adventure wedding

Creating Your 2 Hour Hiking Elopement Timeline

Creating Your 2 Hour Hiking Elopement Timeline

As an Elopement Photographer based in Shenandoah National Park, one of my specialties is creating 2 Hour Hiking Elopement Timelines. Not only do I enjoy helping couples make them, but I have also become a bit of a self-proclaimed pro!

March Sunrise Hiking Elopement Ceremony with Friends and Family in Shenandoah National Park

A beautiful short and sweet sunrise elopement in Shenandoah National Park on Stony Man Summit in March, with friends and family along for the hike and ceremony!


Bethany and Devon | November Sunset Elopement on Stony Man Summit | Shenandoah National Park

One of our Short & Sweet elopement days -
in two hours we met up, hiked to an incredible view, Bethany changed into her beautiful white boots, and held onto her beautiful bouquet by Flourish Root. They held a ceremony where they exchanged their own vows, had a handfasting ceremony, and received the eucharist.

Afterwards, they shared champagne, bourbon, and apple cider donuts (from The Apple House!) while reading letters from their family and watching the sunset before hiking back down to our cars.


Bethany and Devon traveled all the way from Oklahoma with their best friend, and pastor, Jonathan, so he could officiate their ceremony.

Because they traveled in to Virginia, they wanted to include specialties from the area. In the days leading up to their elopement they visited local distilleries and breweries, and for a picnic after their ceremony they had local Apple Cider Donuts.

From Bethany :

“Each moment was ours from the promises we each made to the handfasting to the letters from family to the apple cider donuts and bourbon/wine in celebration. I could probably write pages about this experience but instead I will just say this was my most favorite day to date!”

From Jonathan, their officiant :

“One of the most stunning, spectacular, moving weddings I’ve ever officiated. Obviously the setting—we hiked another 40 minutes after already driving into nowhere. There’s surely something to be said for a wedding that is only about the thing. Bride, groom, photographer, officiant. 1,000 colors at sunset, but only the primary colors of love, otherwise.

Bride & groom read their vows only to one another. Bride & groom cried. Officiant also cried. Shared some words that were just for them, the cows, & the Holy Ghost, if cows or Holy Ghost were paying attention—I couldn’t blame any of them for just enjoying the view; sermons are weightless up here.


Serving the Eucharist to them on top of the mountain is an experience I will never forget.”

Beautiful flowers by Flourish Root

Donuts from The Apple House