Looking for a Small & Intimate or Adventurous Mountain Wedding Venues in NC? Want something different than the ordinary? Check out our list!
Mountain Wedding Venues in NC for Adventurous Elopements and Small & Intimate Weddings
Are you searching for a unique North Carolina mountain wedding venue–something entirely out of the ordinary? Many couples want to get married without the stress of a big wedding, and this is where an elopement or a small & intimate wedding can be the ideal solution. When you stop and think about it, eloping is much easier than planning a big wedding because there are no limitations! If you envision your wedding as an event that’s out of the ordinary, you have come to the right place.
At StoryBright, we specialize in planning and coordinating your whole day. From the morning of your special day until we say goodbye, we handle every detail, every photo, and all the in-between to deliver an epic adventure elopement.
Keep reading to see how we make your carefree wedding day dreams come true with concierge-level service for a one-of-a-kind experience. This guide will help you choose a wedding elopement venue that suits your personalities and preferences for this special day. You get all the fun and excitement without all the stress and headaches!
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Best Mountain Wedding Venues in NC for Adventure Elopements
Many couples choose to elope in the North Carolina Mountains, and it is easy to see why! With the rugged beauty of the mountains, the bold green from the trees, and the fantastic weather, there are many easily accessible spots in mountains that will make the perfect backdrop to your wedding elopement day.
Wondering how to choose the right location for you? With any StoryBright Elopement Package, start with our custom Questionnaire where we understand what you have in mind for your day – then we help you find the right fit for your vision.
North Carolina Arboretum
When you want a picturesque backdrop with environmentally conscious planning, you want the North Carolina Arboretum. Because their focus is on preserving and enhancing the natural mountain beauty, every plant and flower is perfect. Their Green Weddings Program centers on sustainability that contributes the natural mountain glory to your elopement. While they are a popular spot for very large weddings, they also host elopements too! The elopement packages include a two-hour window any day of the week from April to October. If you want to be surrounded by beautiful gardens in a mountain setting, the North Carolina Arboretum delivers!
Grandfather Mountain
Have an elopement or small wedding for up to ten people in the majesty that is Grandfather Mountain. With mild summer temperatures and gorgeous blue skies that form the background for mountain views, the tall peaks and deep valleys are ideal for a memorable ceremony. You can get married almost anywhere in the park or rent McRae’s Meadows for the day to have an intimate event anywhere in the meadows surrounded by the natural beauty of Grandfather Mountain. We know this venue well and have direct contacts in the park – we’d love to craft a beautiful day here for you!
More photos and details here: Grandfather Mountain Elopement Wedding.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ELOPEMENT PACKAGES
The Blue Ridge Parkway | Our Favorite of the Mountain Wedding Venues in NC
The Blue Ridge Parkway is known as “America’s Favorite Drive” for a good reason! The Blue Ridge Parkway spans the central and southern Appalachian Mountains, where you will see various habitats as you travel the vast expanse of roads. Several locations are ideal for a mountain elopement; but you don’t want to choose just any overlook. You’ll definitely want to see our locations guide for Parkway, which would be available to you as a client! We have scouted out the perfect spots that will work for couples or groups (the Parkway allows up to 25 people at most locations). You’ll also need a permit to have a wedding on the Parkway – and note that they don’t issue these in October. We know the Parkway from end to end and would love to share our expertise with you!
Public Lands and Forests in Brevard, North Carolina
Brevard’s mountains might be home to the most waterfalls you will ever encounter. Near Pisgah National Forest and many NC state forests, Brevard offers mountain biking, hiking, “slick rocks,” and a charming downtown filled with unique shops. This area hosts festivals when you want to browse around, fly fishing for beginners and experts, and white squirrels that escaped from a visiting carnival over fifty years ago and live there now. Hike to the top of a waterfall or bask in the base below. Brevard is truly a destination worth visiting where you can stay near this cool town and experience an adventure elopement nearby. Reach out to us to learn more about the great spots!
