Design Zone | Bear Lake Heaven

There are not enough words to describe how pleased and grateful we are for our wedding at Bear Lake Heaven. It is the ideal place for an intimate wedding with family and friends where you can enjoy the privacy of the 80-acre property and relax in one of the most beautiful and pristine places you’ll ever visit.

Not only do you get to enjoy the properties private beaches, hiking trails, and boating as you get ready for your big day, but you also have access to the Bear Lake Resort where you can take advantage of everything the club has to offer including the amazing golf course, restaurant, pool, gym and tennis/pickleball. If you’re feeling adventurous and want to explore the area more, you can take a 20 min drive to Sylva where there are restaurants, shops, and breweries such as Lazy Hiker, Innovation and Nantahala. One day some of our guests played 9 holes of golf, headed to a brewery in Sylva for lunch and back to Bear Lake Heaven in the afternoon for a dip in the lake before a BBQ dinner on the lakeside patio. Other guests preferred to take it easy and enjoyed reading, laying out or grabbing a quick nap by the beach. It’s literally the best of both worlds!

Wedding Planning:

The resort and vendors (ones listed on the site we used) in the area can provide the service and quality to put on a high-end wedding on the estate.

Food:

Chef Johannes Klapdohr of the Library Kitchen in Sapphire treated our guests to an amazing farm to table meal with seasonal vegetables and locally sourced meats. He worked closely with us to customize a menu that fit the dietary needs and preferences of all our guests. It was truly one of the best meals we’ve ever had.

Music:

With Asheville (which is known for its growing music scene) being so close you have a variety of top-level bands/musicians to choose from. We were extremely pleased to book the Knotty G’s an incredible husband-and-wife acoustic duo (they do have a full band as well) who play a wide variety of genres. They were perfect not only for playing appropriate music during the cocktail reception/dinner but also ramping it up for dancing at the after the party.

Photography:

Ingrid Molliner (Molliner Photography) and her team were rock stars for us and really went above and beyond just the photography. Ingrid is very detailed and cares deeply about the overall experience of the wedding (she was basically our wedding planner) She helped us come up with the ideal run of show for the wedding which would provide the best opportunities to take advantage of the beautiful natural setting for our photos (see photos in gallery).

Transportation:

One of our major concerns was providing transportation for our guests to Bear Lake Heaven from their accommodations around Bear Lake Reserve. We were lucky to work with Grandy Co Transportation who has provided transportation services to guests at Bear Lake Heaven for years. Their drivers know the property and are very experienced navigating the winding roads of the reserve.

The Bear Lake Reserve/Castle Ladyhawke staff are also very happy to provide recommendations and connect you to vendors in the area.

We are so fortunate to have had the opportunity to have our special day at Bear Lake Heaven and work with so many talented staff/vendors who gave us a wedding beyond our wildest dreams.