Romantic October Evening Wedding – Jenna and Sam

10.22.25

Romantic October Evening Wedding at Chapel in the Hollow

Jenna and Sam – October 19, 2025

There’s something truly magical about an October evening wedding — the woods quieting, the air crisp but not cold, the last warm glow of golden hour lingering among the trees. That’s the kind of evening that bride & groom Jenna and Sam chose when they said “I do” at Chapel in the Hollow, and the result felt utterly intimate, deeply emotional, and perfectly styled.

A Setting So Intentional

Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Chapel in the Hollow is a venue built for romance, for nature, and for couples who want their wedding to feel like them. Owned and operated by photographer-offspring Ian and Chastidyi, the venue is specially designed for micro weddings (up to 35 guests) with outdoor-only ceremonies, rustic forest backdrops, and no need for government permits or crowded tourist zones.

For Jenna + Sam, the overcast sky only added to the ambience. With soft, diffused light drifting through the forest canopy and the promise of a misty evening, their decision to hold the ceremony around sunset turned out beautifully — just when the rain threatened, it paused, leaving behind a hush of mist-glow that felt like nature’s own confetti.

Styling & Details That Whisper Autumn

The couple chose a decor palette of rust and cream fabric draping paired with bohemian florals — a cozy, autumnal glow that melded with the forest’s mood. Wrapped into that were meaningful touches, like a memorial table filled with photos of loved ones who couldn’t be there in person. It was a tender nod, beautifully done: thoughtful, emotional, and full of love.

The draping in rust and cream complemented the forest’s deep greens and shadowy trunks; the soft overcast light made every texture and tone pop in the most flattering way. For couples reading along and planning their own October evening wedding, consider this: let the season’s palette lead your decorating. Earthy tones, rich creams, subtle metallic accents, all accentuated by candlelight and soft fabrics create a venue that doesn’t compete with nature — it enhances it.

Moments Worth a Lifetime

Getting Ready

Jenna chose a sleeveless gown with a long train and a short veil — elegant, timeless, and suited for the forest setting. As she prepared for the day with her family, the excitement and emotion built naturally: mother, sisters, sisters-in-law (or however your crew might look) helping with final touches, quiet shared smiles, the moment when the dress goes on and everything changes.

The First Look & Walk Down the Aisle

Her first look with her dad was tender, real — a gaze full of memory and promise. And when she walked down the aisle to Sam (handsome in his gray suit), the moment felt like it had been waiting to happen. Their vows, which they wrote themselves, filled the woods with laughter, tears, and pure love.

The Weather and the Light

Just as magic: a rain-pause before the ceremony. Sometimes nature asks for a pause — and when you accept it, the backdrop becomes cinematic. Mist hovering among trees, filtered light, the hush of the forest. Perfect for photos, perfect for memory.

Portraits & Beyond

After they said “I do,” Jenna + Sam posed with family at the chapel, then slipped away for a brief intimate session: in the field, on a road winding through the foothills, and up at the “highlands” photo spot where the evening light painted everything in gold. Their photographer (Star Noir Studio) captured it all — the quiet tenderness, the sweeping landscape, the two of them lost in the moment.

Chapel in the Hollow is built for exactly this kind of thing: multiple photo-op spots (creek, road, archway, mossy tree, highlands) all within easy reach of the ceremony space. That means more time for you and your person — and less time hustling between disconnected locations.

Why This Evening Works for You

Micro wedding freedom. At Chapel in the Hollow you can host up to ~35 guests. That means an intimate feel, meaningful moments, and less stress.
Scenic autumn setting. October in the Smokies brings crispness, color, atmosphere. Even if it’s overcast, the mood is rich.
Flexible packages. The venue offers 1-3 hour blocks with or without photography, officiant, event manager. You pick what you need.
Photography-friendly surroundings. Because the owners are photographers, the grounds are already tailored to light, backdrop, and ease. You don’t need to engineer it.

Planning Tips for Your Own Romantic October Evening Wedding

Schedule your ceremony ~1 – 1½ hours before sunset. That gives you golden-hour portraits and a ceremony bathed in soft light.
Pick a cozy, autumnal palette. Think rusts, creams, wood, candlelight, greenery. Let the forest pull in the rest.
Have a rain-plan, but embrace nature. Overcast or misty evenings aren’t “lesser” — they’re mood-filled.
Prioritize meaningful details. Like Jenna + Sam’s memorial table — it adds depth and emotional resonance.
Use the venue’s photo-ops wisely. At Chapel in the Hollow you’ll find great spots for quick couple portraits without taking away from guest time.

