Creekside to Cliffside River Gorge Elopement | North Carolina Elopement Photographer

If I had to describe the perfect intimate river gorge elopement affair in North Carolina, it would look a lot like this: simple, stunning, and a whole lotta love. This couple accomplished just that (and much more) by opting for a small, private venue on the banks of a beautiful river gorge, hiking to a beautiful spot for sunset, stunning details, and yours truly in tow. It was the epitome of everything an intimate wedding day should look like.

Wilson Creek has long been an easy-to-reach mountain oasis within the Pisgah National Forest. The free-flowing creek rises on the slopes of Grandfather Mountain and, 20 miles later, makes a mad dash through the Blue Ridge Mountains into a 200-foot deep gorge of granite bedrock before joining the Johns River. It is truly one of North Carolina’s most pristine and rugged terrains. My mom’s side of my family is from the area and I remember as I grew up in Florida we would come up to North Carolina and visit Wilson Creek on hot summer days. It’s a fond memory of mine.

There’s so much to see and do in and around the Wilson Creek Wild & Scenic River—a designation granted by Congress in August 2000. Whether you choose to enjoy the area on horseback, as a backpacker, on a mountain bike,kayaking, camping, fishing, sunbathing, rock climbing, tubing, swimming, or hiking, you’ll take back home amazing memories to last a lifetime.

Brown Mountain Beach Resort is a family-owned property located on the beautiful banks of Wilson Creek. In my opinion, it’s the ideally perfect setting for a river gorge elopement. They offer both cabin rentals and yurt rentals that back up right to the water. The resort also hosts weddings whether you are staying on the property or not. They even have a cute bridal cabin and gentleman’s quarters that are perfect for getting ready on site. The resort truly has everything you need for your outdoor intimate wedding in North Carolina.

I met Sarah & Connor at Brown Mountain Beach Resort where we got them ready separately before enjoying some sweet moments down on the beach. We then packed up our cars and headed for one of my favorite hiking trails nearby. We hiked out to the cliffs for the sunset, enjoyed a small cake they picked up for the day, and enjoyed a summit champagne pop. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

Dress – Daci Gowns
Suit – OMJ Clothing
Hair – Mae Rooks Beauty
Makeup – Makeup by Ashton
Florals – Petal and Fern Floral Design
Venue – Brown Mountain Beach Resort

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