Wesley Gillette
Sophia Larsen
Wesley Gillette
Sophia Larsen
May 23, 2026
How We Met
We technically first met in undergrad at St. Norbert College. Wes was my Organic Chemistry TA my sophomore year. It sounds slightly scandalous, but all he remembers about me was that I "took too long in lab". We ran into each other again in dental school when I moved into the Delta Sigma Delta dental fraternity. We recognized each other from school and became friends right away. Pretty soon we were joined at the hip and now we're engaged!
Schedule
Friday, May 22, 2026
Welcome Party
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
2 Huntsman Pl # A, Asheville, NC 28803
This is a casual welcome party! Wear whatever you'd like!
Food truck food will be provided. Vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free options will be provided. Cash bar available at event.
Saturday, May 23, 2026
Wedding
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
202 Venue Mountain Rd, Canton, NC 28716
Attire is semi-formal. Midi and full-length dresses would be beautiful. Completely optional-but you are more than welcome to dress along with the (many) color options at our wedding. (See FAQs)
Both Ceremony and reception are Chestnut Ridge. Shuttle buses will be provided to guests to and from venue.
Travel
Shuttle
Transportation for Guests
May 23, 2026 3:00 pm
Shuttles will be running every hour to and from designated hotels for guests. You do not need to be a guest at these hotels to use the shuttle service however, these designated hotels will be the pick-up and drop-off locations. If you are planning to continue your night out after the wedding, there are many nightlife options near the drop-off location in downtown Asheville.
Travel Note
Uber/Lyft
Finding an Uber/Lyft is relatively easy in the city of Asheville. You should be able to get one from the AVL airport as well as to and from the Welcome Party venue. The wedding venue is out in the country, making it unlikely to get an Uber out and back.
Travel Note
Wedding Venue Parking
If you prefer to drive yourself to the wedding venue, there is plenty of on-site parking. You are also welcome to leave your car at the venue overnight if you would prefer to take the shuttle back. You must pick up your car by 12pm the following day.
Travel Note
Welcome Party Transportation
Transportation will not be provided for 05/22/26. Uber and Lyft are great options to use as the welcome party is about a 10 minute commute from downtown Asheville.
Hotel
DoubleTree by Hilton Asheville Downtown
This is one of the hotels designated for shuttle pick-up and drop-off.
Discount Code - 921
Hotel
Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown
This is one of the hotels designated for shuttle pick-up and drop-off.
Discount Code - 90M
Hotel
Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts Asheville, an IHG Hotel
We have some blocks reserved at this hotel as well. This is a hotel that is a little bit more budget friendly, however it is farther away from downtown and a shuttle is not provided. If you are staying here, please let us know! If enough guests stay at this hotel we may have one of our shuttles redirected to this location.
Things To Do
Catawba Falls Trailhead
One of our first hikes with Debbie! Not too far of a drive from Asheville. Recommendation is to grab a beer at Foothills Grange after in Black Mountain!
Shortoff Knob Trailhead
One of our absolutely favorite hikes so far. A bit of a commitment but definitely worth it! So many different terrains on the way up. At the top it felt like we were in Jurassic Park. Disperse camping is an option. Check out Fonta Flora Brewery if you decide to head this way.
Looking Glass Rock Trailhead
First big hike that we went on together. This is the hike we love to take visiting family too. On the more strenuous side- but a breathtaking view at the end. Check out Oskar Blues Brewery if you head this way!
Black Balsam Knob
This is where we took our engagement photos! This hike is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway and is short in length. Many trails connect to this trail however, so it can be as long or short as you'd like! Disperse camping optional. If you head this way, check out the Pisgah Inn Winery.
Mt. Pisgah Trailhead
Another hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It may be 2.3 miles but its definitely a workout with a heavy incline the majority of the way. Worth the views!
Biltmore Estate
A staple attraction in the area. Contact us about member discounts we might be able to provide!
Omni Grove Park Inn - Country Club
Where we got engaged! So much history and amazing views.
FAQs
Question
Where do we stay?
Answer
There are two hotels we have reserved room blocks. This is where guests are able to be picked-up and dropped-off with our shuttle service on our wedding day. You absolutely do not have to stay there! There are many other hotels and Airbnb's throughout Asheville that are wonderful options. Let us know if we can help you look!
Question
Is everyone invited to the Welcome Party on 05/22/26?
Answer
Absolutely! We would love to be able to have a relaxed night where we can chat with everyone making the trip to celebrate our wedding. If you can't make it or would prefer to check out the Asheville area- no problem! We are excited to celebrate with you the next day.
Question
Is anything planned for that Sunday, 05/24/26?
Answer
If you plan on staying through the long weekend, we have many recommendations to keep you busy. While we have recommended several hikes and major tourist attractions, downtown Asheville has so many amazing, local shops for you to check out that day.
Question
Are kids invited to the wedding?
Answer
Great question! After a lot of thought, we decided we would prefer that you keep the little ones at home, if possible. However, we know that for some families, that is not an easy feat. If you would prefer to bring your kiddos along, that is totally fine. Just let us know so we can adjust our head count!
Question
What airports would be best to fly into?
Answer
In all honesty, AVL would be the easiest for you. Downtown Asheville is about a 25 minute drive from the airport. The cheapest option is typically CLT (Charlotte), however the drive is about 2 hours. Check out other airports like GSP (Greenville, SC) which is about a 1.5 drive to Asheville.
Question
Dress Code?
Answer
We are recommending you wear semi-formal attire for the wedding (no jeans). If you want to be super cute- our theme is "wildflowers", so any kind of yellow, green, pink, blue pastel would fit perfectly!
Question
Does your wedding really end at 10:00pm?
Answer
Unfortunately, yes. Asheville is a sleepy town and the noise ordinance for every venue is at that time. Luckily, we have some spots planned for those who want to continue the night together in downtown Asheville!
Question
Accessibility
Answer
We have made sure that everything on the wedding day is wheelchair accessible, including entrances, shuttles and bathrooms. Let us know if there are any more accommodations we can help with!