Lucky Showers at Craggy Gardens for Jennifer & Morgan

Flirting at work is a time-honored tradition, and a cute meet all rolled in one! Jennifer & Morgan began their life as a couple at a beach trip and never looked back. After a ‘non-proposal,’ this couple was very sure what they wanted. An intimate wedding just for the two of them. They did not want to have to worry about anything or anyone else! So they chose the stunning Craggy Gardens in North Carolina to exchange their vows. Though it rained, Jennifer & Morgan swear it was the wonderful elopement they had envisioned. We love Jennifer’s bohemian lace gown, and be sure to check out their wedding shoes! Keep reading to find out how Simply Eloped was ‘simply wonderful’ according to these two (awww…we are blushing!!).

How did you meet? What was your first impression of one another?

Jennifer:  We met while working at a restaurant called Oscar’s Ale House in Eldersburg, Maryland. I was a waitress, and he was a cook. Morgan’s first impression of me was that I was gorgeous, and he absolutely needed to get to know me. I first remember noticing Morgan when I heard him listening to music at work. He was listening to my favorite band, Slightly Stoopid. I was a little apprehensive because he was 19, and I was 21 at the time, but we were definitely flirty at work. Six months after I started working at Oscar’s, we went on a beach trip with a group of friends, and we have been inseparable ever since. The first time we were alone, we went on a hike and talked at the top until the sun went down, and I knew he was special. People would ask how long we had been dating, and we never had an anniversary date. We always just said one day we started hanging out and never stopped. 

How did you propose or accept the proposal?

Jennifer: Funny you ask, technically, we were never engaged!. We talked about getting married and decided we wanted it to be just the two of us. After choosing a date for our wedding through Simply Eloped one day out of the blue, I told Morgan I didn’t want to get engaged. I didn’t want to get engaged for a show, we already have a wedding date, and everything was planned. If we got engaged, I felt the family would ask questions, and I would have to lie to them about wedding plans, which I didn’t want to do. Morgan’s response was, “well, I already have a ring.” And I was utterly shocked. He dug it out of the hidden corner of a closet, and it was EXACTLY what I wanted. I was so happy but still didn’t want anyone to know. So between that day and our wedding, I would try it on for fun. 

Where did you choose to elope, and why did you choose that destination?

Jennifer:  After seven years of dating, Morgan and I decided we wanted to elope. We didn’t elope because we have disapproving families or families that don’t get along, and no, I’m not pregnant. I don’t even really consider it an elopement. I consider it a private intimate wedding. To me, an elopement seems spur of the moment and unplanned, and this was very planned. We eloped simply because we wanted it to be our day and a special moment just for us. We’re private people and felt this was a moment meant just for us. I feel weddings these days are more about pleasing your families and guests and making sure people have a good time at your wedding. The only people I wanted to worry about having a good time were ourselves. And we did! We chose to be outdoors because we love nature, and it provided the perfect backdrop, even if it did rain! 

What attracted you to the venue you chose for your elopement? What were your favorite things about eloping there?

Jennifer:  I thought of a couple of different venues within the Asheville area but landed on Craggy Gardens simply because it looked gorgeous in pictures. We moved to North Carolina 2 years ago and still had never been to Asheville, so we based the decision on pictures. It had everything we wanted, mountains, flowers, and stunning views. Although I was bummed it was raining, I think that added to the beauty of our pictures and part of the reason the day was so special. There were only two other people at Craggy Gardens that day (thank goodness!) because of the rain, who ended up being out witnesses. It’s hard to explain, but I really just felt like Morgan and I were the only people there during our ceremony, which is what we wanted.

How would you describe your elopement venue to someone who has never been there? 

Jennifer: Number one, absolutely beautiful. Even the drive to Craggy Gardens through the blue ridge parkway is incredible. I would say Craggy Gardens is versatile. There are beautiful blooming months, wonderful fall colors, mountain views, and green forestry. You really can create any type of background you want. It’s hard to see all that in our photos since it rained, but if Craggy Gardens can still be that beautiful on a rainy day, it says a lot about the location. 

What did you do before the wedding? How did you get ready? How did you feel in the moments leading up to your elopement? 

Jennifer: The night before, we made our wedding cake from a box. That morning I went out and got us some incredible doughnuts from a place called Hole Doughnuts. After breakfast, we decorated the cake and ironed Morgan’s clothes. Morgan was finishing up a semester of school, so that morning was a little hectic. I had my make-up and hair done professionally, and we were on our way. We jammed out to all of our favorite songs through the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

How was your experience with Simply Eloped?

Jennifer: Absolutely wonderful!! I had no idea how to even go about eloping, and this made it so easy. They guided us on how to get our marriage license and permit for the Blue Ridge Parkway. I even had to change my date and time like four times because of COVID, and they were ALWAYS accommodating and understanding. Megan was helpful in letting us edit our ceremony to make it more personal and gave us advice/guidelines on how to write our vows because we had no idea where to start! Cappy, our photographer, was awesome! We gave her ideas of what kind of photos we wanted to get, and she remembered them all, even the ones I forgot about! She was even willing to drive to multiple overpass areas to get the mountain views we wanted since there was a lot of fog at Craggy Gardens. I wish Morgan and I could repeat that moment in time all over again. SO HAPPY with our experience with Simply Eloped

How did you choose to celebrate your elopement? 

Jennifer: We met in an Alehouse, and we love beer and food! So Asheville provided a plethora of options. We went to Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium Brewery and had some great beer and food! We had so much fun. We went straight there from the ceremony, so we still had on our wedding attire. No one really said anything at first, but then a table bought us a round of tequila shots which happens to be our favorite! A restaurant full of strangers cheered and clapped for us as we took our shots. Our waiter brought us complimentary glasses of wine and dessert on the house. From there we went home and ate our cake and drank more tequila and watched Game of Thrones. It was such a good day.

What words of encouragement do you have for those considering eloping? 

Jennifer: Do it!!!! You won’t regret it. I think people are nervous about what their friends and families will think, but to me, that’s the problem! Remember, it’s not about what your families want. It’s about what you guys want as a couple. Not one person was mad at us when we told them about our marriage. It was just pure joy. Everyone was just happy we got to have the wedding of our dreams. Telling everyone was kind of part of the fun of eloping, too. It’s like we got to share that excitement and celebrate over and over again. My advice would be to do what will make you happy and remember this day is about you two!

Officiation by: Megan Roberts
Photography by: Cappy Phalen
Planning by: Simply Eloped
Venue: Craggy, Asheville, North Carolina

Written by Janessa White

Janessa White is the co-founder of Simply Eloped and has helped thousands of couples plan elopements. As an expert in the field, she has been featured on Brides.com, Vox, and HuffPost. Janessa thinks elopements are the ultimate way to tie the knot.