Crystal and Celeste LGBTQ Weddings in the Smoky Mountains Elopements

10.16.19

Crystal and Celeste October 9, 2019

Back in March, I was contacted by Celeste and Crystal asking about wedding options. They had this idea of getting married and then hiking some of the area’s beautiful trails and backwoods areas to get photos. Then they asked, are you interested in capturing our big adventure elopement? There was no way that I could say no to that!! Finally, the big day arrived, and I couldn’t have been happier when these two lovely ladies showed up with big personality and worn in hiking boots all excited for hours of fun after being made extra pretty by Southern Sirens. Jen with Wildwood Media joined us to capture the journey in video, and I can’t wait to see it! We started out with what you normally expect here at the chapel… details, a wedding, and some lovey time. Then we all headed to the nearby field for a few minutes before driving an hour away to Laurel Falls on the other side of Gatlinburg. We stopped on Wears Valley for a few shots in another field (with a closer view of the mountains) before finally reaching our destination…. or at least the parking lot of the trail. ????These three women were extra patient with my wheezing and breaks as we hiked up the trail toward the falls. The photos are definitely worth the exertion and a few blisters!!

From the brides:
We were introduced through a mutual friend. Celeste would text me occasionally to just talk about things going, but one day she said “hope you are having a good day today” and that changed everything. It showed that she actually cares how I was doing and pretty much opened a door for our friendship to flourish. We had an immediate connect that we both felt and it just continued to grow stronger and strong. Our friendship became a relationship and has since grown into the strongest connection and love that either of us have ever felt.

For our first date, we took a road trip to Biloxi, Mississippi. Yes not your typical date but we aren’t your typical couple. Both of us were going through of lot of things at the time and we needed a break away from reality. We decided to go spend a weekend in Biloxi and just enjoyed each other’s company. Went to a Candlebox concert at the Hard Rock Hotel and did a little of gambling at the casino. Celeste was so nervous on the ride there that she was shaking. Yet she still was the one that had made the first move from the beginning. Ever since that weekend we have been inseparable!

For the proposal, I think it was more like a race who can do it first. We went ring shopping together and wanted them to compliment each other. The rings are very similar but still slightly different, pretty much like our personalities. Crystal went pick up the rings once they came in after being resized because it was closer to her work. That evening she beat me to the punch and got down on one knee in our apartment as asked me to marry her. She had written out “Marry Me?” In rose petals on the floor and the living room. It was perfect and simple and I wouldn’t change the way it was done for anything in the world! Needless to say…I said “YES!!!!”

Obviously we are not a traditional couple. Therefore, a church wedding was never an option for us. We both love adventure and nature, so we wanted to incorporate that into our big day. We did a lot of research and decided that we didn’t want to do anything that was tropical. We fell in love with the idea of getting married in a mountain surrounded by beautiful foliage during the fall. We had to find a place that fit our budget and checked everything off of our list. Tennessee was that place! Once we found Chapel in the Hollow we knew that it was absolutely perfect for us!

Honestly…we both are excited to finally be able to call each other our wife. We are both excited to see how beautiful the other is. Both excited to hear one another’s vows. Both excited to have the adventure with not only the venue but the hike that follows.

We wanted to have our wedding during the fall because we figured the leaves would be changing at that time. Also it is a great way to start the holiday season by celebrating the love we share for one another. Plus, 10-9-19 just sounds pretty awesome too! P.S. October is also LGBT History Month!

For fun- Celeste is OBESSED with her dogs, so her favorite thing is to Spend time with them. I have grown to love them as my own. We both enjoy spending time in the kitchen together cooking. It’s a place where you can be creative and still have quality time together while being productive. We both enjoy spending time with our families whether it’s just hanging watching tv or playing games. Date night-typical date night for us is binge watching Netflix or Hulu with pizza in the bed. We do enjoy going out on the town but would rather stay home and the relax than anything