Why Lake Junaluska?

Michael and Betsy both live in Northern Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC. Michael grew up in and around the Atlanta area. Betsy was born and raised in Lynchburg, VA. So, why are we getting married at Lake Junaluska, NC?

Since wedding locations are usually decided upon by the bride and traditionally held in her hometown, this location was ultimately Betsy’s choice. So, she’ll answer this question…

Sometime during the first 6 months or so of dating Michael, I learned that his family has a condo at Lake Junaluska. I was really surprised because until that point, I’d never met anyone who had heard of Junaluska, much less been there, except people from my church.

For me, Lake Junaluska was one of those fond places from early adolescence. While I have memories that go back to times when I was a rather young child, the things I can remember best and most completely now as an adult started during my middle school years. That era in my life also coincided with the point in which I began journaling on a fairly frequent basis, which has more deeply etched the memories in my mind.

I first went to Lake Junaluska for one of their week-long summer youth retreats in July 1989. It was the summer between the 7th and 8th grades, when I was just starting to form friendships with some of the other kids in the youth group. Looking back at the pictures I took on that trip, it’s mostly of the beautiful scenery. However, I also have a photo of Teresa (bridesmaid) and me at the cross!

By Winter 1990, I was journaling about the coming summer’s trip (my second time) to Junaluska with the youth group. On March 17, 1990, I wrote: “[Whitney, childhood best friend and bridesmaid] told me that [her family was] planning their summer vacation and that she wanted to take me. (They invited me last year too, but it was the same week I was going to Lake Junaluska.) She said they were going July 15-23. I’m going to Junaluska from July 15-19, and won’t miss it for the world! Whitney was mad but showed me the place they were going. I read the short paragraph that was by the pictures. It said it was in North Carolina and near Asheville! ASHEVILLE is right near Lake J! I told her she should get her parents to drive by, so she could at least see the place, if not see me…It’d be so cool if she could see it!! Only 120 more days!”

Wow! I was passing up an opportunity to vacation with my best friend and her family. Lake Junaluska was obviously something special! (By the way, Whitney and I are still friends, so she obviously got over being "mad" at me. After 18 years, she will finally make it to Lake Junaluska for the first time!)

Starting at 125 days prior to the trip, I continued counting down the days until we left for Junaluska in July 1990. This time even more friends from church went. We were a little older this year. (I was a rising 9th grader.) It meant more freedom, more fun, and even more mischief!

During my time in the youth group, we went to Lake Junaluska one more time – in June 1991. However, I knew it was a place that I would never forget. Not only did it have a beautiful setting, but it held a lot of fun memories.

The next time I visited Lake Junaluska was in May 2006. Michael and I had been dating almost a year and half. When we got there, it was just as lovely as I remembered. Nearly every building and landmark held a story from my teenage summers there. Because I hadn’t been to Junaluska in 15 years (which at the time was half a lifetime ago for me), it was like stepping back into a dream.

Michael explained that his family had vacationed at Lake Junaluska since he was a very young child. Since it is a Methodist conference and retreat center and his dad is a minister, the family also tagged along when he had meetings to attend there. When Michael was in high school, his parents bought the condo at Junaluska. So, Michael and his family have their own ties and their own set of memories at this place.

After Michael proposed to me, I thought about getting married in Lynchburg. After all, Lynchburg is where I was born and raised for 18 years. Unlike Michael, whose family moved often with the Methodist church in North Georgia, my parents still live in the house to which they brought me home from the hospital. The church where I still hold my membership is my Dad’s family’s church of more than 60 years. It’s where I was baptized and later was confirmed. It’s where I grew up. It’s where my cousin got married. It’s where my uncle’s funeral was held. It’s where we have and have had many friends.

So, why Lake Junaluska? It is absolutely beautiful. The stone chapel, which sets on the edge of the 200-acre lake with the Great Smoky Mountains surrounding it, is perfect. But that’s not why I chose to get married there. Marriage is a holy union between a man and a woman. You bring your two lives into one. There is this place called Lake Junaluska that is significant to both Michael and me and our pasts; I can’t think of a better place to start our future together.