fact unnoticeable. The sweetest ceremony we ever did see. In the middle of their ceremony the Pastor had asked for Courtney and Josh’s closest friends (there were 19 in total) to stand and commit themselves to the couple and to be with them throughout their marriage. These 19 people stood and responded to a vow that the officiant read by saying “we do.” It was the sweetest thing to witness, and even better to photograph.

There were so many emotions bursting through the day. After toasts, the guests watched the kindest video of Courtney’s belated father. It’s the sweet gestures that happen during this moment that pull at my heart strings. The night continued with dancing, an impromptu portrait session outside in the rain (LOVE these images!), and guests indulging in ice cream served by Mama Birds!

It’s not everyday that you meet such kind and genuine people like these two. It was an honor to serve them and be a part of such a fantastic celebration.

Congratulations, Courtney and Josh! Much love to you both!

Special thanks to all vendors involved!

Venue: Cloth Mill
Catering: Catering Works
Planner: Emily Katherine Events
Photography: Samantha with Fancy This Photography
Dessert: Mama Bird’s
DJ: Vox DJ
Ceremony Music: David Binanay
Hair: Megan Pirrocco
Makeup: Theresa Burden Makeup Artistry
Florist: Rabbit Foot Florals
Rentals: American Party Rentals
Bride's Attire: Gilded Bridal
Alterations: Marie Cordella
Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Bridesmaids Attire: David’s Bridal
Engagement Ring: Kay
Invitations: Minted