Elope In Asheville: The Ultimate 2021 Guide to Asheville Elopement Packages

Places to elope in Asheville

Cataloochee Valley

If you’re wanting to share your vows with the wildlife of the Great Smoky Mountains National...

Craggy Gardens

Also on the blue Ridge Parkway, Craggy Gardens is a high-elevation garden sprinkled with various wildflowers...

Roaring Fork Falls

Roaring Fork Falls is a stunning spot situated in Pisgah National Forest and is 42 miles...

Roan Mountain Rhododendron Garden

The Roan Mountain Rhododendron Garden is a stunning location for your intimate ceremony situated in Pisgah...

Wiseman’s View

Wiseman’s View is one of the best views in the surrounding Asheville area. Located near Linville...

Pink Beds

If eloping amongst trees and ferns sounds like your vibe, we highly recommend Pink Beds in...

Canaan Valley

Experience the country feeling just minutes from downtown Asheville. Canaan Valley has mountain views from the...

Something Blue Mountain Venue

Something Blue Mountain Venue has expansive 360° views of the Blue Ridge Parkway and is absolutely...

Black Balsam Knob

Black Balsam Knob, located off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Pisgah National Forest, is one of...

Tom’s Creek Falls

Tom’s Creek Falls is one of our personal favorites in Pisgah National Forest. This wheelchair accessible...

Chimney Rock Park/Hickory Nut Falls

Hickory Nut Falls is a 400’ waterfall situated in Chimney Rock Park. These falls were made...

Paint Rock Farms

Paint Rock Farms is a lovely property with a barn and a view! Whether you’re looking...

Pearson's Falls & Glen

Pearson’s Falls and Glen is a gorgeous 90′ staicase waterfall just 45 minutes outside of Asheville....

How to elope in Asheville

Asheville is currently one of the top destinations to elope on the east coast and it’s no surprise as to why: this darling town is the mecca in-between four national parks! It’s surrounded by lush nature in all directions. It’s no wonder why eloping in North Carolina is highly sought after!

Finding the right Asheville vendors

Your vendors are key to an elopement ceremony that goes off without a hitch! It’s crucial to find vendors that match the style and level of personalization you’re seeking. Be it officiant or photographer, hair & makeup artist or videographer, the vendors you choose to be a part of your North Carolina elopement are a crucial aspect to your big day. If you have a vision for your day, we can help make it a reality by finding the perfect vendors to execute that vision for you!

Finding the perfect Asheville elopement location

Because Asheville is surrounded by so many amazing national parks, you have your pick of stunning venues to choose from when considering places to elope in North Carolina. From Pisgah National Park to the Blue Ridge Parkway, there are a myriad of local spots within an hour-drive from downtown Asheville for your elopement. You can see our top recommendations for places to elope in Asheville. From mountain views to lush forest, Asheville has no shortage of elopement locations.

Making it legal

To obtain your marriage license in Asheville, you’ll need a form of identification – be it driver’s license, official passport or military ID. In addition, you’ll need two witnesses to participate in your ceremony. Luckily, your photographer can act as one witness (though your officiant cannot, so keep that in mind). Asheville is located in Buncombe County, so be sure any research you do revolves around obtaining in the proper county. When you book your date with us, we’ll send you a guide on how to properly obtain your marriage license in Asheville.

When to elope in Asheville

While we do perform ceremonies year-round in Asheville, each season offers a completely different vibe so it’s good to know what you are hoping for and which season matches up with that. In addition, there are different times of day that supply the best light. Here are our top tips on how to choose the best time of year and time of day to elope in Asheville.

What time of year should you elope in Asheville?

Asheville is loveliest in spring, summer and fall! We wish we could say that Asheville is lovely all times of year, but November through April there has little snow and minimal foliage. Folks from all areas of the east coast travel down to Asheville to see it in stunning fall season – the most popular time of the year for tourists by far! Spring is stunning too, with the bloom of rhododendrons and all of the local tree blooms. Summer is equally stunning as the spring colors subside into even shades of green. We highly recommend eloping May through October in Asheville!

What time of day should you elope in Asheville?

Since Asheville is a valley surrounded by a variety of mountain-ranges, sunset time doesn’t always reflect the time the sun goes behind the mountains. Eloping either late morning or early evening will supply the best soft light for your ceremony, whereas eloping mid-afternoon can equal harsh lighting and deep shadows in your photos. Sticking near sunrise and sunset will be your best bet!

How far in advance should I start planning my Asheville elopement?

Our average plan time for elopements is three to nine months, but we’ve planned ceremonies with as little notice as a week! There is more that goes into an elopement than planning your package, such as hotel and flights. In addition, the more time you give us the better level of care and personalization we’re able to offer your elopement!

Article written by

Janessa White

Janessa White is the co-founder of Simply Eloped and has helped thousands of couples plan elopements. Janessa thinks elopements are the ultimate way to tie the knot. She feels her happiest when building - teams, programs, ideas

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Read the stories of real couples that eloped in Asheville!

