This day stands out in my mind as one of my favorite weddings of the year, a lot of that had to do with the gorgeous weather and the laid back vibes, but mostly because Dalton and Ali turned out to be some of the coolest people alive.

Ali told me they wanted to elope at Craggy Gardens, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and I definitely wasn’t mad about that. Dalton and I arrived first at the base of the trail where I met their darling little boy, Arlen. I still think about his toothy grin all the time, maybe because I watch Ali’s Instagram stories a lot, but still, cutest thing ever. Dalton hiked up first and Ali arrived with the rest of the family. I loved this unconventional ‘getting ready’ portion of the day, everyone was so excited and relaxed all at the same time.

The rest of us started up the trail and eventually came to the spot where Ali and her dad would stop and wait for everyone else to get into place. With the wind whipping hair all around and the clouds perfectly shading the sun, Ali walked down my favorite kind of aisle, a small trail, to meet Dalton. I loved the calmness and emotion the moment brought. In that moment, I felt grateful to just be a part of such a ceremony. They exchanged vows and rings and kissed as everyone cheered them on, especially Arlen, who was the cutest fan of all.

From there, the family hiked back down the mountain. We hung around at the top of the trail to take some photos. We had plenty of time until sunset, so Dalton + Ali were able to just have a good time, take in the views, and really soak in the moment. We hiked from place to place quoting The Office and joking around like we had been friends for years. We reached the pinnacle and we grabbed some photos there. You can’t tell, but it was pretty crowded, so we went to the lower trail. It’s a little less popular, but I actually prefer it. There we witnessed one of the most gorgeous sunsets I’ve ever seen and these two lovers made it look even better with their model-like tendencies 🙂 After swooning until it was almost dark we started making our way back down the mountain, and they decided they would cut their cake. It was dark and my camera didn’t want to focus, but I included these photos because it was the perfect ending to the most perfect day.

I’m such a fan of when couples can just be themselves and have the wedding of their dreams. To some, that looks like 200 guests, elaborate decorations & dancing into the night. To others, it’s 12 people on the top of a mountain in Asheville, NC, and everything in between. Whatever is best for you, do it. Your wedding is about your commitment to one another, that’s what matters the most.

Dalton + Ali, I wish y’all many years of happiness and re-watching the office a million times. Stay awesome.