Red River Gorge Cabin Wedding With Magical Sunset

From the moment they reached out I was so excited to work with Sydney (she/her) and Rick (he/him). After 17 years together they wanted to get married, but their courthouse didn’t offer ceremonies and their backyard didn’t feel private enough. They weren’t sure where to start, “then your elopement planning guide popped into my search results and I felt calmer.” Sydney said. Together we researched some options for their day including Flat Lick Falls, Turkey Foot Park, and even a family farm. Ultimately they decided that renting a cabin at Red River Gorge was the best option for what they had in mind. They needed a cabin that didn’t have many stairs or require a long walk from the cars so that all of their parents would be able to attend but also wanted to make sure it had a beautiful view with an indoor area that could accommodate their intimate ceremony in case of heavy rain. The Gathering House through Red River Gorge Cabin Rentals ended up being the perfect spot!

“The day seemed to go by in a wonderful blur and everything felt special. Our wedding day was perfect.” - Sydney

Once again, I’ve included the couple’s own words throughout the post so you can hear about their day from their perspective. If you love this wedding, you might also enjoy this rainy treehouse elopement or this adventurous hiking elopement in autumn— both also took place at Red River Gorge. If nature and hiking aren’t quite your style, then this Art Center tiny wedding with a pizza buffet might be more up your alley.

How and why did you pick your elopement location?

“With this being such a small ceremony, we looked to find someplace that had the same intimate and cozy feeling that we hoped the ceremony would have. When we found your website and looked to get you involved in the wedding, we noticed a lot of your elopements/engagements had sessions in Red River Gorge. This got us looking into the cabins there and we found one that had a deck large enough to accommodate everyone. The rain letting up led to a fog that covered just enough to add some softness to all the trees and we couldn't have been any luckier finding the location.” - Rick

”We hoped for a peaceful outdoor ceremony and Red River Gorge offered up natural beauty in spades. We also really loved the idea of building memories in a place we could return to again and again. Red River Gorge has so much to see and making such an amazing place a part of our story was another great layer to a location that had everything we wanted!” - Sydney

What did you wear? Did you incorporate any other significant elements into your elopement?

“Sydney's mom gifted me a pocket watch for the occasion and I had a pocket knife of my dad's in my pocket. The knife came about because I actually needed to remove a tag from my shirt! :) Thankfully dad is always more prepared than I am. He refused the knife when I tried to return it so I have that as a keepsake as well! I went with a custom suit for the occasion in a dark blue and I had on my Luigi (of Mario and Luigi fame) socks.” - Rick

”My mother's wedding gift to me was a pair of diamond and pearl earrings and a silver and pearl bangle bracelet. Pearls will always be delicate and classy to me and they're my birthstone, so I was set on pearl jewelry and will cherish them forever. I borrowed my mother's diamond ear crawlers and had a small blue anklet to round out my borrowed and blue.

I love calla lilies so that was my first choice for my bouquet, but what was most important was that it be made by my cousin, Von, who is a very talented florist. While we opted to let the beauty of the gorge speak for itself decor-wise, we did bring a few totems with us. We're both avid video game lovers so we brought along the longest love story in gaming, Mario and Peach (sorry Pauline, it's true). My mother gifted us a beautiful customized keepsake box that was wonderful for storing our trinkets, jewelry, and vows safely. We hope every year to pull out our wedding stationery and add letters to the box on our anniversary.

Our last trinkets were very special. Two memorial figurines for our beloved cats, Mika and Jules. We lost them in 2020 and 2019. We had always pictured them being in our wedding photos if we had a backyard ceremony or maybe having engagement photos with our little fuzzy family but we sadly couldn't see that fulfilled. Having their little statues with us and immortalized in our photos let us bring a little piece of them to our wedding day like we always wanted.” - Sydney

What were your favorite wedding day moments?

“Everything happened so quickly that it almost feels like a single moment, but there were certainly some places where time slowed down. After rushing to get to the cabin on time and having to drive very slow due to the downpour, the first time I felt like I could relax for a second was waiting for Sydney prior to the first look. That moment had just the right amount of good anxious energy, excitement, and anticipation. We didn't do a lot of the traditional wedding activities, but we kept me not seeing the dress until the ceremony. I'm really glad that we did because turning around in that moment is something I will always remember and cherish. You captured it beautifully as well!

