Rainy October Elopement in North Carolina on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Feeling a little un-inspired by how many times plans are changing for you? Karen and Jake went through a few plans and backup plans, and still wound up with torrential downpour on their wedding day, which led to the Blue Ridge Parkway being shut down while we were there!
First they were planning a large wedding in North Carolina for 2021, but as we got closer they decided they wanted to just elope instead. So after picking their ceremony spot on the Blue Ridge Parkway with a beautiful mountain and sunset view, we got the news of the storm on its way. So, instead of doing a long hike in the rain to look at a thick view of fog, we decided to just stick to the forest ——
helpful tip : if it’s foggy during your photo shoot, elopement, or wedding, it’s best to find a spot that has a “close” backdrop! So that could be large rocks, a forest, a close waterfall, etc. That way the trees or rocks stand out and break up the fog so you aren’t just in a thick cloud of nothing.
— — Their videographers were also fine and well prepared for the rain! Being in the forest helped keep some of the rain off of us and gave Karen and Jake a break during their ceremony. Then they set up their little speaker under an umbrella and had their first dance.
As we drove along the Blue Ridge Parkway, we were in and out of the fog, finding fun places to stop for photos and adventuring. At one point we passed a Blue Ridge Parkway ranger who stopped and told us they had closed the gates to the parkway, so when we left we’d have to open and shut to lock the gate back up! It was actually so nice to have the privacy and we were able to walk along the Parkway without cars passing.
Their elopement day included :
getting ready together in their cabin they rented
writing their vows together in beautiful little keepsake books
taking photos of each other with their own Instax throughout the day
a short hike in the woods to their ceremony along the Blue Ridge Parkway
a ceremony in the rain with clear umbrellas
a first dance in the rain with a little bluetooth speaker
a picnic of cake and Dom Perignon with a sneak view of the mountains
one final stop at a waterfall before the sun completely set on us.
Glamorous October Elopement on Skyline Drive | Fall Elopement in Shenandoah National Park
Inspiration for a slightly more formal elopement with guests!
Victoria & Trevor definitely brought an old-school Hollywood vibe to their elopement in the mountains. It was a beautiful Fall day, which can normally be very packed on Skyline Drive, but we lucked out by being there in the middle of the day on a Friday before the busy weekend!
They brought along close friends and family, their wee pup, gorgeous florals, beautiful details, and a lovely picnic — then after their ceremony we returned to the spot where Trevor asked Victoria to marry him!
This Elopement Included :
Getting ready separately at their hotel and doing a first look once they got to the mountains
A formal mid-day ceremony, with their friend officiating
Victoria’s father walking her down the makeshift aisle
A ribbon-tying ceremony
A few close friends and family members
Their wee pup
Gorgeous florals - a bouquet, centerpiece for their picnic, and bouttonniere
Thought-out details like sparkly shoes, ribbon for the ceremony with a quote that included their new last name “Grey”, fun socks for Trevor, cuff-links
A picnic with cake and champagne
Exploring the woods nearby for photos
Going back to the overlook where Trevor proposed to Victoria!
After their time with me, they went back and joined their friends and family at a brewery.
