If you plan to elope to the Little Log Chapel in Gatlinburg, you might be looking for the best of both worlds: the simplicity and charm of a traditional chapel ceremony, with the mountains, cabins, and adventures of Gatlinburg surrounding you. And honestly, that combination can make for such a fun elopement day.
Gatlinburg’s Little Log Wedding Chapel is located on Glades Road, away from the heart of downtown Gatlinburg, and offers everything from a simple couples-only elopement to ceremonies with family and friends. They have a decorated indoor chapel, an outdoor gazebo option with select packages, and wedding packages that can include things like an officiant, coordinator, photography, flowers, cake, and ceremony video depending on what you choose.
But as a Gatlinburg elopement photographer and planner my biggest piece of advice is this: don’t think of your chapel ceremony as your entire elopement. Think of it as one meaningful part of a much bigger wedding-day experience.
Why Elope at the Little Log Wedding Chapel?
One of the biggest advantages of choosing the Little Log Wedding Chapel is simplicity. If the idea of figuring out where to hold your ceremony, finding an officiant, and coordinating all of those little pieces sounds overwhelming, a chapel can take quite a few things off your plate.
The Little Log Wedding Chapel currently offers several packages for different wedding sizes, including a Simple Elopement package specifically for couples only. Other packages allow you to bring a small group of family and friends, while some accommodate larger celebrations. Because packages and pricing can change, I always recommend working with a local wedding planner (Hi, thats me!) when you begin planning rather than building your wedding around information you found on an older blog or Pinterest post.
This also makes the chapel a great option for couples who want the intimate feeling of eloping but still love the idea of having a more traditional ceremony space. You can have your “walking down the aisle” moment and then head into the Smokies afterward for the adventurous part of your day.
Make Your Chapel Ceremony Part of a Full Elopement Day
This is where I think couples can get really creative. Your wedding doesn’t have to begin when you arrive at the chapel and end when your ceremony is over. In fact, I would encourage you not to think about it that way at all.
Imagine starting your morning slowly at a beautiful Gatlinburg cabin. You make coffee together, get ready separately, exchange letters, and have a private first look before heading to the chapel. Or maybe you save that first look for the moment you walk down the aisle.
After you’re officially married, we can head somewhere completely different for the next part of your day. Maybe that means exploring the Smoky Mountains together, stopping at a scenic location for portraits, having a picnic, popping champagne, or finding somewhere beautiful to watch the sun disappear behind the mountains. Then you can head back into Gatlinburg for dinner, or return to your cabin, change into something comfortable, and spend your first evening as a married couple together.
Suddenly, you’re not planning a 30-minute chapel wedding. You’re planning an elopement experience. Which is the best part of a Gatlinburg elopement!
Decide How Much Family You Want to Include
Another reason I like the idea of a chapel ceremony for some eloping couples is that it gives you an easy way to include family without necessarily making your entire elopement day a group event. The chapel offers packages for different guest counts, so you could have your parents, siblings, or closest friends join you for your ceremony and then spend the rest of your day alone together.
I love this option for couples who want both. Your family gets to see you exchange vows, hug you afterward, and be part of those traditional wedding moments. Then, after the ceremony, you can say goodbye and head off for your own adventure as newlyweds. Your elopement doesn’t have to be completely private or completely family-focused. We can create a day with room for both.
Think Beyond the Chapel for Your Elopement Photos
The Little Log Wedding Chapel offers photography as part of its published wedding packages, with the exact photography inclusions depending on the package you select. Before hiring an additional photographer, I recommend talking with the chapel about what your particular package includes and any policies they have regarding outside photography.
But I also want couples to think beyond photographs at the chapel. One of the biggest reasons you’re choosing to get married in Gatlinburg is probably what surrounds it, the Smoky Mountains! Your wedding gallery can tell a much bigger story than your ceremony alone. Getting ready at your cabin, seeing each other for the first time, driving through the mountains as newlyweds, exploring together, and watching the evening light change over the Smokies can all become part of the story of your wedding day.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time Between Locations
If you plan to elope to the Little Log Chapel in Gatlinburg and explore afterward, resist the temptation to cram five different locations into your timeline. Gatlinburg traffic can add time to what looks like a short drive on a map, particularly during busy travel periods. Mountain roads and parking can also make getting from one location to another take longer than you expect. I would much rather give you time to enjoy two incredible places than rush you through five of them.
This is where planning your timeline alongside your photography locations becomes so valuable. I’m thinking about where we need to be for beautiful light, but I’m also considering drive times, crowds, parking, how long you’ve been in wedding clothes, whether you’ve eaten anything, and whether the timeline still feels enjoyable. Your wedding day shouldn’t feel like a race through Gatlinburg.
Plan a Little Log Chapel Elopement That Feels Like You
There is no rule that says an elopement has to mean standing alone on top of a mountain. Maybe you love the romance of a little wedding chapel because you want your parents sitting in the front row. Maybe walking down an aisle is something you’ve always dreamed about, but a 150-person reception absolutely isn’t. You get to pick and choose the traditions that matter to you.
That’s what I love so much about helping couples plan elopements. We aren’t trying to squeeze your relationship into a predetermined wedding-day template. We’re looking at all the possibilities and asking, “Okay, but what would make this day incredible for the two of you?” For some couples, that might look like getting ready in a Gatlinburg cabin, exchanging vows inside the Little Log Wedding Chapel with a handful of people they love, and then disappearing into the Smokies together for the rest of the afternoon. For someone else, it might look completely different.
Ready to Elope at the Little Log Chapel in Gatlinburg?
If you’re starting to plan to elope to the Little Log Chapel in Gatlinburg, start by thinking beyond the ceremony itself. What do you want the morning to feel like? Who do you want standing beside you? What do you want to do immediately after you’re married? And when you look back on the day years from now, what do you hope you remember?
As a Gatlinburg elopement planner and photographer, I can help you take the ceremony you’ve chosen and build an experience around it. From your timeline and Smoky Mountain portrait locations to all of those little moments in between. Because your ceremony might happen at the Little Log Chapel, but your elopement gets to be so much bigger than the ceremony.
Book Your Gatlinburg Wedding Planner
ou don’t have to figure out your Gatlinburg elopement alone. From locations and timelines to lighting, logistics, and all the little details in between, I’ll help you create a day that feels effortless, intentional, and completely like you. Reach out and let’s start planning your Gatlinburg elopement!
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