Free Download: Elopement Budget Spreadsheet
Chimney Rock State Park
Why not exchange vows at the top of the Rock at Chimney Rock State Park? With panoramic views of nearby Lake Lure and Hickory Nut Gorge, this state park brings some of the most dramatic visual backdrops in the state. Chimney Rock can be the perfect destination wedding with facilities to host an outdoor ceremony in the outdoor classroom flanked by the flowering meadows. Nearby, there is a covered pavilion for a delightful reception amid the gorgeous park, dazzling blue skies, and singing birds. Chimney Rock is perfect with multiple venues for a one-of-a-kind elopement, a destination adventure, or an intimate ceremony for just you two. It can be a very busy location in peak season so weekdays are highly recommended!
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Straddling the border of North Carolina and Tennessee sits the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This national park reflects the Southern Appalachian culture with its preserved structures, artifacts, and natural wildlife. Old cabins, preserved churches, and diverse plant and animal life give the Great Smoky Mountains a unique heritage. Many locations can accommodate groups around 30 people; be aware that a permit is required and as of this writing you will need to work with a Park-approved photographer. We’ve listed a favorite below but there are many more places to choose from – please contact us to find out all the latest info on the best locations!
Cades Cove
Cades Cove is the most visited area of the Great Smoky Mountains each year, with the peak season being April through November. This gorgeous valley is surrounded by mountains, creating a perfectly serene oasis. When you visit, you might see black bears, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, and various tiny creatures. There are multiple ceremony venues within the Great Smoky Mountains at Cades Cove!
Mount Mitchell State Park
Mount Mitchell State Park is the highest point east of the Mississippi, and this location brings the drama. Part of the appeal of Mount Mitchell State Park is the drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The spectacular views are a prelude to the beauty of the mountain. There is ample hiking within the park, but you can also easily access the peak by car. The handicapped-accessible observation platform can allow those family and friends who join you to enjoy the scenic views without a long walk.
Nantahala National Forest
Covering almost the entire southwestern part of the state, Nantahala National Forest might not boast the tall peaks of other locations, but it makes up for that in the rivers, lakes, streams, and some of the most awe inspiring waterfalls. This quiet, serene place is the largest natural forest in North Carolina. Nantahala is the Indian word for “land of the midday sun,” as the deep gorges and valleys only illuminate fully in the middle of the day. You can delight in the views from one of the mountain balds in the National Forest (one of which is handicapped accessible), Whiteside Mountain, and Whitewater Falls, which is the highest falls east of the Mississippi. Much more to Nantahala – reach out to us to learn more!
Pisgah National Forest | Mountain Wedding Venues in NC
Eloping in the Western North Carolina mountains can take many forms, and every one of them will be spectacular. If you dream of getting married on a mile-high peak or at the base of a picturesque waterfall, consider the Pisgah National Forest. Encompassing over 500,000 acres, Pisgah National Forest has epic mountain top balds and bold green forests as far as the eye can see for the ideal sunrise or sunset ceremony. You can say I do beneath the canopy of an evergreen forest or at a mountain peak at the end of a short hike. And of course – toasts and celebrate with champagne afterward! Here are a few of the more popular spots – of course we know many more!
The Black Balsam Mountains – one of the most popular Mountain Wedding Venues in NC
The Art Loeb Trail takes you through a grassy meadow as you wind your way to a beautiful spot for a mountain wedding in NC. Along the way, the trail dips through a dense grove of mature trees, and you will be surrounded by dappled sunlight, evergreen needles, and the sweet smell of the fir trees. At the top of the peak, you can see 360-degree sweeping mountain views of the surrounding area. Your elopement ceremony can take place at the peak or at various places along the way, where the air is breezy and fresh. At over 6,000 feet, this is a magical place. It’s also incredibly popular to tourists in general so it’s important to pick the right season and time of day so you can even get a parking spot.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ELOPEMENT PACKAGES
High Elevation Waterfalls
This hike leads you through flower-filled meadows and masses of wild blueberry bushes to extraordinary waterfalls. Mottled sunlight filters onto the mountain trail filled with rhododendron, blackberry, and blueberry bushes. The trail starts along the Blue Ridge Parkway and approaches the first falls in the upper section of the stream and then takes you to the second falls. The hike can be less than one mile or more, offering matchless views and an unforgettable experience.
