THE ADVENTURE WEDDING DRESS CHALLENGE

Day 1 of Forever:

Embrace Adventure and Begin Your Journey with the Wedding Dress Challenge

Nothing compares to wayah bald at sunrise. We got there just before the sun came up and photography can't even do the sight justice.

What is the Wedding Dress Challenge?

 

At Nantahala Weddings & Events, we believe marriage is more than just a day—it’s the beginning of a lifetime of adventures. In the spirit of empowering women and embracing nature, we challenge future brides to push boundaries with the Adventure Wedding Dress Challenge. On Day One of marriage, brides who accept the challenge will hike, paddleboard, bike, and white-water raft in a wedding dress, proving that they can conquer anything, no matter what they’re wearing.

It’s not just about an event; it’s about celebrating love, strength, family and friends, and the wild beauty of life’s next chapter. Complete the challenge, and not only will you earn a prize, but you’ll also break through traditional boundaries in the most empowering way possible.

Read the story behind the challenge: Why The Adventure Wedding Dress Challenge?.

How to Partake in the Adventure Wedding Dress Challenge?

You can complete this challenge by yourself, or with your spouse. You will be provided a driver who will pick you up at the Cascades and bring you to the Nantahala River Launch Site. We’ll also provide a Nantahala River Guide and the basic gear needed for two people to complete all activities.

quad view of all four activities for the wedding dress challenge. The colors try to match the palette of the activity and give the energetic vibe of the smoky mountain mass of outdoors adventures.

What are the Rules?

Of course, there are rules and guidelines to any challenge.

Rule #1: Bride must wear a wedding dress for the duration of the course.

Rule #2: It must start at sunrise and be completed before sunset.

Rule #3: You must start at Wayah Bald (Appalachian Trail highlight) and end at the River Pull Out by the Nantahala Outdoor Center, exactly as described in “How does one partake in the Adventure Wedding Dress Challenge?”

Rule #4: You must follow the course map on foot, SUP, bike, and raft, as specified. 

What is the Prize?

The brave souls who complete the challenge will receive a personalized charcuterie board by WoodProShop as a prize… in addition to the epic memories and photography that will likely come out of it as well.

Woodproshop from Etsy donated NANTAHALA WEDDINGS many charcuterie boards and we are so grateful that we decided to make these board, engraved of course with the couples names on it and the date of the wedding dress challenge, as a prize for any one who takes on the challenge and completes it within the guidelines
top photographer in Franklin, highlands and nantahala for weddings, food and real estate. Molly Harris masters the art of combining nature within her photography.

All photography by Molly Harris Photography

Molly Harris, a Franklin-based photographer, brings her passion for mountain adventure to every project. She was the creative force behind the Wedding Dress Challenge, capturing its essence from the first shot to the final edits. Her attention to detail, boundless energy, and deep love for the outdoors make her an ideal match for couples looking to celebrate their love amid nature’s beauty. Molly regularly photographs weddings at Nantahala Weddings & Events, often leading couples to hidden gems for unforgettable post-ceremony shots. If you’re seeking a photographer who thrives on adventure, Molly will enthusiastically join you for any outdoor escapades, whether it’s a hike, paddle, or other mountain experience surrounding your wedding day.

