If you're dreaming about an Asheville elopement, chances are you're looking for something a little different from a traditional wedding.
Maybe you picture exchanging vows on a mountaintop at sunset, beside a waterfall tucked into the forest, or somewhere quiet with just the two of you. Maybe you're bringing your kids, your parents or a few of your favorite people.
Or maybe all you know is that you want to get married somewhere beautiful in the mountains of Western North Carolina and have absolutely no idea where to begin.
That's where we come in.
I started the company in 2013 after years of photographing weddings and realizing how much I loved the intimacy and freedom of smaller celebrations.
What began as me with a camera and an idea has grown into an experienced team of photographers, officiants, assistants, videographers and local creative partners.
Together, we've helped create more than 1,000 elopements in these mountains.
I'm Meghan, the owner and founder of Elope Outdoors.
Our Asheville elopement packages bring together the people and details you need for a beautiful wedding day while still giving you plenty of room to make it your own. We help with photography, location planning, your ceremony, flowers, cake, logistics, wedding day assistance and more.
The idea is pretty simple.
We want you to have an incredible wedding without your wedding taking over your life.
The enormous guest list. Seating charts. Months of complicated planning. A timeline that somehow leaves the couple barely seeing each other.
What was left was the part I loved most.
Two people getting married.
But simple doesn't have to mean bare bones.
You can still have an incredible bouquet and wedding cake, wear something amazing, bring your dog or invite the people closest to you.
You can write your own vows, have your first dance on a mountaintop, share a picnic, add videography and include the wedding traditions that mean something to you while happily skipping the ones that don't.
That's one of the things I love most about elopements.
You aren't giving up the wedding. You're getting rid of the parts that don't matter to you and making more room for the ones that do.
One of the reasons I created Elope Outdoors was because I loved what happened when you took away so many of the things couples thought a wedding was supposed to include.
Asheville Elopements Can Be Simple Without Feeling Small
Our Asheville elopement packages are designed to take care of the pieces most couples don't want to coordinate themselves while still giving you choices along the way.
What Is Included in an Elope Outdoors Elopement?
Photography has been at the heart of Elope Outdoors since the beginning.
Our photographers share a similar shooting style and approach, and every gallery is brought together through one consistent editing style by the same editor.
That means you get the benefit of an experienced photography team while still getting the recognizable look and feeling that drew you to Elope Outdoors in the first place.
Photography
We have a wonderful team of officiants, each with a different personality and approach, and you'll have the opportunity to choose the person who feels like the best fit for you.
Your officiant will get to know your story and what you want your ceremony to feel like.
You can write your own vows, include your children, add a handfasting or sand ceremony, or incorporate other meaningful traditions if you'd like.
We'll also help you navigate the North Carolina marriage license process and take care of filing your completed paperwork after the ceremony.
Your Ceremony
Every Elope Outdoors elopement includes an onsite assistant.
This is one of those things couples don't always realize they need until the wedding day arrives.
Your assistant is there to help with flowers, cake, guests, getting dressed, carrying things, umbrellas and all of the little details that come up when you're getting married outside.
It means those things don't have to become your job on your wedding day.
North Carolina also requires two witnesses for your marriage ceremony. If you're eloping just the two of you, we can take care of that too.
Your Elopement Day Assistant
Depending on the collection you choose, we'll also take care of things like flowers, wedding cake, a private picnic celebration and videography.
You'll have choices for details like your florals and cake rather than simply being handed whatever comes with the package.
We want these things to feel like part of your wedding, not generic extras.
The Details
Throughout the planning process, we'll help you choose your location, figure out the best time of day, create your timeline and navigate the logistics of getting married outdoors in Western North Carolina.
You don't need to know exactly where you want to get married before you contact us.
Helping you figure that out is part of what we do.
Planning and Location Help
- LEAH & Chase
Planning an elopement can feel overwhelming, but Meghan made it effortless and stress-free.
Our photography and videography team captured every magical moment, Kalie handled every detail behind the scenes, and Rodney created a ceremony that was thoughtful, meaningful and truly reflected our relationship.
“The entire team at Elope Outdoors made our day perfect from start to finish.”
We know which places are best at sunrise or sunset, which trails are more challenging than they appear online, where guests can comfortably join you and which locations can become especially busy at certain times of year.
