Last weekend my cousin got married in Brevard, North Carolina — which translated to a fun little road trip for us.
It wasn’t as epic as our road trip to Texas for another cousin’s wedding a couple years back, but it was a great break from routine. Brevard sits in southwestern North Carolina, not far from Asheville and right near the South Carolina border (the rehearsal dinner was actually across the line). We drove about seven hours from Richmond and broke the trip up with a stop in Charlotte to visit friends.
Aside from the wedding — which was the main event and full of sweet moments — Brevard surprised us with a handful of small-town delights. One of the highlights was the Antique Mall downtown. It was refreshingly clean and well organized, and next door there was an architectural salvage shop worth poking through.
We loved spotting little treasures, like a neat array of wooden printing press letters. At two dollars apiece they were tempting, and I still can’t believe we didn’t bring home a full alphabet. Nearby, a rack of old skeleton keys — three dollars each — nearly made it into our trunk. Sherry joked about stringing a whole bunch of them into a chandelier, which honestly would look amazing above our dining table.
There were plenty of original artworks that caught our eye. A small watercolor of a covered bridge was charming, but with a $49 price tag it was more than we planned to spend that day (we left it behind but have since thought about it). Another more striking piece — a painting of a ram-like creature — was well beyond our vacation budget, but it stuck with us. Some pieces made us grin; others felt like they’d fit right into a Jonathan Adler collection.
The Antiques scene leaned whimsical at times: a naked KISS action figure priced at forty dollars, or a light-up stained-glass Bird-That-Shouldn’t-Be (we liked to call it Beyoncé for laughs). All of it added to the charm of wandering through well-curated, occasionally eccentric shops.
I’m fond of the texture and look of old potato sacks, and one in the shop had potential as upholstery or a cushion cover if only the label were clearer. Sherry suggested it could make a fun pillow or ottoman cover; these days, repurposed fabrics have a lot of possibilities.
Across the street from the Antique Mall we found a thrift shop run by the local Humane Society — fitting, since Brevard is in Transylvania County. Clara was immediately drawn to the kittens, and I spent more time cooing at them than browsing. Meanwhile Sherry explored the back of the store and found a couple of chihuahua-themed items that made her laugh. Our own dog, Burger, was back at the pet-friendly rental cottage with the family, so he missed out on the fun.
The one place where we actually made a purchase was the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. We picked up an ornate framed paper cut for five dollars. It wasn’t obvious where it would go, but once we returned home it fit perfectly in our hallway gallery in place of an old generic print of apples.
We trimmed the paper cut slightly so it fit the frame top-to-bottom, and it brought a welcome pop of color and pattern to that corner of the wall. The find also left us with an extra frame we’ll likely repaint and hang somewhere else — a practical bonus from a weekend trip.
Overall, we felt pleased to come home with at least one tangible reminder of the weekend. Even though we only had a brief taste of Brevard — and barely drove through Asheville — the town’s antiques, thrift shops, and friendly vibe made it worth a return visit. Maybe we’ll get another excuse to go back when another cousin ties the knot.
Have you taken any recent road trips or attended any memorable fall weddings? If you have recommendations for Asheville or the surrounding area, we’d love to hear them.
Psst — check out some of the wedding details and a few family photos over on our family blog.