5 out of 5 stars and 44 reviews
5
(44)3963 Gerton Highway (route 74A), Gerton, NC
About this vendor
Laughing Waters Retreat Center is a tranquil mountainside wedding venue situated in Gerton, NC, just 25 minutes from Asheville. This rustic and rural destination is perfect for couples seeking a truly picturesque and peaceful celebration immersed in nature. From woodlands to waterfalls and stone ruins to scenic orchards, you can curate your fairy tale wedding in the great outdoors.
At Laughing Waters Retreat Center, you can say “I do” at your choice of scenic spots on the 200-acre estate, including the creekside, farmhouse chimney ruins, orchard, or the meadow by the pond. Afterward, guests can explore the grounds during cocktail hour while you avail of beautiful backdrops such as cascading waterfalls and tall leafy trees for photo opportunities. The Great Room is also available for ceremonies and this space is transformed for evening receptions. Here, up to 75 guests can enjoy a splendid night of dinner and dancing. This rustic event space is characterized by wooden accents, a cozy wood stove, and large windows overlooking the creek. Outdoor receptions are curated for up to 90 loved ones. You can use your imagination to create a perfect wedding backdrop at any one of the outdoor locations. Newlyweds can enjoy a restful night’s stay in the beautiful Honeymoon Cottage that offers breathtaking vistas of the mountains and water features. There are four guest rooms in the lodge and camping facilities on-site for up to 35 friends and family members.
The dedicated team at Laughing Waters Retreat Center wants to bring your dream to life. They delight in welcoming to-be-weds and loved ones to their idyllic retreat. You can connect with Julia, the operations manager, to learn more about her team’s wonderful destination wedding packages and discover what makes this mountainside haven so special. Whether you dream of a creekside elopement or forest-inspired reception, the team will go above and beyond to help you create your nuptial dream.
Amenities + details
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Business Attributes
- Woman-owned Business
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
Settings
- Backyard
- Garden
- Loft
- Mountain
- Tented
- Trees
Venue Service Offerings
- Destination Weddings
- Destination Wedding Packages
Awards and Affiliations
5-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2024.2023.2022.+2 more.
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Hall of Fame
Earned by winning 'Best of Weddings' four or more times.
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Reviews
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5
out of 5.044 reviews
Laughing waters was beyond everything we could imagine!! Julia, the coordinator was flexible, responsive to our needs, and so easy to work with.
The natural beauty of Laughing Wa...
ters impressed all our guests. Most are still posting their own pictures of the mountain waterfront views on social media. Many remarked this was the most beautiful wedding site they had been to. We couldn't agree more!!
I cannot wait to see the stunning backdrops in our professional photographs.
Additionally the ability to book the entire property so that our family and friends could all be centrally
located for our wedding week was priceless. We had so many memories outside the wedding day of breakfast by the water, drinks on the deck at sunset, hiking trails, and for the brave, wading in the water falls.
If you are looking for a unique, reasonably priced, gorgeous venue to make your day memorable this is it!!!
A wonderful wedding venue for our daughter’s destination wedding in the Asheville area. The lodge, cabins, and grounds are lovely and well maintained . Julia is responsive and ver...
y easy to work with and respond to questions .
From the moment we stepped onto the venue property, we knew that this was going to be perfect for our ceremony and reception. The setting is beautifully tucked in nature and create...
d the perfect atmosphere. The Lodge provided the perfect space for an indoor reception.. and our small ceremony was held in the Orchard, in the Gazebo. It actually rained pretty heavily, so it was nice to have a variety of options even in foul weather.
Julia and her team were super easy to work with from the onset. They weren't overbearing, yet accessible and quite helpful when we needed them, which was perfect for us.
My husband and I felt comfortable and welcome having a unconventional wedding at this location. Laughing Waters in particular, offered many amenities that were useful to us having ...
a mid-scale DIY wedding that we simply could not find anywhere else. Providing us a kitchen, a separate cottage for the newlywed couple, and sleeping for up to eight within the building and camping around the grounds were all excellent and let us have the wedding we wanted that we simply could not find anywhere else.
