Filled with some of the most rugged beauty not far from many major cities, Pennsylvania offers rolling hills, large waterfalls, luscious prairies, and REALLY good food. Pennsylvania offers a variety of locations for couples to say "I do" and still be close to home or family.
Eloping in Pennsylvania:
A local's guide
Pennsylvania offers a vast diversity of locations to elope in, while not considered a mountain state by any stretch of the imagination; it does have its share of beautiful rolling hills, large rivers, and a variety of cultures. Eastern Pennsylvania also boasts of having the Appalachian trail run through it before it continues north.
Pennsylvania offers gorgeous autumn colors, cascading waterfalls, scenic views, and open countryside. Pennsylvania is not considered a large state but it is named the Keystone state due to its access to the North East & New England. Many people travel through this state to get to the North East and many people from places like New Jersey and New York City have cabins in the mountains to visit for tranquility.
Pennsylvania’s history is extensive between the early days in Philadelphia, Quakertown, Lancaster, and is currently the state that holds the Liberty Bell. Pennsylvania is the home of the Philly Cheesesteak, whoopie pie, Tastycakes, Shoo-fly pie, and many other iconic foods.
Alright enough about Pennsylvania. Let's get down to places to Elope in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania does not have any National Parks but it does have many State Parks, recreational areas, and forests. According to the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, PA has 121 state parks and over 2.2 million acres of forest lands.
So you want to elope?
- the golf course wedding
- traditions/trends that you don't value
- Curating a day to appease everyone
If you would rather spend your day surrounded by epic landscapes and doing something you love with the one you love...
Then eloping is definitely for you!
The Best time
Season
The first thing to consider when you plan an elopement in Pennsylvania is what you want your day to look like. Do you want a crisp fall day in the mountains surrounded by red maple leaves? After a day hiking, perhaps you want to spend that late summer evening fishing on the banks of the Susquehanna River before returning to your campsite. Or maybe your ideal wedding day is snowshoeing and returning to a cozy cabin for the evening. Maybe you envision your day hiking the Appalachian Trail surrounded by rhododendron.
Due to Pennsylvanias location, all four seasons are represented in this beautiful state.
Pennsylvania is not considered a part of New England but still sees vibrant fall colors during mid-late October. Pennsylvania is considered a mild state when it comes to weather due to its location on earth. Pennsylvania has various temperatures ranging during the seasons. Thankfully most of the locations are in the Poconos which do not get as hot or humid as the rest of the state. Ideal times to elope in Pennsylvania are May and June and then September through November. Late October in Pennsylvania is when the gorgeous autumn hues are most vibrant. In the Poconos this season happens 1-2 weeks prior. Think mid October for prime colors.
Legal
Let's start with this.
According to DCNR, Pennsylvania state parks do not require a permit like many western National Parks, however they do require pre-approval. This can be obtained and discussed simply by calling that specific state parks’ office.
If you are eloping in a state park you will need to reach out in advance to ensure you have the permission and permits needed for your elopement. Many of these locations are limited to state parks but it is still good to reach out before hand. Many times these permits are small fees of $25. The nice part is that these state parks receive a fraction of the permit requests that their bigger brother, the National Parks receive so the processing is usually quicker. Please don't stress about this, we here at Rendezvous will help you secure the permits you need to ensure your day goes smoothly.
Making the Marriage "Legal"
Option #1 Hire an officiant, local mayor, judge, or have a friend get ordained to legally officiate your wedding. Depending on who you have there may be a small fee associated.
Option #2 Have a self-uniting ceremony. Pennsylvania is one of the few states where you can have a self-uniting wedding license, this license only requires 2 witness' signatures (hello robert & gretchen). All you have to do is tell the clerk at your local courthouse that you'd like a self uniting marriage license and mail it back after your elopement
Locations
Bake Oven Knob
Germansville, PA
Bake Oven Knob is located North of Allentown and about 90 minutes from Philadelphia. It offers one of THE BEST sunrise spots in the area. It is on the Appalachian trail and is considered difficult with a 1,500 ft elevation gain. However, there is a parking lot at the top which allows you to access these gorgeous views with a simple 0.25 mile hike (aking sunrise super accessible)
Fun fact: Vincent asked Gretchen to be his girlfriend while we watched the sun come up and drank some coffee. This picture however, was from this past Easter.
Bushkill Falls
Lehman Township, PA
Bushkill Falls consists of a trail of 8 waterfalls in the Poconos. It is known as the “Niagara of Pennsylvania” and has multiple hiking trails and overlooks to view the falls. Bushkill falls boasts of a 100 ft waterfall cascading down into a shale bed below. Hemlock and pine trees surround the area creating a natural soothing aroma. Bushkill falls has several trails for access to the waterfalls for various ranges of physical ability.
Ricketts Glen State Park
Benton, PA
Ricketts Glen State Park is one of THE MOST scenic locations in Pennsylvania. It is about 30 minutes from Wilkes-Barre and consists of over 13,000 acres. There are 22 named waterfalls, many hikes to overlook, a gorgeous lake for kayaking, and many spots in the state park for camping and in the surrounding areas. For the winter lovers there are vast snowmobile trails, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing trails available.