We wanted the traditional "I Do" wedding vows during the ceremony, but we also liked writing something for each other. Our decision was to do the simpler vows during the ceremony and then once everyone had left, we gave each other the vows/letters that we wrote prior to the wedding. Sitting on the porch of the cabin listening to music while we read the letters was absolutely perfect.” - Rick

“I wore a Monica Loretti A-Line gown with chiffon and macramé lace details. I fell in love with the dress the moment I saw it. It was the first dress I tried on in the first and only bridal shop I went to. I thought the dress was simple and elegant, exactly what I was looking for. The shoes I found at Macy's and, while they were perfectly lovely, I would not recommend running through the woods in them. My feet were absolutely destroyed the next day. The dress was pretty banged up as well with a stunning mud/rain/dirt ombré and several handfuls of burs clinging to the train, but the fun we had and the phenomenal photos we got were 100% worth it. When I first stepped out onto the deck for our ceremony it had stopped heavily raining minutes before. It felt so strange to drag this dress that I had protected in garment bags and gently carried to and from alterations for months onto a soaking wet deck. With the train spread out the water soaked into the chiffon and gave it a transparent appearance that was actually kind of beautiful. It soaked up enough water standing still during the ceremony that when I went to take a step the train had become heavy enough I thought I was snagged on the deck!” - Sydney

“Our officiant was the lovely Reverend Diane Walker. We wanted our ceremony to be brief, personal, and intimate. Reverend Walker delivered us a ceremony that was personalized beautifully and just the length we wanted. We chose a reading that we were so very pleased with: "September" by Helen Hunt Jackson. There were a lot of traditional choices for readings that we loved but we found this one in one of our poetry books and it felt very special.” - Sydney

“Choosing an elopement, we obviously eschewed a lot of what might be considered traditional wedding day fare. We had no wedding party, it was just us with our parents in attendance. There were no rehearsals or dinners or showers, no cakes or speeches or receptions. We had been planning to plan our wedding for years but it all felt so overwhelming we never got anywhere. We realized what we wanted most was just to dress up and get married in a beautiful place where we could take some pretty pictures. So we did just that. Once we focused on what we really wanted out of the day instead of what we were "supposed" to do, it all came together pretty effortlessly. Some traditions sounded too fun to pass up though. We kept my wedding dress hidden from Rick so we could have our first look moment. I had something old, new, borrowed, and blue. My something old was a handkerchief that my father gave my aunt nearly 30 years ago. I had the handkerchief wrapped around the base of my bouquet, which was made by my cousin, so I had little pieces of family with me even though we eloped.” - Sydney

“After our ceremony, we headed to an overlook for pictures. It had absolutely poured rain all day, only letting up just minutes before our ceremony began. The downpour had seemingly deterred any other visitors to the area so we had this lovely peaceful walk through gorgeous woods, just us and Sarah. We were aiming to reach the viewpoint at sunset so at times we were running down the trail to make it, my dress hiked up, laughing and helping each other over puddles, rocks, and vines. As we were about to crest the hill the sun was streaming through the trees and we caught a glimpse of the colors that awaited us at the top. Stepping into the light and seeing the vista laid out with the most stunning sunset I've ever seen, fog from the rain rolling in, was pure magic.” - Sydney

“Standing at the overlook when eight straight hours of rain let way to the sun who had just enough time to come out and then set in one of the most breathtaking sunsets I have ever seen has to make this list. It was quite honestly the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen in person, and to have it be on our wedding day with a fantastic photographer to capture it all is almost too much to believe.” - Rick

What advice would you give couples who are planning their wedding or elopement? Would you have done anything differently?

