Emily + Kris’ Fonta Flora to Hawksbill Mountain Elopement
Hawksbill Mountain Elopement
A brewery start, then a mountain ceremony
Emily and Kris started their wedding day at Fonta Flora Brewery’s Whippoorwill Farm with food, drinks, getting ready, and a first look before we headed toward Linville Gorge.
The weather had kept us guessing all week. Rain, storms, sun, back to rain. Even on Friday, a few parts of the plan made more sense to figure out as we went.
By the end of the night we’d gone from wildflowers and brewery buildings to a hot hike up Hawksbill, quiet vows on the summit, ice cream carried up in insulated canisters, a pretty ridiculous orange-and-pink sunset, lanterns reflected in little pools of rainwater, and a dark walk out through a forest full of tiny toads, snails, slugs and mushrooms.
A very good Friday in the mountains.
Whippoorwill Farm + First Look
Before we headed into the mountains
Emily and Kris started at Fonta Flora Brewery’s Whippoorwill Farm, which gave everyone a relaxed place to settle in, get ready, eat, have a drink, and spend some time together before we headed toward Hawksbill.
It also gave us some room to see what the weather was actually going to do. The clouds were heavy that afternoon, and the light around the farm looked completely different than it had when we originally talked through the plan.
We had originally planned to do their first look inside the Milk Parlor, but under the heavy clouds it was much darker than I expected. Rather than force it, we moved outside into the wildflowers where the light was soft and everything immediately worked better.
That’s one reason I like building some flexibility into the plan. Sometimes the better option only becomes obvious once we’re actually there.
They had a few minutes together out there before we headed back toward the buildings, gathered everything we needed, and got ready for the completely different half of the day.
Linville Gorge + Hawksbill
The hike up Hawksbill
From Whippoorwill Farm, we headed toward Linville Gorge and started the hike up Hawksbill. Emily and Kris carried their wedding clothes and everything they needed for the summit, then changed once we were up top.
It was hot and humid, so hiking in regular clothes made a whole lot more sense than trying to make the climb already dressed for the ceremony.
They also brought little neck fans for the hike. They were doing important work.
One of the things I like about days like this is that the hiking doesn’t have to be treated like something happening between the meaningful parts. It’s part of the day too — backpacks, sweat, stops for water, everybody catching their breath, and eventually getting that first open view of the gorge.
Once we reached the summit, everybody had a chance to cool down, find a spot for their things, and switch from hiking mode into wedding mode.
Ceremony + Vows
Quiet vows on top of the mountain
Emily’s sister and one of Kris’s oldest friends made the hike with them, and Vanessa from The Adventure Officiant joined us on the mountain to lead the ceremony.
That was the whole group. Small enough that once everyone found their place on the rock, it didn’t feel like an audience so much as a few people who really mattered being there with them.
Their vows were quiet and very much for each other. I tried to stay close enough to photograph what was happening without making the moment feel observed more than it needed to be.
The clouds stayed heavy over Linville Gorge, which gave us soft light across the summit while they exchanged vows.
There wasn’t anything performative about it. Their attention stayed on each other, while the handful of people who had made the hike with them stood nearby and let the moment be theirs.
By the end of it, they were married, everyone had made it to the top, and there was still plenty of evening left in front of us.
After the Ceremony
Ice cream on top of a mountain
Once the ceremony was finished, Emily and Kris pulled out insulated canisters they had carried all the way up the mountain.
Inside was ice cream.
I’ve photographed plenty of post-ceremony drinks, picnics, cakes and snacks in the mountains, but summit ice cream was a first for me — and it may be one of my favorite ideas yet.
It was simple, a little ridiculous in the best way, and completely them. Everyone had just hiked up a mountain for a wedding, so sitting on the rock eating ice cream while looking out over Linville Gorge felt about right.
They also brought sparkling water for a post-ceremony toast, and for a while we just stayed put, cooled off, and let the evening settle before making more portraits.
And while all of that was happening, the clouds were still hanging over the gorge. The light stayed soft, the sky looked pretty quiet, and there was no real indication yet of what was about to happen at sunset.
A few portraits against the backdrop after the ceremony, before we moved on to the very important matter of summit ice cream.
