Carolina Wedding Confessionals: Hurricane Helene changed everything except the "I do's"
Last September, Charlotteans Lauren and Stephen Dye set out for an adventurous elopement in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains. But a catastrophic hurricane changed nearly all of their plans.
Context: This is the latest edition of Carolina Wedding Confessionals, where we highlight the stories (and breakdown the budgets) behind weddings in the Carolinas.
Catch up quick: Lauren and Stephen, who had their first date at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery in 2020, got engaged in August 2024.
Originally, they planned an intimate elopement weekend in Brevard, N.C., filled with outdoor excursions and celebrations with family.
Instead, the couple had to pivot their timeline three times in 48 hours, ultimately getting married on the patio of their Airbnb as Hurricane Helene loomed.
The original timeline
A week out from their ceremony, set for Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, Lauren says the weather wasn't looking great. "Nothing could have prepared us for the devastation that would occur," she adds.
The big day was supposed to begin with a sunrise hike, followed by a ceremony on the Blue Ridge Parkway and lunch at the Pisgah Inn. Their family, who planned to travel from Charlotte and Knoxville, Tennessee, would join them for dinner later that night.
A series of pivots
As the big day drew closer, the forecast became more grim.
48 hours ahead of the big day, they decided to move the ceremony timing earlier, and if possible, have their hike and photoshoot afterward.
As they drove to Brevard, plans for the hike and a Blue Ridge ceremony were dropped altogether — a decision that was partially made for them as the section of the parkway had already closed.
Plan B turned to Plan C. They would get married at the Airbnb and have lunch at nearby Brevard Brewing.
Reality check: On the day, it was clear that the weekend they had imagined was no longer happening.
The Biltmore House, which the two planned to visit, emailed to say they would be closed for the weekend. The restaurant where they planned to have dinner also canceled their reservation.
"At this point, we did not know what was going to happen next, but we were going with the flow to get married," Lauren says.
The downpour stopped for just enough time for them to marry on the back patio of the Airbnb. "We even saw a famous Brevard white squirrel at the end of the ceremony," says Lauren.
After a quick Champagne toast, cookies and lunch, the couple quickly drove home to Charlotte. Stephen's parents, who stayed in their hotel, were stuck in Brevard for a few days until they could safely drive back to Knoxville.
One day later, Helene struck western North Carolina as a tropical storm, leaving behind widespread devastation that the region is still recovering from.
A full-circle reception
This past March, roughly six months after their elopement weekend, Lauren and Stephen hosted a reception with friends and family at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — the spot of their first date.
Because their elopement was limited to immediate family, the two threw a much larger reception with around 80 guests.
"It felt like a full-circle moment," Lauren says.
The budget breakdown
Lauren and Stephen were just under their $15,000 budget. Here's the financial breakdown, combining both the ceremony and reception.
Venue (Airbnb): $500
Bridal dress and accessories: $500
The dress was $85 from Lulu's, and the alterations were the bulk of the cost.
Groom's outfit: $250
Lauren rewore her wedding dress and Stephen donned the same suit at the reception.
Wedding hair and makeup: $750
Lauren says this was a splurge.
Elopement accessories: $80
A ring box, Champagne and custom coffee mugs.
Officiant: $0
Stephen's great-uncle married them.
Florals: $190
Fake flowers were reused at the reception.
Elopement lunch: $0
Covered by family.
Custom cookies: $450
Instead of a wedding cake, they ordered custom sugar cookies from Mayhem Confections in Rock Hill.
Photographer: $3,950
Asheville-based wedding photographers Wilder Wedding Co. took photos for both the elopement and reception.
Reception venue and food/beverages (OMB): $6,600.
Appetizers, a buffet dinner and an open bar for roughly 80 guests.
Reception hair and makeup: $225
Reception DJ: $0
Covered by family.
Reception decor: $250
Lauren spent approximately $500 on decor but says she has recouped about half of the cost from selling most of the items.
Total cost: $13,745.
The takeaways
I chatted with Lauren about what she learned from the experience and what advice she has for other brides planning adventurous elopements or outdoor ceremonies.
Editor's note: Answers have been lightly edited for brevity.
Work with vendors who know how to pivot.
" Our photographer specializes in outdoor elopements and helped us rearrange our plans. She had already photographed several couples who moved their ceremony to an Airbnb due to weather."
Don't be afraid to ask for help.
"We reached out to Brevard Brewing at 9pm asking if they could host us for lunch the next day. ... The owner, Kyle, was beyond welcoming and even offered to open early for us."
Weddings come with a lot of opinions. Remember, it's your big day.
"I always tell people to do what you want to do. Your family will have a blast just getting to celebrate with you."
What's next: Lauren says she and Stephen are planning to return to Brevard for their anniversary this year. And this time, they're planning to stay the whole weekend.
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