Elope in North Carolina

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

Sam: We eloped in Ashville, North Carolina. We browsed the website looking for destinations that we hadn’t been to yet. The mountains looked beautiful and we weren’t disappointed!

What Attracted You To The Venue You Chose For Your Elopement? What Were Your Favorite Parts About Eloping There? 

Sam: We wanted somewhere private. We chose Something Blue Mountain Venue because we loved the scenery. We love being outside and the mountain views were amazing!

How Would You Describe Your Elopement Venue To Someone Who Has Never Been There?

Sam:  We were married on a patio overlooking a valley with the Blue Mountains behind us. There was a field beside us that had wildflowers everywhere. It was a beautiful place.

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

Sam: We were a little more last minute with our vows than we wanted to be. We put the finishing touches on those the morning of our elopement! We got ready together at the hotel and off we went! We took a selfie in the truck to send to our families. We both had some nervous energy going on. It was a roller coaster of emotions.

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

Sarah plans events for work, but had no interest in doing all of her wedding planning. Bret is an easygoing guy that didn’t want to stress about the planning and wanted to focus on the ceremony. When they came across Simply Eloped and saw that it was all one big package tied in bow, they knew it was the answer. The only time Bret and Sarah were stressed was when Sarah forgot her hair flowers at the AirBnB and Bret had to rush them to the hair salon. Everything else was a breeze.

What attracted you to Black Balsam Knob in Asheville?

We love being outside and hiking. We love to travel and going on adventures has shaped our relationship. We knew we wanted to get married somewhere out-of-state in the mountains, but close enough to home (Richmond, VA), that we could go visit for anniversaries to come! We had traveled to Asheville before and run through Black Mountain, so we chose the Asheville area and beautiful Black Balsam Knob. It ended up being the perfect venue.

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

Eloping was the best! Our day was personal, intimate and customized to how we wanted to celebrate our love and marriage. We knew we wanted to hike up a mountain and that we wanted to travel for our wedding, and we couldn’t do that with a traditional, large wedding. Also this is such a cost effective wedding style. The money we saved could fund another vacation or house renovations. Our wedding was very “us” and stress free. We wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“Looking back, pictures do not do Sapphire Point justice! We knew that we wanted to go somewhere peaceful, beautiful, and possibly cold, so on top of a mountain seemed like the perfect idea,” Ashton said.

“Sapphire Point in the fall was the perfect place and time for our wedding,” Jordan recalled. “Seeing the love of my life walk down that trail at sunset and getting married in front of a local family of chipmunks was absolutely unforgettable!”

As for Ashton, she remembered simply waking up on her big day having no worries. “All I needed, had to do, and wanted to do that day was make it to Jordan. It was simple and so beautiful — effortless.”

At the Sapphire Point overlook, Ashton said the moment that stuck out most to her was meeting Jordan there and taking in the view. “I couldn’t believe he picked me. I remember not being able to stop the tears from streaming down my face; I was in total awe,” she said, adding, “It was a dream come true.”

Ashton was particularly surprised with how easy the planning process was, noting that it was important not to feel overwhelmed or stressed, but rather fully present. Her advice to other couples who are considering eloping? “Don’t get caught up in what others say or think of you when it comes to planning your dream day! It’s your day. Make it exactly what you want, and don’t settle for anything different. There’s so much excitement when it comes to eloping — it’s special and unforgettable.”

Looking at their stunning elopement photos, we couldn’t agree more.

What attracted you to a Las Vegas elopement?

The Valley of Fire State Park was absolutely breathtaking in photos, and turned out to be even more breathtaking in person. Neither one of us had ever been to Las Vegas, and we thought it would be the perfect place to elope!

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 got ready separately in our hotel room and did a little “first look” before leaving for the Valley of Fire State Park. We listened to our favorite music along the way and I think that drive was when things finally felt real! We both agreed that we were so excited and not nervous at all. We were ready!

How did you celebrate after?

After the ceremony, we were so hungry and realized that we had forgotten to eat! So, in typical Emily and Dakota fashion, we got fast food on the way back to our hotel and ate it in our wedding attire. We spent the following two days exploring Vegas and enjoying our first few days as partners for life!