Snooper’s Rock Update
A message from Joseph regarding Snooper’s Rock new wedding policy.
From 2017 to 2023, I photographed elopements and micro-weddings at Snooper’s Rock through Prentice Cooper State Forest’s permit process. During those years, every wedding we did there was done with a permit from the state of Tennessee. Then, beginning in 2023, Prentice Cooper changed their policy and did away with permits, moving instead to a first-come, first-served approach. At that point, weddings were no longer handled through a formal permit system, but it was understood that if you arrived and used the space appropriately, ceremonies could still take place there.
Since that change in 2023, I have regularly stayed in contact with Prentice Cooper State Forest to make sure we were doing everything properly and legally. I have tried to stay fully above reproach in every way and have consistently reached out to check in, ask questions, and make sure weddings were still allowed there. A couple months ago, the head of State Forestry in Nashville personally reached out to me and let me know that they were working on bringing back some kind of permit process for Snoopers Rock, and he even invited my input as they worked through what that might look like. Since then, I have been on and off the phone with the Tennessee State Forestry department, trying to get as much information as possible about what would be required for weddings and obtaining permits there going forward.
Unfortunately, after speaking with multiple members of State Forestry, including the head of State Forestry, I have now been clearly told that wedding ceremonies are no longer allowed at Snooper’s Rock. This all has happened in the past few days. To be very clear, this is not just a permit issue. At this point, the state has decided not to allow wedding ceremonies there at all. Any kind of photos or photoshoots are still allowed there, but wedding ceremonies are no longer permitted at Snoopers Rock.
As soon as I heard this news a few days ago, I immediately started working on alternative options for you. I wanted to find something beautiful, practical, and as close as possible to the original vision you had in mind.
One option is a new partnership I was able to create with a venue called Gardens in the Gorge, which is about 15–20 minutes away from Snooper’s Rock. Gardens in the Gorge is a beautiful wedding venue with lovely garden spaces and a dedicated ceremony location right in the middle of the gardens. They have generously agreed to reduce their normal elopement rate from $1,000 down to $300 specifically for our couples. I realize that a $300 venue fee is more than you were originally expecting to pay, and I completely understand that this may not be the right fit for everyone. But I did want to secure this option because it gives couples a very beautiful and simple ceremony setting nearby. Here’s a video of the available space.
If you choose Gardens in the Gorge, the timeline would likely look something like this: we would begin there with your ceremony, and we could also do family photos and any group photos there during that first hour. I would handle setting up chairs and any décor we use there. After that, we could drive up to Snooper’s Rock and finish with just the two of you for your couples portraits or any additional photos, since photography is still allowed there even though ceremonies are no longer permitted. The $300 would only cover the outdoor area of Gardens in the Gorge, we would not have access to any bathrooms or changing rooms or anything inside. This option works well because it gives you the best of both worlds — a truly private ceremony in a beautiful forest, followed by photos with me at Snoopers Rock and other areas.
We will be doing our first 3 elopements at Gardens in the Gorge, followed by wedding pictures at Snoopers Rock On April 26th, 27th, and 28th, so after that we will be able to provide example photos of what that all looks like for you too.
If you are not interested in paying the additional $300 fee for Gardens in the Gorge, we can absolutely pivot to one of our free location options instead. One free option is Cloudland Canyon (click here to see some examples) which is beautiful both at sunrise and later in the afternoon or at sunset. Another free option is our Tennessee River Gorge location (click here to see some examples), which is also really lovely with river and mountain views. With either of those two options, we are still allowed to go to Snoopers for additional photos with just the two of you, although that may affect timeline due to the distances from Cloudland Canyon and the River Gorge location. You can click on the links above to see photos of each of these locations so you can compare them and decide which one feels like the best fit for your day.
I am so sorry that this has happened. I know this is disappointing and frustrating news, and I want you to know that this decision is completely out of our hands. But I know we can still make this work, perhaps now with an even better outcome — a private area for your ceremony followed by photos at Snoopers Rock.
And I know this is a lot to process, and again, I am truly sorry. I have worked very hard over the years to make sure every wedding we did at Snooper’s Rock was fully legal and properly handled, and I hate that this change has happened. Since we are now having to move all of our wedding ceremonies out of Snooper’s Rock, I am going to be quite busy on the phone with different clients walking through the options and helping everyone make a plan. Feel free to text me with questions or we can try to set up a call with either me or one of our team members.
In the meantime, if you would like to talk through everything in more detail, you are welcome to schedule a call with Katie, with me, or directly with Matt, our officiant. We would be glad to talk through the options, answer questions, and help you decide what makes the most sense for your wedding day.
Thank you so much for your understanding, and again, I am so sorry for this unexpected change.
Warmly, Joseph Schlabs