Mountain Elopement Adventure in Asheville: Gracie & Rob
There’s something magical about waking up before the sun, especially when it’s for a mountain elopement like this one.
These two adventurers chose a quiet mountain top as the perfect place to begin their journey together, surrounded by the stillness of the early morning and a soft blanket of fog that made the moment feel even more intimate. As they exchanged vows in the misty light, the world around them felt both vast and close-knit.
Afterward, they took their time exploring the trails, letting the beauty of the mountains sink in. The fog eventually lifted, revealing breathtaking views just in time for their first dance with nature as their backdrop. And while the morning was all about the quiet, the afternoon brought warmth and laughter with a cozy dinner party, sweet toasts, and the company of their closest loved ones. It was a day that balanced adventure and comfort, wrapped in the beauty of the mountains from start to finish.
The Elopement Need-to-Knows:
Their Package: Full (10 Hours)
Time of Day: Morning and Evening
Location: Blue Ridge Parkway & Private Rental
Hiking the Mountain Before Dawn
As I was driving up the mountain around 4 AM to meet Gracie and Rob at our trailhead, at a certain elevation I punched into the densest fog I’ve ever experienced. I could barely see a thing, driving through a world of white. Thankfully my GPS was able to tell me where I was and directed me to the same pull of as my couple. We hopped out of the car and chatted about alternatives, but they were ready to go for the adventure, whatever it had in store! We packed up our bags by the beams of the car headlights and headed out on the journey.
We took some time along the way to stop and look at all the cool plants and trees lining the trail. Hiking is like life for me, it’s about the journey and not just the destination. That’s something I encourage all of my couples to experience and Gracie and Rob are nature lovers like me, so they brought such excitement about every step. Once the sky started getting some blue color, we stopped a few times to capture their headlamp warmth amidst the barely blooming Spring trees. When we got to the top, there were no views like we had hoped, but we continued on.
Getting Ready
We found a spot in a glen of Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel bushes where Gracie & Rob could get ready together. They chose to help each other with all the little details, rather than getting ready separately and having a first look. I personally love when couples do this because there is a lot of sweet connection paired with fun moments that happen naturally.
The Sharing of Vows
Once dressed, they pulled out their adorable, bright yellow Field Notes notebooks that were embossed with flower patterns. They had each written their vows in them - something unique and personalized to their love of nature rather than just typical vow books. We found a wide open spot for them to settle in and share their personalized vows to one another and trade rings. If you want to hear what they said, you can watch their film at the beginning of this blog post!
Picnic Breakfast in the Clouds
It was time for breakfast, so Gracie & Rob pulled out a blanket and started prepping a mountain elopement meal! It was classic backpacker food, with bananas, granola bars, and coffee made on a camp stove. I think one of the best things about celebrating like this, is how it takes away the pressure for anything to be fancy or expensive if you don’t want it to be!
They took some time to connect, cheers their coffee in their favorite mugs, and settle in to the feelings after sharing their vows. I never want things to flow by too fast or for emotions to be passed over to just get to the next thing. This is why we slow down and really take our time to feel it all and let everything sink in.
Time to Explore!
I also believe a wedding day should have plenty of time to explore and enjoy the place you are. I love this about elopements! Gracie and Rob spent some time noting their coordinates to put into their vow books. They looked at the plants in bloom and ran their hands through moss we came across on the trailside. They kissed and giggled their way through the forest to eventually reach another viewpoint down the trail.
I particularly love capturing photos and footage of all the little critters and plants we see along the way, to bring you back into the moment of what you witnessed during your elopement day.
When the Fog Clears
Sometimes a bit of magic seems to happen on an elopement day. It doesn’t happen always, but often, if we are patient, the fog will eventually clear. Gracie and Rob got that beautiful gift as soon as we climbed to this small rock ledge. It was the first time I’ve ever seen such a thing, where little peeks of the mountains kept poking through the dense white. Eventually, the clouds fully lifted and we were left with a gorgeous clear morning on the mountain.
The giggles and chatter seemed to silence in this moment and everything got quiet. It felt almost reverent, finally being able to see what had been around us this entire time. We made our way back to the original viewpoint to see if the fog was clearing there too, and thankfully it was! Gracie ran to the rock ledge to look out over the Blue Ridge Mountains they have grown to love throughout their relationship.
