In 1956, Merdie and Pap, Linda’s parents, Michele’s grandparents, moved with their seven children from a farm in Tennessee to the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. They loved the farm, but it didn’t belong to them, and they longed for a piece of land to call their own where their kids could grow up wild and free. A few years after they moved, they bought a little house on 10 acres of land in Fairview, NC. The original house on the property was a 100 year old log cabin on Old Fort Road, a long, winding dirt road way out in the countryside. And so, in the Spring of 1961, the Stills family turned that log cabin into a family home. They lived there for the rest of their lives and grew a family business that has been a part of Fairview for 54 years.
Paul (Pap) and Novella (Merdie) loved each other as fiercely as any two people ever have. They were each other's love and each other's heart. Married for 59 years, there were no false starts, no breakups, and no separations. Neither one had an ounce of "quit" in them until they lost each other. When Paul died in 2006, Novella followed just a few months later. On Christmas Eve 2007, Aunt Linda moved into the Stills family home with Russell Thomas, her beloved partner of 26 years, and their daughter, Stephanie.
This year, on All Hallow's Eve, at dusk, when the lines between this world and the next are the most likely to dissolve, we have chosen to exchange our vows in the presence of our most beloved friends and family; those who are able to be there with us, as well as those who are not. We hope the spirits of Merdie and Pap, Michele's parents Judy and Gerry, and Dana's father Gil will join us and let their love bless ours. They each loved their partners as fiercely as anyone ever has.
We are so excited, and so very honored that Linda has opened her home to us for this celebration. And we are humbled by the thought of being married at a home where such a great love story began. We never imagined we would see this day, and we couldn’t think of a more perfect place to share this incredible moment with you.
topSeveral major airlines fly to Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), including Delta, US Airways, Continental, and American Airlines. Asheville Regional is 15 minutes from downtown Asheville.
There are two international airports within reasonable driving distance: Greenville Spartenburg International Airport (GSP) is about 1 hour and Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is about 2 hours. Because they are larger, flights to these two airports are usually less expensive.
The closest Amtrak train stations to Asheville are Greenville, SC or Spartanburg, SC. From the Northeast, the Crescent route takes 12-13 hours and tickets are less than $200 r/t. From points West and Southwest, you'll have to take a bus, two trains and a mule.
topDowntown Asheville, about 15 minutes from Aunt Linda's home in Fairview, "boasts a thriving arts community, diverse outdoor adventures, a vibrant and inviting downtown, numerous historic and architectural attractions, and unique shopping options."
Stay A'While: If you would like to extend your stay (on either side), there is much to do in Asheville and surrounding areas. The Biltmore Estate, Asheville Botanical Gardens, Basilica of Saint Lawrence and the Blue Ridge Parkway are only a few of the things to do there.
We are having a luncheon reception at Linda's at 2:30pm before the ceremony.
If you can arrive on Friday, October 30, we would love to have dinner with you in the evening.
If you can stay through Sunday, November 1st, we would love to have brunch or do other things with you.
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