Located about 30 minutes South of Fort Smith in the small town of Hackett, Arkansas, Hilltop Lodging is a secluded and cozy elopement, intimate wedding, and event venue. After shooting there about a year ago I fell in love with the forest-y vibes of the venue, and this past week I had the opportunity to interview the owners, Brenda and Sabrina. Today’s blog post is all about Hilltop Lodging, the reasons I love it, and how you can elope there! Read all the way to the end to see a video of the full interview.
About Hilltop Lodging
History
Brenda first discovered Hilltop Lodging a little over 3 years ago. At that time, the property had been abandoned for two years. The first time she drove up to it, the forest was so overgrown that she couldn’t even see the main lodge until she was right in front of it on the wide circle drive. It had “Thing 1” and “Thing 2” painted in purple on the side of the building. But the second she walked inside, it felt like her home. Family and friends told her not to buy it, that it would just be a money pit, but she just knew that she could turn it into a romantic getaway. So she brought on her daughter and her cousin Sabrina to help her, and together they made Hilltop Lodging into the welcoming and cozy place that it is today.
Amenities
Hilltop Lodging can sleep 12-16 guests, and can accommodate up to 40 guests during the day. The lodge has a full kitchen where you might find Brenda putting together a charcuterie board for the eloping couple, and it also has separate areas for brides and grooms to get ready. P.S. It also has fire pits, a hot tub, a telescope, and a grill. Yes, please!
One of the coolest things about this venue is that they have truly created a concierge experience for their couples. Not only do they have tables and chairs and runners and an arbor available for your use, but they have a private collection of wedding dresses that range in sizes and styles. They know that elopements can look different for every couple, and they are constantly working to add value to their wedding packages so that you can have the stress-free elopement of your dreams!
Why I Love Hilltop Lodging
As an intimate wedding and elopement photographer, it is so lovely to work with a venue that has the same priorities that I do. It makes such a huge difference to elope at a venue that was designed for eloping vs. at a venue that was designed for big, traditional weddings and just rearranged some things for an elopement.
If you’ve been around here long, you know I’m such a huge advocate for intentionally creating a unique experience for you and your partner (and any guests you choose to include on your day). At Hilltop Lodging, it feels like you are in your own little world. Nestled as it is in the middle of a forest at the end of a long dirt road, this location helps you to forget about the distractions of the rest of the world and be fully present with each other.
Another thing I really love about this venue is the ladies behind it. During our interview, they discussed the circumstances that led up to them creating Hilltop Lodging. Brenda and Sabrina told me about how they both were experiencing really big life changes at that time, which allowed them to come together and work on this business. They firmly believe that when women unite, we can make magic and love out of everything – and that’s what they’ve done at Hilltop Lodging. Wherever you are on the property, you can just tell that so much love and care went into creating the space.
How to Get Married at Hilltop Lodging
When to Book
How far in advance you need to book your elopement at this venue depends on two things: how involved with the planning process you want your hosts to be, and whether or not you have flexibility to get married on a weekday vs. on a weekend. For a weekend wedding that you are wanting lots of help from Brenda and Sabrina to plan, you should be looking at dates at least three months out. That’s about how far out their weekend dates book up, but it also allows them time to get everything ready for you and gives you time to browse through their recommended vendors list for the services that they do not provide themselves. If you are planning a weekday wedding you can typically expect to book much sooner than three months.
How to Contact
Currently you can find Hilltop Lodging on Instagram, Facebook, and at this time AirBnB is the best way to book this venue. They are also working on launching their website, and I will update this post with a link as soon as it is live!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post about one of my favorite elopement venues here in Northwest Arkansas! I love being able to connect with other elopement vendors and share my recommendations with you guys. So that you can get to know Brenda and Sabrina better, I’ve linked the Youtube video of the full interview I had with them. If you have any other questions about eloping at Hilltop Lodging, feel free to post a comment and I will be sure to get the answer for you!
*Today’s blog post contains a selection of images from a styled shoot I attended at Hilltop Lodging last year. If you are interested in booking a wedding or session with me, I am more than happy to send you a full gallery upon request!
I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook to get updates on future blog posts, see sneak peeks of my amazing couples, and so much more! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!
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