Wine Country to Wedding Bells: A Blue Ridge Celebration

This fall, I got to celebrate my friend, Jordan, twice — first with a mountain getaway for her bachelorette trip, and then again with Daniel for her beautiful wedding weekend in Asheville. Both weekends were full of laughter, great food, and plenty of North Carolina charm. 

The Bachelorette Weekend in Hendersonville

A month before Jordan’s big day, our Raleigh crew — Jordan, her sister Avery, her college friend Layna, and I — packed up her car and headed west to Hendersonville on a Thursday night. Shortly after our arrival, additional members of the party – Jade, Savannah and Victoria helped us decorate the Wallace House, the Airbnb across from Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards, to the nines with all things bride – ring balloons, pink and white streamers and flowers. After some late-night snacks and celebratory drinks for the bride, the festivities began with Pin the Blue Cup on the Groom and Jordan and James Jeopardy.

The next morning, many of the women slept in from the late night festivities; however, I elected to get in an early morning run and a call to Daniel before the crew set out for the day’s adventures. Once everyone was awake, Victoria and I made a coffee run for the group, while Jordan and the rest of the crew worked on breakfast at the house. After ensuring everyone was properly fueled for the day, we set out to explore the mountains with a hike to Triple Falls — a beautiful spot that perfectly kicked off the weekend. The almost three-mile trail gave us breathtaking views of two different waterfalls as well as let the group get to know one another while hiking. 

After our hike, we picked up lunch and headed back to get ready for our evening out. The theme was Glitz Before the Glam; everyone donned their sparkly attire, and then walked the short distance to St. Paul Mountain Vineyard, Jordan’s favorite. We started the evening with a bottle of wine and a few cider’s split between the group. Taking advantage of the golden hour before dusk, we took pictures in the vineyards before heading to dinner at Postero, an upscale restaurant housed in a former bank. We were greeted with a bottle of champagne thoughtfully ordered for the table by the groom himself, and enjoyed a lovely meal featuring local ingredients. From dinner, we headed to the whimsical Pinky Promise Bar in downtown Hendersonville for a nightcap. I had a wonderful non-alcoholic sour beer as the designated driver and many of the other girls had interesting takes on classic cocktails in the 70’s soda pop bar inspired establishment. 

Saturday was all about wine country. We started the morning painting portraits of James (with varying degrees of artistic success) before boarding our wine bus. We started at Marked Tree before making our way to Stone Ashe and Souther Williams wineries — each with stunning views and perfect fall weather. That evening, we capped off the day with a cozy taco dinner delivered by Alana’s husband and two boys, a sweet end to a perfect bachelorette weekend.

The Wedding Weekend in Asheville

Fast forward to late October — wedding weekend! Daniel and I drove to Asheville on Friday, arriving just in time for rush hour and peak leaf traffic. To decompress from the long drive, I squeezed in a quick sunset run and was rewarded with an unexpected momma bear and cubs sighting  the neighborhood (only in the mountains!). With the cold weather, we opted for a quiet night in with ramen delivery before resting up for the big day.

Saturday began with an early-morning coffee at All Day Darling, a local favorite, followed by a chilly, yet peaceful hike through the North Carolina Arboretum.  Daniel and I hiked around three miles along the Creekside trail and looped back to the gardens via the Carolina Mountain trail. The trails were lined with vibrant fall colors, friendly dogs, and even a stunning bonsai exhibit. It was wonderful to hold hands while hiking, dreaming of someday living in the mountains. It was the perfect prelude to the celebration ahead.

That afternoon, we got ready and walked downtown to catch the group’s shuttle to Jump Off Rock in Hendersonville, where the ceremony took place. The panoramic views were breathtaking, and the intimate ceremony reflected the couple perfectly — full of warmth, excitement, and love. Jordan looked radiant, and James couldn’t stop smiling as he greeted guests.

After the ceremony, everyone returned to Asheville for a dinner reception at Posana, one of the most highly rated restaurants in town. The food was incredible with our favorites being the goat cheese crostini, fall salad, and the dreamy cheesecake dessert that Daniel was kind enough to share with me. 

As the night continued, many guests went bar-hopping for the afterparty, but after a full day of hiking and celebrating, Daniel and I were more than happy to head back to our Airbnb and call it a night. From the laughter-filled bachelorette weekend to the breathtaking mountaintop ceremony, celebrating Jordan and James was such a joy for Daniel and I. We wish them all the best in this new chapter of their lives!