Brandy and Chris are the kind of couple who make you want to lace up your trail runners and go outside immediately.

They’re Floridians (for now), and they’ll be the first to tell you they’re not Florida people. They love their kids deeply, and because of that, they’re in a season where they’re rooted—at least for a little while longer. So they do the next best thing: they travel as often as life allows, chasing cooler air, better trails, and places that feel more like home than “home” currently does.

Asheville and Western North Carolina have been that place for them. The food. The beer. The miles of trail all around the city. The feeling that you can spend a day playing in the mountains and then end it with something delicious—no big production required or epic drives back home.

In fact, this is one of the biggest reasons I moved here with my wife and our dog. After living in Chicago for years, as avid climbers, we were stuck driving to Kentucky to climb at the expense of enjoying Chicago on weekends - all because we simply couldn’t enjoy one without sacrificing the other. Once we moved out of the big city, we always dreamt of a medium-sized town where we could easily recreate in the mountains and then come home at night to hang with friends. Asheville for us checked that box.

So when it came time to get married for C + B, an adventure elopement around Asheville made perfect sense: something simple, fun, and centered on the two of them in the outdoors—especially in one of their favorite regions.

Why an adventure elopement was perfect for Brandy + Chris

The best adventure elopements aren’t “extreme.” They’re just honest.

Brandy and Chris didn’t want a day that felt like a performance. They wanted a day that felt like them: active, relaxed, a little spontaneous, and rooted in the things they already love doing together. They’re both avid runners and active travelers, so building their wedding day around movement—getting to a trail, hiking toward the light, and exchanging vows with the mountains around them—felt natural.

And honestly? Mid-October around here is a cheat code or something.

The air is crisp, the light is soft and golden, and the whole landscape feels like it’s exhaling after summer. It’s one of those times of year that makes you slow down without even trying.

Starting the day the best way: Fonta Flora Brewing

Before we ever hit the trail, we did something I always encourage couples to consider for an elopement day:

We made space for a “just us” moment that had nothing to do with photos.

Brandy and Chris wanted to soak in the day, not rush it. So we started with a stop at Fonta Flora Brewing—good beer, good food, and the kind of laid-back vibe that instantly takes the edge off. It was the perfect pre-hike reset: a chance to breathe, laugh, talk through the nerves, and step into the day in a way that felt grounded.

It’s also one of those simple choices that makes an elopement feel like an actual experience, not a checklist. You’re not just driving from point A to point B—you’re building a day that you’ll remember in full scenes, not fragments.

The drive to the trailhead and the shift into “adventure mode”

After Fonta Flora, we made the short drive over toward the trailhead with that calm, excited energy that only happens when you know you’re about to do something meaningful—and you’re not trying to cram it into a traditional timeline.

No wedding party. No coordinating a dozen moving pieces. No pressure to “entertain” anyone.

Just Brandy and Chris, a plan that made sense for them, and a sunset ceremony that was waiting for us up at the top.

As we got closer, you could feel them settle in. They weren’t switching into “wedding mode.” They were switching into their mode: hikers, runners, adventurers, two people doing something completely them in a place they love.

A sunset hike elopement ceremony in the mountains

There’s something about hiking to your ceremony spot that changes the whole tone of the day.

You earn it a little. You arrive more present. You’re breathing harder and laughing more and noticing everything—the way the light hits the trees, the sound of wind moving through the ridge, the feeling that the world gets quieter the farther you go. We escape any crowds or other onlookers by putting in that slight bit more effort.

By the time we reached the ceremony spot I had scouted, the sun was already starting to drop, and the light had that warm October glow that feels almost unreal. Brandy and Chris took a minute together—no rushing, no fuss—just a pause to look around and let it sink in: we’re really doing this.

Then they exchanged vows.

Simple. Intentional. Focused on what mattered.

No big scripted moments, no performative energy—just two people saying honest things to each other in a place that felt like the future they’re working toward.

Portraits that feel like them: movement, laughter, and real moments

Just before the ceremony, we used the still-bright sunlight for a few of what I’m calling ‘field portraits’ with the couple in front a packable backdrop I pack along as part of my kit.

Brandy and Chris naturally fell into what they do best—being together, holding each other, joking around, and being fully in love and in their own world. They didn’t need a bunch of posing or guidance. I just focused on giving them the space to be themselves, and subtle ‘direction’ here and there in order to take advantage of the light.

The result was the kind of gallery I’ll never get tired of delivering:

wide, scenic images that show the scale of the mountains
close, quiet moments that feel intimate and real
the in-between stuff—laughing, adjusting layers, catching their breath, looking at each other like “can you believe this is our wedding?”
field portraits of them pared back from the surroundings as a way to emphasize their personality, attire, and the details that can sometimes be lost in the distractions of other things in a scene

That’s the magic of an adventure elopement. The day creates the photos, not the other way around.

The bigger story: a wedding day that matched their future

One of my favorite parts of photographing elopements like this is knowing the day doesn’t end when the gallery is delivered.

For Brandy and Chris, this wasn’t just a beautiful October afternoon and evening. It was a chapter in a longer story—one where they’re building toward a life that fits them better. A life closer to the mountains, closer to trailheads, closer to the kind of weekends they already crave.

Right now, they travel because it’s how they stay connected to that future. They come back to Western North Carolina often: for the food and drink, yes—but also because it’s where they feel most like themselves. And until relocation becomes possible, these trips are like little reminders: we’re not stuck forever.

Getting married here felt symbolic in the best way. Not a dramatic declaration. Just a quiet, confident step toward what they want.

Planning takeaway: if you’re outdoorsy, your wedding day should feel like a day outside

If you’re reading this and thinking, “That sounds exactly like us,” here’s what I’d say:

Your elopement day doesn’t need a template. It needs a vibe.

If you’re hikers, runners, campers, climbers, brewery-lovers, waterfall-chasers—build your wedding day out of the things you already love doing together. Make it simple. Make it fun. Make it feel like a real day you’d choose, even if cameras weren’t involved. This couple even planned their elopement around a trail-running race being held during their stay in the area. Building your day around activities you already love is a great way to make the most of your time in the mountains on such a special occassion!

A few ideas to consider for your celebration:

Create a timeline that makes time to start with coffee
Include a brewery stop before the adventure at one of dozens in the area
Plan a post-elopement soak at a local sauna house, spa, or other spot
Share vows somewhere quiet and meaningful - ideally a spot with epic views
Celebrate after with a private dinner together
Pack a picnic so you have something tasty to eat that isn’t a pre-packaged bar or other processed food - try instead to bring some sliced cheeses, olives, etc.
Make a fire and roast some marshmallows and toast your wedding day

Want to plan your own adventure elopement in Asheville?

If an experience-first elopement in the Blue Ridge Mountains sounds like your kind of wedding day, I’d love to help you plan something that feels natural, meaningful, and actually fun to live—not just photograph.

Tell me what you’re dreaming up and I’ll help you dial in the right location, build a realistic timeline around the best light, and create a day that feels like you from start to finish.

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