The most common question I get from couples planning an elopement is about location. Where should we go? What's the most beautiful spot? Is Clingmans Dome worth it? The answer is always: it depends on what you want the day to feel like. The most photographed locations in the Smokies are photographed constantly because they're genuinely stunning — but they're also busy, regulated, and less likely to give you the solitude that most people are after when they choose to elope in the first place.
My general advice is to think about the feeling first and the location second. Do you want to be completely alone? Do you want the drama of elevation, or the intimacy of forest? Are you comfortable with a long hike, or do you need accessibility? Once I understand what a couple is after, I can usually suggest three or four locations that fit — some well-known, some not. The best elopement I've ever photographed happened at a place with no name on any map. We had it entirely to ourselves for four hours. That's harder to find than a famous overlook, but it's also exactly what they were looking for.
— Michael