Jewish Elopement in NC Mountains: Beth & James
A sweet couple spends their elopement morning in nature with a sunrise hike for private vows & a creekside ceremony with loved ones.
If you’ve been curious about how to mix the traditional with the non-traditional for your wedding experience, J + B’s Jewish elopement will provide the perfect inspiration for you! Enjoy their film below, or scroll through the photos to learn more about their story. And if you didn’t already know, I captured and edited both their video and photos myself (it’s my specialty)! Be sure to check out the gallery when you’re done to see more.
The Elopement Need-to-Knows:
Their Package: 6 Hours (Half)
Time of Day: Morning / Sunrise
Location: Pisgah National Forest
Hiking Under the Stars
I pull up into the small parking lot after an hour drive in the early morning hours. I’m searching for their headlights in the pitch black darkness. Once they pull in, we step out of our warm cars into the chilly mountain air and hug. Beth & James wanted a quiet, sunrise hike to start their celebration - something they had never done before, so we packed up our bags and headed out on the trail. It was clear and beautiful that morning, giving us a great view of the milky way as we made our way through the valley, headlamps and a flashlight guiding each step.
We slowly made our way to the top of the mountain, taking stops to experience the darkness, the sky, and the slow hum of birds waking up. With no clouds in the sky, only a line of color inched it’s way above the landscape, embracing the bright blue of the morning.
Sunrise and First Looks
Right before the sun came up, Beth & James got ready separately, tucked away on opposite sides of the knob to prepare for their first look.
They took their time, embracing every little moment while they pieced together their wedding outfits. I particularly loved Beth’s bridal “wings”, clipped onto her dress with floral pins - A unique and whimsical addition to a classic white dress. When the light turned warm and orange I set them up back to back so they could hold hands for a minute before turning around and seeing each other’s wedding clothes. They laughed with excitement, buckling over and the waist with joy and hugging every chance they got. Beth pinned a flower to James’ lapel and they enjoyed some time just looking at the mountains around them.
A Heartfelt Vow Exchange
Once they watched the sun come up and shift from orange to yellow in hue, they moved into vows. They didn’t originally plan on reading their vows from their phones, but they accidentally forgot the vow books in the car before the hike (something we realized once we got to the top earlier that morning). Thankfully they had a copy!
If you take the time to watch their film above, you will see how sweet, gentle, and loving their vows to one another are. It’s so easy to feel what their relationship must be like - a cozy and kind connection. The laughter and joy that came out amidst the very real and heartfelt promises are some of the main reasons why I love personal vows so very much. We rarely speak with such vulnerability with one another, but in these moments we lay down our defenses in the name of love.
“We were able to relax and fully embrace the experience and be present with one-another due to Kathryn's expertise”
— Beth & James
A Relaxed Hike Down
Without rushing, we packed everything up and headed back down the trail, since we had a second location to get to! I always like to take a lot of time during hikes to let couples explore and enjoy the journey. It’s all about looking at all the beautiful views, gorgeous light, and cool plants along the way, so that’s exactly what we did.
The mountain laurels were in peak bloom, filling the trail with tiny pink petals. And that morning light was popping through the trees as we made our way through the forest, out into the valley, and back to the car where we had first met that morning. We plugged in our next locations GPS coordinates and headed down the mountain.
Official Jewish Ceremony with Family and Friends
We pulled of the road into a tiny gravel lot where Beth & James family were waiting for us. We hopped out to say hello, snuggle their pup, and sign some paperwork before walking down to the river for a more official ceremony.
We found a spot speckled with sunlight where the couple had a beautiful Jewish wedding ceremony lead by Rabbi. They included many traditional elements (something people forget they can do at an elopement) and Beth’s parents performed a song for them to have their first dance to. After a few family photos they joined hands in a circle and danced as a group - a beautiful display of community love and support.
Exploring the Falls
The last few moments of their elopement morning were spent exploring the nearby waterfall and sitting in some moments of quiet to take it all in.
We hugged each other and said our goodbyes before they drove away to spend the rest of the day with their families. I made my way home to rest, feeling grateful as always, to witness and capture such a beautiful life experience in these two human’s lives. I hope you enjoyed their story and it inspires your own in some way!
★★★★★
A Love Note from the Couple
“Kathryn is one of the most amazing people that we were so lucky to work with planning and capturing such a special day. Eloping was one of the best possible decisions that we made, only made better that Kathryn was there to help make that experience even more wonderful.
She worked with us to plan every detail, give us suggestions, and was a wonderful wilderness guide. We were able to relax and fully embrace the experience and be present with one-another due to Kathryn's expertise. Her passion shines through her work and we could not be more ecstatic about our photos.
If you are looking for an elopement photographer, planner, and just wonderful person to be a part of your day, Kathryn is the one.”
