All Day Elopement in Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina / Kate + Kyler
As two people who love spending time in the outdoors, Kate and Kyler knew they wanted to spend their wedding day in nature and felt drawn to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina. Their priorities were slowing down, enjoying a local activity, and mountain views at sunset - a perfect combo I’d say! After discussing trail options and different activities they chose to focus their day in the Linville Gorge area near the town of Boone. Together we planned an incredible full day elopement in the Blue Ridge Mountains and checked all their boxes for the perfect celebration.
When couples come to me planning an elopement in the Blue Ridge Mountains I always like to ask what drew them to that decision and Kate and Kyler’s answer was so simple and profound.
“We decided to elope so our wedding day could be about us and filled with things that we like to do.”
We do tend to over complicate it sometimes don’t we? With this as their driving force for their wedding day we started with getting ready at their cabin in the woods with their pups tucked underfoot. I began with details and immediately noticed a record player. Kate had previously told me they love dancing along to records so it seemed fitting to use it as backdrop for some detail shots. I am always looking for those meaningful touches when it comes to my couples and this was too perfect an opportunity for a ring shot! As Kyler got ready upstairs, Kate opened letters from his family which I thought was an incredibly sweet way to include them on their elopement. If you’re looking for other ways to include family when you’re eloping, check out my blog here. Once they finished getting ready and having their first look, we headed off to their first adventure! Wanting to include some kind of activity into their adventure elopement, Kate and Kyler chose to rent a canoe at Price Lake near Boone and then have a picnic lake side. This allowed them some peaceful moments on the water together, and ensured they had a hearty meal before their hike. Canoeing is a great way to incorporate some low key adventure into your wedding day without having to exert too much energy (or sweat!) and picnicking allows a lot of flexibility when it comes to your wedding day timeline since you can eat anywhere and at any time! If you’re planning an elopement in the Blue Ridge Mountains I highly suggest a stop at Price Lake for these activities!
With full bellies (us included since they were kind enough to pack us sandwiches as well! I swear I have the best couples!) we headed off to the trailhead for the second half of their wedding day in Linville Gorge. Kate and Kyler chose this specific spot for the epic views but also because they wanted to spend part of their day hiking. Upon reaching the top they had sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains that North Carolina is known for. A view I truly never tire of. After exploring a bit they picked the spot where they wanted to exchange their vows - a total perk of eloping in nature, you can get to pick any spot you want that calls to you to be your ceremony altar.
We spent the rest of the evening enjoying the sunset and capturing some more portraits as the air grew colder and the sky became dark blue. I swear every time the mountains look so different, and I feel like each couple gets their own unique painting of the landscape for their day. As an expert in elopements in the Blue Ridge Mountains here I’ve been fortunate enough to hike these trails many times and on occasion people ask, does it ever get old? And I promise you, absolutely not.
As we wrapped up, Kate and Kyler were exceptionally brilliant and had brought their favorite candy to celebrate the end of the day, so we all enjoyed Twizzlers the whole hike down.
PRO TIP: You will absolutely not regret packing candy for your post elopement hike!
There really is something so peaceful about weddings in the Blue Ridge Mountains. These mountains offer both adventure and relaxation in such a unique way and it is such an honor getting to serve my couples in this magical place. If you’re planning a destination elopement in North Carolina, our mountains are a great place for you!
Want to see Kate and Kyler’s rock climbing engagement session?!
Here’s what Kate + Kyler had to say about their all day elopement in the Blue Ridge Mountains:
"Erika photographed my elopement day with the added bonus of an engagement shoot. My husband and I wanted to try a new activity for our engagement shoot - rock climbing - and Erika was all for it! She is the definition of an adventure photographer! I'm not the most comfortable person in front of the camera, but she made me feel comfortable with her easy-going personality and kindness. My wedding day was truly all about my husband and I and she captured the most beautiful key moments. I'll cherish my wedding photos forever! Friends and family were awe-struck with how beautiful the photos turned out! They were all absolutely amazing and everyone should hire Erika to capture the most special moments in their life. Erika spent time prior to our sessions scoping out the areas we were considering for the best geography. Her husband, Jake, officiated our wedding and it went so smoothly. They really are the dream team. Spending our wedding day with them felt like meeting up with two old friends. We will definitely be back for more special photography occasions!"