NANTAHALA WEDDINGS & EVENTS

Not a wedding day. A wedding weekend.

On Lake Nantahala in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.

Your Mountain Wedding, Elevated (Literally—at 3,500 Feet)

Spend the whole weekend at your destination Wedding in the NC Smoky Mountains

Nantahala Weddings & Events is a private lakeside wedding venue in the mountains of Western North Carolina, offering multi-day celebrations, intimate elopements, and unforgettable views of Nantahala Lake and the North Carolina Smoky Mountains.

  • Private lakeview ceremony and reception spaces
  • Unlimited gatherings during your multi-day stay
  • No other events during your stay
  • Open vendor policy – 150+ trusted vendors
  • On-site lodging for 18, with many nearby vacation homes
  • LGBTQ+ inclusive
  • Pet-friendly
  • No curfew + no noise restrictions
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Adventures nearby
View Packages & What’s Included

Backdrops with Fairytale Vibes

Dreamlike wedding photography

Tucked away in the heart of the Nantahala, our venue surrounds you with natural beauty—serene lake views, dramatic mountain vistas, hidden waterfalls, and enchanting forest landscapes—creating the perfect setting for truly magical wedding photos.

Discover Photo Backdrops

Your Private Full Weekend Smoky Mountain Getaway

No Curfew. No Crowds. Just You and Yours.

Enjoy exclusive access to the entire property throughout your stay:

  • Bridal Salon & Groom’s Lounge
  • Chapel in the Sky + Covered Chapel (Rain Plan)
  • Reception Pavilion Under the Trees
  • Onsite Lodging
  • Secret Garden
  • Fire Pits
  • Game Room
Explore the Venue
Cocktail Hour at Chapel in the sky after a ceremony.
Groom in wheelchair at Chapel in the Sky at Nantahala Weddings

Designed for Every Guest

Thoughtfully Inclusive, Naturally Welcoming

Everyone deserves to feel comfortable, cared for, and included—no matter their age, ability, or needs. The entire venue has been enhanced to accommodate anyone with mobility impairments. This includes Fie Top Suite which features a bedroom and full bathroom designed with wheelchair accessibility—so those who need extra support can stay close to the celebration.

Additionally, we offer complimentary rides in our 4WD shuttle to ensure elderly and disabled can take part in the ceremony with ease. The bride—and anyone who needs it—gets a ride, too!

Learn About Accessibility

​Make It a Wedding Experience

Get Outside and Play 

This is more than a wedding. It’s a weekend to hike, paddleboard, sip wine under the stars, and make lifelong memories. Whether you want a three-day escape or a cozy elopement, we help you build a rhythm that fits.

Check Out Local Activities
Wedding dress challenge rafting
Wedding dress challenge with People featured photo, with Jenni and Austin. in September 2025.

Adventure Wedding Dress Challenge

Dive Into the Marriage with a Sunrise to Sunset Adventure 

Your wedding dress may be made for more than walking down the aisle—why not hike in it? Paddleboard in it? Get it soaked, muddy, windswept, and have an unforgettable experience outside in it? Do it with your new spouse!

✨ It is epic✨ It is liberating✨ And it only happens here.

Learn More About the Challenge

Such an amazing place, I don’t even know where to begin. From first touring the venue to the day of the wedding, Jess and Jody went above and beyond to make our experience everything we could have ever dreamed of. They were always available for questions or concerns, and were on site most of the wedding weekend helping with logistics and making sure everything went smoothly. The venue itself seems out of a fairy tale, and every single one of our guests commented on the beautiful view, a couple of people even compared it to Narnia!

Kate and John, May 2025

 

From the moment we stepped out of the car in the beautiful Nantahala Forest, we knew we wanted this backdrop for our wedding. As soon as we saw this venue, we knew we wanted to get married here. But we were locked in from the word Go when we met Jess and Jody. This venue is beyond beautiful, the photos don’t do it justice, but this mother/daughter team made the entire experience so smooth and seamless. Every question we had was answered, and every fear we had was allayed by these incredible women. The decision to host your wedding here will be the best one you make when doing your planning.