First Dance
It was the perfect time for a first dance. Playing some soft music and dancing in the woods is something I think we should do more often as humans, right?! There is a real magic to this moment, so they found their spot and pressed play on their phone…
It was sweet and simple - nothing fancy and no choreographed moves. They just swayed and spun whenever it felt right, laughing and hugging throughout.
Hiking Down for a Midday Break
When over 6 hours had passed, we packed up the bags and made our way back down the trail. Since we hiked up in the dark, everything looked incredibly different on the way to where we had parked. We stopped to say hello to the little red salamanders that always surprise me at this elevation. We took our time, as always, noticing every little flora that caught our eye. Gracie and Rob shared stories and talked about what a beautiful, fun morning it had been.
Once we returned to where the day had begun, we hugged, and said our goodbyes for the next few hours. A break, nap, and lunch was in store for everyone before we reconvened at their rental house that afternoon.
“It wasn’t just about being outside on our wedding day, it was about really being in nature, and embracing everything an outdoor elopement means.”
— Gracie & Rob
Regrouping with Family to Celebrate Together
That afternoon I made my way to the tippy top of a winding mountain road to find the most gorgeous, modern house perched along the edge. Over the next few hours the evening Spring rain came rolling through, so we snuck a few moments to capture family portraits on the porch when a clearing gave us the chance. Afterwards, their siblings gave some sweet speeches to the group while everyone sat around laughing and tearing up. Next, the couple had commissioned a beautiful piece of artwork from a friend that they had everyone sign. They displayed it the rest of the night on an easel, holding physical space for an experience that is hard to make physical.
Afterwards, Gracie, Rob & I roamed around the property a bit, enjoying the Mountain Laurel bloomin in bright pink and the swinging bench that adorned the porch.
A Private Chef Dinner
They sat down at the table to enjoy a private chef dinner with one of my favorite chefs in the area. I love that they had hand picked each different wine they would all drink with each course as a sweet way to round out the meal with a personal effect.
Parents gave toasts at this point in the night, pulling out handkerchiefs to catch tears and sharing their love for their kids and well wishes for their lives together. It poured outside, water pounding the glass windows and wind whipping the tree branches. But everyone felt safe and cozy and grateful for a warm dry place to celebrate together.
At the end they cut the cake, drank champagne, and capped off the night with laughter and hugs of celebration. Since they were all staying in the house together, nobody had to leave or drive. They just enjoyed the evening as it flowed, cozying into the evening and bringing their full day adventure to a close.
★★★★★
A Love Note from the Couple
“Picking the right photographer was the #1 most important part of our wedding planning process–and, boy, was Kathryn the right choice for us! We knew early on in the planning process that we wanted to elope and, specifically, elope outside. We reached out to photographers first, knowing that we would plan our vendors and make other decisions around our photographer’s schedule. When we first talked to Kathryn, it was like we’d known her our whole lives–her values aligned with ours and her photos showed exactly what we dreamed of for our wedding day.
Part of our elopement day was just the two of us and part of it included immediate family. With only 7 guests, it was super important to us that our vendors were the right fit and Kathryn just felt like family (our parents loved her, too). Up to the day of our elopement, she offered so much local knowledge of the area where we wanted to elope and helped us narrow down our vision.
On the week of our elopement, when parkway construction threatened the accessibility of our location, she went out with her dad the day before to make sure that we wouldn’t have any issues. When it looked like rain or fog might make things challenging, she gave us options to adjust the schedule so that we could capture the moments how we wanted to. When we told her we wanted to aim for sunrise anyway, she braved some of the densest fog I’ve ever encountered in WNC and brought the beauty and moodiness of that weather to life in our photos.
I think one of her greatest strengths is how she helped us stay in the moment and made us feel comfortable. It wasn’t just about being outside on our wedding day, it was about really being in nature and embracing everything that an outdoor elopement means. Y’all, we got our photos literally within DAYS of our elopement and we got to relive all those sweet moments before we even left WNC and parted ways with our family.
They were everything we hoped they would be and more! We’re the type of people that feel awkward in front of the camera and don’t like photos of ourselves, but Kathryn captured real moments. We’re so glad we chose photo and video because they each captured something different that helps us relive those moments.
If you’re looking for a real outdoor elopement, talk to Kathryn! Get to know her as a person and what her perspective can bring to your wedding day!”
