Smoky Mountain Weddings

The Great Smoky Mountains are the oldest mountain range and most visited National Park in America. The majestic landscape offers a sense of calm and is an ideal place for your micro-wedding, elopement or vow renewal. There is beauty and romance around every corner. Imagine exchanging your vows along a secluded mountain stream surrounded by nature's wonder. Or high atop a mountain with incredible views of ridge upon ridge endlessly layered into the distance.

Are you trying to find the best places in the Great Smoky Mountains National park to get married? We've been helping couples plan their perfect Smoky Mountain wedding since 2004. Officials with the National Park even asked for our ideas when impementing the wedding permit system in 2007. We are happy to share with you local insights and the knowledge we've acquired while organizing thousands of weddings and elopements in the National Park. Our goal is to use our experience and expertise to address any potential problems before they arise giving you a stress free experience.

Wedding and Elopement package booked with New Beginnings Photography in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park include your permit and parking tags.

Capturing the breathtaking beauty of the Smoky Mountains is an art form. Skillfully photographing people is another. Yet, blending both amidst the time constraints of a couple's most cherished day? That requires a unique expertise. For Eric Gebhart, photographing weddings and elopements in the Smokies isn't just a profession,it's his lifelong passion. With two decades of dedicated experience, Eric's commitment to capturing the essence of these special moments is unparalleled. This isn't a side gig; it's his life's work, day in and day out. When you choose us for your small wedding package, you're not just selecting a service—you're investing in the artistry and dedication of a seasoned professional. Unlike many other businesses offering all-inclusive packages, we don't subcontract our photography. With us, you can trust that the images you see on our website are a true reflection of the style and quality of photography that you can expect to receive.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park epitomizes natural beauty and serves as a captivating backdrop for couples seeking to elope in the great outdoors. Eloping in the Smoky Mountains offers couples the chance to immerse themselves in the majesty of nature and escape the constraints of a conventional wedding. Working with experienced vendors who understand the unique requirements of National Park ceremonies ensures a smooth and stress-free elopement experience. The right local elopement planner can connect you with the perfect vendors, help you choose the best place to get married and anticipate potential problems before they arise.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers:

1. Some of the best Scenic locations for your Elopement ceremony and photography in the Southeastern U.S.
2. Opportunities for outdoor elopements in any season
3. An incredible network of elopement vendors to assist you
4. Short travel distance for couples residing in the mid-west and eastern U.S.
5. A variety of honeymoon activities and adventures for couples

The natural beauty of the great smoky mountains make it an ideal destination for vow renewals. Whether you’ve been married for 5 or 50 years, you’ll find beauty and romance in every peak and valley. One of the joys of vow renewals in the smoky mountains is the opportunity to craft a ceremony that uniquely reflects your journey together. Our officiant will assist you incorporating meaningful readings and customs into your ceremony and encourage you to write your own vows that resonate with your shared experiences. There are a variety of activities to take part in during your stay, from adventures to relaxation you’re sure to find several options to suit your lifestyle. Renewing your vows in the Great Smoky Mountains is a magical and memorable experience. With its breathtaking scenery, diverse venue options and activities, and charm of the Tennessee mountains, The Smokies are the perfect setting to reaffirm your love.

Check with us about anything that may effect traffic on your wedding date

During peak season, holidays and special events Smoky Mountain roads can look more like parking lots than streets. We don’t want traffic to become a stress point for your wedding day. Obviously, we can’t control the number of vehicles on the road. But we make a point of letting you know how traffic may affect your wedding day. If there’s a high probability of issues we will at least give you heads up, and definitely do our best to provide you with suggestions to get around it. Check here for a list of the worst traffic days and more information on dealing with traffic on your wedding day.

