June 2025: A North Carolina Mountain Wedding | Saddie & Derek at Nantahala Weddings

How Saddie and Derek embraced every moment of their North Carolina mountain destination wedding.

​Saddie and Derek’s North Carolina mountain wedding began long before they said “I do.” The two first connected over Memorial Day weekend in 2018, when a Tinder match turned into an all-day walk through St. Louis filled with easy conversation, laughter, and an instant connection. They spent the next year navigating long distance while Saddie completed graduate school, saying “I love you” within their first month together and building a life centered around adventure, travel, and growing their family cow farm. When it came time to choose a wedding venue, the breathtaking views of Lake Nantahala and the Smoky Mountains made Nantahala Weddings the perfect place to celebrate their love.

Their June wedding weekend in the North Carolina mountains was intentionally designed around meaningful time with family and friends rather than a single wedding day. Guests gathered throughout the weekend for relaxed moments, beautiful mountain views, and unforgettable memories. Saddie thoughtfully planned every detail—from carefully labeled décor boxes to a well-organized timeline. Even when a last-minute coordinator stepped in unfamiliar with the venue, and mountain storms brought rain and temporary power outages, the couple embraced every moment with patience, flexibility, and joy. The changing weather only added to the adventure of their mountain wedding weekend.

For couples dreaming of a destination wedding in Western North Carolina, Saddie recommends hiring a wedding coordinator who knows the venue well and allowing more setup time than you think you’ll need. Their incredible vendor team helped make the celebration seamless: DewitCo Photography captured every meaningful moment, Tracey Passmore Catering served an unforgettable meal, Harpp Flower Farm created beautiful, sustainable florals, and Rockbottom Entertainment kept the celebration going despite the mountain weather. Their advice for future couples is simple: embrace the beauty of the mountains, lean on your vendor team, ask for help when you need it, and soak in the slower pace that makes a wedding weekend at Nantahala Weddings such a memorable experience.