Booked this venue for my wedding for the weekend of Nov 4. It was gorgeous and more than I could've ever dreamed of. Julia was super helpful answering questions during the process ...
and taking the time to set up a tour with me to view it (as I live out of state). The property itself is just amazing with wonderful scenery and helped bring all my ideas to life. People can't stop talking about how beautiful it was. The space inside and outside served perfectly in both being large enough but also keeping things intimate (only ended up with around 40 guests total). Not to mention we managed to get lucky and have our wedding just before the last bit of leaves have gone. It really was amazing and I cannot say enough great things about this place.
Laughing waters was just an absolute pleasure. From the first visit we knew this is what we wanted. Speaking with Julia, learning the history of the place, getting the tour and see...
ing the beautiful nature was wonderful. We toured it again just because we wanted to see how beautiful it was! The wedding was wonderful, the scenery just tied it all together for the most perfect pictures. They helped us with every worry we had, including sending someone right away to fix an issue with the bathrooms! We thoroughly enjoyed every moment on this beautiful property. I hope one day to come back. Thanks again laughing waters!!
We had the most excellent experience working with Laughing Waters. My partner and I reserved the cabin there a few months before and a few months after our wedding we liked it so m...
uch! The ability to have guests camp meant we had really amazing flexibility and or guests loved being able to take a moment aside to hike or enjoy the wildlife. The entire experience working with them was so professional -- their rates were straightforward and great value for money. Highly recommend!
The place was beautiful, private, and well appointed for our small (45person) wedding in October. Depending on your guest count, there are numerous options for arranging exactly th...
e kind of event you want with indoor and outdoor options for ceremony to after-party! If you want a dreamy, fairy-tale, or even slightly witchy vibe, I can't recommend this place enough!
Laughing Waters was the perfect venue for our small family wedding. The waterfalls on property are close enough that we could hold our ceremony there without much hassle setting up...
. The main building itself is absolutely gorgeous and built with such love and care. All of my guests asked me how I found such a hidden gem! The process of booking was also incredibly easy and everyone I spoke with was wonderful. I would wholeheartedly recommend them for couples wanting an intimate, nature-focused ceremony. My husband and I plan to stay here for anniversaries in the future!
This was the most beautiful magical place in the world to have our whimsical and joyful little wedding. We loved every single moment. The lodge was a perfect spot for our family to...
gather, the honeymoon cabin, beautiful and secluded, yet not far from the main house, and the grist mill absolutely adorable and cozy-- perfect for our flower girl and her parents. The grounds were absolutely beautiful and such fun to explore. There were so many nooks and hollows on the trail that were perfect for our wedding photos. We had our ceremony and reception in the orchard. The kids loved the gazebo, the adults loved the fire pit, and everyone loved the telescopes we hired to see Jupiter and Saturn!!! The whole weekend was a dream and we can't wait return for an anniversary trip.
We loved our three day wedding weekend at laughing waters. Julia was incredibly responsive and helpful. We had 80+ people so had to rent tents and such versus use the 45 person cap...
acity lodge. There were some power limitations at the ceremony field and reception tent but we made it work. Loved our stay and the venue.
Laughing Waters was a beautiful venue for the wedding of my son and his bride. The staff was helpful and responsive when we needed assistance. When we had questions, they were prom...
ptly answered. We stayed at the lodge which was gorgeous and well supplied for our comfort. We also had family in the two small cabins next to the lodge, and that worked out really well. We ended up staying for 5 days/nights because we loved it so much and enjoyed spending time in the picturesque setting.
This venue is pretty close to perfect for an intimate wedding. The grounds are amazing and it's wonderful that it sleeps 15 people (which was our wedding party and plus-ones). My o...
nly suggestions to the venue is signage for the orchard parking because that got a bit confusing. Otherwise the facilities are great!
