Hillary and Rosalie reached out to me in October 2025 about their May 2026 elopement ideas. They live in Ohio, but knew they wanted to come out to New England for a mountain elopement ever since Maine had captured their hearts on a previous visit.
After some discussion about the scenery they were looking for and the logistics or getting a marriage license for out-of-state eloping couples, they chose the eastern side of White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire for their elopement.
Hillary and Rosalie met when they both had their horses at the same barn that Hillary was the manager of. Rosalie had recently moved to the area and the owner of the barn knew that these two needed to meet and spend some time together, so she organized a movie night and then “conveniently” needed to deal with something at the barn, leaving Hillary and Rosalie alone together. The rest, as they say, is history.
The day started at their adorable AirBnB right in the heart of Conway Village. Hillary and Rosalie chose to help each other get ready, doing each others’ hair and makeup, and helping each other dress. At the start of the day, they sat together and Rosalie did a tarot reading for them, setting intentions and gaining insight for the day. Spoiler alert: the cards said it was going to be a great day! Before heading out,
We had originally planned the day to include a mountaintop picnic followed by a sunset ceremony and stargazing, but the weather had other plans with heavy fog and rain all day. Instead, we opted to flip-flop the timeline, doing the short mountain hike in Eaton for the ceremony earlier in the day when the rain was expected to be lighter, then heading out to the Kancamagus Highway for some moody and romantic rain portraits on the rocks of the Swift River.
The Hike into the Clouds
Once Hillary and Rosalie were all set and ready for the day, we headed out to a favorite trail just outside Conway for a short hike and their ceremony. The trail meanders through blueberry meadows and pine woods, emerging at the summit onto a sprawling meadow with granite rock slabs and boulders. Normally, we would have 360-degree views of New Hampshire and Maine, but we were well and truly in the clouds. That didn’t dampen Hillary and Rosalie’s spirits, though. Instead, it was an opportunity to marvel at the ethereal beauty of their mountain elopement location as the clouds continued to move into and out of the mountains around us, providing us with glimpses of the surrounding peaks.
Their Mountain Elopement Ceremony
On our hike back down, we paused for their mountain elopement ceremony among the pine trees. Hillary and Rosalie chose to incorporate a handfasting ritual into their ceremony, and their handwoven cord had colors representing love, strength, growth, patience, health, fidelity, and wisdom. After the handfasting, they shared their self-written vows and matching rings before being pronounced “partners for life.”
Let’s Celebrate!
Later on during the hike and a break in the rain, Hillary and Rosalie popped some eco-friendly sparkling water and toasted their marriage with the backdrop of the foggy blueberry fields. Before leaving, they also enjoyed a little tailgate snack picnic.
Deciding that we needed a warm-up break, we headed into town for coffee at The Met coffee shop and gallery. Afterward, we headed back to the AirBnB to complete the marriage license and walk across the street to hand it in. Special shout-out to the amazing folks at Conway Town Hall who were so kind and gracious.
Water Fun Along the Kancamagus Highway
Once we felt ready to tackle the weather again, we headed out to the Kancamagus Highway scenic stops along the Swift River for some moody, rainy-day portraits. Hillary and Rosalie did an awesome job leaning into the silly fun of playing in the rain and on the rocks of the river, and it was a perfect end to a truly one-of-a-kind elopement day.
Meet Your New Hampshire Mountains Elopement Photographer
Hey there, I’m Emma! As your New Hampshire mountain elopement photographer, I am your go-to resource for figuring out when, where, and how to elope in one of New England’s most stunning regions.
I grew up in New Hampshire, so my roots run deep there and my love for the mountains is endless. If you’re eloping in the Whites, then reach out to me so we can start planning an incredible day!
