Elopements and “Wednesday Weddings”

We have discovered that Elopements and Small Weddings are amazing experiences at Hidden River. Not everyone wants a big wedding or an extended engagement and not everyone can afford a big wedding. The people who have eloped or chosen small weddings (5-75 people) have taught us a lot about how to offer weddings in general. When there are few, if any, other people to please or to prompt "performance anxiety" as you say your vows, it really makes a couple, and the officiant, "cut to the chase" and focus on what really matters. In past seasons, we’d hosted numerous elopements and several small weddings. In the case of an elopements, it’s usually just the couple and sometimes two friends (or we supply the witnesses).  Small, simple weddings have ranged from 11 people to 75.

If you've never witnessed an elopement, it may be difficult to imagine. The two people typically stand, holding each other just as they might if they were standing on a balcony next to the ocean, looking out over the sea. The officiant talks directly to them about their love and what it means to be making this commitment and they look up at each other and smile. When they say their vows to one another, there is an intensity and focus that is amazing because they aren't thinking about being heard or if they are being judged by another's gaze.  It's peaceful.  It's slow.  It's honest.   It’s exactly what some people want and need, though obviously not for everyone.

Having offered such ceremonies at Hidden River, this has helped us to bring that quality into larger weddings. We do what we can now, when there is a large gathering, to help the couple to slow down and to focus on what they are doing and our officiant has become more and more adept at cutting to the chase and helping the couples to feel, in that moment, what is happening. Small weddings have taught us so much. If you are thinking about eloping, we think our services are very special.

If it's just the two of you, we can likely accommodate you on any day of the week, because even if there is another wedding going on, there are several choices for beautiful ceremony spots.

If you are having a small wedding of less than 75 guests, we suggest our Wednesday Wedding package, or a Saturday morning package, for extra cost savings and for several other reasons. Wednesdays are our transition day on the farm as we move from one weekend to the next and this is the best time of the weekdays for us to serve you well. Plus, we do not want there to be two competing groups on the property at the same time and if we’re already booked on a weekend, this is a good option.  Moreover, in the ancient Celtic tradition, it’s actually a “good luck” day for a wedding!  Finally, we have also found that Wednesdays give the couple a nice, extended honeymoon in Asheville. We've had couples who wed with us and then stay on our property for a couple of days and hike our nearby trails, swim in the pond, etc. Others, go directly to the Biltmore Estate, the Grove Park Inn or other quality inns and resorts in our region.  One of the best kept secrets in our region is the Pisgah Inn on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's open from May to November and has amazing long range views of the mountains. You feel as if you are literally standing on top of the world and they have a great restaurant on the premises.  It's 45 minutes south of Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Here's what we offer by way of Elopements and Wednesday Weddings. If there's something else you are looking for, just ask and we'll see if we can oblige.

Pricing* for Standard Elopements (2-5 guests) are $450 and include:

Pricing for Wednesday Weddings:

Additional Items that can be added to Elopements or Wednesday Weddings: