Hillary and Rosalie had imagined their wedding day surrounded by the mountains of New Hampshire, with a sunset ceremony and stargazing planned for later in the evening. Instead, a steady rain settled over the White Mountains and changed the shape of the day. Low clouds moved through the surrounding peaks, rain gathered on the pine branches, and the couple found themselves embracing a version of the day they had never originally planned.

Their elopement began together at an Airbnb in Conway village, continued through blueberry meadows and pine forest, and eventually brought them to the riverside landscapes of the Kancamagus Highway. In between, there was a handfasting ceremony beneath the trees, a coffee stop, a picnic, a sparkling water toast, and plenty of opportunities to simply enjoy being together.

Elopement Photography by Emma Thurgood | Emma Thurgood Weddings

Hillary and Rosalie met at a barn where Hillary was the manager and Rosalie had started boarding her horse. They now live in Ohio, and Rosalie is a jouster at Renaissance fairs. Their story began in a setting that was already connected to the outdoors, making the idea of an adventurous wedding day feel natural to them.

When it came to getting married, the couple knew they wanted something intimate. When asked what inspired them to elope, they jokingly answered, “All the weddings we have attended.” All jokes aside, they continued, “we wanted beautiful photos and for it to be just us. We were also very turned off on the idea of how much money weddings cost. The idea of eloping somewhere beautiful, but within budget was so appealing because we could spend money on what we cared about, only worry about making each other happy, and have a day we truly loved.”

Finding a photographer and officiant they trusted was one of the first steps. As a queer couple, Rosalie said it was incredibly important to them to choose someone who celebrated them and supported them throughout the process. She found Emma through Wandering Weddings while searching for LGBTQ+ inclusive vendors, and from there, they shared their general vision of water features and forests while trusting Emma to help shape the location.

Maine was originally on Hillary and Rosalie’s list because they had visited before and fallen in love with it. During their consultation with Emma, however, they learned that Maine requires witnesses, while they wanted their wedding day to be just the two of them. They ultimately pivoted toward New Hampshire and Vermont, where Emma prepared a selection of possible locations.

The Conway area stood out from Emma’s recommendations. For Hillary and Rosalie, the location did not come from a specific place they had already visited or dreamed about. As Rosalie put it, “The spot chose us!” They trusted Emma’s recommendations, shared their preference for forests and water features, and found that the Conway area offered the kind of setting they were looking for.

The White Mountains also gave them plenty of room for the kind of varied day they wanted. Their route included a mountain trail, pine forest, meadow, riverside scenery, waterfalls, and a stop in town, allowing the elopement to feel like an experience rather than a single ceremony location.

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Their Vision & Planning Process

Emma was involved from the beginning of Hillary and Rosalie’s planning process. Her support included helping them choose their location, building their timeline, assisting with additional vendor recommendations, and writing and officiating the ceremony when needed. For couples looking for an elopement experience with substantial planning support, Emma described her role as being close to a one stop shop.

That support became particularly important when the weather shifted the original plan. The couple had initially envisioned a sunset ceremony and stargazing, but the prolonged rain meant they needed to rethink the timing and location. Instead of allowing the change to derail the day, they moved their ceremony into the woods and continued exploring.

Hillary and Rosalie also trusted Emma with several meaningful details. She created their handfasting cords after the couple expressed their desire to incorporate the tradition, and she helped them learn how to tie them during the ceremony. Rosalie said Emma took care in weaving the cords and incorporating meaningful colors.

For couples planning an elopement in the White Mountain National Forest, the logistics depend on the specific location and size of the wedding. Emma notes that couples should be aware of parking fees at WMNF locations, as well as permit fees for weddings with more than 10 guests or those using specific spaces. Standard Leave No Trace practices also apply.

Their day stayed focused on small groups and natural settings, with their ceremony taking place beneath the pines and their later adventures bringing them to the rocks, rapids, and waterfalls along the Swift River. Their experience also shows how important it is to remain adaptable when exploring outdoor spaces. The weather changed their plans, but it did not stop them from enjoying the landscape.

Emma’s biggest practical recommendation for this region is to consider a weekday, especially during summer and fall. The White Mountains are a major tourism destination, and popular scenic areas can become very crowded. Planning around busier periods can help couples have a more comfortable experience while enjoying the area’s outdoor spaces responsibly.

Getting Ready Together

The day began around mid morning at Hillary and Rosalie’s Airbnb in Conway village. Their apartment was tucked behind a doctor’s office in the center of town, just steps from town hall. The couple chose to get ready together, doing each other’s hair and helping each other get dressed before heading out.