“My main advice is to not wait as long as I did. Some people enjoy the planning of a larger event, but have the wedding you want to have, not what you think you *should* have or what other people may want you to have... and hire Sarah Katherine Davis to do your photos!” - Rick

”I don't think I would change a thing, it was the best day of my life. My advice for planning would be to just start somewhere. It's really easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things to do but just pick a task and get going with that first step and the momentum will start to drag you along. Invest in those things that really excite you and don't feel guilty leaving out the things that don't. Have fun on your wedding day.” - Sydney

Kentucky Wedding Vendors

Photography: Sarah Katherine Davis Photography // Florals: Von Hornsby with McKee Flower and Gift Gallery // Gown: Monica Loretti // Rings: Gwen's Fine Jewelers // Pearl Jewelry & Pocketwatch: Jareds // Officiant: Reverend Diane Walker // Cabin: Red River Gorge Cabin Rentals

Rainy Red River Gorge Treehouse Elopement

Over the past couple of years, I've photographed more and more elopements— I absolutely love that they are becoming more popular! For Harry (he/him) and Sara (she/her), eloping was an easy decision. Sara said, "We joke that eloping is a family tradition. Harry's parents and grandparents eloped and my grandparents eloped, as well. Harry gets a kick out of telling people that we had as many people there as was legally necessary. We're also both incredibly awkward and the solitude of eloping allowed us the freedom to be our authentically weird selves without worrying about what others would think. I joke that we had to elope because we couldn't justify an eight-minute-long first dance to the classic "Get Low," which is what Harry was reciting when we would break out in funky moves."

"We were originally looking to elope in Europe, but you know, money. And covid. And time. Love is patient, but we are not. We could not wait to be husband and wife, so we decided to look at affordable alternatives that would allow us to push up the timeline while also honoring the safety precautions in place due to the pandemic. We decided that the Gorge might be a nifty option. Plus, I love the outdoors (hiking, running, kayaking, etc.) and Harry is big into fantasy. The Gorge seemed like the perfect backdrop to fit both those interests! I remembered seeing treehouses and cabins available to rent when researching potential staycations, so I checked availability, and the Looking Glass had a single upcoming date open: a random Thursday in April, two months away. So we went for it!"

In the afternoon on that random Thursday, we drove up a winding gravel road through hillsides covered in spring wildflowers, ferns, and lush trees to find the Looking Glass treehouses peeking out of the canopy above. Soon Sara, Harry, and their officiant Luke joined us and they unpacked the cars in the rain, taking turns holding umbrellas for each other. Sara put the finishing touches on their cakes and they danced while they helped each other get dressed. "Dancing goofily with Harry helped to ground me throughout the day and relieve stress. It's something silly we do (poorly) at home, in our kitchen, waiting for coffee, etc., so it helped me stay focused on him and us and just have fun."

Sara DIYed several things for the wedding— she painted the small "we eloped" sign based on a picture of Red River Gorge and made TWO wedding cakes. "Sara is a home baker and wanted to give it a go, which she mildly regrets because it was hella stressful to transport (and the kitchen still hasn't recovered)." One cake was "hers," and incorporated some of her favorite flavors, and the other was "his," including dragons (painted by Harry) hoarding their treasure! Inside Harry's cake were mini red velvet cookies— a throwback to the first time Sara and Harry ever met when he offered her a red velvet sandwich cookie and she was too aghast at him interrupting a conversation she was having with another patron to decline even though she hates red velvet.

"We also tried to honor our meeting place (Luke's Coffee) by bringing a beautiful pour-over and a bunch of our favorite coffee cups (how can one decide??). But SOMEONE forgot our coffee beans, leaving us with nothing but a bunch of empty mugs (and hearts). Luke, our extroverted hero, raced over to the next campsite to ask those cabin dwellers if they had any coffee to sacrifice to a newlywed couple. In awe, they gave him a bag, which was the perfect complement to our breakfast-for-dinner "reception for two" after."

"Our wedding is brought to you by etsy. We tried to support as many independent sellers as we could while throwing this shindig together in a matter of weeks." They included a glass ring box shaped like a D20, champagne flutes and cake servers that featured dragons, HP-themed pajamas, as well as vow books so they could display their personalized vows in their home after the wedding.

"My earrings were birds and Harry's tie bar was a fish. When I asked Harry for his last name while adding it to my contacts before we started dating, he blurted out, "FOGLE MEANS BIRD IN GERMAN," which was more information than I needed. I started calling him "Harry Bird" after that. My maiden name is "Fisher," so we decided to incorporate that into our wedding, as well. Interestingly, we were watching my favorite movie (Ever After). and noticed a quote in which Danielle asks Leonardo Da Vinci, "A bird may love a fish, signore, but where will they live?" and he responds, "Then I shall have to make you wings." Even more fascinating is that this same riddle is uttered in Harry's favorite musical— Fiddler on the Roof! We definitely did not take that as a sign... (We did. We did take it as a sign. We're cheesy like that.)"

