Ceremony Sites
We have three main ceremony locations at Hidden River: the River, the “Marrying Field” (pasture next to the reception tent) and by the Pond/Perennial Garden. 85% of our clients choose to wed by the river; another 10% in the “marrying field,” and a handful of people by the pond/garden. Regardless of where couples choose to wed, each site offers lovely opportunities for wedding and engagement photography.
The River
Located on the north end of the property, the Swannanoa River runs next to our most popular wedding ceremony site. Surrounded by trees, this peninsula has a quiet, cozy feel, though it has hosted up to 200 people at once for a ceremony. For the feeling of being nestled in the mountains, with the sound of the river as additional accompaniment, this seems to be the site of choice. Our decorative rhododendron arbor can be set up in one of several different spots at the river, for a picturesque setting. Our horse and carriage typically brings the bride to the bridge, where she and her attendants cross toward the river, then it waits for the couple and takes them away from the site at the conclusion of the ceremony.
The “Marrying Field”
Located in the middle of our property, next to the reception tent, the “marrying field” offers a wide open feeling to couples who are thinking about the vast and lovely future ahead of them. We use our large mahogany-based canvas umbrellas (10′ x 10′) for shading and accent. The horse carriage brings the bride to the site and, as with the river site, waits and then carries the couple away for a few minutes after their ceremony. This site utilizes our heavy rough-sawn wooden arbor. Many clients choose this location because of the ease with which guests can walk directly to the reception tent after the ceremony. The northern Craggie mountains form a lovely backdrop for photos.
Pond/Perennial Garden
From May through early October, lotus flowers and other flowering water plants adorn our pond, complete with its own island where couples and their attendants stand with them for the ceremony. Guests sit off to the side and the image of the couple and their wedding party, with the carriage and the perennial garden in the background, remains a lovely memory for the guests. A small bridge takes the couple to the island and, as with all of our sites, our large mahogany umbrellas can be used for shading and accent.
