Eloping In Maryland: The What’s, Why’s and Where’s

Are you considering a simple elopement to escape matrimonial pandemonium? I’m here to help.

Elopements are on the rise, especially amongst millenials, and I can’t really say I’m mad about it. While I love a fanciful and wild beast of a wedding, elopements are a sweet and intimate natured creature all of their own. Elopements are on the rise for many reasons, but your reason is your own. Perhaps you’re toying with the idea of forgoing the full regal of a large scale shebang but haven’t quite decided to commit just yet. That’s okay boo, I got you on the facts of why elopements are awesome as well as some magical and free (yeah buddy, free!) locations in Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania for your elopement.

What is an elopement?

Traditionally..

Elopement: verb. to run away secretly in order to get married, especially without parental consent.

In real life in 2021 and on..

Eloping is less about whisking your partner away to secretly marry in the woods to evade disapproving parents and more about running your own dang selves away from the drama and stress sweats of planning a full blown wedding.

Think of it as courthouse-easy meets storybook romantic with great scenery for a bangin’ album of beautiful photographs to remember your day through.

So, what’s so great about eloping?

There are endless reasons for a couple to elope rather than go the traditional route of a big wedding, but common reasons seem to crop up again and again as I work with my clientele, and perhaps upon reading through this, you might realize these are some suitable reasons for you to elope, too.

#1 ChaCHING. One reason more people (especially millennials) are eloping is glaringly obvious; weddings ain’t free.

Weddings are expensive. There’s no way around it. Even if you do it all on your own by pinching pennies, borrowing decorations and ruling the local craft stores as the coupon queen/king, you’re still looking at a hefty chunk of change to celebrate your nuptials. Avoiding credit card debt, saving your savings or simply having something else to put that big swath of moolah towards is one big reasons elopements are on the rise, but it’s not the only great reason to elope. Just because eloping saves big bucks doesn’t mean there aren’t also huge non-monetary benefits to eloping here in Maryland.

#2 Oh So Intimate. Marrying a person is about as intimate of a thing as one can decide to do.

Like, intimate intimate. Like, you’re going to be watching them clip their toenails and sharing the pillows they drool on for a long, long time. This is intimacy, people. Why not kick start this intimate and shared lifestyle with as few people as possible? Introverts, rejoice! In Maryland a legal marriage doesn’t require any witnesses to elope, so you’re good to get married with just yourselves, officiant and your photographer present for an ultra private ceremony, or invite just a few beloved people to join you. This also means you have an easy out to not invite every person that shares some connection to your families without causing an uproar and fielding offended voicemails from the aforementioned people. This brings me to reason number three that elopements are the bees knees.

#3 Saving Aunt Mavis’s Feelings. As we discussed in our number one reason folks are eloping, OH HI weddings are expensive. Feeding you to celebrate my union isn’t cheap, Aunt Mavis.

This cost often sky rockets when the to-be-married parties feel obligated to invite every Tom, Dick and Aunt Harriet. While some brides or grooms have no issue leaving people off the list, many find it difficult to cut down the list for fear of hurting feelings or causing family drama. The best family drama is the drama that isn’t your drama. Am I right? An elopement is, therefor, the perfect reason to not invite all those twice removed relatives and people you once knew without hurting their tender hearts. It’s not just you Uncle Hobart, NOBODY is invited. An elopement sets the stage for just you two and only the people you want to be there. The intimacy of an elopement just between you and a few special people will significantly reduces the sometimes overwhelming stress that comes with planning a wedding, and THAT is something worth celebrating.

#4 Less Stress and Mess. Weddings are stressful and messy. Just some food, a little decor and some music is all you need, right? Well.. No, not really.