Rent a Luxury Home through Yonder
Why Yonder? You might find that you are drawn to the idea of a backyard wedding at a beautiful home in the mountains. With over 170 unique homes within the Blue Ridge mountains, Yonder offers convenience & privacy to let you create matchless memories for your wedding day. These luxury vacation rentals can accommodate as many people as you wish to join you for your dream wedding. Choose from homes near Asheville, Tryon, Lake Lure, and more that are great mountain wedding venues in NC. Their cleanliness guarantee, combined with the luxurious amenities and surroundings, make Yonder a perfect destination. What we love the most about renting a vacation home for your elopement is that you don’t have to worry at all about parking availability at a trailhead or other visitors at your elopement spot. It can be truly private.
If not through Yonder, you can rent straight through Airbnb or VRBO. We keep a list of elopement friendly rental homes – reach out to us for more info!
Best Mountain Wedding Venues in NC for Small & Intimate Weddings
If you prefer to have your ceremony at more traditional wedding venue, but want to have a small & intimate experience vs a huge party – we have the places for you! We (Mark and Carolyn at StoryBright) will come alongside to assist you plan all the details so you can experience a carefree wedding day.
Free Download: Elopement Budget Spreadsheet
Something Blue Mountain Venue | Our Favorite of Mountain Wedding Venues in NC for An Intimate Wedding
Something Blue sits conveniently a few minutes from I-40 in Marion, NC, a short drive from Asheville, Hickory, Charlotte, and other surrounding cities. As you enter along the mile-long gravel drive, you get a glimpse of what awaits you as the driveway passes through blooming mountain laurel, rhododendron bushes, and an overhead tree canopy. Something Blue creates the most memorable location – especially at sunset! This is one of our favorites for a private location with a mountain view for your ceremony.
The Swag
The name alone will make you want to elope at The Swag in Waynesville, NC. This unique spot has accommodations in private cabins, the Swag House, the lodge, and more. There are expansive lawns, cozy nooks, mountain charm galore for an intimate ceremony for just the two of you, or plenty of space to invite the whole family. You can visit the Spa, learn which wines pair with food, and go horseback riding. From the lawn, you can see six of North Carolina’s highest mountain ranges. Of all the mountain wedding venues in NC, this is the ultimate combination of luxury accommodations with access to the National Park trails right next door.
Bent Creek Lodge
If you want an elopement venue that feels secluded but is truly only fifteen minutes from downtown Asheville and extensive hiking and biking trails, look to Bent Creek Lodge. Choose an elopement package that caters directly to the two of you or a ceremony for up to eighteen friends and family, with lodging for just the two of you or the entire party. Afterward, enjoy a three-course meal on the property with your party or schedule a dinner in downtown Asheville.
Willow Falls, Hendersonville, NC
Situated on a gently sloped natural waterfall, hiking trails, and lush surroundings, you will find Willow Falls. This space is ideal for an outdoor elopement or wedding for up to 75 guests. There are several locations for an elopement experience, a home for the newlyweds to stay, and curated outdoor spaces that create an unforgettable outdoor ceremony. You can book this location for May, June, September, and October, covering the best weather months for a mountain wedding venue. They book up far in advance so make your plans early!
The Barn at Honeysuckle Hill
Tucked away into the nearby mountains of Asheville, The Barn at Honeysuckle Hill boasts a charming red barn with a pond, an equestrian estate, and a wedding chapel. Only seven minutes from downtown, The Barn at Honeysuckle Hill will be the site of an iconic southern elopement surrounded by gorgeous views. Take a virtual tour of their location to see this unique site and its facilities. Your elopement package includes full use of the grounds for a two-hour window any day, Monday-Thursday. Honeysuckle Hill is ideal for an intimate ceremony.