Laurel Ridge
Rockwood, PA
Laurel Ridge State Park stretches along the Laurel Mountain range and spans across Cambria, Fayette, Somerset, and Westmoreland counties. The main attraction to this park is the Laurel Highlands trail which stretches across 70 miles with overlooks, rhododendron (June & July), and mountain laurels (June).
Hickory Run State Park
White Haven, PA
Hickory Run State park expands over 15,000 acres in Carbon County. This state park is easily accessible via the north eastern extension of the turnpike. Hickory Run is located in the western foothills of the pocono mountains. Within this state park there are over 40 miles of hiking trails, the iconic Hawk Falls, and a striking boulder field that is a national natural landmark. Within Hickory Run there is a historic chapel that can hold up to 50 people so if you want to get married in a church but still elope, Hickory Run has your back!
Delaware Water Gap
Bushkill, PA
The Delaware Water Gap borders Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This iconic location is gorgeous in spring and fall. There are many gorgeous hikes with overlooks of the river and neighboring mountains. You can hike to an overlook, kayak down the river to have a picnic, or visit the local small towns along the river.
Honorable Mentions
Sunset Rocks
Rocks State Park (MD)
Glen Onoko Falls
The Pinnacle
Hawk Mountain
Okay so those are the Eastern locations for more adventure based elopements. If you’re looking for more of a venue, family friendly & accessible location. We’ve got you covered.
Promise Ridge
Stroudsburg, PA
Promise Ridge is a micro-wedding/elopement venue in north eastern PA. This venue is owned and maintained by celebrant, Alisa Tongg. This venue overlooks mountains, has parking, a bridal getting ready suit, and comes with chairs and clean up.
Harmony Gardens
Saylorsburg, PA
Harmony Gardens is a quaint venue tucked away in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania. Harmony Gardens can accommodate 2-35 people for your elopement & micro wedding needs. Ceremonies are officiated by celebrant Lois Heckman. Accommodations include 2 accessible restrooms and a lounge, electricity, convenient parking, a pavilion next to the ceremony circle and a stunning organic flower garden.
Elopement & Micro Wedding Venues in Eastern Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is a gorgeous state and is the perfect place for the couples to say “I do.” With miles of remote wilderness and rolling hills, it will be easy to find stunning views without spectators. If you have not considered Pennsylvania as an elopement destination, let this be a sign to put this overlooked state on your list of options!
photo & video
What we do.
Ok, let's be real. Your photographer/videographer spends most of your elopement day with you, so you want to make sure you hire one who you like! Not only will they be with you all day, but for adventure elopements, they will also be your guides. Finding someone who is knowledgeable in the outdoors is so important for adventure elopements.
As a photo & video team, we will help you plan your ideal day, and help bring your dream to life. We will guide you on a beautiful, fun adventure for your big day. We will capture the big iconic moments and the little in-between moments.
With Gretchen's wedding photography experience and Robert's landscape/adventure experience, you will be getting the ultimate coverage on your wedding day. You will be getting a gallery of images and a cinematic documentary of your day from two artists who are trained to capture two very different things. The combination of the two is perfect for an adventure elopement.
Planning, guiding, and documenting is our specialty, so let's work together!
LEt's bring your dream to life
Okay, this all sounds great but what makes Rendezvous Elopements different from any other elopement photographer? We have a combined 10 years of experience in the photography industry, for Robert he has been working at mastering landscapes, adventure, and brand photography. Gretchen has been a wedding photographer for the past 5 years. In 2021 we decided to join forces coupled with our love for the outdoors, Rendezvous was born. We specialize in adventurous elopements and we offer photography & videography packages to our couples. We believe eloping is such a unique way to get married but it also means that there are less people. By offering photo & video we hope to bridge the gap by allowing your loved ones to feel like they were there by seeing the cinematic film and looking through the photos from your wedding day.
Inspo
here are some fun ideas to inspire you to dream up an adventure of a lifetime
-Sunset hike in the Poconos
-Backpacking trip on the Appalachian
-Floating on the Delaware
-Rock climbing
-Fly fishing on the river
-Day hiking in Ricketts Glen and spending the evening in Wilkes-Barr
-Picnic at Lake Jean
-A day at Lake Wallenpaupack
-Snowmobiling and a day at a cozy Airbnb
describe your ideal adventure & why you are eloping*
any questions you have for us?
tell us about yourself*
phone number*
IG handle
Where are you currently living?
Where do you want to get married?
does not have to be specific, country, state, type of scenery, etc.
number of guests attending*
How did you hear about us*
When do you want to get married? Is this flexible? please include the year
Email Address*
Name of your Adventure Buddy
Your Full Name
Name*
(if you have them)
How did you meet? What is your favorite thing to do? What is your favorite movie? What is your favorite music artist or your go to "dance in the kitchen" song? Add all the fun info you want! we can not wait to get to know you!
