This super sweet surprise proposal at the Botanical Gardens at Asheville is possibly the perfect example of why it’s important to have a backup plan (or two). But at the end of the day, there are tons of great places to propose in Asheville, NC and we ended up at three of them…

To make a long story short, The NC Arboretum ended up being our third choice (The Omni Grove Park Inn doesn’t allow proposals to be photographed on their property if you’re not an overnight guest there, and we opted not to go with some of the rooftop bars in downtown), but they hadn’t changed their hours over from winter - which closes super early, before golden hour - to spring, and we were only minutes past when the gates closed for entrance. So in a last-minute hail mary, we ended up on the first overlook of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just around the corner from the Arboretum. The views weren’t the best at that overlook on the Parkway, but the intentionality behind the proposal was what mattered most. Happy tears were shed, kisses were shared, and then we made our way to spot #3, the Botanical Gardens.

One important thing to know about me is that I’m flexible as heck. So when we needed to move around our location a couple times, I was along for the ride, going with the flow.

The Botanical Gardens at UNCA are one of my favorite spots in Asheville for outdoor sessions. It’s close to town, open to the public, and has plenty of amazing spots for photo opportunities. And if you’re sprinkling in photos hear in the middle of your visit to Asheville, or in the middle of your wedding day, there are lots of things to do afterward around town.

Want more information on how to plan your surprise proposal? Check out my Biltmore-specific article that includes general information good for any proposal, anywhere, with anyone. And looking for someone to capture your surprise proposal ANYWHERE on earth? Then let’s chat.