Chetola Resort, Blowing Rock
If you have ever been to Blowing Rock, you know the one-of-a-kind place this is! The beautiful mountain views, quaint downtown full of shops, and delightful weather make Chetola Resort a top contender for an elopement. There are plenty of accommodations within the resort, including one that lets you bring your dog (who should definitely be part of the ceremony!) When you elope at the Gazebo by the Lake, this outdoor feature will comfortably hold up to thirty-five guests.
Hidden Flower Tiny Farm
At Hidden Flower Tiny Farm, micro-weddings and elopements can be customized to your dreams. Their private five-acre property has a fully restored farm, lovely mountain views, herb gardens, and trails. Their elopement packages start at $1400 for an intimate ceremony for you and ten guests.
Hidden River Events
Only fifteen minutes from downtown Asheville is Hidden River Events, a farm boasting views of the Craggy Mountains and a perfect spot by the Swannanoa River for an intimate ceremony. Seven homes will house up to sixty people who will enjoy farm-to-table meals with you, be amazed at the custom flowers we grow for your wedding event and all the amenities this seventeen-acre farm offers. The Elopement Package starts at $2,000, with the ceremony scheduled for 11 am on Saturdays.
Homewood, Asheville
A preserved 1920s stone manor? Check. One-of-a-kind charm? Check. This is Homewood, set right in the heart of Asheville in the Montford neighborhood. Choose Homewood for a lovely, elegant elopement set in the manor or on the grounds. Original hardwood floors, cherrywood walls, and grand stone fireplaces, Homewood offers an outdoor cocktail area where guests can enjoy a custom cocktail before your event. With indoor and outdoor elopement spaces, you can choose the perfect spot for your vows at the Homewood event venue.
Lady Luck Flower Farm
You will find Lady Luck Flower Farm a short forty-minute drive from downtown Asheville in a valley called Sandy Mush. Here you can connect with nature designed to display the meeting of wild and cultivated. This little slice of heaven is surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains, flower fields, medicinal herbs, and pasture-raised animals. Your elopement can look exactly like your dreams as you customize every detail.
The Mast Farm Inn
The historic Mast Farm Inn, located in Valle Crucis, is the perfect spot for an intimate elopement with cozy lodging and a delicious breakfast, all in a gorgeous mountain setting. Choose from an elopement for just the two of you, a petite elopement for up to eight people, or an intimate wedding ceremony with a small group of your closest friends and family. When you plan this special day from June to September, you can enjoy their vast flower gardens that attract bees, butterflies, and birds. One of our favorite restaurants anywhere is nearby – Over Yonder!
Olivette Riverside Farm
The venue at Olivette Riverside Farm is the ideal place for an elopement surrounded by the rushing river, birdsong, outdoor firepit amphitheater, and even a private island! Elopements are in two-hour increments, while micro-weddings are in four-hour windows. Their commitment to ensuring your elopement is perfect and absent of stress makes Olivette Riverside Farm a fantastic spot.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ELOPEMENT PACKAGES
Overlook Barn
About thirty minutes from Boone, NC, and an hour and a half from Asheville, Boulder View at Overlook Barn creates the perfect ambiance for picturesque outdoor weddings. You can have a ceremony for up to twenty-five guests in Mary’s Meadow or the Cliffside Barn if you prefer. For any of these spaces, you won’t have to forgo the modern conveniences to get ready since you have access to two private areas with bathrooms, multiple electrical outlets, and full-length mirrors. The elopement package gives you a two-hour window to access all the amenities.
The Orchard Inn
Nestled in the scenic views of western North Carolina sits The Orchard Inn. The Inn has everything you need for a perfect elopement or micro-wedding. Situated in the cool little town of Saluda NC, the Inn offers an elopement package for you and six of your loved ones, including a two-night stay for the wedding couple. You can add on a four-course wedding dinner or a delicious luncheon and other options to customize your day.
River North
Less than twenty minutes from downtown Asheville sits River North, where you will find a pond, walking trails, and a private forest on nine acres of family-owned farmland. Available for gatherings of up to thirty-five people, you will find The Gathering, a space for an intimate outdoor ceremony, an elopement, or a small wedding with the closest family. The Ruins, an open-air deck right near a natural spring, is a new addition. There you can enjoy an evening fire and soft twinkle lights overhead. River North also has three cabins to accommodate some of your guests.