Laughing Waters in Gerton, NC was the perfect place to have our wedding weekend! The Laughing Waters Venue offers a great location, beautiful inside area, outside trails, beautiful...
architecture, plenty of parking, and amazing views. It was our dream venue!! We arrived 7/1/2022 and had our beautiful ceremony outdoors on 7/2/2022. The views, both indoors and outdoors, are spectacular. Laughing Waters was perfect for our all inclusive wedding as we were able to have our ceremony outdoors, followed by first dances on the main floor, then an easy transition downstairs to the reception. The indoors is great for both dining and dancing!
Julia Considine, the manager, is wonderful to work with and was so helpful the entire way through! Julia keeps open communication with you from the very first contact and makes you feel a part of the Laughing Waters family! They also work with a lot of great vendors that they recommend to you. We chose Sweets Mountain Bakery for our desserts table and gluten free cake. They did a phenomenal job with displaying the dessert table and the desserts and cake were absolute perfection! Our other recommendation was our officiant; Dr. Peggy Farmer. We can not thank Julia and Laughing Waters enough for recommending Peggy to officiate our wedding. Peggy soothed my introverted and anxious soul as well as guided family and friends through rehearsal and the ceremony with laughter and beautiful words that we will cherish forever. However, most importantly is how Peggy left a lasting memory on all five of our children as they still talk about how greatly they miss her and wish she lived nearer!
Our guests traveled from FL, NJ, the coast and mountains of NC, SC, TN, and Italy. Our guests were afforded the opportunity to relax and explore the trails. But most importantly, we were able to spend time enjoying one another’s company at what our three year old daughter affectionately calls the “Wedding House”.
Laughing Waters is a magical place. The ceremony was held in a new pavilion at the orchard surrounded by the mountains. What a gorgeous setting to get married!!! Our guests enjoyed...
a short walk to the lodge marveling the creeks and sweet bridges on the way. The lodge was very clean and staff was incredibly responsive to any needs we had. Our family and friends kept talking about the beauty and magic of Laughing Waters that made our wedding day even more special. We highly recommend this outstanding venue for your big day!
Words are not enough to describe the absolute dream that is Laughing Waters. My husband and I stumbled upon this venue by complete chance and could not have imagined a more beautif...
ul venue for our wedding, reception, and hotel!! Anyone who wants a nontraditional, non-church wedding with beautiful mountain scenery simply has to check out Laughing Waters!
Laughing Waters was an absolutely magical place to have our wedding. We wanted a place were everyone could stay together and have a relaxed time enjoying all that beautiful NC has ...
to offer. Laughing Waters did not disappoint! From the incredible cabins to the gorgeous scenery it was difficult to pick the perfect place for the ceremony, because it was all perfect. Planning a wedding long distances can be stressful, but Julia the property manager was so easy and accommodating to work with. She quickly answered all my emails, gave suggestions on local restaurants, farmers markets, breweries and even extra accommodations close by for guests not able to stay at the lodge. She was quick to respond during our stay with any questions or concerns we had and was super helpful in planning when we had unexpected weather changes. All of our guests were memorized by the beautiful river running behind the main lodge and enjoyed the onsite hikes. Adding to serene magic of Laughing Waters is how Eco-friendly and sustainable the property is, it checked all the boxes for us. We feel like we truly found a magical place to enjoy with our families for years to come and are looking forward to the many additional vacations and memories we will make at Laughing Waters
We were searching for a beautiful venue that would allow us options with food, services, ceremony backgrounds, and bedrooms for our wedding party to stay overnight in. We didn't wa...
nt to be tied into specific packages with vendors that some venues require. This venue provided everything we were looking for. Both sets of parents had their own little cabin to stay in for the weekend, allowing them privacy. My bridesmaids and their guests stayed with me in the lodge, while we rented the vacation rental overlooking the orchard for the groomsmen to stay in. We were married in the beautiful orchard with the hills behind us. If it were raining, we felt that wouldn't be an issue since the lodge itself holds plenty of beauty for an indoor wedding.
