Adventure

Intimate Camping Wedding with Guests | October Shenandoah National Park Elopement

Ashley and Jeremy included more than just a few wedding guests - they filled up quite a few camping spots with all 20 of their guests for the weekend!

At Matthews Arm Campground in Shenandoah National Park, they have sections of campgrounds you can book for the night — whether you need a spot for 1 tent or a few larger campgrounds for more!

They sent out an email letting everyone know what their plan was, with locations and a small timeline. They also asked their guests if they had a pass to enter Shenandoah National Park, and if they didn’t have a pass, Ashley and Jeremy gifted them an annual pass for the year instead of a typical wedding favor. Also in the email they sent out was a Spotify playlist for the weekend - it had some of their favorite camping / campfire songs and was open to anyone who wanted to add their own adventure music to it as well.

We met them at their campsite as they pulled together their finishing touches, got ready in their tents, and had a first look. Everyone got their tents up, got dressed up all fancy, and we caravanned to their ceremony.

After their ceremony, their guests returned to camp where there were cupcakes, a framed map of Skyline Drive for guests to sign, music playing, a fire going, and a buffet of food.

Ashley and Jeremy stayed back with me for just a little bit of time so we could get some couple portraits with the wild flowers and sun, before heading back to join their guests.

This Elopement Included :

  • An email inviting all their guests to their wedding weekend camping in the mountains, with a pretty digital timeline.

  • A Spotify playlist of camping / mountain music that all their guests could add to!

  • “Wedding favors” that were an Annual Park Pass to each guest who needed one for entering the Park.

  • A great big campsite big enough for all their guests to pitch their tents.

  • The bride and groom (and guests!) getting ready in tents, and having their first look at the campsite.

  • Beautiful wild-flower florals for centerpieces, a bouquet, and boutonnières.

  • A caravan to and from the campsite to a pretty overlook that accommodated all their guests.

  • Ashley’s father walking her down the “aisle” for their ceremony with friends and family (two-legged and four-legged).

  • Family group photos and then couple portraits after their ceremony.

  • A sparkly jacket and champagne popping during portraits.

  • A casual meal with everyone by the campfire with a small buffet, cake, and cupcakes with little mountains.

  • An awesome framed map for guests to sign in lieu of a guest book.

  • Lots of hammocks for everyone to hang out in - including Ashley and Jeremy.

Scroll to the bottom to see Black Coral’s video from this elopement!


September Sunrise Hiking Elopement | Blue Ridge Mountain Adventure Wedding | Virginia Waterfall Elopement

September Sunrise Elopement on Stony Man Summit with a Ceremony and Picnic

couple kissing at shenandoah national park

Nothing is more beautiful than the stillness you get first thing in the morning. The warm summer air as you see the sun peak beyond the horizon. Those were the moments just before Brittany and Cameron said “I do” during their summer sunrise elopement at Stony Man Summit.

Brittany and Cameron stayed in Skyland Lodge the night before, which is only about a minute away from our hike. We met up while it was still dark with Dave (one of my favorite hiking officiants!) and their videographer Abby (watch her video below or here) before our hike together and had lanterns to get us up in the dark. When we arrived to the top, the light was just starting to show off the gorgeous view and we found a nicely secluded spot for their ceremony. Dave led the ceremony, but Britt and Cameron wrote their own vows. After an emotional ceremony, Dave helped with the paper work and then made his hike back down while we found a spot for cake and champagne.

bridal portraits summer sunrise elopement