Before leaving, they also packed a picnic for later. It was an easy beginning to a day that would eventually move between the mountains, town, and river.

Into The White Mountains

Once they were ready, Hillary and Rosalie headed to a lesser known, easy hiking trail just outside the White Mountain National Forest. The trail offered views toward Chocorua, Mount Washington, and Maine under normal conditions. On their wedding day, however, those distant views were softened by steady rain and low lying clouds.

They hiked through blueberry meadows and pine forest before reaching the mountaintop. Emma described the scene as feeling like a Scottish moor, with clouds moving through the surrounding peaks and boulders scattered across the meadow.

A Ceremony Beneath the Pines

The original plan had been for a sunset ceremony on the mountain, but the increasing rain led Hillary and Rosalie to move their ceremony into the woods. They found a giant rock to use as their altar, surrounded by pine trees with raindrops falling from the branches.

There was no one else around. For Rosalie, the setting turned out to be perfect. The couple exchanged their traditional vows and rings alongside a handfasting ceremony, incorporating a tradition that had been meaningful to Rosalie for some time.

The rain picked up during their vows, with larger drops splashing around them. Emma remembered the moment as feeling like nature was blessing their marriage.

A Toast on the Trail

After the ceremony, Hillary and Rosalie began hiking back down. One small detail from their original plan nearly got forgotten in the rain: their toast.

Rosalie remembered it at just the right spot on the trail. They pulled out the sparkling water, popped it open, and toasted from copper cups. Emma described it as one of her favorite moments from the day, especially because it was an element they had planned for the mountain and still managed to bring into the experience after everything changed.

A Picnic and Coffee Stop

Back at the trailhead, the couple enjoyed their picnic before heading into town to warm up. Coffee was an important part of the day for both of them, so stopping at a coffee shop was a must.

They headed to Settler’s Green in North Conway for coffee and treats at The Met. After spending so much of the day outdoors in the rain, the stop gave them a chance to warm up before continuing with the rest of their plans.

A Visit to Town Hall

Before heading back into the rain, Hillary and Rosalie returned to Conway village to bring their marriage license to town hall while it was still open. Their visit became an unexpected little part of the story when the town clerks celebrated the couple and reacted to their decision to have an outdoor hiking elopement despite the rainy weather.

Rivers, Rocks, and Rain

The final part of the day took them along the Kancamagus Highway, where they explored two riverside scenic areas within the White Mountain National Forest. At the Swift River, they walked out onto the rocks and explored the rapids and waterfalls.

By this point, the weather was simply part of the experience. Hillary and Rosalie played in the rain without worrying about getting their shoes, clothes, or hair too wet for photographs.

The stargazing they had originally hoped for never happened. But the rain created a completely different set of photographs, and Rosalie ultimately felt that the moody rain photos more than made up for the stars they missed.

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The details throughout Hillary and Rosalie’s day were personal without needing to be elaborate. They began with a tarot reading, shared a ginger beer toast before the hike, and made sure coffee was part of the celebration.

Their getting ready process also carried a personal touch. Rosalie chose her dress, knitted her own shrug, and handmade their hair vines. Hillary spent months considering her outfit before settling on pieces collected from different stores. Much of their jewelry came from family items.

The handfasting cords became one of the most meaningful physical pieces from the day. Emma created them using colors that held meaning for the couple. Afterward, Hillary and Rosalie preserved the cords in a shadow box alongside their handmade hair vines.

Hillary and Rosalie did not get the sunset ceremony or stargazing they had originally imagined. They got something different: a mountain covered in low clouds, a ceremony beneath the pines, rain falling around their vows, and a day that kept moving even when the weather refused to cooperate.

The most memorable parts were not necessarily the ones that had been planned from the beginning. A forgotten toast became a favorite moment on the trail. A coffee stop became an important part of the day. A visit to town hall added an unexpected interaction with the people who helped make their marriage official. And the rain they initially had to work around ultimately became part of the photographs they loved most.

For the lovely couple, the value of an elopement was always about having a day that belonged to them. They wanted beautiful photographs, an intimate experience, and the freedom to spend their time and money on what actually mattered to them. In the White Mountains, they found a way to have exactly that.

When asked if they have tips or advice for couples planning to elope*

“Have fun and do it regardless of the weather!“

Elopement Photography by Emma Thurgood | Emma Thurgood Weddings