Emily and David: A Waterfall Elopement in the Asheville Mountains
When Emily and David reached out to me about capturing their waterfall elopement in the mountains outside of Asheville, I was thrilled. I love Asheville in the fall. There is something insanely beautiful about the way that the sunlight turns a deep gold and shines off of the trees every September and October. So, when Emily and David said that they were thinking about doing a private elopement in October before their big wedding ceremony later in the year, I jumped at the opportunity.
Normally, couples reach out to me with a general idea of where they would like to elope and then we work together to find the perfect spot. Emily and David already knew exactly where they wanted to say their vows. During the pandemic, they had taken a trip to North Carolina and hiked down to Linville Falls. This was a memory that they both held close to their hearts so it felt right that they would commit themselves to each other in this same spot. In addition to Linville Falls, Emily and David wanted to head to a second location where they could take advantage of the stunning mountain views that this area of North Carolina has to offer. After asking for some of the specifics that they were looking for, I put together a location guide with a few options for them. They wanted mountain views, a location that wasn’t going to be over-crowded, something not too far from Linville Falls, and something without a huge hike (because we would be hiking earlier in the day to the waterfall). Wiseman’s View was a perfect fit for what they were looking for.
Leading up to their elopement day, Emily, David, and I chatted a few more times in order to hammer out all of the details, as well as to get to know each other a bit. This is something that is really important for me to be able to do with my couples. I never want to show up on an elopement or wedding day and have my couples feel like they have a stranger following them around taking pictures of them. The more comfortable my couples are with me, the more authentic and real their photos can be. Using a pretty detailed questionnaire, as well as pre-elopement meetings, I try to understand the essence of a couple’s relationship. No two couples are the same and I want to make sure that the photos of their relationship reflects who they truly are.
After a couple months of planning, we met up at the parking lot for Linville Falls (with my obligatory pre-sunrise chai and snacks that I had stopped for) and started our way down to the waterfall. We chose to take the Plunge Basin Trail which was filled with lush plants and wildlife. The sun was just starting to make itself known as we approached the Falls. Emily and David changed into their wedding clothes (in the super handy pop-up changing tent that we had) and got ready for their first look. I love a first look because it really gives the couple space to take each other in before their vows. This is exactly what Emily and David did. After admiring each other and joking around a bit, they decided to flip a coin to see who would say their vows first.
It was a beautiful, teary, laugh-filled vow exchange with the sound of the waterfall in the background. It was a good thing that Emily’s dress had pockets (something she was, rightfully, super proud of) because she definitely needed to make use of the tissues that were stuffed in there during both her and David’s vows. As tears streamed down their faces, they talked about their history, the connection that they have and cherish so deeply, and the fun that they embrace on every adventure.
After the vows, we spent some time exploring the area around the waterfalls and reveling in the moment. Sunrise elopements are perfect for couples that are hoping for some privacy and peace because you will typically see much fewer people up and about at that time of day. The first people that we saw all day didn’t reach the Falls until we were starting to make our way back up the trail. It was a perfect, tranquil moment in time where Emily and David were able to be completely immersed in each other.
After our hike back up, we hopped in our cars and drove the short distance out to Wiseman’s view. Here Emily and David were able to really bask in the golden autumn sun and take in the gorgeous views of the mountains. Between the waterfall, mountains, perfect weather, and warm, inviting sunlight, this truly was a perfect autumn elopement in the Asheville mountains.
