Wedding Photographers & Videographers at Ohiopyle State Park, Ohiopyle

Wedding photos at Ohiopyle State Park come with the sound of rushing water. The park covers about 20,500 acres of the Laurel Ridge in Fayette County, and the Youghiogheny River Gorge runs right through its center, so your photographer and videographer can work with rock, river and forest instead of a ballroom wall. The village of Ohiopyle sits in the middle of it all, roughly 60 miles south of Pittsburgh.

Pennsylvania's park system names two places here for a wedding ceremony: the gravel overlook of Ohiopyle Falls and the Tharp Knob Overlook, each with room for about 100 people. Both suit a small wedding or an elopement, with the falls or the gorge behind you as you say your vows. After the ceremony, the overlooks and the river make natural wedding pictures. The falls are loud, so ask your videographer how they plan to record your vows clearly, and stand where the water frames you without drowning out your voices on the wedding video.

Every wedding in a Pennsylvania state park needs approval from the park office first, and most parks charge a small administrative fee for the paperwork once a service is approved, with separate fees for renting a pavilion. If a professional photographer, videographer or caterer is coming, discuss it with the park office ahead of time. The park asks guests not to throw rice or birdseed or release doves or butterflies; bubbles or quiet noise makers are allowed with written permission. The park is open every day from sunrise to sunset, and the office and visitor center on Main Street can answer questions about parking and timing for your wedding day.

• Contact the park office early to get your ceremony approved.
• Tell the office about your photographer and videographer when you apply.
• Visit the overlook at the time of day you plan to get married to check the light and the crowds.

A little about Ohiopyle State Park

Ohiopyle is the southern gateway to the Laurel Highlands, and the Youghiogheny is known for some of the best whitewater boating in the eastern United States. The park office and Laurel Highlands Falls Area Visitor Center earned LEED Gold certification in 2015.