Best Places to Elope in Northern Virginia
If you’re trying to decide where to elope in Northern Virginia, there are tons of great options! Many wedding venues are offering elopement packages, and there are also wineries, parks, and historic locations to choose from as well. Northern Virginia is filled with natural beauty and locations ranging from rustic farms to bustling downtowns. This list covers places from Alexandria to Leesburg to Warrenton and everything in between!
I’ve tried to include the most up-to-date information and pricing in this list, but check with the venues directly since policies and fees might change. And of course with all of these locations, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to plan! Some places might allow you to elope with just a few days notice, but others book up far in advance or may just have longer processing times. It’s also possible that some locations might still be closed or operating with limited staff because of the pandemic, so reservations could take longer than normal.
*Keep in mind that guest counts listed here are under normal conditions. State and local mandates might have restrictions on gathering sizes that could affect these numbers.*
And if you need more location ideas, check out Where to Elope in Washington, DC.
Pearmund Cellars
For couples wanting to elope in Virginia’s wine country, Pearmund Cellars is offering elopements at their winery in Broad Run. Get married with the vineyard as your backdrop, or inside in the barrel room. Elopements at Pearmund Cellars include chairs for the ceremony and a champagne toast. The rate is $250 for 2 hours, and up to 20 guests. Additional guests can be added for a fee.
More intimate wedding photos at Pearmund Cellars
Effingham Manor Winery
Effingham Manor Winery is a sister winery to Pearmund Cellars, so they are offering an identical elopement package. The base price is $250 for a 2 hour elopement with up to 20 guests. They can also provide chairs for your intimate ceremony and a champagne toast. Effingham Manor is located in Nokesville, with the historic manor house at the center of the property. Stunning views of the grounds reach out in every direction, and there’s even a koi pond!
Rust Manor House
Rust Manor House in Leesburg, VA is a nature sanctuary and historic mansion with beautiful gardens and trails. You can reserve your elopement at Rust Manor House for $200/hour, with a minimum of 2 hours. White wedding chairs and a rustic arbor are available for use for the outdoor ceremony, and the manor house can also be used on a rainy day. There are indoor spaces for both of you to get ready, and the guest count is capped at 30 people.
More intimate wedding photos at Rust Manor House
Carlyle House
Carlyle House is a historic mansion and park in the middle of Old Town Alexandria, and it’s is the perfect mix of history and nature. There’s three different options for your elopement ceremony, including the front lawn, the garden, and the Magnolia Terrace.
Wedding ceremonies can take place from April to October, and you have access to the property for 2 hours. Ceremony-only rentals at Carlyle House range from $800-900 with a refundable security deposit. You can hold a reception on the property as well on their Magnolia Terrace for an additional fee.
Shenandoah National Park
If you’ve always wanted to elope in the mountains, Shenandoah National Park is the perfect spot! I’ve actually got a whole other blog post dedicated to all of my Shenandoah wedding advice.
With beautiful views everywhere you look, there are tons of great locations for a small wedding ceremony. You can hike a trail to get married at the top of a mountain, or use one of the many overlooks on Skyline Drive. As long as your elopement involves fewer than 16 participants and you aren’t setting anything up for the ceremony, you don’t need to get a permit. If you want to have 16+ people or plan to have chairs, decor, or music, you’ll need to apply for a special use permit through the National Park Service. The permit is $150, and remember that every car entering the park must pay the $30 entrance fee.
Even if you’re going to have fewer than 16 people, you should still reach out to the park about your wedding plans, just to make sure there isn’t a conflicting wedding occurring that day in the same location you plan to use. And remember that weekends can get busy at Shenandoah, especially in the fall, so morning ceremonies are preferred to avoid crowds.
Read more about their policies on the Shenandoah National Park wedding permit page. You can also check out their concessions operator Delaware North at Shenandoah National Park if you’d like to have your ceremony at Skyland or Big Meadows Lodge (venues where larger weddings in the park typically take place).
More photos and advice for Shenandoah National Park
Great Falls Park
Great Falls Park has trails, giant rocks, and of course the “falls” or rapids of the Potomac River! It’s a gorgeous spot for adventurous couples looking to elope in Northern Virginia. The park can get super busy on beautiful weekends, so be aware you may be surrounded by lots of other park visitors and the parking lot can sometimes fill up. Plan for a morning ceremony or an off-peak day to avoid the crowds.
To reserve your wedding at Great Falls, you must contact the George Washington Memorial Parkway permit office. There is a $50 special use permit fee and parking fees are $20/car.
State Arboretum of Virginia
As of early 2022, the State Arboretum is planning to begin hosting weddings again, but they have not updated their wedding page on their website. You can reach out to Robin Couch Cardillo (rcardillo@virginia.edu) for the most updated information!