We'll help you narrow down the options based on what you want your day to actually feel like, not simply which overlook has the prettiest photograph on Instagram.
Some couples want huge, layered mountain views and an incredible sunset. Others picture a waterfall surrounded by green forest.
Some are happy to hike, while others would rather step out of the car and be somewhere beautiful.
You may be bringing parents or young children, want your dog there, or have your heart set on privacy and a place where you can linger without worrying about other visitors.
We take all of that into consideration.
After more than a decade of working throughout Western North Carolina, we know these locations in a way that's difficult to understand from photographs alone.
This is one of my favorite parts of the planning process because there really isn't one best place to elope near Asheville - There's a best place for you.
Where Can You Elope Near Asheville?
Some of our favorite photographs have come from fog, dramatic skies and less than perfect forecasts.
The mountains are unpredictable. After doing this for as long as we have, we've learned that the answer isn't to panic about the forecast.
It's to pay attention, know your options and make smart decisions when the time comes.
We usually start seriously watching the forecast about two to three days before an elopement. If we think a change may be necessary, we typically start making those decisions around 24 hours ahead.
We look at multiple forecasts, hourly timing, temperatures and the type of weather expected.
A passing light shower is very different from a line of thunderstorms headed toward an exposed mountaintop.
When possible, we may adjust the timing or location based on the conditions, your schedule and the availability of the team.
We've found perfect windows between rain showers, driven down the mountain to get underneath thick fog and changed locations entirely when another area offered better conditions.
If you're planning an outdoor wedding in the mountains, you're probably going to think about the weather at some point - We certainly do!
What Happens If It Rains on Your Elopement Day?
Sometimes, though, we simply embrace a little rain.
Some of our favorite elopements are truly just the two of you, but we also love when couples bring their children, parents, siblings or a few of the people closest to them.
Our outdoor elopement collections are designed for up to 10 guests.
When guests are joining you, we'll help you choose a location that works well for the group, taking into consideration walking distance, terrain, ceremony space and accessibility.
A couple may be perfectly happy hiking through a little mud in wedding clothes while Grandma may understandably feel differently.
Whether it's just the two of you or a handful of your favorite people, the goal is the same.
Keeping the wedding intimate, relaxed and focused on what matters most.
Absolutely.
Can You Have Guests at an Asheville Elopement?
We don't want your photographer watching the clock because another wedding is waiting or your team needing to rush away as soon as your scheduled time ends.
It also gives us more flexibility when something unexpected happens.
If the weather looks better an hour earlier and the team and your own schedule allow us to adjust, it's much easier to explore that option when there isn't another Elope Outdoors couple booked before or after you.
We can't promise that every timeline can be changed, but building our schedule this way gives us room to try when it matters.
Your wedding isn't one of several appointments on our calendar that day. It's the wedding we're there for.
Elope Outdoors books one elopement per day, and that is very intentional.
We want our attention to be on you.
Why We Only Plan One Elopement Per Day
Photography is how Elope Outdoors began, and it's still one of the things we're known for.
Photography That Looks Like Elope Outdoors
Our photographers share a similar approach and shooting style, and every gallery is finished with one consistent editing style by the same editor.
It gives our work a recognizable feeling while allowing every couple, season and location to look completely different.
We want your photographs to be beautiful, but we don't want creating them to feel like you're spending your wedding day at a photoshoot.
One of the things I hear constantly from couples is, “We're awkward in front of the camera. We're going to need help.”
And I always smile because I've heard it hundreds of times.
Then couples arrive, meet us at the trailhead and we start walking and talking.
The nerves begin to disappear.
Our photographers know when to give you direction and when to step back and let something happen naturally.
Before long, you're usually laughing and being yourselves.
You don't need to know how to pose or what to do with your hands.
Your job is just to be together.
Elope Outdoors has been creating and photographing elopements in Western North Carolina since 2013.
After more than 1,000 elopements, we've learned a lot about what works, what doesn't and how to help couples have an incredible experience here.
We aren't simply giving you a list of beautiful places and asking you to choose one.
We want to understand what you're envisioning and help you choose a place, season and time of day that make sense for the experience you actually want to have.
