We Are Back: Rebuilding with Love After the Storms
With more than months having passed since Hurricane Helene, we are honored and humbled to share that Hidden River Events is officially open again.
The land is healing. The infrastructure has been restored. The flowers are blooming once more, and our animals are thriving. What was once an unimaginable disaster has given way to a season of renewal.
It takes nine months to bring new life into the world—and in that same time, we’ve moved through devastation, grief, confusion, and ultimately, hope. What words can’t fully capture, the land and this community have quietly endured. And now, we are ready to begin again.
Where We Were: A Place Rooted in Joy and Purpose
Since 2007, Hidden River has welcomed thousands of couples and tens of thousands of their loved ones to celebrate some of the happiest days of their lives. We built our venue not only to host weddings but to honor love in its truest form—transparent, joyful, kind, and generous.
We created all-inclusive wedding packages to make planning easy and stress-free. Every cost was known upfront, every detail taken care of. With stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the gentle flow of the Swannanoa River, couples found peace and presence here, not pressure.
Our motto has always been, “Love Multiplies.” We believe that a couple’s love can ripple outward, supporting the land, uplifting the community, and inspiring compassion. As we often said, “We grow food, we grow flowers, we grow love.” Through sustainable practices, homegrown blooms, food donations, and nonprofit support, weddings here became more than a celebration—they became a gift to the wider world.
Then Came the Storm
On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene arrived.
Within 45 minutes, the Swannanoa River surged to over 30 feet, engulfing more than half our 20-acre farm. A mandatory evacuation occurred while, not before, the intense flooding was happening. No one had seen it coming. Two houses, one my own home, and another my office were destroyed. Infrastructure was wiped out. Lives—human and animal—were in danger.
As the owner, I was stranded in Saluda, unreachable by phone or email for days, unable even to get in contact with my children. It was nearly two days before I could return and witness what happened first hand. What I saw was heartbreaking. Swannanoa, a modest, tight-knit community—not a tourist destination—was devastated. Hundreds of homes and businesses were lost, and many of the 40 lives lost in Buncombe County were in our neighborhood. The farm had no flood insurance, as there was no need for it. No buildings were in the flood plain. . FEMA aid for businesses was unavailable. And yet, friends, guests, and strangers came to our aid. Nearly 100 people helped raise $12,000, and a community grant contributed $25,000. Fema and the Army Corp of Engineers did indeed clean up and restore the river, something I thought might not happen in my lifetime. In January, I had thought I might just throw in the towel, but then I ran into the local rabbi while at the grocery store. I was ready to say: “Hey, do you remember me from my teaching days when I brought students to your temple”? But he pre-empted me by saying: “You are responsible for the happiest day in my family’s life!” It was then that I recalled that I knew him not just from years of teaching but also because his daughter had wed at the farm many years ago. I let his words sink in. Within a few days, I decided not to throw in the towel, but instead to use as much of my retirement funds as possible to heal the land and begin again. I was not going to let Helene, or anything else, have the last word on what had been a beautiful 17 year effort to foster love and beauty in this valley.
Where We’re Going: A Future Rooted in Renewal
We reopen with renewed purpose.
Our core offerings remain the same: all-inclusive wedding packages, sustainable practices, and stress-free planning. A few practical changes are in place: onsite housing is slightly more limited and we have a new DJ, since our longtime DJ got married and moved to Georgia! Our beloved gardener has returned, and the flowers are once again blooming—perhaps more resilient than ever.
Most importantly, our commitment to giving back remains steadfast. In addition to continuing donations to local nonprofits like Manna Food Bank, Asheville Humane Society, and the Jeanne Sommer Fund for Women and Girls who are Survivors of Domestic Violence (through the Community Foundation) every wedding hosted going forward will include a substantial contribution ($250-$1000) to Swannanoa-based organizations, including:
- The Swannanoa Community Council
- Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS)
- Bounty & Soul
- Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries
- The Swannanoa Resilience Coordination Hub (SRCH)
These are the organizations helping our neighbors recover, and we are proud to support them through the joy of our weddings.
To those who stood with us in this long, difficult season: thank you.
And to the couples who are dreaming of a joyful, love-filled wedding surrounded by nature, community, and deep care—we are ready for you. Let us help you begin your marriage not just with beauty, but with purpose.
We’re back. The mountains are waiting. And love, as always, is multiplying.
