September Micro Wedding in the Smoky Mountains
Erin and Ethan – September 4, 2026
There’s something especially beautiful about a September micro wedding in East Tennessee. The first hints of fall are beginning to appear, warm autumn colors start sneaking into wedding décor, and couples can embrace that cozy seasonal feeling—even when the Tennessee weather decides it is absolutely, positively still summer. 😂🔥
Erin and Ethan brought all those early fall vibes to Chapel in the Hollow for their September micro wedding, surrounding themselves with their daughters, family, and friends for an intimate celebration in the forest.
Early Fall Wedding Colors in the Tennessee Forest
For their ceremony, Erin and Ethan chose a gorgeous combination of white and textured rust fabric for the chapel. They paired it with our bohemian florals, then added our gold and mini candle package to the chapel steps and fern wreaths along the pews.
Erin also created an adorable welcome table for their guests, adding another personal touch to the day.
The combination of rust, gold, white, and greenery was perfect for a September wedding. The forest was still wearing plenty of its summer green, but their warm décor brought just enough autumn color to give everything an early fall feeling.
One of the fun things about choosing a Signature Micro Wedding at Chapel in the Hollow is having the flexibility to personalize the day with décor, accessories, guests, getting-ready moments, family photos, and multiple photography locations. It gives couples the opportunity to create a wedding that feels like them without taking on everything that comes with a huge traditional wedding.
A Boho Bride and Relaxed Tennessee Groom
Erin looked absolutely beautiful in a sleeveless wedding gown made from soft boho lace. The romantic texture of her dress fit perfectly with the woodland setting and warm, earthy colors they chose for the chapel.
Before the ceremony, Erin spent time getting ready with her friends in our bridal suite. Those little moments before a wedding can become some of our favorites—the finishing touches, helping hands, nervous excitement, and realization that after all the planning, the wedding day is finally here.
Ethan chose a look that felt perfectly suited to their relaxed Smoky Mountain micro wedding, pairing jeans with a dress shirt, tie, and suit jacket. It was polished enough to feel special while still fitting the comfortable, laid-back atmosphere of a small forest wedding.
A Sweet First Touch Before the Ceremony
Before Erin walked down the aisle, she and Ethan shared a first touch outside the bridal suite. Instead of seeing each other, they stood on opposite sides of the door and reached around to hold hands. It gave them a quiet moment together before the ceremony while still saving that first look for the aisle. 🥹❤️
For couples who love the anticipation of seeing each other during the ceremony but still want a private moment together beforehand, a first touch can be such a sweet alternative to a traditional first look.
Then it was time. Erin’s dad walked her down the aisle toward Ethan, where their daughters and other family members and friends stood beside them as their wedding party.
Surrounded by the East Tennessee forest and some of the people they love most, Erin and Ethan exchanged their vows and officially became husband and wife. 💍
Family Photos and Smoky Mountain Wedding Portraits
After the ceremony, we gathered everyone on the chapel steps for family photos. One of the benefits of having a micro wedding is that there is still plenty of room for the traditional moments that matter to you—walking down the aisle with Dad, including your children in the wedding party, and getting those family photographs—without needing a guest list of 100+ people.
Once we finished with their guests, we sent everyone off and stole the newlyweds away for some couple portraits.
We started with our old truck, which always adds a fun rustic Tennessee feel to wedding photos, before heading out to the field for portraits with the mountain view.
Chapel in the Hollow was designed with lots of little photography spots around the property, from the chapel and surrounding forest to gardens, rustic details, and mountain scenery. Couples considering their own wedding can see more of our ceremony locations and photo opportunities here.
A September Wedding That Still Felt Like Summer
Now, we need to talk about the weather.
Y’all.
IT. WAS. HOT. 😂🔥
September might signal the beginning of meteorological fall, but East Tennessee apparently had other plans for Erin and Ethan’s wedding day.
Seymour was under a heat advisory, and absolutely no one made it through the afternoon without sweating. Apparently Tennessee heard, “September wedding” and responded with, “That’s adorable. Have some more summer.”
But Erin and Ethan handled it beautifully.
Because ultimately, that’s one of the realities—and adventures—of planning an outdoor wedding. You can choose your season, your colors, your flowers, your dress, and all those beautiful little details, but Mother Nature is going to do whatever she wants.
And sometimes the best wedding memories happen when you simply roll with it.
Erin and Ethan were hot. They were sweaty. They were surrounded by their favorite people.
And most importantly?
They were MARRIED. ❤️
From the Bride
I own a cleaning service and the office I cleaned on a weekly basis, Ethan worked for that company. He would always strike conversation with me when I would come in. At times, I would catch him staring at me from a distance. He finally left me a note one day with his info. It’s never been a dull moment since!! On our first date we went to a Chicago Cubs Baseball game in April 2024. It was cold, but it was fun! I was also In a walking boot at the time so that got us some special treatment lol.
Ethan proposed at the Wilderness Lodge in Wisconsin with his family and our kids at the Cabin we were staying at. We chose East Tennessee for our wedding because of the beauty of the mountains and scenery. We love nature. We are looking forward to every single moment of our wedding day. We wanted a fall wedding but this was the closest to fall I could get with Ethan’s job schedule.
We like to bike ride, some mountain biking and some track/street biking. We love to shop, watch movies/shows, hang out with family and friends. Ethan also makes wooden cutting boards as a hobby on the side in our garage wood shop. And he’s great at what he makes.
Planning Your Own September Micro Wedding in Tennessee?
September is a wonderful time to plan an intimate wedding in the Smoky Mountains, especially for couples who love the transition between summer greenery and the warm, earthy colors of fall.
Chapel in the Hollow is a tiny outdoor wedding chapel tucked into the woods in Seymour, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains and convenient to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Townsend, Sevierville, and Knoxville. We specialize in intimate weddings and elopements, with options ranging from simple couple-only ceremonies to customizable micro weddings for up to 35 guests.
If Erin and Ethan’s September micro wedding has you dreaming about your own little wedding in the woods, you can compare our Smoky Mountain wedding packages or take a look at our current wedding pricing.
When you’ve found the date and experience that feels right for you, you can also start the booking process here.
Congratulations, Erin and Ethan!! We loved getting to celebrate your beautiful, boho-inspired September wedding with you and your family. Here’s to a lifetime of adventures together—and hopefully a few future September anniversaries with considerably cooler temperatures. 😂❤️🍂
Wedding Vendors
Venue: Chapel in the Hollow
Event Management: Bekah with Custom Love Gifts & Events
Chapel Florals & Décor: Chapel in the Hollow
Officiant: Ian Parrott
Photography: Star Noir Studio
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