Situated minutes away from State College, Rolling Rails Lodge offers a picturesque mountain view and 160 acres of land nestled into the beautiful Skytop Mountain. With sunsets on the ridge and an all-log lodge with 24 ft cathedral ceilings, this venue is ideal for a couple wanting an elegant yet rustic look. Better yet: up to 14 guests can stay on site at the nearby Delaney House.
Want to see more venue options in the State College area for your wedding day? Check out my Top State College Wedding Venues page.
Rolling Rails Lodge offers multiple ceremony spots on site including both the grand lodge and a hardscape covered patio. If you are looking to blend the beauty of the outdoors with the comfort of the indoors, this space may be for you. The 3,500 sq ft patio provides cover from rain or provides shade during warmer weather- all while allowing guests to bask in the beauty of the view. The rolling central PA mountains will paint the background of every picture throughout the ceremony.
While there isn’t another completely flat area or handicapped accessible area for ceremonies, some couples do choose to get married in the woods alongside their beautiful tree lined path. The area is on a bit of a slope, however, and is not covered in the event of rain or inclement weather!
As for a winter wedding, couples have the option to get married in front of the lodge fireplace without getting in the way of the reception ceremony. This means that the venue won’t need to be “flipped” from your ceremony to the reception during cocktail hour which makes for a smoother day and less stress all around.
For the reception, the 5,400 sq ft lodge is built of handcrafted logs with expansive windows looking over the hillside view creating a rustic and romantic feel for any wedding.
The Lodge includes chandeliers that can be dimmed for more intimate lighting, rentals and linens, a grand staircase in the center for picturesque entrances, electrical outlets every 6 feet making multiple layout options possible, an on-site bridal suite with a vanity and full length mirrors and on-site restrooms for guests. While the recommended capacity is 200, the max the property allows is 225 guests.
Rolling Rails Lodge offers 3 main packages. The first package includes renting the property Friday through Sunday with tables, chairs, a ceremony arbor, and use of the on-site bridal suite for $5,300 (out-of-season) and $6,300 (in-season). The second package includes renting the property Friday through Sunday with the same rentals plus linens and set up/ break down for $5,900 (out-of-season) and $6,900 (in-season). For a weekday wedding (still including a two-day rental of the property) the cost is $3,900 and a Sunday only wedding is $3,400. To use the on-site lodge which has room for 14 guests, it costs $800 a night (for the entire lodge) if you are renting the venue for your wedding.
After reading through online reviews, one things remains clear: this is the spot to go if you are wanting a stress free wedding with staff that you can trust. Weddings take a lot of planning and effort, so to have a venue that is not only beautiful but also comes with a staff that wants to make your special day absolutely perfect is invaluable! One other note to mention: guests have absolutely loved staying on site as well. It’s a win for not only the happy couple, but for their friends and family as well!
With so much natural light coming through walls of windows, the lodge is home to ideal lighting for photos. The bridal suite, the grand staircase, the vaulted wood ceilings in the main room- there are so many beautiful spots and details within the lodge that make it easy for photographers to take beautiful photos! Of course, the mountains outside will also create a romantic backdrop with lush greenery for photos as well. Maybe you’ll even catch a sunset between the ceremony and reception to make the view for photos even more spectacular.
Nhi is a wedding and portrait photographer serving State College, PA and surrounding communities. Nhi captures photographs that let you re-live your joy, love, and light with intentional artistry. Her creative work has been published in State College Magazine and featured at Bellefonte Art Museum. Additionally, Nhi was a finalist for the Pennsylvania Wedding Awards 2020.