An all-inclusive sunset elopement at Dolly Sods in West Virginia

This couple reached out to us last year about our all-inclusive elopement packages on the East Coast. We gladly arranged for a fall elopement date at our favorite location in West Virginia, Dolly Sods. We helped Mariah and Ben plan and execute their autumn microwedding at Dolly Sods in WV, where the sun was shining and the air felt cool and warm at the same time. This intimate, yet slightly scrambled (see below) elopement was a magical evening in Appalachia, where Mother Nature shared her venue with us to turn M + B’s elopement dreams into a reality.

Take a look at this Dolly Sods elopement to see what 20+ family members looks like at a mountain-side ceremony in West Virginia. Inviting family members to your elopement is no easy task. There’s logistics to handle, opinions on things to do, punctuality, etc. etc. However when your absolutely certain that you want to elope and do not want a traditional wedding, but having your family present is important to you, then a micro-wedding at a scenic wilderness area is the way to go.

Mariah + Ben and their whole crew stayed at the nearby lodging, Canaan Valley Resort, and met us at the trailhead at Dolly Sods. We know a kind-of secret spot to hold ceremonies where the likelihood of passerby are slim, plus M+B wanted accessibility for their guests and this trail is flat and accessible by most abilities. After their custom ceremony from our in-house elopement officiant, we snapped a range of family photos before Mariah and Ben said their goodbyes to their guests.

Hand-in-hand, and officially wed, the couple hiked up to our magical little reception area, adorned with ferns, string lights, and our personal touches to make their elopement reception unique and memorable. They munched on an impressive charcuterie board, drank some beers, and finished off with some home-made pumpkin pie. After a quick first dance in the forest, we raced for the sunset at the top of the mountain, Bear Rocks Preserve, where we were graced with 6 minutes of a sunset but the sweetest blue hour of the Allegheny Mountains.