“We love national park adventures and wanted a quiet, lovely spot in the Shenandoah to exchange our vows.”

Those were Matt and Alex’s goals leading up to their elopement in the Shenandoah National Park. Having documented dozens of weddings and elopements on the mountaintop, I knew exactly where to take them!

The day started off not on the mountain, but where they were staying at The Inn at Mount Vernon Farm. It is a stunning bed and breakfast just outside of Sperryville, Virginia, where ten of Matt and Alex’s family joined them for the weekend. One side from the inn shows the rolling hills of the valley while the opposite beautifully displays a direct view of Old Rag Mountain. It’s the perfect setting for a weekend getaway.

After a few family portraits at the Inn, we drove in the Shenandoah to a secluded yet easily accessible location just off of Skyline Drive. It was there that Matt and Alex held their short wedding ceremony, committing their lives together with their family at their side. I personally loved capturing the joy on the faces of the family, their warm embraces and small touches, and the excitement at doing all of this on top of a mountain!

After the ceremony family went back to the Inn while Matt, Alex, and I laced up our boots for a hike to Mary’s Rock! This was a 3.5-mile round-trip hike with an absolutely stunning 360-degree view of the valley. We were treated to wind, which is to be expected at the top, and the most beautiful soft evening light. I packed flashlights for our hike down, which began just after dark, followed by a short drive back to the Inn.

We finished the night off with a few night portraits under the stars. It’s not often in Northern Virginia that I can achieve shots like this with so much light pollution, so it was fulfilling for me to be able to give them such a unique set of portraits.

In all this was the perfect elopement experience and I’m blessed to have been able to document their love and legacy.

Are you planning an elopement? Reach out here to start your adventure!