Photography from the First Nantahala Weddings & Events

Wedding Dress Challenge

The sweet victory cry from Wayah bald bride to all the past and future bride to scream out in appalacian bliss and victory. The sunrise orange hues fuel the femine soul beyond any other fuel in the world. The daring ledge represents the risks and challenges she accepts with getting married and all her steps along the way.
The twirly dress is something young girls are fascinated by. Something do not change. While breathing in the appalacian lookout at the firepower at Wayah Bald, there is no better place for a first look and a dress twirl than these flagstones.
Common photo still of the stuff needed for the wedding, in this case, this is what was needed for the wedding dress challenge: Bottle, with a NANTAHALA WEDDINGS and events sticker, water source, bouquet, hiking shoes and a map. All set on the ledge at Wayah Bald.
Wedding florals hold an energy of the wedding day. Especially with the florals are picked the day of your wedding by Harpp Florals' Holly. She also lives by a creek and uses the greenery for table wear dress up and more.
Hug trees and the trees will hug you back they say. At our venue at Nantahala overlooking the whimsical lake you have plenty of trees to choose from. In this case, the tree designates that the trail is part of the bantam (yellow) and Appalacian (white) official trails.
Wedding dress challenge bride navigates seven miles from Wayah bald to wine spring creek through ferns, thorns, sticks, roots, and stones. She perseveres.
Dirty wedding dress is an integral part of the wedding dress challenge. Just like rain weddings, when you embrace what you surroundings give you, everything become easy. picking the right venue that supports the levels of comfort within the dense nature of the nantahala forest and lake is something hundreds of bride have done and none regretted it.
After the first leg of the nantahala weddings and events wedding dress challenge, the bride may have some dirty and tangles to work out, but there is little time because her paddle awaits her. The bantam trail was glorious with its views, moss, and delicious scent of fall in the air. A fall wedding is something many-a brides desire, and for all the best reasons.
After the stand up paddle board course, the bride will take a moment to exhale and enjoy being in the flow of Nantahala Lake. Dress drifting in the water, memories of her yesterday's ceremony and commitment to a new life with her partner for life, she just relishes in this smoky mountain air.
Getting ready to paddle around treasure island for the wedding dress challenge leg 2. The bride, dirty dress and all, will regain the strength to persevere, in her dress. Paddly board in hand, supported by the vision of a life of adventure and love from all angles.
Stand up paddleboarding in a wedding dress is something you don't see every day. But every once in a while you can catch a bride completing the wedding dress challenge at nantahala wedding & events on her leg two she circumvents the Nantahala lake's treasure island just off wine spring creek beach.
No challenge is complete without a some mountain biking. Mountain biking on the Nobel steed, the Juliana - Santa Cruz bike, appropriately in fiery red, orange. This bride is about to cruise 6 miles to the next leg. Boquet and all.
Molly Harris photography is rather brilliant in the still and stuff shots, here and with her wedding actuals. this is a map of the Nantahala Lake and national forest area incorporated with polaroids along the day as we hikes, paddled, biked, and rafted the complete challenge.
Getting after the nantahala weddings and events wedding dress challenge cruising along hidden riverways in the smokey mountains and passing wild flowers and waterfalls along the creek road. at old river road.
Classic National forest sign of the Nantahala National Forest recreation area for the official nantahala river launch site. With the bouquet, but where the bouquet is, the bride is lurking too!
Bare foot in the waterfall by the nantahala river gorge cascade waterfall. Just taking a load off.
The nanthalaa river gorge cascades are a premier spot for couples to take their pre or post ceremony at nantahala weddings photo shoots. In this photo the bride stepped carefully down to the lower ledge and submerged her head into the water fall because... the wedding dress challenge isn't for those who don't care to sweat a little and get a little/lottle wet and dirty. It is fun and makes for a great photo.
Different perspective of the sitting on the cascade ledge spot. That river brings unlimited and unbound magic to Wayah road and is the perfect scene before the wedding Dress challenge takes the bride to the next step of rafting through the river's rapids with the endless river guide!
Before the raft goes in the water the raft has to get to the water. Even the bride is not exempt from the extra lifting efforts to enable the adventure that comes with the wedding dress challenge.
Ben is a great guide, with decades of guiding experience. He heard about the challenge and wanted to do his part in it! So he led us from Patton Run drop in to the Nantahala outdoor center pull out. And organized the van with all the logistics as well. Great times on the rapids!
a more artistic shot of the rafting guide and the bride in her dress during the wedding dress challenge for NANTAHALA WEDDINGS and events, first one ever in 2024.
Endless river owner and bride at the end of the wedding dress challenge day. The bouquet lasted the whole trip, and the pup made the scene complete with his cuddles.

Why the Adventure Wedding Dress Challenge?

Marriage was once seen as the turning point in a woman’s life that marked the end of her freedom, binding her to domestic duties. Today, women are breaking these chains, balancing careers with family, and sharing household responsibilities equally with their partners. The wedding dress, once a symbol of confinement, now represents freedom and the opportunity for an expanded life.

Jess Kawamura, nature enthusiast, Navy Vet, first bride at Nantahala Weddings in 2014, and now co-owner of Nantahala Weddings & Events, has devised “The Adventure Wedding Dress Challenge” in line with the progress of the feminine movement—recognizing that women are still working towards equality and empowerment. It also serves as a reminder that embracing adventure and strength in marriage is part of a larger journey to break barriers and redefine roles.

When Jess became co-owner of Nantahala Weddings & Events with her mother, Jody Hafey, who founded the business in 2015, she knew she had to put her unique stamp on it. “Lots of brides are attracted to our venue for the incredibly gorgeous photo opportunities, and the luxurious summer camp vibe,” Kawamura said. “But I want to also attract those hard-core ADVENTURE-loving women out there who crave the deep connection to nature. By accepting the Wedding Dress Challenge, they can declare to their new partners for life: ‘I commit to you and our future, but I can do anything—even in this dress.’”

To prove it’s doable, Jess, who has been married for 10 years and has three children (born ’19, ’21, ’23), bought a wedding dress and completed the course she laid out. It’s all on video and in photos – watch it now.

Ready to take on the Challenge?

First step, book your Wedding!

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