Weather considerations for outdoor weddings

The weather in the Great Smoky Mountains is the same all year round, unpredictable. Every couple has a different tolerance for rain on their wedding day. Ask yourself if you'd be willing and happy to roll with the weather related punches or if you're going to want to change your plans with just the chance of rain. In either case, be prepared for the worst and hope for the best. As a part of our comprehensive planning service, we will assist you in coming up with an inclement weather plan for your outdoor wedding.

Your wedding ceremony and other park visitor

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in the country with an average of over 11 million visitors per year. We’ve helped thousands of couples over the last 20 years find the best places to get married while avoiding crowded times and locations. Our first hand, personal experience is the key to giving you all the information you need to make the best decision for your wedding.

Using GPS in the Smoky Mountains

It’s always been a challenge here. While it does get better every year there are still issues with signal loss, old, impassable roads, one way roads and general confusion on the part of GPS. We provide you with an interactive, GPS enabled, Google map along with offline directions just in case you need them. The Google map is a consistent platform that we can test for accuracy on a regular basis. It ensures that you’ll get the right navigation no matter which device you’re using.

The shoes you choose are more important than you might think

This is probably the most overlooked aspect of getting married in the Smoky Mountains. While most locations are easily accessible, many of the best spots for pictures are a little tricky to get to. Rubber soul shoes are best for traction while navigating mossy rocks in creeks and rivers. As far as heels are concerned, only you know how well you do in them. I’ve seen some brides jump and climb rocks with no problem and I’ve seen others nearly fall over walking on a paved road. I would suggest flat shoes if at all possible, and be sure to let your guests know if you think it’s appropriate to do so.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a natural treasure and a popular setting for couples seeking a romantic venue for their wedding. But did you know the National Park Service requires a permit in order to hold a wedding ceremony? In 2007 a permit program was initiated due to the large number of weddings taking place in the Great Smoky Mountains. It was necessary to protect the natural resources and the delicate ecosystem that make the smokies such a popular destination. Permit sounds like a scary word, most of the guidelines arecommon sense. We will obtain the permit on your behalf with your complete package, but here are a few of the key rules in plain english that you need to know about:

• Pre-approved locations in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are intended to facilitate discrete services and ceremonies appropriate to the quiet, natural settings found in the park
• You must use one of the pre-approved locations for your wedding ceremony. The permit office used to allow requests for other locations for an additional fee. They were approved on a case by case basis. but this hasn't been an option since 2021.
• Two events are allowed at each of the pre-approved locations per day. There is a maximum of 25 participants and 6 vehicles allowed at outdoor locations.
• Your permit ensures no other pre-planned events will be taking place at the time of your wedding. But it does NOT give you exclusive use of the area.
• All vehicles must be parked in designated parking spaces. Vehicles may not be parked on road shoulders.
• The use of sparklers, smoke bombs or any other fireworks is strictly prohibited.
• Throwing of birdseed, rice, flower petals, etc. is not allowed.
• Willfully approaching bear or elk within any distance that results in their disturbance or displacement is prohibited. Harassing or feeding wildlife is prohibited
• Acoustical instruments / mobile music devices are permitted, provided they are played at a reasonable volume.
• Discrete floral arrangements are permitted. Battery powered candles are allowed. All decorations must be removed immediately after event.
• The use of up to 6 chairs can be used to accommodate guests with special needs only.

The application process can be confusing and isn’t as straight forward as you might expect. We’ve been securing permits for couples since the program started in 2007, and are therefore very familiar with the process. If your having a trouble finding answers to your specific questions about wedding guidelines and restrictions in the National Park, feel free to reach out and we'll be happy to help you.

• Parking tags are required for all vehicles parked for more than 15 minutes in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This includes wedding and elopement ceremonies held within the park boundaries.
• New Beginnings Photography provides up to 6 parking tags with all-inclusive wedding and elopement packages.
• Parking tags are not location specific, however tags are only valid for one specific vehicle and must include the license plate number for the vehicle in which it is displayed.
• Securing parking tags for weddings in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a key component of responsible event planning.
• Complete Smoky Mountain parking tag information can be found here.