Taylor and Marcus, June 2025

 

Nantahala Weddings is simply magical. Time seemed to slow just for us to enjoy our day. It’s a naturally elegant and beautiful place. Planning our day with Jess was seamless and stress free. She cared for us like family. Her dedication to our special day afforded us the ability to be present and spent our time living in love. We couldn’t have asked for more.

Ravin and Jeff, May 2025

 

Run, don’t walk, to book Nantahala for your wedding! The owners Jody and Jess are so kind, welcoming, flexible, and helpful. If you love togetherness in nature and gathering with loved ones, this is the venue for you. Their multi-day set up is so special and makes the wedding process feel much less rushed. From Monday to Thursday, we got to be with our people, take a hike, and host a welcome dinner for our guests at the venue (for no extra charge!) before celebrating our big day. The venue is everything we could have hoped for. Jess and Jody were so responsive through the whole process! We look forward to many future trips to NC, and know we will be welcomed back to Nantahala with open arms!

 Bethany and Alicia, June 2025

 

Initially, we chose Nantahala Weddings for our destination wedding sight unseen. We wanted to get married somewhere in the mountains and the pictures on their website were amazing. Could it really be that beautiful? In the fall before our spring wedding we were in the area and made a side trip to the venue. It was all that was promised and more. Breathtakingly beautiful. Remote, but close enough to local towns for our guests to stay and for our reception. But the thing that made us so excited and settled was the amazing customer service provided by Jess. All our guests loved the venue, and as a former pastor who officiated hundreds of weddings, I consider ours to be one of the most beautiful and magical I have ever participated in. If you are considering a wedding in North Carolina, it would be a mistake to not consider Nantahala Weddings and Events.

Andi and Eric, March 2025

 

 

Don’t hesitate, RUN to Nantahala Weddings now and book your wedding weekend! Honestly, cannot say enough amazing things about this property or the owners or vendors that are regulars here. I’m a bit biased, but I can honestly say we had THE BEST wedding at Nantahala. Jody and Jess are amazing and wonderful angel humans who decided to spread their love and joy by creating the most beautiful of wedding venues. Not only did they create the best place for you to get married, they have carefully cultivated the most amazing group of vendors to make your planning experience that much easier. BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE! They include the use of ALL of their decor. To top all of that off Nantahala is surrounded by several gorgeous “first look” spots for you and your soon-to-be hubs/wifey to take photos. And plenty of sweet lodging spots! If you’re looking for a magical wedding weekend in the mountains with all your closest friends and family I HIGHLY recommend spending it at Nantahala Weddings.

Gabi and Zachary, April 2024

 

Nantahala Weddings is simply magical. Time seemed to slow just for us to enjoy our day. It’s a naturally elegant and beautiful place. Planning our day with Jess was seamless and stress free. She cared for us like family. Her dedication to our special day afforded us the ability to be present and spent our time living in love. We couldn’t have asked for more.

Ravin and Jeff, May 2025

 

What a beautiful venue with amazing people! Jody and Jess were beyond helpful every step of the way. They were there to answer all my questions and relieve any anxieties I was feeling and all the way up until the day of they made sure everything was perfect. The pictures of their website do not do the views justice. The view from the ceremony is unreal and made our moment feel magical. They also created an ADA friendly room on property, and we had a guest in a wheelchair, so this was very appreciated. He got to fully enjoy the wedding with no stress about getting around. Everything about our day and this venue was perfect. HIGHLY recommend.

Alexis and Colin, April 2025

 

As a parent witnessing our son marry his soulmate, we couldn’t have picked a better venue for the experience. Jody and Jess were fantastic to work with from our introduction during the search process all the way through to the beautiful event in October and after. They worked with us and provided helpful information and feedback quickly and effectively throughout the year. Their guidance, process and organization were invaluable.
The venue itself is absolutely gorgeous, providing much needed amenities, including overnight stays, as well as an awesome location/view for the wedding ceremony overlooking Lake Nantahala. I would recommend Nantahala Weddings to anyone looking for a fabulous wedding experience in the NC mountains.

Earnier, Father of the Groom, October 2024