Hocking Hills, Ohio. WHAT A PLACE! Who wouldn’t want to elope in hocking hills… Y’all, today you are in for a treat because we are talking alllll about this magical place and we can’t wait for you to get to know it, and maybe even LOVE it like we do!! This gem has gotten quite the positive acclaim as a top park to visit in the USA! And hey… if you’re in the midwest, why not?! This babe is one of the midwest’s finest parks.
A Little About the Hocking Hills area
Southeast Ohio is where this beauty is found and the area has been dubbed “the outdoorsman’s dream.” HA! Sooooo yeah, this is probably quite the epic spot for an elopement if you ask us 😉 Lush landscapes, crazy cool rolling hills, FIFTEEN state parks, FOURTEEN hunting and fishing areas, and countless rivers to explore with a kayak or two…. Yeah. You want to see this place for yourself!
When to Elope in Hocking Hills
Winter. Now hear us out……. We know we might sound crazy, but the perks of this park and the natural beauty cannot be beat! This is the perfect time to elope in hocking hills. This park is a gem, yes, but it is pretty well known. It’s not hard to see why people love this place!! If you want your elopement to be quiet, secluded, and private – winter may be your best bet. It is literally a winter wonderland, as you could probably imagine. Winter time makes this park a gorgeous white landscape, but it also brings in less guests, making your elopement the life of the party in the park! If you don’t mind the guests and hikers, the fall leaves in autumn are another awesome backdrop option. But any season here could make for the best elopement if you ask us!
Sunrise vs. Sunset
Early bird gets the worm here because the sun rises in Hocking Hills at this time of year at 7:22AM. Sunset is right around 5:11PM. Now personally, we believe sunsets will always take the cake in this debate. The contrast colors of the sun and clouds and sky as the sun goes down is UNBEATABLE! Here in hocking hills, sunset is right up to par. For elopements the heart of the hiking trails, shooting earlier than sunset is a must in order to catch the sun through the trees! But we also would never turn down a sunrise opportunity because on any given day there are MANY less people at sunrise in the park… which means your elopement will be so much more intimate (without onlookers if you know what we mean!).
Weekdays vs. Weekends
Just like any park or event… weekdays, weekdays, weekdays. As far as elopements go 😉 Everyone spends their weekends taking it easy and finding ways to relax after a work week and for those Buckeyes… Hocking Hills is a very popular weekend activity. For a more private and personal elopement, plan for during the week!
The Best Times of Year
This baby is gorgeous 24/7!! THAT is no cop out and no lie. The leaves and hills and views do not have a single bad season. The colors in the fall are incredibly hard to beat, the weather and late sunsets in the summer are fantastic, nothing is better than a good winter wonderland, and spring brings allll the baby animals and perfect hoodie hiking sweater. Every season is a good season to elope in hocking hills.
How to Elope in Hocking Hills
HOW?!!! That is the million dollar question. First thing you can do, shameless plug here, contact us!!! We would love nothing more than to walk you through this process and help ya every step of the way. Second thing you can do… your own research! That is the beauty about elopements! You can do it however you want!! Start with a good ol’ google search! WE recommend this cite – HERE! – for all your Hocking Hills, Ohio questions 🙂 Plus since you are already reading this blog, we’ve got many of your questions already answered!
Permits for Weddings & Elopements in Hocking Hills
And onto the legals! GET YOUR PERMIT, baby! You will need to obtain a permit in order to get married or elope to Hocking Hills… or any other park for that matter. Here is a little excerpt from Hocking Hills themselves,
Hocking Hills State Park will open wedding permit applications starting June 1st, 2021. To have a wedding at a Hocking Hills park (Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave, etc.) you must get a permit. You can apply for a wedding permit by calling the park at 740-385-6842 extension 250.
The permit will be about $40.00!
There you have it!
Know the Rules of the Park
As photographers we follow all of the Leave No Trace rules! We pack out everything that we pack in, no exceptions! 🙂
- Clean up your trash y’all! NO LITTERING.
- If you’re bringing your dog along, leash ’em up!
- Camping? Check ahead with staff where is okay and where isn’t!
- Respect the wildlife. They live there!! YOU are visiting.
- Be good humans. That’s it. Really.
Choose a Ceremony Location in Hocking Hills
THE GOOOOOOD PART! Where to elope in hocking hills?? Hocking Hills has the most gorgeous hiking hills ever… so those are definitely solid options. Conkle’s Hollow is a well known favorite tourist spot – a beautiful gorge. Looking for a waterfall? WHY NOT?! Cedar Falls is calling your name. But our favorite happens to be Ash Cave! You can even stand underneath the waterfall here! The options are truly endless here!
Getting to Hocking Hills
Now we could sit here and go into fuzzy detail of how to get to Hocking Hills through landmarks and “well if you are here that means you need to kind of turn here”s… OR we could show you this magical tool the Hocking Hill’s staff have added to their website. It’s called a GPS and it will get you to exactly where you need to be… trust me, you don’t want us directing you. Directions ain’t our thang… check it out here!
Pro Tips for How to Elope in Hocking Hills
Here are our pro tips as elopement photographers: Pack layers, especially if you’re coming in a colder season. You can always take layers off…. being cold during your elopement won’t make you very happy! Bring food/snacks, you don’t know how long you’re going to be out there or how many (Insanely epic) picture will be taken, and… there are no restaurants out in hocking hills. GET READY for the time of your life. An elopement at Hocking Hills of all places is one for the books. Bring your best smile, your lover, and get ready to have a fun day.
Venders for Elopements in Hocking Hills
We did the digging for you… here are some vendors you could reach out to for your special day when you elope in hocking hills!
Airbnbs Near Hocking Hills
Here are some of our favorite airbnbs near Hocking Hills! And below these you will find a map with way more suggestions! You can click on any of them to see more about them. There are plenty of affordable airbnbs and vrbo rentals available so take your pick!
LUNA COTTAGE, is the cutest tiny home that ever existed. We love the outdoor space! At $266 a night you honestly can’t beat this comfortable living!
HILLS SONG, is a cabin that is super cozy and nestled right in the woods. It’s less than a mile from Lake Logan, a brewery, and only 11 miles to Hocking Hills.
NUMBER SEVEN, An A-Frame… Need we say more? This super cute chalet is romantic, cozy and ultra comfortable. It’s tucked away in a grouped setting so that you can soak in your private hot tub while gazing into the forests’ huge oak trees.
LAKE VIEW, is a cabin with a complete wrap-around porch. It sits on a privately owned fishing pond and has all the necessities you need (including a walk-in shower).
Below is a map that has even more airbnbs to choose from!
WOW! To wrap this monster of a “how to” blog up…. how cool is this place?! Hocking Hills is truly one of a kind and dang – perfect elopement material!! HAHA! Maybe we are a little biased. Nonetheless!
Thank y’all for spending the time reading with us today, we hope you enjoyed learning about this special place!
Would you ever elope to Hocking Hills?? We wanna know!
XOXO
Sam + Bryt
