August Sunrise Adventure Wedding in Shenandoah National Park | Blue Ridge Mountain Elopement

Olivia & David. They traveled in from Pennsylvania and Maryland, their families traveled in from China. They got a cabin together, we met at 5:20am, and we all went up into the mountains to spend a quiet morning watching the sunrise. We explored and drove along Skyline Drive before going back down into the valley - where we met with their officiant by the lake and found a quiet spot for their ceremony. They had a hand-fasting ceremony, exchanged rings, whispered their vows to each other, and then hugged their new parents. It epitomized peaceful and good.

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Mairi and Jude | Rainy Backyard Wedding in Chicago

“You two are just… so weird.” Said their priest during the Mass.

Their wedding day felt like a wedding day. It was all the right emotions - excitement, wonder, nerves, and pure happiness.

But boy, was it different.

Bridesmaids making their own bouquets, a (wild) party trolley, Irish dancing, tacos, a seemingly endless bar, pizzas made to order, the funniest faces I’ve ever seen, feet drenched in mud, fireworks.

Mhm.

If you’re looking for a stunning wedding day full to the brim of gorgeous details - but also looking for weird, wild, and quirky? Mairi and Jude got you covered.

Her wedding dress was part of her mother’s. She made the invitations herself. They had about 400 guests in their back yard. It stormed and poured all day. Their bridal portraits were taken after dark, with no rhyme or reason (just muddy feet).

It was the most fun, and absolutely perfect wedding day. All right here.

April Sunrise Intimate Wedding in Shenandoah National Park | Blue Ridge Mountains Adventure Elopement

Paula and Andrew reached out to me a few months ago saying they wanted to get married on Shenandoah National Park! Their families would be traveling in from Spain and Florida, and so they found a large cabin for everyone to stay in over the weekend. They were planning from a bit of a distance, so I sent them a bunch of location ideas along Skyline Drive and helped them plan out the day a bit.

We met up very, very early - and it was incredibly cold. But I have a big basket of blankets for such times, so everyone got to bundle up a bit. After their beautiful ceremony, we went driving along the Blue Ridge and made some stops for photos. Then we went back to their cabin where coffee, cake, and champagne was waiting and they played a game of pool.

So after 7 years of a long-distance relationship between Florida and Spain, they got married in the Virginia mountains. It was a beautiful, peaceful morning with such fun, incredible, and welcoming people.

I absolutely love, love, love helping couples plan their adventurous weddings in Shenandoah National Park! It’s such an incredible experience that turns into a week or weekend getaway that includes more than just the simple wedding-day festivities.

Let me know if you’d like help planning yours (:

Hi! I’m Gabrielle and I am an adventurous wedding, elopement, couple, family, and portrait photographer. If you’re interested in visiting the Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge Mountains, or Shenandoah National Park, I’d love to help you plan your visit as well as a photo shoot of your time here.

I have helped couples plan their elopements and small weddings in Shenandoah National Park - with suggestions of places to go, things to do, and awesome spots for food and drink to make your wedding day into a wedding getaway in the awesome local small towns.

Interested in a shoot and a few days away in the Virginia mountains? Reach out! I’d love to chat.