Shenandoah & Glen Gordon Manor Adventure Elopement

Camille & Arthur’s Shenandoah Elopement & Glen Gordon Manor Reception | A Day of Adventure, Family and Love

Some love stories are just meant to unfold in the great outdoors. Camille and Arthur’s elopement wasn’t just about saying “I do” in front of a beautiful view; it was about weaving their love for nature, family, and each other into every part of their day. And honestly y’all… It was magical.

These two are the kind of couple that makes you feel inspired just being around them. Arthur has the heart of an adventurer—he’s thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail (yes, the entire thing!). Camille, meanwhile, works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, dedicating her days to taking care of our amazing natural world. Together, they’re a perfect match of adventurers, love, and a deep respect for the outdoors.

Why They Chose to Elope

Camille and Arthur’s decision to elope was rooted in their shared love of nature. They originally explored eloping in Colorado but soon realized the Blue Ridge Mountains—closer to their roots in Virginia and Maryland—offered everything they were looking for and more. For Arthur, who had trekked the Appalachian Trail, these mountains carried extra meaning. And for Camille, whose work protects wildlife and their habitats, it was the perfect way to honor the beauty of God’s creation.

They envisioned a day that celebrated their relationship and gave them space to soak in the moment without the stress of a traditional wedding. They wanted part of the day to feel adventurous—like hiking up a trail before sunrise, stargazing, and sharing private vows. Then, they wanted to bring their family into their love of nature with an experience intentionally designed to help their families enjoy the time outdoors. They were looking for the perfect blend of personal and shared moments with loved ones.

“I just want to make it special for the both of us and our families, in our own way” Camille told us early on. And that’s exactly what we set out to do. For them, it wasn’t just about a quick ceremony in the outdoors—it was about creating a day that felt meaningful and true to who they are.

Camille & Arthur’s Elopement Vision

From the moment we read Camille and Arthur’s inquiry, we knew this was going to be a day to remember. They described their vision with so much thought and intention: hiking in the predawn darkness, exchanging private vows under the stars, and then meeting their family for an intimate ceremony and celebration. How that all would come together was where they were hitting a wall, so to speak — even with their experience hiking and adventuring to so many places in the US, they were having trouble bringing the vision together. I still remember one of the things Camille confided in us when we first spoke, that she was “in a panic” trying to get their vision to take shape. Of course, we fell in love with what they had in mind, and were confident we could create the right day for them!

How We Designed Their Elopement Experience

Arthur’s Appalachian Trail thru-hike experience gave us the perfect inspiration for their ceremony location—somewhere along the trail he had walked years before. The AT is quite the long trail and while there are many places for mountain vistas, the trick was combining a sunrise spot with two other main components of the day: an overlook that was reachable for the family for a ceremony, and a place where we could complete the vision of the day for a reception gathering and s’mores (more on that later!). 

After diving into our planning process, distilling the countless options into a few different ideas across Virginia and NC, we found the perfect combination in Virginia. A rocky outcropping on the AT in Shenandoah National Park for sunrise, a drive-up overlook that had an easy walk for their family for their ceremony, and a luxurious yet down to earth small wedding venue nearby that could not only host their reception but a s’mores celebration too. We came up with a plan that checked every box!

Their day required a lot of planning—permits for the ceremony spot, coordinating a timeline that fit the sunrise hike, pre-ceremony time for Camille to change and get ready a second time for the ceremony, coordinating with their reception venue for a lunchtime celebration and s’mores in the evening — but it was truly a joy to bring this plan together and manage all the details of their day for them!

Camille & Arthur’s Elopement Story

Their day began in the predawn hours, hiking under the stars with headlamps lighting the way. They packed their wedding clothes into their backpacks and took their time soaking in the stillness of the mountains. That time before dawn is so quiet, not even the birds have woken up yet; we caught ourselves whispering to each other during the hike, as if we were in nature’s grand cathedral before the epic “sunrise service” and we didn’t want to disturb the quiet.

We arrived at the overlook to see the first light of dawn coming up over the horizon to the east… and we knew — this was their moment. They got dressed on the mountain, shared an emotional first look, exchanged private vows, and just breathed it all in as the sun began to rise, painting the sky in soft pinks and oranges.

It was emotional, peaceful, and everything they had dreamed of.

After hiking back down, they met their family for the second part of the day: a heartfelt ceremony at another scenic overlook. 

First, Camille needed to clean up and change from the hike. She had one dress for the morning hike to “get dirty” on the trail, and then a second dress for their ceremony. We brought our van so she could shower, change and then her hair and makeup crew came to redo everything for her!

One special part of this day (of many!) — Camille’s dad was their officiant. It was quite the moment to witness, them walking down the aisle and then him leading the ceremony. It was the perfect mix of deep emotion and lots of humor too!

(Also a fun anecdote: There were a few gnats here and there at the overlook which normally we remove from the final photos. But when we shared the sneak peek, I thought I’d show Camille the shot the way it was, with her and her dad smiling at each other and the gnats “dancing” around them. She decided to keep it as-is, saying it was perfect, like little fireflies during the day!)

To finish the day, they met up with everyone again at Glen Gordon Manor for a lunch reception. We loved how this created a rustic yet luxurious element to their day, a bit of wild and outdoors in the morning and then all the comforts of amazing lodging in the afternoon and evening. Check out all the little details that Camille created for gift bags!

At the very end of the day, during twilight, we met up again at Glen Gordon Manor for the final part of the vision that Camille and Arthur had in mind — s’mores around the fire pit. The venue did an amazing job getting this spot ready, and Camille designed up the perfect s’mores bar. It was such a simple but perfect way to share their love for the outdoors with their family.

Personalized Element of their Day: Sharing Their Love of the Outdoors with Family

What made Camille and Arthur’s elopement truly special was their intentional focus on creating a day that included their family in a meaningful way. They didn’t want to keep the day entirely to themselves, but they also didn’t want to just “bring family along” without making the experience intentional.

Their elopement blended their love of the outdoors with a beautiful opportunity to share it with their family. The ceremony at the Shenandoah overlook gave their loved ones a taste of the couple’s connection to the mountains, and the s’mores at the end of the day were such a sweet (literally!) way to reflect on their day together.

For Arthur, being back in Shenandoah carried extra meaning—it was a nod to his Appalachian Trail hike, a journey that helped shape his love for nature. For Camille, the day was about celebrating their love in a place that felt like home. Together, they created an experience that was not only unforgettable for them but also for their family.

What They Had to Say About Their Day

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Omg y’all. I’m still speechless and can’t put into words how grateful and happy both Arthur and I are! Thank you so much for y’all’s help. Y’all outdid yourselves in my opinion.”

Camille and Arthur’s joy the day after their elopement is exactly why we do what we do. Knowing we helped them create a day that reflected their love, their story, and their family’s bond is the most rewarding feeling.

Related Posts:

Ready to start creating your personalized experience?

The reality of planning a completely customized elopement is that there are many details to pull off the perfect experience. It is a lot more than just finding a beautiful place to get married! If you want expert help putting it all together, we are here to help!

Let’s create something unforgettable together!