A Rockwood Wedding

Written By: Shayna Bigazzi | Issue: 2020/06 - June

There are few estates that stir a collective sigh quite like the Rockwood Lodge does. Perched atop one of the area’s highest peaks, you’ll have to fight the urge to take yourself for a spin, a la Julie Andrews, through the wind-swept grassy terraces that surround the property. 

The Lodge sits within 350 private acres of the Nantahala Forest with commanding views of the valleys and peaks that surround it. The hills are, indeed, alive with the sound of music and this home perfectly enhances and compliments nature’s melodies. 

Plucked straight from our dreams, Rockwood Lodge is the ultimate fairytale wedding location!

Hickory Knut Gap’s long and winding dirt road takes you through two creeks and countless switchbacks on your way to the lodge. It’s just enough drama to whet your appetite before cresting the final hill up the drive and setting your sights on this mountaintop masterpiece. 

You’ll immediately be struck by the massive structure’s exterior of native stone and local poplar bark shingles. It is as though the mountain herself birthed this giant stone and wood edifice; like it was always supposed to be.

Upon entering the estate, you’re met with dark, rich, woodsy elements. TAB Associates used recycled timbers from a local sugar mill to construct the trusses and draw your eyes up into the cavernous main living room, hung with custom goat-hide chandeliers by Corbit Lighting out of Montana. The anchor for this 16,000-square-foot home is the monstrous stone slab that sits at her center as the hearth. This was placed before most of the house was built and was so heavy it tipped the crane over on its way in. Each room and space offers immaculately curated furnishings and never-ending vistas. My favorite, a small powder room at the end of the carriage house wing with a lit crystal basin and tree branches adorning the walls. It’s rustic, glamorous, and comfortable all at once!

Many couples choose the well-photographed Compass Lawn to exchange their vows. However, the property boasts a beautiful crystal lake surrounded by rolling hills and forests. 

There is no doubt the world is trending towards outdoor and open-air gatherings and the shores of this pristine lake create an unforgettable backdrop to just do this, gather (while six feet apart, of course!).

If the gorgeous estate and perfectly coiffed grounds aren’t enough, check out their Wilson Log House. Located on the way into the property the log house was built in 1882 by local builder Jeremiah Wilson and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It measures about 18 by 20 feet, and is constructed from logs with dovetail joins, and red mud chinking. There is no shortage of photographic inspiration within the hundreds of acres that make up this wonderland of luxury and adventure!    

The only limit to the infinite  possibilities is our imagination.

by Shayna Bigazzi , Altaterra Events