Sunset on Hawksbill
And then the sky lit up
For most of the afternoon, the clouds had actually been helping us out. They kept the light soft through the ceremony and gave us plenty of room to make portraits without dealing with hard summer sun.
I wasn’t really expecting much more than that.
Then, right near the end of the evening, the sun dropped low enough to catch the underside of the clouds and the whole sky started changing.
Orange and pink started showing up underneath everything that had looked gray a few minutes earlier. After spending the whole week watching the forecast bounce between rain, storms and sun, it was a pretty ridiculous way for the weather to finally settle things.
We kept moving around the summit while the color lasted instead of trying to rush through a list of portraits. The light was changing quickly, but we had enough time built into the evening to just use what was happening.
The brightest color didn’t last long. Eventually the sky softened again, the mountains went darker, and we started moving into that last little stretch of evening after sunset.
And once the sun was gone, we still weren’t quite done.
After Sunset
Lanterns and the hike out
Once the color disappeared, we stayed on the summit a little longer. We pulled out the lanterns, and little pools of rainwater on the rock started picking up their reflections.
Eventually it was properly dark and time to pack everything back up.
The hike out ended up being its own little part of the day. Our headlamps kept finding tiny toads on the trail, along with snails, slugs and mushrooms that we probably would have walked right past a few hours earlier.
It wasn’t a grand exit. Just wedding clothes back in packs, lights on, and everyone making their way through the forest together.
Which felt about right for the whole day.
Emily and Kris didn’t need to make their wedding more complicated to make it feel important. They had a brewery, wildflowers, a sweaty hike, two people they wanted beside them, quiet vows, summit ice cream, a completely unreasonable sunset, and a dark walk back to the car.
The plan changed a little along the way, but nothing important got lost.
And technically, this was only day one.
Day Two + Family
The mountain day was only part one
Emily and Kris celebrated with family the following day. I sent over a handful of teaser photos the next morning, and they were able to use some of those images at their gathering that night — so everyone could immediately see a little of what had happened on the mountain the day before.
The family gathering the following evening, alongside one of the next-day teasers from Hawksbill that was already part of the celebration.
I really like this as an option for couples who want the privacy and flexibility of a small mountain ceremony but still want their family and friends to feel like they’re part of the celebration.
Those things don’t necessarily have to happen at the same time, or even on the same day. You can have the quiet vows and adventure first, then come back together with your people afterward. For some couples, splitting the wedding into mountain time and family time gives both parts more room to actually feel like what they’re supposed to be.
Hawksbill Mountain Elopement FAQ
A few practical planning questions
Days like Emily and Kris’ can stay pretty simple, but a little planning around weather, hiking, clothing and guests makes the whole experience easier.
Do we have to hike in our wedding clothes?
Nope. Emily and Kris carried theirs up and changed near the summit, which made a hot August hike much more comfortable. Depending on the trail, weather and what you’re wearing, hiking in normal clothes can make a lot more sense. For hot summer hikes, small things can help too — the rechargeable neck fans they brought along were surprisingly useful on the climb.
What happens if the weather changes?
Usually, we adjust. The forecast for this day bounced between rain, storms and sun, and even the first-look location changed once we saw the actual conditions. I’d rather build enough flexibility into the plan to make a good decision in the moment than force something because it was written on the timeline.
Can we bring a few guests to a mountain elopement?
Absolutely. A small outdoor wedding with a few guests can work really well when the location and hike make sense for everyone. Emily and Kris brought two people who mattered to them, which kept the ceremony intimate without making it feel like they had to choose between an elopement and having anyone there at all.
Can the wedding day start somewhere other than the mountains?
Definitely. Starting at Fonta Flora Brewery’s Whippoorwill Farm gave Emily and Kris somewhere comfortable for food, drinks, getting ready and their first look before the hiking part of the day. A mountain elopement doesn’t mean every minute has to happen on a trail.
Planning a Mountain Elopement?
Build a wedding day that actually feels like yours
Maybe that means starting somewhere comfortable, bringing a couple of favorite people, hiking into the mountains, or leaving enough room in the plan to change course when something better presents itself. I can help with the location, timing, logistics, backup plans, and photography along the way.
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