The devil is in the details and it gets out of hand REAL fast when planning a wedding. You start off planning a simple, frugal wedding, and before you know it, you’re breathing fire at anyone who suggests a different style of table linens because you’re having a hard time carrying the weight of a million decisions, that all need to be handled and coordinated in a timely and efficient manner. Some people thrive on this mayhem and love nothing more than the challenge of organizing a giant event for hundreds of people. I’m looking at you, Monica Gellars of the world. That’s wonderful and I kind of view it as some sort of a super power. Alas, we can’t all be Monica’s, as the majority of us, much to our chagrin, are Rachel Greens. We aren’t that organized and we kind of fall apart under the pressure, and that steals the joy of the day. Elopements offer a streamlined, bare-bones approach to tying the knot, and that’s a relief for many brides and grooms out there. This weightless joy of less stress and mess hopefully also comes with a lot less hurt feelings and family drama. YEAH buddy. That’s what I’m talking about.

#5 Unforeseen Circumstances. As we have experienced across the globe in the past year, unforeseen circumstances happen. Covid-19 came crashing into our lives in 2020 and straight up ripped the rug out from under thousands of couples, so improvise many of them did! Sometimes eloping and having a big party later is the option couples are most comfortable with. I have seen couples elope for so many reasons, really. I have witnessed couples marry in a hospital room with a dying parent there to support, love and witness the blessed occasion. I have seen couples elope before one or both of them get deployed to different sides of the world. Unforeseen circumstances are hard to navigate, but love finds a way, and often, that way is a quick, sweet elopement.

A big decision when planning an elopement is location, and Harford County, Maryland is spilling over with gorgeous locations for your consideration.

Looking for a beautiful, free location to elope? Let’s go!

The Best Places To Elope In Harford County, Maryland – Kilgore Falls, Pylesville, Maryland

Is there anything more romantic than eloping with your love in front of a waterfall? Think of something. I’ll wait. As one of my declared best places to elope in Harford County, Maryland, this wistful location, also referred to by locals as “Falling Branch” is the jewel of Harford County, MD. Not only is it treasured by locals and travelers alike, it is also kind of famous. This is the waterfall featured in the sweet Disney movie, Tuck Everlasting. The “falling branch” was removed and put back into place for the movie, so it may look a bit different, but rest assured, this waterfall has had it’s day and has seen some things. This location is not only stunning but absolutely free to visit! Due to our beloved falls not being treated with respect, the park has instituted a parking lot reservation system to ensure the falls aren’t completely over run with people each day, thus, less polluted, and thankfully, less crowded on your big day. As this is a popular location for locals and tourists, it’s important to consider that there will be onlookers at this location, as there will be with just about any beautiful public location. All you need is a reserved parking spot for your attendees and you’re all set to get married in front of this legendary little waterfall in Pylesville, Maryland.

The Best Places To Elope In Harford County, Maryland – The King and Queen Seats, Rock State Park, Forest Hill, Maryland

This location is just a skip away from Kilgore Falls and definitely packs a punch when it comes to wow factor. This beautiful cliff looks over the park and is truly breath-taking year round. In the evenings, overlooking Rock State Park at the top of this mountain feels like the sun is setting just for your wedding. It also features fabulous wooded locations and trails that are great for photos before and after your mountain top ceremony. It really is a win win all around, and way too dreamy to not consider for your nuptials. You will need to be ready to do a touch of walking and a teensy bit of climbing, but don’t let that rule this location out just yet. I’ve done this little walk and climb with a baby strapped to my back, so it’s nothing an adventurous couple can’t do in a tuxedo or giant puffy dress. The adventure just makes it all a little bit more romantic, don’t you think?

The Best Places To Elope In Harford County, Maryland – Jerusalem Mill and Village + Jericho Bridge, Kingsville, Maryland

Jerusalem Mill and Village + Jericho Bridge is a local favorite for all kinds of photography, and elopements are no exception. This vast area features a small stream in the woods, open fields where the golden hour sun reigns surpreme and gorgeous structures and buildlings from the 1700s. Jerusalem Mill and Jericho Bridge hold oodles of historic charm that can’t be pushed aside without heavy consideration. This stunning property is relatively flat with walking trails, which makes it a great location for easy manuevering, as well as a wide range of backdrops all in one sprawling location. This is the ultimate outdoor elopement pick for couples who want historic romance and a large variation in backgrounds locations all in one place.

