C and J love Georgia, and more importantly- love nature. This made Georgia’s Providence Canyon, one of the South’s Little Grand Canyons, the ideal location for their intimate elopement. December adventure elopements are best kept in the South where the pine trees are still green and the air is warm enough to run around in but cool enough to keep you comfortable on a short hike. They kept their elopement simple with fall toned florals, Osprey packs, and hiking boots. C got dressed after a short hike down into slot canyons. After their vows they danced through the Southern Grand Canyon, chased each other, laughed, and dressed back down for an intimate photoshoot before we left.

Venue: Providence Canyon State Park Georgia // Packs: REI Flash 55 Osprey Tempest  //  Vow Books: Dingbat Notebooks // Boots:  Carhartt Boots

As an elopement photographer and avid hiker I tend to get around to some great views and great adventures. I’ve also found that no two ceremonies or adventure elopements look the same, but it helps to have someone who knows their way around. I thought I’d share a few key moments from this elopement to help you plan your own.

Intimate, quiet, otherworldly, and breathtaking, that’s how I would describe Providence Canyon in December. The weather was perfect, I hiked in leggings, my usual Lone Peak Ultra Trail Runners, and a short sleeve shirt through the canyon to location scout.

I always like to relay the temperatures to my couples for elopements when it comes to hiking or standing out in the sun because no one wants to get sweaty or uncomfortable in their wedding attire right before vows. 

The canyon is a unique feature crafted from years of erosion from flooding rivers. This left stunning walls of soft brown and orange clay in wide bands. While you can’t rock climb on these walls you can scale a few areas to get closer to the walls. The views are absolutely breathtaking and entirely unique to the area. Farmland and a distinct Georgia backdrop surrounds the sprawling canyon. It is, at the same time, simple, subdued, and creates an intimate experience rather than an overwhelmingly vast one. The canyon sports stunning shades of orange, yellow, red, and terracotta which starkly contrast the rich, lush greens from the surrounding pines and flora.

Providence Canyon is surrounded by tiny little towns in Southern Georgia right next to the Alabama border. There are plently airbnb’s nearby, but it’ll be important to factor in at least a 15-20 minute drive to even the closest airbnbs. 

This is a great location if you’re wanting to escape the city or towns and camp for a little while to explore the slot canyons. It’s also great if you love geology- or just want some badass rock features in your photos. 

There’s a few front country campsites along with  6 backcountry camp sites. This would be the ideal location for an elopement that started with a hike, ceremony, and ended with a sweet, intimate photoshoot at your campsite by the fire or in a tent.  

If you’re interested in bringing your family to your elopement this state park is fairly accessible for those who don’t mind a mildly strenuous but short hike. But, if your friends and family aren’t up to it or unable to do the hike, there are a few accessible areas for picnicking and stunning overlooks. This would allow you to have both alone time to hike down into the canyon as well as family time up top around the rim of the canyon.

Thinking of eloping in Tennessee or the Southeast? Done holler at me.