I have the best job in the world and I don't take my role in your day lightly. Your experience means everything to me!
Here are some tips for making your mountain elopement completely kick-ass and worry-free!
I'm stoked you chose me to help make your day amazing!
Let's do this!!!
* Start thinking about those little details for your ceremony and finding vendors to help make those details possible. Do you need hair/makeup done? What about a personal chef/catering/popup picnic, cake, etc. Dream big on this one! Eloping gives you the opportunity to make your day limitless!!!
* If you’re coming from out of town, you’ll want to figure out where you’ll stay while you’re in town. Asheville is a major tourist destination so places can fill up fast (especially in the Fall)! Additionally, many of the mountain locations I take my couples to are anywhere from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours outside of Asheville! Would you rather stay closer to the ceremony spot? Or closer to Asheville for fun things to do? There are lots of fun, little mountain towns outside of Asheville with plenty to do too!
* Be sure to apply for your marriage license at the local Register of Deeds office! Once you apply, the license is valid for 60 days before it needs to be validated by an officiant. So, don’t apply too soon either!
Some vendors I love who will make your day great!
Amanda Jones - Happy Ever Asheville www.happilyeverasheville.com
Vanessa Allen LaRotonda - Adventure Officiant on Instagram @adventure.officiant
Julia Davis - Heartfelt Elopements www.heartfeltelopements.com
Petal and Fern - www.petalandfernwnc.com
Cicely Florals - CicelyFlorals.com
Something Green Floral Design - www.somethinggreenfloraldesign.com
Carolina Flowers - www.carolinaflowers.com
Layered By Lex - www.layeredbylex.com
Verbena Events www.verbenaeventsavl.com
Anarie - www.anarie.com
Brushes and Braids - www.brushesandbraids.com
DellaTerra Beauty - www.dellaterrabeauty.com
Verbena Events - www.verbenaeventsavl.com
Braised and Confit - www.braisedandconfit.com
Chef Santiago - www.chefsantiago.com
Asheville Picnic Company www.ashevillepicniccompany.com
Asheville Luxury Picnics www.ashevilleluxurypicnics.com
Paint Rock Farm - www.paintrockfarm.com
Something Blue Mountain Venue - www.somethingbluemountainvenue.com
Laurel Falls Life - www.laurelfallslife.com
* When you receive your photos, I want you to share them to social media! But, I also require that you tag me in the photos @sparksintheforest.
* Speaking of photos, you’ll receive your online gallery within 6 weeks of your wedding. I’ll also send a couple teasers within 48 hours for you to enjoy while you wait.
* Leave No Trace! During our time together in nature, it’s important that we follow Leave No Trace principals. Want to learn more about those? You can read up on them here. I just want to mention that it is a privilege that the national and state parks allow us to have ceremonies on their beautiful land. It’s important that we take care of the land so we can continue to do so!
* I do not reschedule weddings/couples' sessions due to inclement weather unless it is completely unsafe to be on a mountain top (i.e. lightning, tornados, etc). I do, however, make sure we have a back-up location for you in case of rain/bad weather. I also bring clear umbrellas in case of rain! It’s best to be prepared and flexible!
* Additional clothing (jackets, hats, scarves depending on the time of year) There can be a pretty drastic temperature change between Asheville and the mountains due to elevation gain.
* Water and snacks! It’s important to stay hydrated and energized!
* Headlamp or flashlight if your ceremony time is at sunrise or sunset (don’t worry, I have an extra!)
* Comfortable shoes! I would highly recommend hiking in something other than your wedding attire shoes! Not only do dressier shoes lack grip for rocks, but I’ve seen them break during hikes haha! If you have guests coming, remind them of this too!
If you plan on making your marriage legal in NC, don’t forget your
* Marriage license!
But also don’t forget your
* Rings
* Vows
First, it’s important to consider whether you want to hike in your wedding attire or not.
If you are hiking in your wedding attire, choose something you can move freely in! Also, choose a more durable fabric in case of snags!
If you don’t want to hike in your wedding attire, I have a privacy shelter you can use to change.
Footwear is another important piece as mentioned before! You can always change into nicer shoes once you reach your destination.