Secret Waters Highlands
Imagine a private venue with a hidden waterfall and spaces for your friends and family to join you two as you elope! This is what Secret Waters Highlands offers for your wedding day. Take photos on a rope bridge, inside massive doors that feel like they lead to a wooded portal and at the base of a magnificent waterfall.
Laughing Waters
Laughing Waters embodies everything you want in a majestic mountain wedding venue. Hidden away in Hickory Nut Gorge near the ruins of an old farmhouse, the rushing river creates a sensory delight. Just outside of the four-bedroom lodge and nearby cottage are hiking trails leading to dazzling waterfalls and mountain vista views. Choose to elope beside one of the many waterfalls, in the orchard, beside the ruins of the old farmhouse, or in the meadow. Have your ceremony on the expansive lodge deck, and then stay as long as you like to explore the nearby outdoor hiking and biking trails and Chimney Rock which is only twenty minutes away.
The Parker Mill
Generally available for elopements and micro-weddings during the week, The Parker Mill is a beautiful mountain wedding venue convenient to the Smoky Mountains. A blend of rustic elegance with outdoorsy wanderlust, this venue has amazing views and indoor space too for a reception celebration!
Top tips & What you need to know
Not all mountain wedding venues in NC are the same
This is a really big list, we know! When looking through all these places, it’s important to know that they are all unique and some are very different in their offerings. This isn’t like choosing a generic location for a barn wedding – each of these places has their own personality and pros/cons. You might be in love with mountain views, or want a secluded forest feel. Maybe a private waterfall is your thing; or you want to have lodging very close by to where you’re getting married. You can save money on a venue entirely by going with a place out on public lands, but there are planning details to be very aware of. On the other hand you might want something that has a few “niceties” of a traditional wedding venue but want it to be very outdoorsy for a feel.
No matter what you are looking for, we are here to help you by curating the many options down to what fits you the best.
Be careful with all-inclusive packages
We have seen a trend in weddings where couples are looking for “simple” and “stress free” in their wedding day, and we completely understand. Everything about our planning process for couples is geared towards handling all the details so you don’t have to!
However we would caution the assumption that an all-inclusive package at a wedding venue is stress free. Of course things can be simpler by letting someone else make all the decisions for you, but there are other things to consider before making a decision for all-inclusive:
What might not be right about all-inclusive for you:
- By choosing all-inclusive, you are giving up your ability to customize your day. It makes it easier to let someone else choose your flowers for example – but that means you don’t get the choice of color, type, or arrangement.
- If you add photography to your all-inclusive package, you’ll get whatever contract photographer is on the list for that day. Photography is contracted out by these venues at a cheap rate, so you often will not get an experienced photographer to capture your moments. If photography is high on your list (and we’d say, it should be as your photos are the only things that last from your wedding day) you will probably be disappointed with an all-inclusive package.
- All-inclusive does not include a planner or coordinator for you. Here’s where we need to fill you in on some finer details of weddings – there are “on-site” coordinators (or sometimes called “venue” coordinators); then there are coordinators that work on behalf of the bride. Similarly, when planning your day, any staff on the venue side will only handle certain things related to the venue – anything else falls on your shoulders. If you want someone alongside you for the entire process who can act as your advocate and reduce the stress of everything (think like a buyers agent acting on your behalf vs. a sellers agent real estate) then you’ll want to hire someone who will be your planner and coordinator throughout the whole process. Of course, this is what we do for our couples! We are elopement photographers but also serve as your travel advisor, wedding planner and day of coordinator too.
Overwhelmed with all the Mountain Wedding Venues in NC? We’re here to help!
If you’ve read this far – congratulations for checking out this list of locations! The fact is that there are many details to consider when choosing the right place to get married. The good news is you don’t have to go at it alone. We have years of experience with adventure elopements and small intimate weddings in the NC mountains – why not reach out to us? We would love to help you craft the perfect day!
