If you’ve come to this page wondering about an elopement somewhere in the NC mountains, but not sure if it’s even possible anymore, we’ve put this information together for you. But first we want to be clear about a few things. We are not saying anyone should elope in the midst of a disaster area. We are also not saying that it’s insensitive to get married during a time of crisis. Do not feel guilty for still wanting to plan your wedding dream day. This Bible verse comes to mind for times like these:
Romans 12:15-18 New International Version (NIV)
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.
Especially that last part — to live in harmony with one another. We’ve seen people already asking about hiking in areas where they still haven’t found missing persons. At the same time, we’ve seen brides get shamed in Facebook groups for simply asking if there is somewhere else to get married now that their venue is completely gone. These comments are both tone deaf. Folks, we need to do better and understand that each of us is in a different situation.
Many Mountain towns in NC are struggling and need tourists to visit
So all that to say, please know we are providing this info to you with the disclaimer that choosing to get married in a location should be done with respect to the people that live there. A good rule of thumb — are locals asking you not to come? (and we mean locals, not keyboard warriors who don’t even live there). Then don’t. But are they they’ve cleaned up things and are open for business? Then please do so. And leave a big tip because that server that helped you probably needs it.
While our hearts are heavy for the loss of life and of entire communities that have been wiped away by the storm, we want to recognize that visiting the mountains has been a source of peace and joy for many. Weddings are a sign of hope for the future. Coming to the mountains means healing for many. It’s still possible to have a beautiful elopement day — if you know where to go.
There are still many places to elope in the Blue Ridge Mountains
From our two decades of experience exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, we have created a catalog of locations for elopements and there are still many amazing places to go beyond the Asheville area that are open, relatively unaffected, and are literally begging for people to come visit because their small businesses need it. These are smaller towns like Bryson City which is a gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park with many elopement locations that are unaffected. Franklin is coming along and almost ready for people to visit (and probably is by the time you read this). Robbinsville, Andrews, Murphy and Highlands are up and running and have a lot to offer for adventure elopements & places to stay.
Update December 2024:
Many locations have re-opened since we wrote this post initially in October 2024. All of the Blue Ridge Parkway is now open in Virginia and a significant amount of sections in NC. Pisgah National Forest has opened one district and others are upcoming. We’ve been to some of our favorite spots already and confirmed they are ok; but also have found ourselves in situations where “just around the corner” there are places still that need time to heal. Our advice: work with a local who knows what the current situation is, so you don’t get surprised on your elopement day, and travel thoughtfully!
Beyond NC, there are many incredible places that we’d love to share with you in Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and West Virginia. Yes, you read that right. West Virginia is a hidden gem in our opinion for elopement locations.
Consider this scenery below — what draws your eye the most?
What a North Georgia Elopement Looks like
Free Download: Elopement Budget Spreadsheet
What a South Carolina Mountain elopement looks like
What an east Tennessee Elopement looks like
What it looks like to elope in Virginia
Free Download: Elopement Budget Spreadsheet
Alabama mountain elopement locations
West Virginia Elopement locations
We’d love to show you amazing places in the mountains
So if you were looking at Asheville in general, we’d encourage you to look at your elopement plans with an open mind and be willing to consider other locations in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Fun fact: would it surprise you to know that 90% of couples who reach out to us about an initial idea actually choose a different location & sometimes an entirely different state based on what they learn from us in our planning process?
There are still so many beautiful places to elope in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As we mentioned above, there’s even parts of WNC that are still open for business, contrary to what you might see in the news. Reach out to us today if you’d like to know more, we’d love to help!
