FAQ

Proudly located in Slade Kentucky, the gateway town to the Red River Gorge. 

Feel free to contact us through our inquiry form and Lila will start the process for you when you’re ready, or if you’re a “do it yourself” type of person follow these steps:

-Go to the package page of the specific package you’re wanting to secure.

-Scroll to the bottom of every package description page, there you will find a button that says BOOK NOW.

-Follow the prompts to book your preferred date and time.

-You will see two time slots offered for each date, one in the morning and one in the evening. This will give us an approximate time of day you desire for your ceremony so we can compare your request to our availability to give you the most accurate and timely answer.

You’ll hear back from us within 24 hours (via email and a phone call/text) of your request to let you know whether or not we are available, and we will proceed with your booking if we are available or we will discuss additional options if needed.

No, we do not. To avoid cold, hazardous weather and setbacks that occur due to such factors we only hold ceremonies March-November. We also take a break from late July to early September as the conditions in our area are very hot, buggy, and humid which makes hiking in formal attire and makeup quite uncomfortable (to say the least!). We do have one exception for the winter: for last minute elopements in the winter containing just the couple and max 2 guests we will make the exception if the weather is warm, the road and trail conditions are safe, and our team is available.

Our books are currently open through 2024.

How exciting! Congratulations! We have pulled together weddings in as little as 6 hours from our client’s initial call, to meeting up with them and performing our services. So last minute ceremonies are absolutely an option!

We do not have a formal “reception venue” space, but more of a mobile micro reception set of options to accommodate rental cabins or similar spaces. Think tables, tablecloths, centerpieces, chairs for up to 20 guests, flatware, glass ware, floral décor, and more. Our team can come to your rental space and set up said items at a predetermined time for you to enjoy for a contracted time period where we will then clean up, pack out, and leave the space tidy once your contract time is met. This is all dependent on the max capacity of the space (for example we will not set up a micro reception for 20 people in a cabin with a max capacity of 8 people). We will check with your rental’s management team to confirm that we are permitted to fulfill our duties on site.

We do not. We utilize around 50 different outdoor ceremony sites covering a 3-county radius of our office located in Slade KY. Our office is very small and utilized primarily for holding the occasional meeting, office work, décor storage, and décor preparations. In order to view any of our ceremony sites, with Lila’s assistance, we require couples to be booked fully (contract signed and deposit made) for on-trail/on-site consultations to be performed.

For ceremonies with 20 guests and under you can expect to allot about 1-3 hours for planning with Lila. For larger weddings (20-50 guests) you can expect to double that (plus or minus an hour) and you’re welcome to reach out to her with any changes and questions as they arise.

That is correct. The non-refundable deposit is utilized to hold your date, start the planning process for your wedding, and reserve the services of an officiant and auxiliary staff to make your day streamlined and stress free.  We highly recommend you purchase insurance to cover your investment for any unseen circumstances that may cause you to cancel your wedding. Here is an insurance option (WedSafe Wedding Insurance)

Yes! We believe love is love, and love is for everyone! We are proud supporters of the LGBTQ+ community!

We gladly share select galleries with potential clients and secured clients alike however we do not provide a comprehensive gallery to people considering our business for one main reason:

We don’t want couples falling in love with a site, getting their hearts set on it, only to realize that it’s not a safe option for their wedding party/guests to access. We’ve had this occur in the past and were unfortunately lead to believe a wedding guest’s hiking abilities were far greater than they actually were, resulting in a very painful and long hike for an elderly guest with mobility issues that were not previous disclosed to us. We realize this was a fluke situation, but we are determined to prevent this from happening ever again and realize we have a responsibility not just to our clients, but to their loved ones in attendance. We have a lot of questions to ask of our clients/potential clients before we lead anyone to believe that certain sites are a viable option for their ceremony. That being said, if you have loved ones coming to the ceremony that need special consideration, we typically will perform your ceremony at an easy-to-access site and then spend your remaining contracted time driving or hiking to iconic destinations for those romantic/adventuresome couples photos. It’s a win-win if you ask us!

All forms of ceremonies are welcome and will be treated with the utmost respect and honor. We would love to learn more about what you have in mind!

Yes! Depending on the package you purchase and your chosen location, you can invite up to 20 wedding guests and our Creatures of Comfort Package has no max guest count. The people who love and support you the most should be able to witness one of the most meaningful moments of your life and celebrate with you.

Yes! When deciding on what ceremony sites to offer and why, we absolutely had wheelchairs and other mobility aids in mind. We offer a few ceremony sites that can be accessed with relative ease by anyone using mobility aids.

Yes.  Every human coming to your ceremony counts as a guest and should be included in your guest count.  

For more information please contact us via our inquiry form found on out “Contact” page

Yes, it is.  Absolute 20 max wedding guest (this includes children) + the couple equals 22. We have formal contracts with the USFS, Kentucky State Parks and private landowners which permit us to bring 20 guests and the couple to our ceremony sites. The only acceptance to the 20-guest max is the Creatures of Comfort’s where the ceremony is primarily hosted at your rental cabin or lodge and the couple, and our in-house photographer can venture into the woods for couple’s photos. We do not put a cap on the number of guests on that package because the capacity of each cabin or lodge varies.

Yes, we do! This is our preferred form of payment, but we do also accept money orders as well. 

