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 to an absolutely stunner of a location, 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.

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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—great beer, great food, and the kind of laid-back, countryside/farm vibe that instantly takes the edge off. It was the perfect pre-hike pit-stop: a chance to laugh, grab beers, 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. When we hit the summit and met Vanessa, they cracked a beer and cooled off in the gentle October breeze as we laughed and discussed where to ‘do the thing’ (ie. have the ceremony).

Pre-Ceremony ‘Field Portraits’

Just before the ceremony, we used the still-bright sunlight for a few “field portraits” in an adjacent grove of pines near the ceremony spot. They’re simple, environmental portraits in front of a packable backdrop/sheet I bring along as part of my kit.

I always ask couples ahead of time if they’ll humor me for a few minutes for these, and I was stoked and relieved that Brandy and Chris were game to indulge me for 10 minutes.

They fell right into what they do best: joking around, being enviably present and confident, and letting their love shine through in their expressions. They didn’t need much posing or heavy guidance, either. I just tried to give them the space and only the tiniest of a direction to make the most of the light or their figures.

I love including a handful of these backdrop shots in the gallery because to me they’re interesting in the context of where we are, the weather, the landscape or forest, and more. They also strip everything down to the essentials: them, their expressions, the wedding-day details, and the energy between them.

Having a few, almost studio-looking, portraits sprinkled into the final gallery adds a fun, unexpected twist, too. What do you think?

A sunset hike elopement ceremony in the mountains

After we finished with the field portraits, we walked over to their chosen spot for their ceremony - one I had scouted ahead of time and excitedly shared!

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.

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. Everybody did their final getting ready at the overlook, calmed their nerves a bit, and Vanessa began the ceremony in front of the biggest views around. Then they exchanged vows.

Simple. Intentional. Focused on what mattered.

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 occasion!

A few ideas to consider for your celebration:

Create a timeline that makes time to start with a ritual you enjoy together. Think: coffee, tea, yoga, a run, etc.
Include a brewery stop before the adventure at one of dozens in the area. Not into beer? Let’s find an alternative! There are so many options in the region - let’s talk!
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

Fixin’ to plan your own adventure elopement in Asheville?

If a laid-back, outside-the-lines wedding day in the Blue Ridge Mountains sounds more like you than a big production, I’m in. Let’s build an experience-first elopement that feels real—fun to live, not just pretty to post.

Tell me what you’re dreaming up, and I’ll help you pick a killer location, map out a timeline that hits the best light, and keep the whole thing simple, smooth, and true to you.

Ready to ditch the script? Hit Connect and let’s start planning.

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