Fall Elopement in North Carolina
Rainy Fall Elopement in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Emily + Jon
Emily and Jon met while in college, and exactly eight years to the day after meeting, Jon proposed. During those eight years, they moved to Downtown Chicago together, started their careers, and adopted their sweet little pittie mix named Oskee. And we’ll just start by saying that we’re huge fans of Oskee. He is so gentle, sweet, and playful we can’t imagine that anyone wouldn’t love him! When Emily and Jon started thinking about what their wedding day would look like, they knew that they wanted it to be small and intimate, but they also wanted it to be an adventure. After originally considering a spring elopement in Moab, they fell in love with the idea of eloping in the fall in the mountains of North Carolina. They chose to elope on Halloween during peak fall colors, and it all lined up perfectly!
On the morning of their elopement, we met them at a trailhead before sunrise. Like their Adventure Session the day before, it was rainy and foggy. We made our way up a steep trail that was completely surrounded by forest, which gave us some protection from the rain. We neared the top of the bald, which is the area on the top of the mountain that is free of trees, as the sun came up. But because of the thick rain and fog, we couldn’t see the sun or any of the view surrounding us. The top of the trail has incredible views of the surrounding mountains and forest, but we were enveloped in thick fog, which felt fitting for Halloween. Emily and Jon changed into their wedding attire and exchanged their vows privately. They were both trembling from the cold wind and rain, but they toughed it out!
As we hiked back to the trailhead, the fog started to clear and the trees protected us from the wind and rain once again. Emily and Jon had their first dance along the trail, and it looked so beautiful covered in fallen leaves. And by now, the temperatures had warmed up enough for Emily and Jon to dance without shivering too much. We were even able to play with some movement in Emily’s gorgeous Rue de Seine dress. Soon, we returned to the trailhead and parted ways for lunch. Their elopement day was only half-over!
It was important for Emily and Jon to have a morning adventure and then spend the rest of the day with their friends and family. They stayed on a property with modern cabins as well as cozy yurts. After their rainy morning adventure, Emily and Jon dried off and got ready again, this time surrounded by their friends and family (and Oskee, of course). Fortunately, by the afternoon, the rain had stopped and we even got some warm sunshine! Emily and Jon held their ceremony in the backyard of their cabin, and their friends and family gathered around. It was so incredible seeing Emily and Jon surrounded by so much love and support. There was applause, laughter, and even tears. And at some point during the ceremony, Oskee chewed through his leash, because his rawhide wasn’t quite enough of a distraction from the excitement.
After the ceremony, Emily and Jon spent time with their guests and then we all headed out into the road behind the cabin for toasts. And while gathering in the road might sound weird (don’t worry, it was a private road), it was absolutely gorgeous with the yellow leaves. Both Emily and Jon’s parents, Emily’s sister, and two of their friends gave speeches. It was so much fun hearing about Emily and Jon’s relationship from the perspective of those that know them the best! Finally, it was time for dinner. They all gathered around a long table surrounded by trees and lanterns for their catered barbecue meal.
As the sun started to go down, Emily and Jon spent time with their guests around the campfire behind their cabin. It was the perfect end to such an amazing day!
This elopement took place on Cherokee Land.