Converse Says “I Do” In The Wake Of Hurricane Helene

Written by Amanda Mathis

Dream weddings take months, even years, to plan, and no one prepares for a hurricane to interrupt their plans – especially in Asheville, North Carolina. For one Converse alumnae and Spartanburg Day School middle school chorus, musical theater, and theater teacher, Erin O’Neil Taylor ’22, and her fiance, Austin, their wedding took two years to plan. The date, October 4, 2024, was unique to the couple as their official dating anniversary. After becoming engaged during a tour of the Biltmore Estate in November 2022, the couple selected the 2024 weekend.

But the couple could not have predicted what lay ahead.

Their wedding was planned at Mountain Springs Cabins in Candler, North Carolina, about 20 minutes outside Asheville. This rustic camping resort is located off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It provided the perfect setting for their special day of saying their “I dos” outside among the beautiful fall colors of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by family and friends.

Their plans took an unexpected turn on September 27, 2024.

Hurricane Helene struck the area and devastated Western North Carolina. The Mountain Springs Cabin staff survived the storm. However, the wedding venue was flooded and is now slowly reopening. After being engaged for almost two years, the couple decided to marry on Friday, October 4th – no matter what.

Quick on her feet, Erin jumped into action. With her home without power and internet, Erin sat in her truck and spent hours on her phone calling for help. One of the first people she contacted was Converse President Boone Hopkins to see if she could move the ceremony to the Rainey Amphitheater on campus. 

“When I was in grad school at Converse, I used to do my homework while looking out over the amphitheater on campus and think to myself, ’That would be the most beautiful backdrop for a wedding,’” reflected Erin. “It may not have been our original plan, but it somehow fulfilled a dream I had years ago.” 

Their guests traveled out of state from Ohio, Wisconsin, and West Virginia, among other places, many bringing gasoline and donations to the hurricane victims.

Erin then contacted her employer, Spartanburg Day School, and asked to use the Dorrance Plaza for her reception. Both replied with a resounding “yes,” and staff and friends jumped into action to move a wedding from one state to the next. Members of our Converse community mobilized quickly to clean up the area and prepare the amphitheater for this special event. 

The couple’s vendors were local to Spartanburg and were able to help move the wedding to South Carolina. Her photographer owns a wildflower garden and offered flowers for the wedding, and Erin’s bridesmaids created the bouquets. Their guests traveled out of state from Ohio, Wisconsin, and West Virginia, among other places, many bringing gasoline and donations to the hurricane victims. 

The much-anticipated yet impromptu wedding was held on Erin and Austin’s special day, October 4, 2024, at 4:30 pm, surrounded by their loved ones and friends under a beautiful Carolina sky at the amphitheater. Converse students watched from the nearby residence halls and took photos of the wedding party, which added a special touch to the day.

“I give all the credit to the people who said ‘yes,’ and we appreciate everything Converse did for us that day and how they answered our call for help.”

Erin O’Neil Taylor ’22

“In a stroke of good luck, we turned our reception into a cookout,” Erin said. “A friend of the family owns a BBQ restaurant that did not lose power, and they were able to help us prepare food for our guests.”

Erin and Austin hope to have a one-year celebration party at the Mountain Springs Cabins.

“I give all the credit to the people who said ‘yes,’ and we appreciate everything Converse did for us that day and how they answered our call for help.” stated Erin.” We will be forever grateful to the staff for allowing us to use spaces at both schools for our day. It was chaotic, special, beautiful, and everything we could have asked for to start our new chapter together.”