Stiles & Kevin

June 1, 2024 • The Eseeola Lodge, Linville

When they met at the North Carolina Outward Bound School, Stiles Rader and Kevin Rockey couldn’t have known their greatest adventure was yet to come. From the Table Rock Base Camp to international way stations, their romance gained ever higher ground. But the lovebirds realized they were truly wild about one another during a cross-country road trip. “Living out of our Toyota Tacoma and planning for the future just felt right,” she recalls. So when they got engaged beside a snowy Vermont lake, the globetrotters knew they’d found their true north. 

Though they’d traveled the world during their four-year courtship, these Asheville residents felt called back to the High Country for their wedding. “We both have a strong connection to this place,” muses the bride. “And it was most important that the ceremony take place outside.” Since she grew up vacationing in Linville Gorge, The Eseeola Lodge at Linville Golf Club seemed a natural fit (especially since her parents celebrated their engagement there 37 years earlier). 

The Camp, Eseeola’s rustically upscale open-air pavilion, met their desire for a venue that was “elegant but simple with a classic mountain vibe.” The wedding aesthetic took cues from Mother Nature, with bridesmaids donning their choice of green floral dress and loose flower arrangements spilling with moss, ferns, white peonies, sweet peas, tulips, and ranunculi. A rhododendron drawing by the bride’s father adorned invitations, napkins, and favors.

“Stiles and Rockey care deeply about their people, and their number one goal was to create a warm and inviting weekend for their friends and family,” says planner Meris Gantt with The Whole Shebang Events. The down-to-earth pair also ensured each detail reflected who they are as a couple, starting with their own “I dos” beneath a lakeside arbor with Grandfather Mountain rising in the background. Close friends filled the roles of officiant, musician, reader, baker, and blessing giver. And they enjoyed a private cake cutting while guests indulged in a mini dessert bar. As the newlyweds rode off on the tailgate of their Tacoma, Stiles even surprised the groom with a fireworks display, the perfect send-off for two trailblazers setting out on their journey as husband and wife.

Details
Planner The Whole Shebang Events
Photographer Michelle Lyerly
Venue & Catering The Eseeola Lodge
Florals Linville Farm and Flowers
Cake Reid’s Catering Co.
Stationery Surcie
Entertainment Thomas Strayhorn (ceremony music), Mohr Fun Entertainment (ceremony sound); The Voltage Brothers (reception band)
Hair & Makeup Della Terra
Transportation  High Country Transportation