"Our officiant was the impeccable Luke Gifford. He owned the coffee shop where we met— Harry worked as a barista and I frequented there during grad school to "work" (aka wonder when Harry would waltz in). Luke, his wife, and another member of the staff were waiting impatiently for us to get together. As Luke noted during his speech, he texted his wife the first time Harry sat down at my table excited that it was finally happening! Luke is a good friend to us both and we could not have imagined a better person to marry us!"

"Our flowers came from Jeanie Gorrell Floral Designs— she did a fabulous job capturing the wildflower, bohemian, woodland fairy vibe I was after. I wasn't super particular about which flowers were included with the exception of delphinium. Harry's nanny's name is Delphia, but because we were eloping, she wouldn't be present. We still wanted to honor her in some way... plus, the pops of blue were gorgeous!"

Venue: Looking Glass Treehouse through Canopy Crew // Officiant: Luke Gifford // Photography: Sarah Katherine Davis // Videography: Joyce Barbour // Dress: Maggie Sottero via High Vibe Bride on Poshmark // Florals: Jeanie Gorrell Floral Designs // Sara's Boots & Socks: Dillards // Hair Piece: David's Bridal // Engagement Ring: Joe Rosenberg // Earrings: VRjewels on Etsy // Sara's Band: LoveRingDesign on Etsy // Vest, Pants, & Shirt: Murano // Harry's Boots: Steve Madden // Tie: The Tie Bar // Tiebar & Harry's Band: TheRomanVintageShop // Vow Books: StudioTenebris on Etsy // Glass Ring Box: GLASSOBJECTSstore on Etsy // Dragon Ring Box: DRATAR on Etsy // Hangers: TheReadheadDesignShop on Etsy // Champagne Flutes, Cake Knife & Serve: FellowshipFoundry // PJ Bottoms: BridalPartyRobeShop on Etsy // Sweatshirts: MyPartyTees on Etsy // Gum Paste Flowers: SugarFlowersByShaile on Etsy // Moth: SweetpeaSugarArt on Etsy // Ladybug Sprinkles: SweetSugarPearl on Etsy // Cake Topper: designLeeStudio // Candy Crystals: sweetniks

Red River Gorge Elopement Guide // Everything You Need to Plan for 2023

Red River Gorge Elopement Guide

Red River Gorge is an intricate canyon system full of sandstone cliffs, natural arches, waterfalls, and rock shelters in east-Central Kentucky. It lies just two hours from Louisville, Cincinnati, and Huntington which makes it perfect for a day-trip not just for Kentuckians, but also for those living in Ohio and West Virginia. Visitors enjoy hiking, camping, rock climbing, and backpacking through the wide variety of landscapes the Red has to offer, but it’s also a perfect place to get married. Whether you choose to say your vows on a cliff as the sun first rises and illuminates the fog over the valley or you prefer your ceremony to take place deep within the forest while standing over a waterfall, Red River Gorge has scenery that will make your elopement memorable and breathtaking. 

View more from this adventurous hiking elopement here

Red River Gorge Elopement Locations

There are a huge variety of natural areas within Red River Gorge that will provide a stunning backdrop for your ceremony and vows, but there are also plenty of magical locations for your reception and great accommodations for an extended visit as well.

Wedding Venues in Red River Gorge

Hemlock Springs is a beautiful event venue located in the heart of The Gorge. With over 100 acres on their property, there is plenty to explore! You’ll have private access to rock shelters, waterfalls, streams, and mountain meadows, as well as their actual wedding venue which is eco-friendly! The structure features an impressive timber frame built using wooden pegs instead of nails in Amish style. You can also enjoy mountaintop views from the veranda or meadow views from the patio. They provide plenty of thoughtful touches that make logistics and planning easy— such as their hand-crafted harvest tables and other custom pieces like a rolling bar, signs, easels, and lawn games. The main ceremony site features a custom-built gazebo and benches tucked among the trees with amphitheater-style seating, but there are several spots to choose from for your vows! Hemlock Springs is the perfect spot for your smallest elopement up to 150 attendees.

