Mountains are amazing entities. They afford seemingly endless opportunity for exploration and activity. Millions flock there every year to sight-see, tour, camp out, escape the lowland heat and to recreate. Mountains are also a very popular lure for destination weddings and elopements.
At Simple I Do’s, we host dozens of destination elopements in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina every year. If you are coming from another part of the country to get married here, we welcome you, but also would like to share some precautions that we want you to consider as you plan your visit.
Each mountain is it’s own ecosystem. And no two are exactly alike. Where you get married on a particular mountain will also determine what conditions you will experience. And of course, what time of day, month and year you are there will have major impact on what you may encounter in these highlands. We say ‘may’ because one day in January may be sunny and warm enough for a long photo session in a bare shoulder wedding gown, (below)
…and the next day be nearly unbearable in a fleece-lined jacket with gloves and a stocking cap. So here’s our short list of do’s and don’ts for great destination mountain elopements:
1. Be prepared for wind. Don’t assume the weather will be mild. Wind chill effects are proportional to wind velocity. Even in August – the hottest month of the year – when the wind is blowing it may be quite chilly and even cold on a mountain top. Be aware that most mountain tops are exposed to the wind and the wind velocity can be double or triple what you would experience in the valley. It will always be ten to twenty degrees colder on a mountain top, but with wind chill it may feel thirty to forty degrees colder. Will the wind be blowing hard on your wedding day? That’s impossible to predict. But if it is, you will want extra layers of clothing and maybe ties for your hair. Do be prepared for cold – even in the summer. The rule is that you can always remove extra layers, but cannot add what you do not have with you. Exposed skin can create conditions that lead to hypothermia, so be prepared with adequate coverings.
2. Wear the right shoes. Don’t wear any shoe with heels. High heels are elegant footwear and may look gorgeous with your dress, but are totally inappropriate to wear on a mountain – even just to take a few photos. We all know ladies who’ve twisted their ankle walking in heels on flat pavement, right? Mountain trails and elopement locations are places of uneven terrain filled with rocks, boulders, twisted roots, grasses, dirt and yes, mud. Heels are simply a bad idea on a mountain. The very last thing that we want to happen to you on your wedding day is for you to slip and fall, twist an ankle, or break an appendage. Also, don’t wear anything with an open toe. Stubbing your toe while hiking from place to place can really make for an unpleasant experience. Do wear shoes with rubber soles that are comfortable to walk in. Do consider wearing boots that support your ankles. Do wear something that accentuates your outfit but won’t slip on rocks, that will keep your feet warm if it is cold, and dry if it is wet.
These boots protect your feet…
much better than these sandals.
Do come to the mountains to have a great escape from the city or the lowlands, and to have a romantic exciting destination wedding or simple elopement, but don’t fail to plan for the extremes that you may experience while you’re here. At Simple I Do’s we want to have the best experience possible!
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