We, who live and work here in Asheville and all of Western North Carolina, have been dealt a tremendous blow. We have experienced devestation that is unheard of in scale and scope for this region. But now we face a second devastating blow, and that one is economic hardship – if people do not come and invest in our region. Our economy relies on tourism. We have some industry scattered here and there, but we depend heavily on tourism for our livelyhoods. And right now tourism has all but disappeared. In spite of warnings in the media and elsewhere, we need you to come and stay in our lodgings, eat in our restaurants, and hang out in our breweries. And those of us who are in the wedding business, need you to come and get married here. To that end, I have personally visited multiple sites to verify that they are available and accessible for elopement and micro wedding ceremonies. We offer both mountain view and waterfall settings. The towns near those sites are fully open for business. And much of Asheville, and its main attractions will be fully open soon including the Blue Ridge Parkway which has begun to reopen southern sections.

We have lost a lot, but when you come and invest in WNC that will help us survive as well as heal.

Thank you,

Mark Robertson –  Owner Simple I Do’s