Mandi + Thomas

For Mandi and Thomas, love came naturally. After meeting through mutual friends in college, these two just knew they were in it for long haul together, but also knew that a big, traditional wedding just didn’t feel like “them.” Instead, the pair chose to elope in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park (a bucket-list location) on June 24, 2020, and celebrated by exploring the beautiful Smoky mountains and relaxing cabin-side! Just by looking at the photos from their day, you’ll quickly realize how gorgeous a Great Smoky Mountain elopement truly is! Scroll through Mandi and Thomas’ photos – and their love story – below!

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

We met through mutual friends in college. We initially bonded over our mutual love for baseball! Thomas drove four hours (each way) to attend a baseball game with me and my friends, that’s when I realized he might be interested in me as more than a friend!

When did you first fall in love? How did you know?

From the beginning of our relationship it was clear to both of us that we would be together for a long time because we get along so easily. Since we started dating so young (19 and 20) we took a long time to grow into who we would be as individuals, and luckily we grew together instead of apart. Now that we are older and becoming more proper adults it has been a natural decision to finally get married.

How did you propose or accept the proposal?

Thomas inherited a family heirloom diamond from his grandmother. He is the fourth man in his family to give the diamond to his bride. When we received his grandmother’s ring her setting was very damaged, so we took it to a local jeweler and redesigned it to my taste, but keeping some aspects of it the same as how his grandma had it. Thomas proposed on December 23rd, which is actually the anniversary of my grandparents (he did not know this beforehand!). We always open gifts together at home before going to family celebrations, so the ring was wrapped under the tree as a gift!

What do you love about your partner?

Mandi: Thomas is very easy going and supportive of any goals I set for myself (I like to throw myself into hobbies and interests. I have lived abroad in France two times during our relationship, a Master’s degree, a yoga certification and a master gardener certification, I’ve also filled our house with about 100 plants! I have many interests and he always goes along with my crazy ideas.) He is calm in situations where I may tend to over react which is usually helpful.

Thomas: Mandi is a motivating force for me when I want to try new things. She knows how to get things done and encourages me in creative projects.

What is the greatest strength of your relationship?

We have always had a strong friendship from the beginning of our relationship. This has allowed us to grow together over the last 10 years, while still growing as individuals and pursuing our individual dreams. We both realized that when we are happy and fulfilled individually, we are able to nurture our relationship. We have great respect for one another and value each others opinions and ideas.

How did you find Simply Eloped?

I became aware of elopement companies through social media and did a lot of research Googling them and reading reviews.

How did you know Simply Eloped was the right fit for you?

We thought their elopement packages included a lot of important things we wanted to included in our ceremony at a fair price. We thought the quality of the photographers and videographers that work with Simply Eloped was superior to that of other companies I was looking at. We also loved the wide range of location options!

What attracted you to the venue you eloped at?

We have always wanted to elope in a national park, because our bucket list dream is to visit all of the national parks in the U.S. So we looked at locations that specifically offer ceremonies in national parks! Neither of us had ever been to North Carolina before and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park offered a lot of different and beautiful settings for our photos! We were able to have the gorgeous mountains as a backdrop for our ceremony, and also explored the nearby forests with our photographer and videographer!

What activities did you do before the wedding? How did you prepare? How did you feel leading up to the moments of your elopement?

We rented a beautiful cabin outside of the national park for the entire week of our wedding, and just spent the week hiking and exploring the park! The day of our wedding was very relaxed and peaceful! We spent our day getting ready together and enjoying the day!

Tell us about your experience with Simply Eloped leading up to and on your big day!

Planning with Simply Eloped was extremely easy and stress-free! I found the [staff] coordinators to be very helpful and thorough; they took all the time needed to answer our questions and concerns and I felt that they really cared about making us comfortable with our experience. Our officiant took the time to get to know us before the ceremony, giving us a questionnaire and talking to us on the phone during the weeks leading up to our ceremony. She really made the ceremony personal to us, which was impressive and so appreciated! On the day of our wedding we spent a lot of time exploring the venue with our photographer and videographer and it was genuinely so much fun spending that time with them and taking our fantastic photos!

How did you celebrate after?

We enjoyed dinner and drinks together at our cabin and then spent the rest of the week exploring the beautiful Smoky mountains! We plan on celebrating with our friends and family as soon as it is safe and responsible to do so!

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

I absolutely recommend doing what feels right for YOU for your wedding. You don’t have to have a huge, fancy wedding just because that is the “norm”. If a private elopement, or smaller wedding with just a few family and friends feels right over a big ceremony and party, then I can’t recommend it enough! We had exactly the wedding we had been dreaming of, and everyone deserves the same!

Why did you decide to elope?

