Rustic, intimate elopement with bursts of blue and fresh fall florals at The Linville Gorge Wilderness in the mountains of Western North Carolina

Brittany met Riley on a dating app, and soon after they had their first date on a brewery tour. By their fourth date, this outdoorsy couple embarked on a five-day backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail.

“I knew I had to surprise Brittany with the proposal since we had already communicated to each other about wanting to get married,” said Riley. “I chose to sneak it into our family shoot!”

In the heart of a scenic and rugged gorge, Brittany and Riley became husband and wife during an intimate mountain top elopement. Tucked away in the North Carolina mountains, the gorge boasted spectacular overlooks, which created the most picturesque backdrop for this wedding day.

“Before we even got engaged we knew we wanted to get eloped on a mountaintop, and it was just simply picking which one was best for us,” said Brittany. “Backpacking and being outdoors is such a big part of our lives so we wanted to make sure that we incorporated that.”

Inside a woodsy cabin with an immaculate stone fireplace, Brittany slipped into her breathtaking bridal look. She wore an ivory gown with quarter-length lace sleeves, a scalloped-edge plunging neckline and full tulle skirt. Her veil was classic and she tied the look together with a bold lip and hiking boots.

“Brittany's only stipulations for her dress were it having sleeves,” said the photographer with Easterday Creative, “and something she could hike in!”

Being his favorite color, Riley went with a Pantone blue pinstripe suit, paired with a blue button down and a burgundy tie. To complete his dapper ensemble, he wore a boutonniere made of sprigs of greenery, berries and a creamy white rose bud - which complemented Brittany’s bouquet effortlessly.

“Brittany’s bouquet was designed to fit perfectly in the mountain settings,” said the photographer. “The flowers were not too bright and contrasted greatly with the outdoor atmosphere.”

The bridal bouquet created the most exquisite contrast against the landscape, with pops of color including blush peonies, blue thistle, red ranunculus, creamy roses, lush greenery and sprigs of deep blue berries. On the mountaintop, there were mountain ranges as far as the eye could see, with a watercolor painted sky hanging behind them.

“Making it up to the mountaintop by sunset was our only agenda,” said Brittany.

Once the intimate group of loved ones made their way up to the ceremony site, they awaited Brittany’s arrival. When she walked toward Riley and he laid eyes on his soon-to-be wife for the first time, he was overcome with emotion. They embraced and exchanged vows, as the sun sank into the mountaintops behind them.

“The trek up the mountain was nothing short of thrilling,” said the photographer, “and after we hiked to the place where they ultimately exchanged their vows, my breath was taken away.”

They clinked beers for a celebratory cheers on top of the mountain, and posed for some incredible portraits as the sun dipped down. To kick off the reception, they shared their wedding video, which was important to the couple to make their guests feel like they were there for the entire ceremony. They even offered guests personalized tattoos!

“If you ask our guests, they would more than likely talk about our customized tattoos,” said Brittany. “They were such a hit and we have so many left over that it's ridiculous and I don't know what to do with them!”

For the wedding cake, they had a petite buttercream cake with forest green and peach-colored mountain ranges hand painted at the base. On top, they had the most adorable cake topper of a family of three. Every detail throughout the night was undeniably them and fit their personalities so beautifully!

“While surrounded by an expansive mountain range, beautiful foliage and five humans,” said the photographer, “Brittany and Riley bonded themselves together for eternity.”

Congratulations, Brittany and Riley!

Still looking for the perfect photographer for your special day? Check out Easterday Creative HERE!