Yes and no. Some of our private property and State Park locations have a strict no-pet policy, but all ceremony sites located in the Daniel Boone National Forest welcome leashed pets as well as some of private properties. Pets must remain on leash, their waste packed out to follow Leave No Trace ethics, and please remember to bring water and a bowl during the warm months to keep your friend healthy and hydrated; not all sites have flowing water nearby for our fury friends to utilize. (link to https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/)

We prefer to perform ceremonies in the evenings or early mornings. Monday through Thursday are the best days for ceremonies in our opinion. The contributing factors to these opinions include ample and beautiful light for your photos, less or no tourists, less bugs, and it leaves your day wide open to enjoy to the fullest. 

Once you have secured your wedding date with us, we will send you a questionnaire to narrow down what you’re really wanting for your ceremony site. Once you’ve completed the questionnaire, you’ll schedule your initial consultation call with Lila. She is your photographer, coordinator, and go-to gal for everything regarding your big day. On your call with Lila, she will discuss all you’ve shared through the questionnaire to find the perfect spot for you and your sweetheart to share your vows! We heavily factor in who will be in attendance besides you, the couple, because we do not want your guests to have a rough time with a hike they are not fully equipped for. Typically, if you have any guests in attendance who are inexperienced hikers, physically unable to hike, or would have great difficulty enjoying a hike, we will hold the ceremony at an easy to reach (but still beautiful) location and will spend your couple’s photo time accessing scenic locations for your romantic and adventurous photos.

Yes! Any private properties within 30 minutes of Slade KY are welcome. Additional consulting fees would apply in this scenario. Our team members would need to come scout the location and offer recommendations specific to your private ceremony site. 

No, we do not, but we do provide you with a list of great cabin rental companies and lodging options on our website. Follow the Red River Gorge button on the menu of our home page for lists of local accommodations and activities. We do however cover every booking regarding your ceremony as long as you choose options provided by vendors that are on our preferred local vendors list. 

You’re welcome to bring your own officiant as long as they are not being paid to perform your ceremony for legal and permitting reasons. If you are getting married, your officiant would need to be recognized by the state as a minister to make your ceremony legally binding and to fill out your marriage license.

No, you may not. Our photographer, Lila, is the only one permitted to photograph ceremonies performed by Red River Gorge Weddings and by the USFS.  With this being said, your guests are welcome to bring their own non-professional photography gear to capture the day with.

Absolutely! From local baked goods (wedding cakes, and pastries), artisanal chocolates, locally farmed flowers for bouquets and boutonnieres/pin-on’s, our romantic pop-up wedding altars, chairs, transportation services, and more!

Within 3 weeks of your ceremony, you will receive an email with your digital gallery’s link. Follow the link to view and download your images. We provide our couples with a “gallery guide” to ease the process of accessing, downloading and storing your images.

Absolutely! Your ceremony means YOU get to call the shots! 

Of course! If you plan on camping overnight in the Daniel Boone National Forest a camping permit is required and can be purchased at the Shell Gas Station in Slade or the Gladie Center located in the Daniel Boone. Please follow Leave No Trace ethics when camping in the Red River Gorge! There are also many privately-owned campgrounds scattered around and near the Red River Gorge, all of which offer an array of accommodations. 

2 at the least, to 4 times at most. 2 invoices are your deposit (due within 7 days of signing your contract) and remaining balance (due 30 days before your ceremony date). The 3^rd or 4^th invoices will include any Add-On options that you might procure. We try our best to only invoice you a maximum of 3 times, but if in the last minute you decide you need chairs or want that bouquet, we will send you a 4^th invoice. We do this to keep our clients from feeling like they’re juggling many invoices and it’s easier to keep track of overall.

Of course!  

Absolutely!

Believe it or not, rainy days make for beautiful ceremony photos! So, fear not a rainy forecast, as long as conditions are not hazardous, all will go according to plan. There are a few beautiful options for inclement weather. We have access to rock shelters and overhanging cliffs that can keep us dry. We can switch to those ceremony sites to ensure a dry, hassle-free experience. If you are renting a cabin in the area, we can always perform your ceremony there should the weather be particularly wild as long as the cabin rental company gives us permission to do so.  We also provide adorable clear/bubble umbrellas to aid in keeping yourself and your loved ones dry as possible all while looking uniform for your photos.

Some of our ceremony sites are on National Forest Public Lands and since it is public property no area of it may be reserved for any activity.  For our ceremony sites that are on private land, there is usually very little foot traffic, if any, on the trails leading to your site and since we have exclusive access to these locations for ceremony purposes any passerby’s will be very few.

No. In order for you to be legally married in Kentucky, you must visit a County Clerk’s office and apply for a Kentucky Marriage License to present to your officiant the day of your ceremony. There is no waiting period needed for this simple process to be completed. You will need to provide an official ID, pay around $50 and sign some paperwork. It should take you about 20 minutes to acquire your marriage license, once it is issued you have 30 days to return it.  You do not need to purchase it in the same county as your ceremony location, but it must be from the state of Kentucky. 

All we ask our couple’s and their guests to do is wear sturdy footwear with good treads/lugs for the sake of hiking safely, your marriage license if you’re getting married, and your lovely selves! Everything in addition to that is up to you!