Wedding Photographers & Videographers at Black Moshannon State Park, Philipsburg

A wedding at Black Moshannon State Park near Philipsburg happens on the edge of a 250-acre lake whose water is tinted the color of tea by the bogs around it. More than 43,000 acres of state forest surround the park, so your wedding photos and video can show dark water, wetlands and woods with hardly a building in sight. In fall the forest turns, and the reflections on the lake give your photographer and videographer plenty to work with.

Pennsylvania state parks usually allow a wedding ceremony with pre-approval from the park office, so call before you plan anything else. The park has eight picnic pavilions, some with electricity, that can be reserved for a fee; when unreserved, they're first come, first served. A reserved pavilion can give your guests shade and a gathering place, and the lakeshore and bog edges are natural spots for portraits once the vows are done.

Ask the park office which spots they allow for ceremonies and whether a meal or small celebration can follow at your pavilion. A boat rental, park store and refreshment stand operate in season. If your videographer is recording the vows outdoors, a pavilion with electricity helps with sound gear, and a lapel microphone handles wind off the water. The park also wants to hear in advance about a commercial photographer or caterer, and administrative and pavilion fees apply.

• Get park approval for your wedding day before booking other vendors.
• Reserve a pavilion, and ask which ones have electricity.
• Walk the shoreline with your photographer and ask about photo and video guidelines.

A little about Black Moshannon State Park

In 1933 the Beaver Meadow camp of the Civilian Conservation Corps opened here, one of the first in the country. The young men of the CCC built log cabins, the food concession, picnic pavilions and a new dam that created the lake for swimming and boating.