How to Elope in North Carolina
How to Plan Your North Carolina Elopement
Planning your North Carolina elopement but unsure where to begin? We’ve got you covered! From the mountains to the sea, North Carolina is a stunning state full of quaint towns, dynamic cities, and endless opportunities for adventure. Home to four national forests, over forty state parks, and half of Great Smoky National Park, there is no shortage of spectacular elopement spots. So how do you go about narrowing down your options? Are there any places where you can’t elope? When should you elope? Keep reading for advice, guidelines, and information on how to start planning your North Carolina elopement!
Why Elope in North Carolina?
Aside from it’s undeniable beauty, North Carolina makes for the perfect elopement location because of it’s accessibility, moderate temperatures, and countless secluded locations. The people are kind, it is inexpensive to stay and travel in, and it is near impossible to run out of things to do and places to see. There is something about the wisdom of these ancient mountains and diverse forests that make for the perfect setting for any elopement. If you love grassy balds and sprawling views, rich shades of green, and the genuine charm of a mountain town, North Carolina is the perfect place for you to tie the knot!
When it comes to planning your North Carolina elopement, there are many different factors to consider. This guide will give you some insight on the four main decisions you need to make when starting to plan your elopement: when to elope, where to elope, what is required to elope, and who to include in your elopement. Ready to get started? Read on!
Table of Contents
When to Elope in North Carolina
The easy answer to the question of the best season for a North Carolina elopement is… there isn’t one! Each season in North Carolina has different pros and cons. The season that is best for your elopement is entirely up to you and your personal preferences. Here is some insight into each season and what they bring to the table!
Summer
Months: June, July, and August- although summer’s heat can appear in May and linger into September
Why elope in the summer: Hours upon hours of daylight, lush green forests, and an abundance of waterfalls and swimming holes make summer an awesome time to elope in North Carolina. Although generally a hot and humid season, at higher altitudes the temperatures are not quite as intense. There are also ample opportunities to cool off, and summer is the perfect time for activities like paddleboarding, kayaking, and white water rafting. Many wildflowers are at peak in June, contrasting with the rich shades of greens to create stunning, colorful backdrops for your elopement.
Fall
Months: September, October, November
Why elope in the fall: Fall in Western North Carolina is a sight to behold- hence why people travel from all over to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in October. The weather is ideal, as the summer heat has died down and humidity has worn off. It tends to be one of the drier seasons, so the threat of rain on your elopement day is generally minimal. There are also so many fun activities, from apple picking and pumpkin carving to leaf peeping and bonfires. This is also the ideal time of year for a longer hiking or backpacking elopement! The possibilities for a fall elopement are endless in NC!
Winter
Months: December, January, February, early March
Why elope in the winter: There is a gentle stillness that overtakes the North Carolina mountains in the winter. Snowy pine forests and ice-coated rhododendrons create peaceful forest walks, and the higher peaks are often snow-capped. This is also a great time of year to elope because the trails are often quieter. If you are desiring complete solitude, winter is the perfect time for you. There is also no shortage of winter activities in NC, including skiing and snowboarding, snow tubing, and ice skating. Think of the cozy fireside hot chocolate you can end the evening with!
Spring
Months: Late March, April, May, Early June
Why elope in the spring: With the forests in full bloom, spring is a beautiful time to elope in North Carolina. The temperatures are generally comfortable, the trails have not reached busy season yet, and everything is beginning to come to life after the winter. It can take spring a little longer to reach the high peaks, but this just means that at any point in time throughout the season, somewhere in NC, there is a trail in its peak bloom!
Where to Elope in North Carolina
When it comes to where to elope in North Carolina, the options are abundant. North Carolina offers a little bit of everything, and it is possible to curate your elopement day to include exactly the setting you are looking for. When considering where to elope, it is important to consider not only the location of the ceremony, but also the surrounding area and its accessibility, as well as what it has to offer in the way of accommodations, food, and activities.
While many people consider Asheville to be the hub of Western NC, there are many other options of areas you can elope in and have the experience of a lifetime. Here are some areas to consider!
Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Half of the Smokies lie in North Carolina, the other half in Tennessee. Many of the trails, including the Appalachian Trail, follow the border of the two states through the park. Aside from being home to multiple 6k footers, including Clingman’s Dome, fire towers boasting expansive views, and many waterfalls, the Smokies have more forest diversity than the entire continent of Europe!
National Forests
North Carolina is home to four national forests, two of which are in Western North Carolina. Pisgah National Forest encompasses over 500,000 acres of forest surrounding Asheville to both the north and south. It is also home to Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi, Shining Rock Wilderness (home of the Art Loeb Trail), and the spectacular Linville Gorge, known as the “Grand Canyon of the East.” Nantahala National Forest is the largest of NC’s national forests, situated in southwestern North Carolina. Within Nantahala’s bounds are Whiteside Mountain, which is considered by geologists to be one of the oldest mountains in the world, and Whitewater Falls, the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi.
State Parks
Nine North Carolina State Parks fall in Western NC, with many others easily accessible from the area as well. Here are a few of our favorites for elopements:
Gorges State Park: Located in the southwest corner of the state where NC meets SC and Georgia, Gorges has 26 waterfalls, views of Lake Jocassee, and part of the famous Foothills Trail. The remote trails and lush temperate rainforest are a great place to elope, and the perfect spot for a waterfall picnic!
Elk Knob State Park: Although this park doesn’t have miles and miles of hiking trails, it’s proximity to the beloved mountain towns of Boone and Blowing Rock make it an awesome place to elope. Consider a winter elopement here, as a stretch of trail is open to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter!
