North Dakota to Virginia Destination Elopement at Crabtree Falls

When Desiree reached out to me about eloping having never been to Virginia before, I could tell by our conversation that we were kindred souls. Her and Forrest were from North Dakota, and had never been to Virginia before—were planning to come here for a concert and to sightsee so thought they may as well throw in an elopement! They are a very outdoorsy couple who loves to hike and adventure, so the Blue Ridge Mountains felt like a perfect fit. As we worked through the list of locations I have on tap, we ended up leaning towards more of a majestic waterfall vibe….cue Crabtree Falls! If you haven’t seen on the Blog, Dylan and I do this hike every year because it just never gets old. Its the best of both worlds, amazing waterfalls, mountain views at the top, and a relatively easy hike with well cleared trails.

We met up with Desiree and Forrest at 6:30am in March to get ready for their sunrise elopement. We were the only people there, and all you could hear was the rushing water. They completely DIYed their entire day, and it was magic. Her dress was perfect, hiking boots on point, and her flower crown matched perfectly to Forrests floral bowtie.

These 2 you could tell had a deep love, and a true connection. Just being around them reminded Dylan and I how we felt when we eloped. They read letters from all their friends and family and shared those moments together. After the elopement they spent the rest of the day exploring Charlottesville, while on their way to Virginia Beach, then back to DC. They squeezed in quite the VA tour, which is exactly what we would have done 🙂 We loved getting to know the Carlson’s and guide them through Virginia’s Blue Ridge, and wish them the best!

See their video highlight here!