West Virginia Wedding Venue for an Endearing Elopement

Weddings

May 29

I’ve been all over the world to photograph weddings. The West Virginia mountains still move me. When I photographed a winter elopement there, I was so excited at the opportunity to create editorial images that portray the beauty of the landscape as well as my clients’ love. In this blog post, I share some tips on eloping along with ideas for your West Virginia wedding venue.

A bride and groom smile at each other behind a veil outside a West Virginia wedding venue.

Eloping in West Virginia

If you want to elope in West Virginia, you don’t need a lot to create a truly unforgettable experience.

A bride applies blush before her West Virginia elopement.

A bride and groom stand in front of an officiant on a mountainside overlook.

A bride clasps her hands in front of her during her West Virginia elopement ceremony.

Your West Virginia Marriage License

One perk of a West Virginia elopement is that there’s no waiting period for marriage licenses. You just head to the County Clerk’s office with your I.D. and the $57 fee. After you fill out the paperwork, the staff will hand you your license on the spot.

A bride and groom hold hands while they exchange their wedding vows at a West Virginia wedding venue.

An officiant speaks to a bride and groom at their mountainside elopement in West Virginia.

A bride's veil blows behind her during her West Virginia elopement ceremony on a mountainside..

Other Elopement Necessities

Other than your marriage license, you just need to arrange:

Your stunning outfits
An officiant
Photography

A bride and groom kiss against a gray sky at a winter wedding in West Virginia.

A bride and groom kiss with the West Virginia landscape behind them in an editorial wedding photo.

A bride places her hand on a groom's chest in a black and white wedding photo.

Note that you don’t need witnesses in West Virginia. Another reason it’s a great spot for a swept-away experience!

A bride and groom pose for an editorial wedding photographer on a snowy mountain.

A bride and groom stand in the snow outside a West Virginia wedding venue.

A bride and groom lean against each other in an editorial wedding photo in West Virginia.

If you’re looking for a photographer, I’d love to chat. I specialize in fashion-forward, emotional wedding photos. Learn more about my destination wedding photography services.

A bride and groom hold hands in winter wedding attire.

A bride and groom talk on a mountainside during their West Virginia elopement.

A bride sits in a groom's lap in a field during their West Virginia elopement.

An Endearing West Virginia Wedding Venue

As for choosing your West Virginia wedding venue, you could go a very traditional route. But the whole point of an elopement is to do what feels wildly romantic to you. My clients chose to have their winter elopement ceremony at an outlook on a mountainside.

A bride and groom sit in a field with their arms around each other outside their West Virginia wedding venue.

A bride and groom lean their foreheads together while a destination wedding photographer photographs them in West Virginia.

A groom leads a bride along a mountain path during their winter elopement in West Virginia.

Having their elopement outdoors meant we had lots of opportunities for gorgeous portraits with the woods in the background. It felt like we were in the middle of nowhere with the mountains rolling around us.

A bride and groom pose in a snowy West Virginia forest for a destination wedding photographer.

A bride and groom clink champagne glasses and kiss after their West Virginia elopement.

Would you like me to photograph your wedding? I’m a destination wedding photographer based in North Carolina. I’ll document your wedding day with effortless editorial photos. Inquire with me!