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Hurricane Helene forces couple to move wedding venue to Florida after devastating NC flooding

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Published  October 3, 2024 9:04pm EDT
Volusia County
FOX 35 Orlando

Helene forces couple to move wedding venue

A Central Florida couple spent 14 months planning their dream wedding in the mountains of North Carolina. After Hurricane Helene, they had only 36 hours to plan it all again, in New Smyrna Beach.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - A Central Florida couple spent 14 months planning their dream wedding in the mountains of North Carolina. 

After Hurricane Helene, they had only 36 hours to plan it all again, in New Smyrna Beach. Alex Carter is from New Smyrna Beach; her fiancé, Cody Lamb, is from North Carolina, near Asheville.

When they started planning their wedding more than a year ago, they figured it would be better to have it in western North Carolina, where hurricanes rarely strike. 

"We knew we wanted to do a Fall wedding, but knew hurricane season is typically a little stout in Florida, so to avoid the rain and uncertainty of Florida weather during hurricane season, we elected to do it from where I'm from in North Carolina, near Weaverville," Lamb said.

Hurricane Helene changed all that. The storm tore northward through the Florida panhandle, Georgia, and into the Carolinas. It devastated the Asheville area, flooding towns and destroying homes. Lamb's family was lucky. No one was hurt, but the couple's plans for their picture-perfect wedding couldn't happen anymore. 

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"Up there, you know, all the rivers flooded. With that current ripping, you've got debris, silt, sand, water – there are videos of whole houses floating down the river," Lamb said.

The couple's family and friends from both states and around the country came together for them. In under two days, they found a venue in New Smyrna Beach. Bending Branch Ranch agreed to host their wedding, and worked with them to set everything up in less than two days. 

"Everyone already had flights and time off. It didn't have to do with the date, just having us together and everyone we love. As important as that was to me, like, if we can make it work, let's try to do it," Carter said.

The wedding was set to go ahead this Sunday, rain or shine. Holly Bierworth, owner of Bending Branch Ranch, said it was their pleasure to make this special day happen for Carter and Lamb. 

"As awful as the circumstances are," she said, "this is going to be the most amazing day, we're all on board to make this their best day."

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