2025 Blackwater Falls
Elopement + Intimate Wedding Guide
There are so many things to think about when having an elopement or intimate/micro wedding in the Blackwater Falls area in West Virginia. If you have already thought about possibly choosing Blackwater Falls as an elopement location, this guide will help you figure some things out (hopefully). We love the area and all that it has to offer. There are so many beautiful overlooks and waterfalls in the area.
WHAT
is an elopement or intimate wedding?
This isn’t the good ol’ days. It’s whatever you want it to be.
Seriously. DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.
Don’t listen to others when they say you have to “run away” to elope or you just have to have a certain amount of people there for your day. You can create a day you will always remember and don’t have to worry about planning it super far in advance. You can hike a mountain, go kayaking, take a jeep tour, go camping with your closest friends/family or just the two of you, or travel to an epic place.
We classify intimate weddings as under 40 guests and micro weddings as under 20 guests. We can still do some hiking as long as your guests are ok to do it and the location allows it. We can also do easier hikes/locations if some of your guests aren’t able to hike more extensive hikes. We also have had couples hike with their family that can hike and then celebrate after with everyone together.
Some of our couples who choose an easier ceremony spot for all their guests and then we have hiked before and after with them to get some epic photos. The choice is yours and we can help navigate through it all.
There are so many options!
**We keep our elopements to up to 10 guests and our intimate weddings under 40 guests. (less at certain trails and locations that don’t allow more)**
WHY CHOOSE
BLACKWATER FALLS
If you know Blackwater Falls, you already know why it’s one of the best locations in the area to have a wedding. If you don’t know why yet…It’s just so beautiful.
It has so many gorgeous trails and epic overlooks and lots of amazing waterfalls to explore. We also live super close to it (about 15 min away). We can suggest where to stay and other things to do while in the area to help make your elopement memorable and easy.
There’s also a way to include some other locations if you choose Blackwater Falls for the ceremony location for your elopement or intimate wedding.
Best time of year for Blackwater falls
What time of year is a big decision
Blackwater Falls State Park is open year round so there are always options for the perfect date for your wedding. They do book up relatively quickly, so if you know when you want to have your day, contact them to book.
Summer and fall are always super packed with people, but the colors are gorgeous! Parking can be incredibly difficult from Thursday-Sunday too during the summers and falls, so we suggest having your day happen Monday-Wednesday. Sundays are less busy also if you have some flexibility. Some weekends are ok though and we can help you navigate it all.
Many of the trails have much less traffic during the week, so we always suggest doing a wedding between Sunday evening-Thursday morning if you choose a highly-trafficked area, if possible. Lindy Point is a really loved spot, but it can be insanely crowded and has difficult parking situations, but we know when it’s easier to get to and can help navigate it all.
We can also help you choose the timeline for the ceremony and all the festivities. There are certain locations that are better at sunrise and some that are way better at sunset for lighting and crowd reasons.
DECIDE ON THE VENDORS
Which Vendors Do You Want or Need?
It all depends on your budget and what vendors do you want to be there of course, but here are some you might want for your day. We can suggest some local vendors to help your day be amazing too.
– Photographer (oh, hey)
– Officiant (some locations you don’t need and can self-solemnize)
– Florals/Design
– Hair+Makeup
– Chef/Food
– Accommodations/Lodging
– Outfitters/Adventures
– Live Music (mostly at our intimate weddings)
– Videographer
TIPS
LICENSES + PERMITS
- Blackwater Falls is located in Tucker County, so you must get a license there. There is no waiting period in WV and they are valid for 60 days. If you live in WV currently, you are able to get your license also in the place where you reside.
- Here is a link for more info: TUCKER LICENSE
- You must reserve a spot in Blackwater Falls if you choose to have your ceremony in it. There are two locations available. Here’s more info to chat with the park: BLACKWATER FALLS STATE PARK
TIPS
WHAT TO BUDGET FOR ON YOUR DAY
It all depends on what you want to focus on and what vendors you truly need and want for your day. But we will be honest, it could cost about 50%+ of what it normally costs for a bigger wedding. We always tell our couples to talk about the true things that matter to them. We have a lot of foodie couples and they definitely want a great caterer/chef on their day.
Here are some things to think about:
Do you have to travel to your elopement or intimate wedding?
Will you have a honeymoon in the same location or do you want to go to another location?
How much do you want to spend on your attire? There are some places to grab some less expensive options.
Do you want live music? (some of our couples like to have local musicians which is super fun)
Do you want lots of flowers and decor?
Where will you stay? Do you want to rent a really nice place or not. Some places to stay will also cost a decent amount, depending on how many people you will be having with you.
What other vendors do you need? Hair/Makeup, Videography, etc.
Do you want to do any fun activities? (4x4s, SUPing, helicopter rides, etc.)
TIPS
WHAT TO BRING
depending on the time of year and location
- Dress + Suit/Tux/etc
- Layers of clothes if you are hiking and especially in places that have a chance of snow/colder weather
- Extra socks
- Hiking shoes/boots
- Dressier shoes (if you want to change into them), but we love boots!
- Backpacks
- Illumination: Headlamps
- Bug spray/Bug Netting
- Rain gear (It can be super rainy and muddy)
- Jackets
- Base layers (thermals, cuddlduds, fleece leggings, etc)
- Handwarmers
- Gloves
- Snacks
- Hydration/Camelbaks
- Champagne and glasses, if you want to celebrate after!
- Your loving pet, if you want and it’s allowed.
TIPS
ACTIVITIES IN THE BLACKWATER FALLS AREA
Here are some other activities available in the area. There are so many options to make it a memorable experience. Eloping is so amazing because you get to make it WHATEVER you want it to be.
- Live Music (Purple Fiddle)
- Hiking + Sightseeing (Spruce Knob, Seneca Rocks, Blackwater Falls, Swallow Falls areas to name some)
- Rock climbing (NRocks)
- Camping/Glamping
- Kayaking/SUPing/Whitewater Rafting (Blackwater Outdoor Adventures)
- Tubing
- Boating (Deep Creek area Bill’s Marine or Deep Creek Marina)
- Golfing (Canaan Valley Resort or Wisp)
- Skiing/Snowboarding/Snow activities (Canaan, Blackwater Falls (sledding),Timberline, or Wisp)
- Coffee + Art Walk (TipTop + so many art galleries/stores in Thomas and Davis…seriously there are some amazing artists in the area)
- Antiquing/Vintage Shopping (Ella+Company + The Wandering Caravan + Emerald Tree Boutique to name a couple)
- Distillery+Brewery Tours (ie: Still Hollow Spirits + Stumptown Ales + Mountain State Brewery)
TIPS
WHERE TO STAY
depending on the time of year and your location for your ceremony
- The Billy Motel – super funky and fun with great drinks and food.
- Bright Morning Inn – cute place (newly remodeled) with great food.
- AirBNBs/Home rentals – There are some really cute ones in the area that we can refer you to for sure like this one. We have certain ones that we can share that have worked well for our weddings.
- Canaan Valley Resort
Some of our recent elopements + intimate weddings