Julia, the Operations Manager, was helpful and generous leading up to the wedding. She worked with us and our schedules as we asked to see the venue one more time a few months before the wedding day and patiently answered our questions.
Laughing Waters was a great spot to have an intimate wedding with those we love and allowed for us to visit with our friends throughout the weekend.
This venue and it’s crew are fantastic! From the start of our booking process to the end of our wedding, Laughing Waters did an amazing job with communication, transparency, and en...
suring our special day was set up for success. Julia was great at assisting us and answered any questions we had in a timely manner.
The venue itself is absolutely stunning. From the main house, the field, the wheel house, and the couples cabin needs little to no decorations as the ambiance creates a magical experience in itself. Our 60 guests were super comfortable and our bridal party loved being able to stay on site the night before.
It is with tears in our eyes and our hearts full that we thank Laughing Waters for giving us such a wonderful experience.
Our Laughing Waters wedding was an absolute fairytale. Could not have dreamed up a more peaceful, beautiful and sacred setting. Julia was wonderful to work with.
Laughing Waters is a wonderful and gorgeous location. We and all our guests very much enjoyed the Laughing Waters estate with so much greenery around it and so many creeks, hiking ...
trails, and waterfalls. The staff is exceptional and from the day we have decided to book it, the Property Manager Julia had helped us in anyway she could and she’s very responsive in communication and very hospitable. The cabin is wonderful and all adults and kids enjoyed the stay. We thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this location for any wedding events or for anything else in general.
Laughing Waters is simply a magical place to get married. From the majestic scenery and waterfalls, to the grand yet cozy lodge, and all the outdoor extras like hydroelectric pond ...
and stone chimneys for fire pits. A modern Eco retreat that is simple gorgeous. It even has a cute little couples cabin next to the lodge so we could have our own space. And don't forget to check out that private swimming hole behind the lovers cabin!
The Manager and Owner made sure we had everything we needed and answered all of our questions promptly as they understand a lot goes into planning a wedding. Having helpful, friendly support is so crucial to making a wedding go smoothly. They made sure everything was ready for us and we are grateful.
I highly recommend Laughing Waters for your next wedding or retreat, and the memories we made there will last a lifetime!
Laughing Waters is absolutely stunning! I was the wedding planner for a fall wedding and it was gorgeous. Julia was easy to work with. Attentive, supportive, and communicated with ...
us all along the way. Any questions we had were answered, requests made for the day of the wedding were handled and taken care of. I/we appreciated her quick responses, kindness, and support.
Laughing Waters and Julia were so incredibly helpful in helping us find the perfect venue. Julia responded promptly, gave us the information we needed, and did everything she could...
to work within our budget. Although we ended up finding a venue closer to our hometown, I would HIGHLY recommend Laughing Waters!!
Working with Laughing Waters has been a dream come true for our Halloween Wedding! The venue itself is stunning and has the perfect energy for our woodland full moon wedding, you c...
an feel the love and intention that went into building every aspect of the property, and I loved their commitment to honoring the land on which it stands.
Aside from the obvious beauty of the location, the staff has been incredibly helpful and easy to work with. Super laid back and accommodating, and especially adaptable as we navigate the already stressful time of wedding planning with the added uncertainty of working with COVID.
I look forward to returning to Laughing Waters in years to come for any retreat-related purposes we may have!
Planning a wedding for my daughter in late October. From the beginning of the process it has been a pleasure to work with the staff at Laughing Waters. They have been easy to work...
with. Would highly recommend if you are looking for a great private location in the woods.
This beautiful waterfall oasis tucked in the mountains was the perfect setting for our wedding! It's a very flexible space with lots of options for ceremony, reception, and lodgi...
ng. And the people operating it are the best!
Laughing Waters provided the most beautiful and relaxing space for our wedding. We had so much fun decorating the arbor in the orchard with fresh flowers and chiffon for our celeb...
ration and it turned out just beautiful. Our family was so comfortable in the lodge and cottage and enjoyed the state trails, creek and waterfalls in the backyard. We had tables on the deck and in the great room with plenty of space to dance on the first floor. It was a majestic experience and we highly recommend Laughing Waters!
