A mountain elopement


I met Madison and Mark through her mom, Kelly - one of our awesome HSS brides whom you may remember from her beautiful winter wedding at Hopkins Heartland. When Madison reached out about her own wedding to Mark, she had begun planning at a beautiful venue on a specific date, but it just wasn't meshing with her dreams of her wedding day. After their sweet pup needed emergency surgery, Madison and Mark realized they didn't want to wait on a wedding - so they did things their way.


Planning an elopement can be almost as stressful as planning a wedding but trust me, if you have your heart set on it, it can be just an beautiful and magical as big church wedding. We went deep into the Shenandoah Valley to a cute little AirBnB, where Madison and Mark were married by the river by the sweetest elderly man named Roy, with their two pups as witnesses. They truly surprised their loved ones, FaceTiming them after their vows to let everyone know that they officially got hitched (their families were fantastic and oh-so-happy for them).


We then adventured into Shenandoah National Park, where we visited a couple of overlooks, trying to get a glimpse of sunset after a mostly cloudy day - and then BAM!! The final moments of sunset were absolutely stunning, and you could just feel their love and contentment as they slow danced in the last rays of light. It was honestly low-key the most spectacular way I have ever ended a wedding day and it's going to be very difficult to top! Haha.


Saying all of that to say...if you want to elope, with careful planning, you will NOT regret it - but make sure you call us to capture it!! (la fin)

Joyful newlyweds celebrating on mountaintop with valley view behind.
Wedding rings displayed on white ceramic dish with vow books and rustic styling.
Intimate moment between newlyweds in forest setting with soft natural lighting.
A romantic wedding photo against a scenic mountain backdrop with dramatic cloudy skies.
Couple taking wedding photos at sunset on a mountain overlook with dramatic orange and pink clouds.
A wedding ceremony moment on a wooden deck overlooking a forested landscape.
An elegant wedding photo taken in a sunlit garden with towering trees in the background.
White pitbull dog peering through window pane with curious expression.
Newlywed couple shares tender moment at sunset with mountain vista behind them.
Wedding couple sharing a romantic moment against mountain vista with glowing sunset sky.
Wedding couple posing with their two dogs on grassy lawn.
Romantic wedding couple embraces against a dramatic orange sunset sky over mountain landscape.
A tender moment shared on an outdoor swing surrounded by green trees.
A dramatic dip kiss on a mountain overlook with cloudy skies and rolling hills in the background.
Bride in lace dress holding white bouquet poses in sunlit garden setting.