Felicia and Hunter reached out mid-February for their early March elopement in Hocking Hills. Since time was of the essence, we jumped on a call right away to talk about what they were looking for in their day, and how I could help them get started. From there we got to planning, and less than three weeks later they had an elopement with just their closest family and friends in Ash Cave. Here’s the step-by-step process of what we did to start planning their Ash Cave elopement.

Planning an elopement can feel like a lot. That’s exactly why I help couples with both Hocking Hills elopement photography and thoughtful planning support.

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Getting Clear on the Elopement Vision

As soon as they were booked, I sent over a comprehensive elopement planning questionnaire to Felicia and Hunter so they could get clear on their elopement vision. I’ve eloped myself and I help couples plan their elopements, so this questionnaire was specifically crafted to help Felicia and Hunter think intentionally about what was important for them to include and how they wanted to feel on their elopement day. 

Tailored Planning Resources 

Felicia and Hunter had never visited Hocking Hills before, so it was important that they had as much support as possible with planning their elopement. Here are some of the personalized resources I provided so they could start hammering out the details with confidence:

• A personalized location guide with an eye to where they could have a small ceremony with guests and which ceremony locations were most accessible. 
• Instructions on how to get their marriage license in Ohio.
• A walk through of how to call the park’s office to reserve their ceremony time and location.
• A guide to the best vendors in the area for catering, officiant services, and more.
• Potential stays for Felicia, Hunter, and their guests. 

These resources helped them focus on the essentials and not waste any time or energy researching and stressing. 

Get personalized help planning your elopement.

Planning the Day’s Itinerary

Something else I help all of my clients with is planning the itinerary for their elopement. Once Felicia and Hunter had reviewed their location guide and sample timelines, we hopped on a call and went over what they truly wanted from their elopement. We then crafted a plan and reviewed how everything would work the day of.

Staying Flexible With the Weather

Early spring in Hocking Hills can bring changeable weather, so it was important for all of us to stay super flexible! We were all monitoring the weather report leading up to Felicia and Hunter’s elopement and it was calling for rain almost the entire week. After seeing that the rain would mostly be in the afternoon on their date, we agreed to move the ceremony to the morning instead of the afternoon. And the timing could not have been more perfect – it started raining just five minutes after we wrapped up their photo coverage and they spent the rest of the afternoon and evening celebrating with their family and friends! They also happened to have a 70 degree elopement day in early March, so there were definitely some perks to the crazy weather!

Scouting the Location Together the Day Before

Since Felicia and Hunter had never been to Ash Cave before and their family and friends would be going ahead of them to set up chairs and decor for their ceremony, it was important for us to scope out the location together ahead of time so I could show them the ideal set up. We went through the best case scenarios for rain vs. no rain, and they were able to see in advance how accessible the site was for their guests and make sure everyone could attend without issues. It was also a great chance to meet each other and talk through any last minute items for their elopement day.

Intentional planning help is part of all of my photography packages. Learn more about how I can help you plan and photography your elopement.

Hocking Hills Elopement Day

After a whirlwind couple of weeks, it was time for Felicia and Hunter’s elopement day! I met them at their rental cabin and documented the getting ready process with their family and friends. Then we headed to Ash Cave and Hunter saw Felicia the first time as she was walking down the “aisle.” They said their vows in front of the Ash Cave waterfall, exchanged rings, and had a handfasting ceremony. After, we did group photos and their family and friends headed back to the cabin to relax. That left Felicia and Hunter to explore more of Ash Cave, then head to two more locations nearby to explore and hike together. They ended their day celebrating with their family and friends with a catered dinner.

Elopement Photographer & Planner

I loved helping Felicia and Hunter plan and photograph their whirlwind elopement in Hocking Hills. It all came together so beautifully and they were able to get exactly what they wanted from their elopement: intentional time together celebrating with each other and their closest family and friends. If you need help planning and photographing your own elopement, I’ve got your back. You can learn more about my services in Hocking Hills here.