The Best Places To Elope In Harford County, Maryland – The Liriodendron Mansion, Bel Air, Maryland

The Liriodendron Mansion is nestled right in Historic Downtown Bel Air and boasts so much beauty and history. Built and owned by the late Dr. Kelly, a highly respected surgeon and one of the founding physicians of Johns Hopkins Medical College. Built in the georgian revival style on 100 acres of land, it truly is a location that leaves visitors in awe. As a popular wedding location, it features unlimited gorgeous locations on the property and around the mansion for photos and elopement ceremony options. Because this location is such a popular event location, the staff at The Lirodendron request that anyone visiting for a photography session simply call ahead of time to get on their schedule to ensure there is no conflict of using the property, especially when there is a paid event on the books. This is a great location to use in the off season and week days as it’s less likely to be already in use for a wedding or large party event. For full use of the mansion inside and out with no interruptions or conflicts with visiting tourists, The Lirodendron Mansion offers a sweet elopement package at a very affordable and elopement friendly cost that is an excellent upgrade well worth the small investment to get this mansion all to yourself.

The Best Places To Elope In Harford County, Maryland – Concord Point Lighthouse in Havre De Grace, Maryland

This quaint lighthouse is the second oldest lighthouse in maryland and affectionately seen as the symbol of Havre De Grace. Adorning the beautiful waterfront promenade in Havre De Grace, this lighthouse location would be a sweet homage to couples who love to swim, kayak, fish or simply spend time snuggling as they stare out over the water. This sweet lighthouse and lawn is open for free exploration and thus, photo taking and elopements every day in the office season (November through March) and on weekends from 1pm to 5pm April through October. This location can be rented for a reasonable set tax deductible donation after 5pm on weekends, April through October as well. For sunset lovers and no picnicers in the background, this is a great option to have your dream elopement while donating to a historical sites maintanence for further enjoyment of future generations.

The Best Places To Elope In Harford County, Maryland – Rock Run Gristmill in Havre De Grace, Maryland

Rock Run Gristmill is located on the wide open Susquehanna River and is simply stunning for an outdoorsy couple who’s ready to elope in their natural habitat. This sweet spot is free for visitors and offers so much natural beauty along with a charming view of the gristmill in the background. For adventurers, this is a great place to tie the knot then do a little bit of kayaking! I’ve yet to photograph a couple elope IN a kayak but it’s on my wish-list, so don’t rule anything out when planning your exchanging of rings.

The Best Places To Elope In Harford County, Maryland – Stepping Stone Farm Museum, Havre De Grace, Maryland

The Steppingstone Farm Museum is a no brainer for those who want a rustic and lovely non-profit location to say “I do”. Nestled on the scenic Susquehanna River, natural beauty and historic buildings are a match made in heaven for this elopement location. This location is free on off hours, but prime hours can be booked with the museums “Micro Wedding” package for a low cost to ensure the dreamiest evening lighting and a wide open space just for your elopement.

The Best Places To Elope In Harford County, Maryland – Your Local Park

There are SO many beautiful parks in Harford County that offer woody scenery and lovely sunsets, so let’s not rule them out simply because they aren’t tourist hot spots. This, is in fact, one of the great things about these small, mostly uncelebrated parks; They’re not packed full of people, especially when the sun is setting, which is the perfect time to elope. If you’re considering eloping, next time you have a few minutes to spare, drive in and explore that little park that you always pass and never pay much mind. It might just be the hidden gem that will host your most precious elopement in Harford County, Maryland.

Are you thinking about eloping? Hit me up for help!

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Check out the locations listed in this post down below

https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/central/Rocks/Falling-Branch.aspx

https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/central/Rocks/King-Queen-Seats.aspx

https://www.visitharford.com/listing/rock-run-grist-mill-(susquehanna-state-park)/850/

https://www.steppingstonemuseum.org/

https://www.stateparks.com/maryland_parks_and_recreation_destinations.html

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