The beautiful outdoor setting at the State Arboretum of Virginia can’t be beat! It’s part of UVA’s Blandy Experimental Farm and is filled with woods, gardens, and historic buildings. There are two locations for wedding ceremonies - the amphitheater and the native plant trail. With space to fit up to 200 people, you definitely don’t have to worry about the guest count for your elopement!
The fee for wedding ceremonies is $700, and that’s for a 5-hour time block to include the setup and break down of your event. Their wedding ceremonies occur at 4:00pm, and cannot typically take place during the summer months due to other events at the Arboretum.
You can find more information about packages on the State Arboretum’s wedding page.
More photos at the State Arboretum of Virginia
48 Fields
For rustic beauty in Leesburg, VA, you can’t go wrong with 48 Fields! The big white barn is gorgeous both inside and out, with two floors inside for completely different looks. For a simple, ceremony-only elopement, you can reserve the venue for 2 hours for $800. The ceremony can take place outside on the property or inside the barn, which is a great option if needed for inclement weather! Tables and chairs are included as well.
They’ve also got an all-inclusive elopement package for $3975 that includes use of the venue, an officiant, flowers, music, and a wedding cake. You can find more details about it on their elopements page.
Airlie
If you want perfectly manicured gardens for your elopement ceremony, Airlie in Warrenton, VA is the place to go. This hotel and conference center has many acres to explore, including several gorgeous gardens. Airlie elopements can host up to 20 people, and can be reserved for $500 for 2 hours. This includes a basic chair setup as well as a champagne toast. There are tons of gorgeous locations around the property for photos, but pictures on the iconic Spanish Steps do involve an additional fee.
Sweeney Barn
Sweeney Barn is a newly restored dairy barn in Manassas, VA and is the perfect combination of rustic and elegant. Elopements here allow you to reserve the venue for 3 hours for $500 Monday - Friday and $750 Saturday- Sunday. Similar to 48 Fields, Sweeney Barn has two stories, giving you two different looks for an indoor ceremony. White padded chairs are available for the ceremony, as well as wine barrels that can be used as high top tables.
Black Horse Inn
The Black Horse Inn is currently closed, but I’m hoping they will return sometime soon!
Another elopement venue option in Warrenton, VA is The Black Horse Inn. With stunning grounds, gardens, and horses, you can enjoy the beauty of the Virginia countryside on your intimate wedding day! Elopements at Black Horse Inn are $1000 and that includes use of the estate for your ceremony and cocktail hour. These are offered Sundays - Thursdays, and guest count must be limited to 10 guests. Overnight lodging is also available at the inn.
More wedding photos at Black Horse Inn
Walker Nature Center
Walker Nature Center is located in a residential Reston neighborhood with miles of trails - it’s a great spot for couples wanting to get married in the woods. The nature center building itself has a multi-purpose room that holds 60 people and can be rented out for $60/hour. There’s also a pavilion with picnic tables that can be reserved for $40/hour, and a fire pit area for $30/hour which each can fit up to 40 people. Reston Association members receive lower rates on rentals.
Clyde’s Willow Creek Farm
Clyde’s Willow Creek Farm is an amazing restaurant in Ashburn, VA, so they can provide a small reception after your elopement as well. The property is gorgeous for photos, with lots of willow trees and beautiful landscaping. The second floor above the restaurant itself has two rooms that can be rented out for $100 each and that can hold 18-26 seated guests. There are also food and beverage minimums that can range from $300-$750 depending on the day and time of your wedding.
718 Venue
In the heart of downtown Fredericksburg, 718 Venue is filled with historic charm and exposed brick walls. It’s a great spot for couples wanting to elope in one of Virginia’s historic districts, with tons of photo opportunities around the city within walking distance. Rental rates can range from $400 to $1000+ depending on the day of the week and the time of year, and that includes up to 50 guests. These half day rates are for 6 hours, either from 10am-4pm or 5:30pm-11:30pm. There is also the gallery suite upstairs that can be rented for an additional fee if you’d like to stay overnight at the property or use the area for getting ready.
Sky Meadows State Park
The wide open fields of Sky Meadows State Park provide amazing views of the Blue Ridge Mountains! To schedule your wedding at Sky Meadows, you have to complete a $25 special use permit and there are several ceremony locations at the park. The best option for an elopement with 15 people or fewer is holding your ceremony at any of the scenic vistas or fields, as long as they are not in any of the historical areas or interfering with other park visitors. There are no additional fees for this type of ceremony.
If you’d like to include a picnic-style reception along with your wedding, there are a few other options. Mary’s Shelter ($130) has a pavilion that holds up to 60 guests, Isabel’s Venue ($64) is a picnic pad that also fits 60 guests, and Turner Pond ($175) that can host even larger events and also includes use of the Timberlake House.
