unpopular opinion
You don't have to spend your entire life's savings to get married. You don't have to feed 300 people. You don't have to spend 12 hours of your day following a strict timeline.
You absolutely can rent an Airbnb, marry in the woods with a $60 permit, take some images that will make your jaw drop, & actually spend time together.
It's possible & totally worth it.
And honestly? I think more couples should do it.
There is something really beautiful about stripping a wedding day back to the two people it was actually meant for.
No rushing from one room to another.
No worrying about whether everyone has eaten.
No spending the morning separated because there are 14 people in your bridal party who need hair and makeup.
No sitting at your own reception wondering when you are finally going to get five minutes alone with your new husband or wife.
Just you.
Them.
And a really beautiful place to say, “Okay. Let's do this.”
And if you're considering Hocking Hills for your elopement, I genuinely think you picked the right place.
Hocking Hills makes this kind of wedding easy.
There are miles of trails, caves, cliffs, waterfalls, cabins tucked into the trees, little restaurants, wineries, and enough beautiful scenery that you could spend an entire weekend here and still feel like you barely scratched the surface.
The official Hocking Hills Parks & Trails guide is a great place to start when you're trying to figure out which area feels most like you.
And please don't feel like you have to choose the most popular trail just because you've seen it on Pinterest.
Old Man's Cave is gorgeous.
Ash Cave is gorgeous.
Cedar Falls is gorgeous.
But there are so many different corners of Hocking Hills that your day can feel completely different from everyone else's.
That's one of my favorite things about photographing here.
You can make the entire day feel like a date.
This is the part I wish more couples realized.
Your wedding day doesn't have to feel like an event you're hosting.
It can just feel like a really, really good day together.
Wake up in your cabin.
Make coffee.
Get ready slowly.
Put on the dress you've been dreaming about.
Help each other with the little things.
Drive through the hills with the windows down.
Stop somewhere for breakfast.
Go hiking.
Get married.
Take pictures.
Open a bottle of champagne.
Go get dinner.
Come back to your cabin.
Take your shoes off.
And just be married.
There doesn't have to be a grand finale.
There doesn't have to be a room full of people clapping.
There doesn't have to be a DJ announcing your first dance.
The day can end with the two of you sitting on the porch of your cabin, looking at each other and realizing that you're officially someone's husband or someone's wife.
And honestly?
That sounds pretty perfect to me.
Okay, but what about the actual logistics?
This is where Hocking Hills is really nice for an intimate wedding because there are options.
You can have a ceremony at a private property or wedding venue, or you can look into getting married at one of the Hocking Hills State Park locations.
If you're planning to have your ceremony in the state park, you'll need a Special Activity Permit, so don't just show up at a trailhead with your photographer and officiant and assume you're good to go. The official Hocking Hills wedding information specifically notes that a Special Activity Permit Application is required for weddings at Hocking Hills State Park locations.
Click here for Hocking Hills ceremony locations + wedding information.
And if you're looking for a place to stay, I would absolutely make the cabin part of the experience.
Don't just book the cheapest place you can find because you technically only need somewhere to sleep.
You're getting married here.
Make the cabin part of your wedding weekend.
Find the big porch.
Find the hot tub.
Find the fireplace.
Find the ridiculous view.
Find the place where you can drink coffee the next morning and think, “We really just got married.”
The official Hocking Hills tourism website is also a great resource for finding lodging, activities, trails, and local businesses throughout the area.
And yes — you still have to do the boring paperwork.
Unfortunately, the woods do not count as a courthouse.
If you're getting married in Hocking County, you'll want to make sure you understand Ohio's marriage-license requirements before your wedding day.
The Hocking Hills marriage license & officiant information page is a great resource to bookmark.
As of now, the Hocking County Probate Court information listed by Hocking Hills Tourism says the license fee is $60, there is no waiting period, and the license is valid for 60 days. Requirements can change, so always double-check the current information before your trip.
Your guest list can be tiny.
And I mean tiny.
Maybe it's just you two.
Maybe it's your parents.
Maybe it's your siblings and your closest friends.
Maybe you bring ten people who have actually been part of your life instead of inviting 150 people because you feel like you're supposed to.
There is no magic number that makes a wedding legitimate.
I've photographed weddings where the room was full and weddings where it was nearly empty.
And some of the most emotional moments I've witnessed have happened when there were only a handful of people there.
Because when you aren't trying to make the day impressive for everyone else, you have so much more room to make it meaningful for yourselves.
And this is where your photographer matters.
If you're going to spend your wedding day hiking through Hocking Hills, getting married under a rock overhang, running through the trees, sitting on a cabin porch, or wandering around with the person you just married...
I don't want to pose you for eight hours.
I want to document it.
I want the nervous little looks before you say your vows.
The way you hold hands when you're walking down the trail.
The moment you realize you're actually doing this.
The laugh you can't stop during your vows.
The way your dress gets dirty.
The way your husband looks at you when he thinks you're not paying attention.
The muddy shoes.
The wind.
The quiet.
The completely unplanned moments.
Those are the things I want you to remember.
Because twenty years from now, I don't think you're going to care whether your centerpieces were perfect.
You're going to care that you can still remember exactly how it felt to stand beside that person and become a family.
So here's my unpopular opinion:
Maybe your wedding doesn't need to be bigger.
Maybe it needs to be more you.
Maybe you don't need 200 people.
Maybe you need ten.
Maybe you don't need a ballroom.
Maybe you need a trail.
Maybe you don't need a six-tier cake.
Maybe you need cake from the little bakery you love.
Maybe you don't need a DJ.
Maybe you need a speaker, your favorite playlist, and your new spouse dancing with you on the porch.
Maybe you don't need a wedding day that looks impressive on Instagram.
Maybe you need a wedding day that you'll actually remember.
And if that sounds like you...
Come to Hocking Hills.
Get the cabin.
Put on the dress.
Grab the flowers.
Bring the people who matter.
Get the permit.
Say your vows.
Go get dinner.
Take the long way home.
And let your wedding day be exactly what you wanted it to be.
Because you don't need a big wedding to have a big love.
And I'd be pretty honored to document the little one.
