---
title: "Getting married in Highlands"
description: "The refined mountain sanctuary on North Carolina's high plateau featuring temperate rainforests, tumbling waterfalls, and Relais & Châteaux luxury"
url: "https://weddings.help/en/destinos-boda/highlands"
canonical: "https://weddings.help/en/destinos-boda/highlands"
lang: "en"
type: "destination"
city: "Highlands"
country: "US"
source: "weddings.help"
---

# Getting married in Highlands

> The refined mountain sanctuary on North Carolina's high plateau featuring temperate rainforests, tumbling waterfalls, and Relais & Châteaux luxury

- **Country**: United States

## Scores (0-10)

- **Overall**: 9.4
- **Romance**: 9.7
- **Party**: 8.3
- **Nature**: 9.8
- **Luxury**: 9.6
- **Food**: 9.5

## Indicative costs

- **Average menu price per guest**: $210
- **Hotel per night**: $365
- **Open bar index**: 24

## Logistics

- **Distance to airport**: 95 km
- **English level**: Native
- **Walkability**: 88/100
- **LGBTQ+ friendly**: Yes

## Wedding weather

- **Best month**: October
- **Rain risk**: Medium
- **Summer golden hour**: 20:30

## Wedding style

- **Wedding style**: Temperate Forest Manors, Appalachian Fall Foliage & Refined Southern Luxury
- **Local tradition**: Stone terrace vows surrounded by antique mountain laurels and towering rhododendrons, fresh mountain-stream trout tasting paired with boutique cellar selections, and fireside nightcaps by outdoor native-granite hearths.

### Pros

- Blissfully cool summer climate owing to its 4,118-foot elevation atop the scenic southern Blue Ridge plateau.
- Remarkable density of world-class Relais & Châteaux retreats, championship golf clubs, and renowned destination spas.
- World-famous autumn tapestry in October with vibrant crimson, amber, and gold foliage across mountain forests.

### Cons

- Frequent rainfall nourishes the lush temperate canopy, making a rain-contingency plan essential.
- Mountain roads require a picturesque 90-minute to 2-hour drive from nearby regional airports.

## Venue types

- **Historic Relais & Châteaux Resort** (180€ - 380€): Centuries-old stone estate boasting English gardens, rustic stone pavilions, luxury suites, and Michelin-caliber dining.
- **Country Farm Estate & Lakeside Retreat** (160€ - 340€): Serene pastoral venues offering private spring-fed lakes, organic orchards, timber barns, and rolling forest horizons.

## Featured venues

- **Old Edwards Inn & Spa**: Iconic European-style luxury retreat featuring The Farm, glass greenhouse pavilions, and cobblestone garden courtyards.
- **Half-Mile Farm by Old Edwards**: Intimate luxury boutique estate surrounded by 14 acres of private lakes, forest trails, and woodland tranquility.
- **The Farm at Old Edwards**: Enchanting garden compound with an open-air timber hall, apple orchards, and arched stone bridges over bubbling creeks.

## Paperwork

- **Civil ceremony waiting time**: No mandatory waiting period; marriage licenses are granted same-day by the Macon County Register of Deeds.
- **Religious ceremony availability**: Effortless arrangements in charming historic mountain sanctuaries and stone chapels in downtown Highlands.

## Frequently asked questions

### What makes Highlands such a sought-after destination wedding location?

Highlands unites the untamed serenity of the Southern Appalachians with world-class hospitality, James Beard-nominated dining, and refreshing mountain air.

### How do guests reach Highlands, NC?

Guests typically fly into Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) or Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP), followed by an easy and scenic 90-minute mountain drive.

### What is the premier season to wed in Highlands?

Late spring (May-June) offers blooming native flora and crisp air, while October is globally celebrated for its awe-inspiring multi-hued autumn leaf canopy.

**Tags**: North Carolina, Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian Weddings, Relais & Chateaux, Southern Luxury

## Links

- [Web version of this guide](https://weddings.help/en/destinos-boda/highlands)
- [Month-by-month weather stats for Highlands](https://weddings.help/en/clima-boda/highlands)