Cliffview Resort offers a unique opportunity for you and your guests— you are able to rent out their 16-room lodge for the weekend so that you and your guests can all stay in one place and celebrate longer! You can say your vows at Overlook Point with a stunning panoramic view, but in case of rain, they have indoor options as well.

AirBnBs, cabins, and treehouses in the Red River Gorge Area

These treehouses by Canopy Crew make for a magical honeymoon suite!

Dome Town is a set of three geodesic domes connected by suspension bridges. You can rent one or all three.

There are several cabin companies as well if you’re looking for something a little roomier.

Airbnb offers several options including cabins, treehouses, yurts, as well as some unique tiny houses. We once stayed in an old mail house that was only 15 minutes from Sky Bridge!

You also have the option of camping. There are several campgrounds to choose from— or pick up a backcountry permit from the Shell station or the Gladie Visitor Center. You can learn more about dispersed camping on the forest service website.

Best Time to Visit Red River Gorge

Red River Gorge is beautiful all year, but April through November provide the warmest weather. In the spring, you can see rhododendrons and wildflowers in bloom— as well as larger waterfalls from the rainfall. In the summer it’s nice to cool off in the creek or even brave Jump Rock if you’re feeling adventurous. In the fall, the leaves put on quite a show and later in the season you can have a better view from the ridge-line, plus it gets just cool enough to snuggle up by a fire at night.

Best Red River Gorge Hikes For Your Elopement

I recommend downloading the Alltrails app when planning where to hike. Reviews and images from other users can be really helpful— especially when trying to find something more off the beaten path. I have a list of favorite locations that range from overlooks that only require a few steps from your car to longer hikes that have a rewarding view at the end. When talking with my couples about their elopement, I’ll suggest hikes based on what time of day they are wanting to share their vows, their prior hiking experience, and how much time they would like to spend exploring. Chimney Top and Auxier Ridge are two hikes that should be on anyone’s list who wants to see the epic views from the cliffs of Red River Gorge. Please keep in mind that I do not personally offer elopement planning services— it is up to all of my couples to plan their day, but I love providing feedback, talking about options, and giving a jumping-off point for your own research!

View more from this autumn elopement here.

Permitting information for elopements, weddings, and photographers

If you are only using private land (i.e a wedding venue, cabin, or restaurant) for your elopement then you would not need to worry about obtaining a permit for your ceremony. However, if you will be using public lands such as a national forest, national park, state park, or local park then you would want to reach out to the appropriate office to make sure you have the correct permissions in place.

RRG is part of Daniel Boone National Forest and permitting is handled by the Cumberland Ranger District. On their website as of fall 2022 they say. “Permits may be required for certain special activities, such as large groups (75 people or more), educational activities, or weddings. In general, permits are necessary for any activity that requires the forest to be altered in any way. Please contact any Ranger District Office for information about any special use permits.” Please know that rules and regulations around permitting can change as staff evaluates the impact of different events on the land. By reaching out ahead of time for your specific event you can ensure you won’t negatively impact the land— and make sure you don’t show up at your preferred ceremony site only to find another wedding in the same location!

All photographers will need to submit an application for a special-use permit with the Cumberland Ranger District if they are photographing weddings or couples on national forest land within the Red River Gorge.

National Bridge State Park is managed by Kentucky State Parks and requires different permits. Photographers must submit this form and couples can learn more about their options for weddings in state parks here.

Ready to experience the beauty of Red River Gorge for your elopement?

Elopements begin with three hours and can be customized to fit your needs from there. All elopement packages come with personalized planning assistance*, vendor recommendations to fit your style, curated suggestions for locations & activities, and an online gallery full of edited high-resolution photos you can download and print. *Please keep in mind I am not an elopement planner or a guide— I am happy to make suggestions & offer feedback, but ultimately you are responsible for planning your day and hiring your vendor team.

You can view all of my pricing details here, then contact me so we can start talking about how your elopement could look!

I also have guides for how to elope in Kentucky and a more general one for wedding planning!