Those are the little things that become important when you're actually planning a wedding here.
Wildflowers have their seasons, popular locations have their busy times and mountain temperatures can be dramatically different from what you're experiencing in downtown Asheville.
Fall color doesn't happen at every elevation at the same time.
The Blue Ridge Parkway can close unexpectedly.
One mountain may be completely covered in fog while another area has clear skies.
A trail that sounds short may be more difficult than expected.
A beautiful overlook might face the wrong direction for the light you want.
There are things you learn after working in these mountains for years that aren't obvious from looking at a location online.
Local Experience Matters
Why Couples Choose Elope Outdoors
A lot of couples initially find us because they love the photography or the idea of getting married somewhere beautiful in the mountains.
What I love is hearing what they talk about afterward.
They tell us how easy the process felt.
They talk about how comfortable the team made them, how personal their ceremony was and how relieved they were that someone else was paying attention to all the little details.
They tell us they felt like they were spending the day with friends.
And, of course, they tell us how much
they love their photographs.
“Everyone involved in the planning and execution seemed so excited and made us feel so special. When we were on our way back from the elopement we kept saying it felt like the entire event was done with good friends.”
Steven & Kayla
“We felt like we had hardly anything to do because they work like a well oiled machine!”
Jennifer & Austin
“We had been following Elope Outdoors for about a year before we even got engaged because we just loved their style of photography and their ability to capture really beautiful moments between a couple.”
lucy
When you're comparing elopement packages, it's worth looking beyond the starting price and at what is actually included.
Every Elope Outdoors collection brings together an experienced local team, including planning and location guidance, professional photography, your officiant and ceremony, florals and an onsite assistant.
From there, you can choose a beautifully simple elopement or add things like a private cake and picnic celebration, videography, upgraded florals and a luxury album.
How Much Does an Asheville Elopement Cost?
Elope Outdoors collections begin at $2,650.
The point of an all inclusive elopement package isn't simply to bundle a bunch of vendors together.
It's to make getting married easier without making your wedding feel generic.
Asheville Elopement FAQs
Below you will find most of our most common questions asked but please do contact us if something isn't addressed.
Elope Outdoors was founded by photographer Meghan Rolfe in 2013.
Since then, our team has helped create more than 1,000 elopements throughout Asheville and Western North Carolina.
Most of our couples choose outdoor locations throughout Western North Carolina, including mountaintops, overlooks and waterfalls.
We can also work at private properties or select venues when that makes more sense for your plans.
Yes.
Our outdoor elopement collections are designed for the couple and up to 10 guests.
We'll help you choose a location that works well for the size and needs of your group.
At many locations, yes.
We love when couples include their dogs and can help you think through the location, trail, weather and logistics involved.
Yes.
Our officiants have different personalities and approaches, and you'll have the opportunity to choose the person who feels like the best fit for the two of you.
We monitor the weather closely as your date approaches.
Depending on the conditions, your schedule and team availability, we may be able to adjust the timing or location.
Light rain doesn't necessarily stop an elopement, while severe or unsafe conditions require another plan.
We'll help you figure it out.
No.
Elope Outdoors is available Sunday through Friday. Saturdays are not available.
For public outdoor locations, we recommend Monday through Thursday whenever possible because popular mountain locations tend to be quieter and more intimate during the week.
Availability varies throughout the year, particularly during popular spring and fall dates.
Reaching out earlier gives you more options, but we can sometimes accommodate couples with shorter planning windows too.
Our elopement collections begin at $2,650 for the couple.
Guests may be added for $50 per person, up to 10 guests.
You can see all five collections and exactly what each one includes on our pricing page.
No! You don’t need to have your location chosen before booking.
Once we learn more about what you’re imagining, we’ll help you find the right setting based on the scenery you love, your comfort with hiking, who’s joining you, and the time of year. It’s part of what we’re here for!
Ready to Plan Your Asheville Elopement?
Maybe you already know exactly where you want to get married.
Either way, we'd love to hear what you're imagining.
We've spent more than a decade and more than 1,000 elopements helping couples create wedding days in these mountains that feel intimate, personal, beautiful and genuinely fun.
We can help you figure out the location, bring together the team and take care of the details so you can actually enjoy getting married.