We are both shy/introverted people and have never loved the idea of being the center of a bunch of people’s attention on our wedding day. We are each other’s best friend and love to celebrate special moments together. It felt more “us” to keep this day to focus on just each other and enjoy each other, instead of also worrying about other people and throwing a huge party. It was perfect to spend that day just the two of us and it was so low stress. We plan on having a reception to celebrate with our family and friends when it is safe to do so!

Planning: Simply Eloped
Photographer: Cappy Phalen
Officiant: Amanda Jones
Videographer: Madison Kay

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Heather + Ricky

Heather & Ricky are a testament to dating apps as they met, and instantly fell in love, through a connection. They knew they were soulmates! They also knew that when they married, that they did not want a large wedding. So they were thrilled to find Simply Eloped online. Their wedding was held in Cataloochee Valley, Asheville in the woods. Heather was the very picture of loveliness in her lace gown. Friends and family looked on as the couple exchanged vows filled with laughter and love. Read on to find out more about these two, what makes them strong as a couple and how Simply Eloped made their dream elopement come true….

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

Heather: Tinder! We knew it was love after the 2nd date!

When did you first fall in love? How did you know?

Heather: We just knew we were soulmates from the beginning.

How did you accept the proposal?

Heather: In the kitchen of our new house – just the two of us were eating breakfast when he proposed!

What do you love about your partner?

Heather: We keep each other grounded as the saying goes. We are complete opposites when it comes to some things.

What is the greatest strength of your relationship?

Heather: Communication.

Why did you decide to elope?

Heather: Neither of us have ever dreamed of having a big wedding. So we decided to elope because it was very intimate and a ‘happy place’ for us.

How did you find Simply Eloped?

Heather: Online!

How did you know Simply Eloped was the right fit for you?

Heather: The cost was great and every interaction we had with the company was great.

What attracted you to the venue you eloped at?

Heather: The woods…

What did you do before the wedding? How did you prepare? How did you feel leading up to your elopement?

Heather: We rented a big house in Tennessee for our family and friends. It felt great to be surrounded by our loved ones.

Tell us about your experience with Simply Eloped leading up to and on your elopement.

Heather: It was great!

How did you celebrate after eloping?

Heather: We went to Cancun, Mexico!

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

Heather: Do what your gut says! It’s your day so do what makes you happy.

Officiation by: Gina Angel
Photography by: Daniela Guerrero
Planning by: Simply Eloped
Venue: Cataloochee Valley, Asheville, North Carolina

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Elope in Asheville

Places to elope in Asheville

Asheville Elopement Packages

Officiation services

Enactment of ceremony

Advice on ceremony locations

Everything from the

Photography of ceremony

Digital transfer of 75+ edited images

Everything from the

Nosegay bouquet & boutonniere of your choosing

Everything from the

2 Hours Total of Photography

Smoky Mountain Permit or Pisgah Permit

1 hour of videography

On-Site Helper

Hair & Makeup for One Person

Wildflower Experience

Add-Ons

Flowers

Flowers

Extra Photography

Extra Photography

Smoky Mountains National Park Permit Coordination

Smoky Mountains National Park Permit Coordination

Engagement Shoot

Engagement Shoot

On-Site Helper

On-Site Helper

Hair & Makeup

Hair & Makeup

Add videography to your Asheville elopement

Asheville Elopement Gallery

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Meet our vendors

What do you think makes eloping in Asheville so special?

What do you love about the work you do?

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What do you think makes eloping in Asheville so special?

What’s your favorite elopement venue in Asheville?

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Our Team

How to elope in Asheville

Finding the right Asheville vendors

Finding the perfect Asheville elopement location

Making it legal

When to elope in Asheville

What time of year should you elope in Asheville?

What time of day should you elope in Asheville?

How far in advance should I start planning my Asheville elopement?

Janessa White

Reading corner

Eloping in Asheville: Sarah and Bret's Foggy Black Balsam Knob Elopement

Fun Tips and Ideas for your Smoky Mountain Elopement

Kayla & Austin's Dreamy Asheville Mountain Ceremony

Samantha & Matthew's Whimsical North Carolina Elopement

How To Include Your Dog Into Your Wedding

Mandi & Thomas' Gorgeous Intimate Smoky Mountain Elopement

Heather & Ricky Wed in the Woods of Cataloochee Valley

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

When did you first fall in love? How did you know?

How did you propose or accept the proposal?

What do you love about your partner?

What is the greatest strength of your relationship?

How did you find Simply Eloped?

How did you know Simply Eloped was the right fit for you?

What attracted you to the venue you eloped at?

What activities did you do before the wedding? How did you prepare? How did you feel leading up to the moments of your elopement?

Tell us about your experience with Simply Eloped leading up to and on your big day!

How did you celebrate after?

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

Why did you decide to elope?

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

When did you first fall in love? How did you know?

How did you accept the proposal?

What do you love about your partner?

What is the greatest strength of your relationship?

Why did you decide to elope?

How did you find Simply Eloped?

How did you know Simply Eloped was the right fit for you?

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