Julia and Jane have been fantastic to work with and Laughing Waters is an extraordinary place to have a smaller wedding. They are responsive, flexible, and there to make your event...
special. Multiple outdoor locations and a beautiful lodge interior give you plenty of options for your ceremony regardless of the season or day-of weather. We ended up having to change venues due to guest list size, but everything in us wanted to have it at Laughing Waters based on the people running it and the property itself. I can not recommend them enough!
Laughing Waters was the perfect venue for our small wedding! It was intimate and romantic, with a hint of rustic. We could not have picked a better spot!
We got married here in May 2019 and it was everything I could have hoped and more. The venue is gorgeous-complete with mountain views, waterfalls, lush greenery, and the house is ...
beautiful. All of our guests were amazed! The best part about the property is the different locations...we had the ceremony in the orchard, the cocktail hour out on the deck overlooking the waterfall, the dinner under a tent in the meadow, and danced under the stars by the old chimneys. Seriously a fairytale place! The property manager was also really easy to work with and helped us with all our planning needs promptly. I would highly recommend Laughing Waters to anyone looking for a dreamy wedding location.
Our wedding day at Laughing Waters was amazing. Everything was clean, natural, and gorgeous! We will always treasure this beautiful place. The site fit our personalities and intere...
sts to a T, so when we came across it on The Knot, we knew it was the place we'd have our wedding!! Thank you Heidi for all your help!! We hope to have more celebrations at Laughing Waters in the future. If you're looking for a one of a kind place: this is it! The North Carolina mountain views and waterfalls make this place so relaxing. Plus, their sustainable features make them one of a kind. I cannot recommend this place highly enough.
Our wedding was this September at Laughing Waters. The venue was absolutely gorgeous and perfect for us! It accommodated our 60 person wedding really well, the amenities were great...
and our friends who stayed with us during the wedding weekend loved it too! We wanted our wedding to feel intimate and like a fun dinner party and using the house for our reception definitely made that a success! It was also great fun to go hiking right from the house the day after the wedding! I would highly recommend this venue!
Laughing Waters is a very beautiful venue, in a gorgeous natural setting, surrounded by conservation land. It was a magical place to get married, with a mountain river rushing past...
and rhododendrons blooming all around us. We loved the lodge and the cottage and appreciated that our friends had a place to camp at the venue. There are many wonderful indoor and outdoor spaces to enjoy. They are also easy to work with and made everything pleasant.
Our destination wedding at Laughing Waters Retreat Center was simply magical. We could not have asked for a more perfect and beautiful venue in such a beautiful setting and with ex...
cellent accommodations nearby for everyone. Family traveled from Texas and from as far north as New York and as far south a Florida and ALL enjoyed the beauty of Laughing Waters. I would highly recommend this "little slice of heaven" for any couple who desires a "natural majestic cathedral" outdoors in which to exchange their wedding vows...Priceless memories!
Laughing Waters was the PERFECT venue for our intimate fall wedding! We had plenty of space, access to all the amenities of home and it felt like a true family affair. The staff ar...
e absolutely wonderful to work with, and they will go out of their way to help you make your day incredible.
The 360 mountain views were breathtaking, countless spots for taking photos, and more. Our guests raved about the location because it was open, clean, and in the heart of the mountains.
If you are looking for a place to have a small wedding, look no further. You can't beat a full weekend price with lodging included!
This venue was perfect for our wedding. My husband and I love the NC mountains and waterfalls in particular and there could not have been a better setting to bring these interests ...
into our wedding day. Our contact at the venue gave us a great tour of the place and was quick to respond to our questions before and after we signed the contract.
All our guests loved the space as well. We could decorate it as we wished and that was something that was really important to me since I had ideas of how I wanted everything to look. It was also really nice that Laughing Waters had many of the things we needed for our event like tables and chairs. Being able to have a few family and friends stay at the venue the nights before and after the wedding was very convenient as was having the little cabin available to us for getting ready in the morning.