From the Bride

Sam and I actually met online. I had reactivated my account and honestly the lowest of low expectations for how it would turn out. I figured within a day or two I would be annoyed by all the stupidity and once again delete the app. However, within the first hour of having the app I stumbled across Sam’s profile. He was holding a guitar in his picture and I just thought he was so handsome. I remember how excited I got with every returned message. I truly believe love finds you when you least expect it because not too long after we started talking I discovered that Sam lived in Fort Knox, KY. I lived in Nashville, which is a little over a two hour drive from each other. I’ll never know for sure why his profile showed up for me with a distance as great as ours, but I have to believe that my grandma in heaven had a hand in it because it truly doesn’t make sense otherwise.

Our first date was filled with nervousness that quickly melted away to excitement. The only people that knew about me driving two hours to meet a complete stranger, although by that point he didn’t feel like a stranger to me- it felt like somehow I had known Sam my whole life, were my two best friends, Katlin and Jarvis. I remember feeling so loved when Kaitlin made me take a picture of Sam’s license and made me call her on the way to our first date so she could give him a speech about what would happen to him if I ended up hurt or missing, haha. Sam took me to Boombozz, in Elizabethtown, and he introduced me to their potato nachos, which I fell in love with. Thankfully, we have two Boombozz locations near Nashville so we go often. The best part about that night was on the drive back, I couldn’t explain it, but I knew I had just found the person I was going to spend the rest of my life with.

Several years ago, I went to Grand Central Station for the first time. I remember being awestruck by the hustle and bustle, and by the beautiful constellation painting on the ceiling. Every time I visited the city, I would make my way to Grand Central and I would stare at the ceiling as I whispered the hopes and dreams I had for my life. Grand Central became a place of refuge for me and a place where no matter how lost I felt, I could always find my way back to my true self by just being in that room. After one of those trips, I told my mom, younger sister, and best friends that whenever the time came for a proposal, they had to promise me that they would ensure it be done at Grand Central Station. Sam made by dreams come true by proposing earlier this year in the main terminal by the ball clock. My dream was made even more magical by being able to share the moment with our 4 month old son and my younger sister. Lindsey was able to capture the moment on camera and she made sure to excitedly announce that I had said yes so several travelers cheered as they passed by.

Having our wedding at Chapel in the Hollow was a very easy decision that was recommended to me by a friend. I knew I wanted a fall wedding where we were enveloped in the fall foliage, so the Smokey mountains seemed like the perfect backdrop. On our wedding day, I am most looking forward to celebrating the love and family that we have built with the ones we love. Nearly every single person in attendance has had a hand in our relationship somehow, and we are so thankful for their love and support.

I think one of the funniest things about Sam and I is our vastly different taste in music. Sam is a diehard heavy metal fan and I am a country girl who loves musicals. Over the course of our relationship, we have shared our music with each other. I’ve been able to find several songs that I throughly enjoy from some of his favorite bands, and he discovered that Kelsea Ballerini isn’t too bad. He has taken a special liking to one of my favorite musicals, Wicked, and if you ask him it’s totally metal. We even named our cat, Wizard, after the musical. Although, if you ask him, Wizard, is named after a Black Sabbath song. What we do for fun has significantly changed since we began dating. Last September, Sam gave me the greatest gift of all, our son, Davis. Davis is named after my soon to be maiden name. While we still try and make time for date nights, our days and nights are now centered around singing about the 10 in the bed or the itsy bitsy spider, making babas, and just truly being obsessed with anything our one year old says or does. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Love Wins in the Smokies

At the end of the day, Jenna and Sam’s wedding was a beautiful example of how less can mean more. A forest, a few dozen loved ones, intentional styling, and the decision to let their love lead the day — that’s the kind of wedding you’ll remember forever.

If you’re dreaming of your own October evening wedding in the Smoky Mountains — under trees, surrounded by nature, with a romantic glow and zero rush — we’d love to help you make it a reality. Explore our offerings at Chapel in the Hollow and see how love, in a forest, under the golden light of October, truly shines.

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