Photos: Couple returns to Biltmore for dream wedding after Helene squashed original plans
Eight months after Hurricane Helene interrupted one couple's wedding plans at the Biltmore Estate, the lovebirds returned to the historic site to finally have the wedding of their dreams.
On May 31, Jansen and Travis returned to the estate to have the dream wedding they originally planned to have before Helene.
Photos from the ceremony show the couple standing under an arch of light peach and lavender blooms, surrounded by their wedding party and guests on the front lawn of the Biltmore Estate.
A member of the Biltmore team, who became ordained on the day of the storm to officiate Jansen and Travis's impromptu wedding, officiated their dream wedding, as well.
"It's a powerful reminder that love, backed by community and perseverance, always finds its moment," Biltmore officials said in a statement. "Biltmore and the Asheville area are open, resilient, and welcoming travelers and destination weddings after Tropical Storm Helene."
Jansen and Travis Putnam were preparing for their wedding ceremony at the Biltmore last fall when Helene wreaked unimaginable damage around the Asheville destination and throughout western North Carolina, forcing those inside the Biltmore to shelter in place.
Couple Gets Impromptu Biltmore Wedding Amid Helene As Stranded Guests Save The Ceremony
The couple were faced with the possibility of having to cancel their wedding. However, within a matter of hours, the hotel staff and guests organized a small, impromptu ceremony for the bride and groom, allowing them to tie the knot.
When Helene struck, it dropped nearly 30 inches of rain – or about four months' worth – in only three days in parts of western North Carolina. The storm caused deadly floods and mudslides that completely reshaped, or in some cases, destroyed some towns.
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Damage caused by Helene around the Biltmore Estate forced the historic site to temporarily shut down. It then reopened on Nov. 2, in time for their annual event "Christmas at the Biltmore."
The story of the Biltmore Estate goes back to 1888, when George Vanderbilt visited Asheville for the first time and began buying land for what would become his new country home. According to Biltmore officials, Vanderbilt chose the area because he was captivated by the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.Original article source: Photos: Couple returns to Biltmore for dream wedding after Helene squashed original plans
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