We rented a tent on the meadow because we feared rain and while it didn't rain for the actual ceremony, it did during our indoor reception which meant we couldn't put any guests on the deck. By putting about 6 tables on the main floor and 4 in the basement we accommodated all of our 70-80 guests and still had room in the basement for dancing.
My husband and I were just married at Laughing Waters this past June 2018. Having our wedding at Laughing Waters was the best decision we made for our wedding. Laughing Waters is a...
mountain paradise. We had our wedding in the meadow, surrounded by family, friends and trees. We had our reception at the Lodge, only steps away from the meadow. The rustic, but natural elegance of the property captivated everyone. Our guests were astounded by the lush green grounds, the gorgeous lodge and the beautiful sounds and sights of the "laughing" waters behind the property. We left that weekend so full of love, feeling so lucky to have been able to celebrate with our closest family and friends in such a breathtaking setting. Thank you Laughing Waters, we will never forget that day!
Laughing Waters is such a magical place to share one of the most important days in your life with your family and friends! My wife and I got married there in a mystical monsoon on...
the fall equinox, September 21, 2013. We originally planned to get married in the orchard, but we were able to easily adapt plans to keep all of our guests dry and happy. The great room is an expansive and truly unique space, plus generous covered outdoor porches provided great options for folks to hang out until the rain finally let up. Then we got the creekside fire going for those who wanted to stay up late with the new bride and groom! The honeymoon cabin played dual purpose as my wife stayed there the night before with a couple of her best friends, and then we stayed our wedding night after we finally shut down the family campfire. In addition to the amenities around main house and old farmstead, there's great hiking trails throughout the expansive property and contiguous protected lands (of various levels of difficulty), swimming holes, and a very palpable connection to the natural and human history of the site. We will forever feel fortunate to have been married at Laughing Waters, and want to thank Jane and John for all they did to help plan and facilitate.
Our wedding on April 25 2015 was magical. Laughing Waters retreat center made the magic happen. The flowers,trees,mountains and the stream were a perfect ambiance. The bedrooms,ki...
tchen,decks, living room were great accomadation
We had such a beautiful wedding at Laughing Waters, taking full advantage of all the cabins on site and space for our guests to camp. Midnight fires by the stream, an apple orchar...
d ceremony, live music on the back deck, dinner in the meadow, there could not have been a more diverse setting for our wedding. We are so grateful for Heidi in helping to manage our weekend, we paid in full by a date and received an early bird discount. The venue has many amenities that can help to make the wedding of your dreams and we truly will never forget Laughing Waters and our experience.
Love! Love! Love! We absolutely loved Laughing Waters. Our wedding weekend was the most perfect we could have ever asked for. The home accommodated almost everyone in our family th...
at stayed overnight. This was about 20 of us. It was a perfect weather May Day, windows open, gorgeous setting. The decor fit our idea of a rustic wedding quite easily. Dinner out in the deck and dancing downstairs. Hiking around the property. I just can’t say enough about how every little detail about our wedding was simply everything we hoped for and more. Laughing Waters made this happen for us. Thanks for everything.
My husband and I got married here in October 2015. The decision to have our wedding at Laughing Waters was one of the best decisions we made in terms of our wedding. The staff at L...
aughing Waters are so friendly and very accomodating. Even though it rained on our wedding day, they did everything in their power to make the day a success. We had our ceremony outside next to the creek behind the lodge, and had our reception inside the lodge. Their property is gorgeous and very well kept. Also, the hiking trails and the apple orchard are absolutely beautiful. Highly recommend having a wedding here if you are looking for that outdoorsy, intimate feel.
Really, this place was so incredibly beautiful! I was able to have a dream wedding here! The land is so so beautiful and everyone who came was amazed! There is even a swimming hole...
hidden off the path that my bridal party all loved visiting!
Contact
3963 Gerton Highway (route 74A), Gerton, NC
Laughing Waters Retreat Center