Mount Mitchell State Park: Standing at 6,684 feet, Mount Mitchell is the highest peak east of the Mississippi. It is also a drivable peak, making this a great place to elope if you or any guests you plan to have need an accessible spot.
Stone Mountain State Park: Stone Mountain is a great spot for an elopement because of the mountaintop surface it is named for- stone! After a nice climb to the top of the mountain, you are greeted with an expansive stone summit that offers sweeping views and countless spots to say your vows separate from any crowds. You don’t have to worry about the viewpoint being occupied, because the viewpoints are everywhere!
Blue Ridge Parkway
Nicknamed “America’s Favorite Drive,” the Blue Ridge Parkway winds 469 miles through NC and Virginia, offering breathtaking viewpoints and access to countless trails. Many mountain towns, state parks, and national forest lands lie right off the parkway, including Asheville, Linville Gorge, Grandfather Mountain, and much more! A great place for picnics, biking, camping, and of course driving the parkway is a fun elopement day activity in and of itself!
Airbnb Weddings
We love an Airbnb wedding! There are adorable airbnb’s all over North Carolina, with close proximity to some of our favorite mountain towns and activities. They also ensure that you don’t have to worry about any permits of any sort, just confirm with your host that you are allowed to have your ceremony and photography on the property!
What to do for Your North Carolina Elopement
Permits and Restrictions
When planning your elopement, there are plenty of logistics to consider when it comes to your location. It is common that permits are required to elope in many places. There are also some locations in North Carolina, specifically a few along the Blue Ridge Parkway, that do not allow for elopements or highly discourage them due to heavy foot traffic or in an effort to conserve the land. It is generally fairly easy to determine when and when not a permit is required, as each state park and national forest has permit information on their website. Elopement planners are also a great resource for this, and will take the research off of your shoulders! Although an additional hurdle to the planning process, we believe it is important to go through all permit processes and to adhere to their regulations to best protect the land for decades to come.
*Fun fact- The Blue Ridge Parkway’s website specifically states that it is against the rules to release tigers, and to throw jell-o, among other things! Curious what caused them to explicitly include these restrictions? We are too!*
Marriage Legality
In North Carolina, you can legally elope as long as you have an officiant and two witnesses present. The officiant cannot be included as a witness in NC.
Marriage licenses can be applied for online, and both partners must be present to pick up the license from your local courthouse. The cost of a NC marriage license is $60, and it cannot be obtained more than 60 days prior to the elopement. This is the most important item to bring to your elopement! Your elopement photographer or planner can make sure to keep it safe in their pack for you as you go about your elopement day activities!
Activity Ideas
Speaking of activities, there are SO many different things that you can do to celebrate your NC elopement. We love elopements that feel 100% genuine to you, so don’t shy away from spending some time doing what you love most as a couple on your big day. A great way to brainstorm is to each write a list of what you love doing most with your partner, and then compare! Here are some ideas that we love for Western North Carolina to help get you started!
Hiking or backpacking
Mountain biking
Brewery hopping (Asheville consistently ranks in the top 10 for best beer cities in the country!)
Camping or glamping (yurt, anyone?)
A drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Paddleboarding or kayaking
Playing board games
Watching a movie that is important to you as a couple
Creating a slideshow of pictures from your relationship thus far
Visiting your favorite mountain town
A morning coffee date
Bake your wedding cake together
Exploring a museum or historical site
A backyard bbq with friends and family
Who to Include in Your Elopement Day
Determining whether or not you would like guests present for your elopement is a big decision! In choosing to elope, you are already choosing to forego having many friends and family there.
Ultimately, no one can make this decision but you and your partner, but here are a couple of things to consider:
Land restrictions: many elopement spots limit the number of people able to be present to 10 or 16 depending on the place. This number includes you and your partner, as well as your officiant, photographer, planner, and any other vendor you need present.
Accessibility: When choosing to include guests, you must determine if where you are choosing to elope is accessible for them, or if you would need to select an alternate location.
Legality: Having at least two people present to bear witness is required in NC. You can use your photographer and planner as witnesses, but keep in mind if you forego having either of those vendors present, you will need guests to replace them!
Hosting: When you include guests, you are ultimately choosing to host. You likely cannot just ask people to come out for the ceremony, but will also need to plan additional components for the day that include your guests.
If it is important for you and your partner that certain people are present, by all means, prioritize that! Ultimately your day is about you, and if it is meaningful for you to have these people present, it is entirely possible to make that happen.
Vendors
Although an elopement doesn’t require near as many vendors as a traditional wedding, it is still important to consider everybody that will be present during your elopement. We strongly recommend hiring a photographer (specifically one who specializes in adventure elopements) and an elopement planner. An elopement planner will take the planning weight off of your shoulders, and make the process and your day smooth and stress-free.
You may also be interested in hiring the following vendors for your elopement:
Hair and makeup stylist
Activity/ rental company- ie kayak rentals, vineyard tours, etc
Bakery or Caterer
Florist (keep in mind that many elopement locations prohibit live flowers)
North Carolina truly has so much to offer as the destination for your elopement. Spectacular in any season, it is as genuine, unique, and exciting as your love story, making it the perfect place to tie the knot. There is no shortage of panoramic views, lush forests, entertaining activities, and quaint mountain towns. With a little bit of everything, we are sure that you will have an unforgettable elopement. We hope that this guide has given you a synopsis of where to get started when it comes to your North Carolina elopement planning, and that you are excited to dive into the process!
