What is an elopement? And should I elope?

I’m going to be smashing some elopement myths and help you better understand what elopements are and if an elopement might be the right way for YOU to get married.

“What is an elopement?”

The word elopement has meant so many different things over the years.

Let’s go over to our queen @merriamwebster for some info.

“Elope's meaning is shifting towards "a small destination wedding" whereas it used to mean "to run away and secretly get married," and before that "for a married woman to run away with a new lover," and even before that it just meant "to escape or runaway" without the romantic context.”

The word “elope” and it’s meaning has changed wildly! And people STILL believe that eloping is two people shamefully running away to get married. It’s NOT 🙅🏼‍♀️

Eloping has got to be one of the most intimate + meaningful ways two people can get married.

“WHAT is an elopement photographer?”

“What? People DO that?”

“Like a courthouse wedding?”

“I would never let my daughter run off and get married.”

“Are they in a hurry? Is she pregnant?”

“Oh so your job is SUPER easy.”

These are questions and comments I get ALL the time when I tell people I’m an elopement photographer. People STILL don’t understand what an elopement is or what it means to elope. So let’s get EDUCATED 👏🏻

I agree with Merriam here that it mostly means a destination wedding with a limited number of guests.

However, “eloping” means something different to every photographer and to every couple!

Eloping to some people can be under 10 guests for some and under 30 guests for others.

Elopements can involve giant, three day backpacking trips for some and be downtown city weddings for others!

Eloping can be years or planning for some and a “let’s get married next month” for others!

To me, eloping just a means that you’re intentionally choosing to have your day be intimate and centered around the two of you and your interests and your values.

I encourage my couples to allow themselves to have a day that is 100% about them and their love for one another.

THAT is eloping to me.

“Elopement? Like when you run away and get married in a courthouse?” NO 🙅🏼‍♀️

Like when you run into the great outdoors. 😍

Did you know you can save TONS of $$$ by getting married outside? Sometimes all you have to pay for is a small permit fee. And some places don’t even require a permit! Sedona has TONS of spots that don’t require a permit—like the popular spot Cathedral Rock! Your great outdoors wedding venue can save you thousands!

And how great is it to share your vows and have only the mountains and stars as your witness? You. Can. Literally. Get. Married. ANYWHERE! How freaking cool is that?

Pack your bags and head out to a place you’ve always wanted to visit! Hike up to your favorite mountain and share your love for one another and get freaking MARRIED. That’s the coolest part about elopements! You’re not bound to a venue, you’re not bound to your state, your day can be as adventurous as you want to make it. Share your vows in front of a waterfall in Oregon, have your ceremony deep in a forest in Kauai, take your portraits with a glacier as your backdrop. Feel free to hit me up and we can brainstorm where you can have your dream elopement. One of my favorite things to do is location scouting for my couples! And help them find a location that works perfectly for THEM!

The options are ENDLESS!

If you’re trying to think of where to elope, check out THIS blog for one of my favorite location suggestions. Or check out THIS blog for my 4 best tips on how to pick the location that’s best for YOU.

Here’s another myth that I love busting! The myth that you can’t have ANY guests when you elope! And that if you do choose to have no guests, that means you hate your family! That’s simply NOT TRUE. 🙅🏼‍♀️

It’s so ingrained in our culture that eloping means running away and getting married without your family. So much that my mom thought that’s what I mean when we told her we’re switching from a traditional wedding to an elopement!

She was SO sad when she thought we didn’t want to include her on our wedding day. But an elopement doesn’t have to mean no guests. You can invite whoever is important to you!

Some people don’t have good family relations and that’s okay! They deserve to get married in a space that is safe and true to them. If a couple doesn’t want any guests—DO THAT! Your wedding day should be what YOU want and what’s authentic to the two of you.

Sometimes couples have great relationships with their family, but they want something private. Getting married is such an intimate moment, and some people want their vows, promises, and wedding day to only be shared with each other. And that’s OK! Being invited to a wedding day is a privilege and not a right.

But if you want your parents there, if you want your best friends there, if you want your dog there, you ABSOLUTELY CAN!

Bottom line, elopements are about what YOU want. It’s about breaking away from the traditional, getting in tune with nature, and focusing the day on what’s truly important—you two sharing your love for one another!

It’s 2020, let’s be kind to one another and encourage couples to get married how they want to get married. 👏🏻

“Elopements are not as important as traditional weddings and only need 1-2 hours of photography coverage!” NO 🙅🏼‍♀️ That’s 100% UNTRUE.

As I specialize in elopements I have discovered one thing—one to two hours of coverage does not do your wedding day justice! Your elopement day is just as important as a typical ballroom wedding. You deserve to have photos of you getting ready, all of your details you put into your day photographed. Like your mother's wedding dress stitched into yours. Or you wearing your great grandfather's tie.

You deserve to have that “first look” moment captured when you see each other all dressed up to get married for THE FIRST TIME!

You deserve to have your ceremony covered.

You deserve to have the excitement of JUST getting married documented.

And I’ve also started to encourage my couples to think of the day as NOT “just a ceremony and some photos”.

Picture your perfect day from the moment you wake up to the moment the day is over. What do YOU want to do?

Camp overnight and roast marshmallows by the fire.

Have a ceremony by a waterfall and then cliff jump!

Take an off roading adventure to a spot no one knows about.

Hike up to your favorite spot and scream your love from the mountaintop.

See the world from up above in a helicopter tour, land somewhere epic, and then have your ceremony where there’s no one for MILES!

I have an entire blog focused on a bunch of awesome activities you can include on YOUR elopement day. Check it out HERE!

And even if you want to keep your day more simple, understand that things take time! It’s impossible to fully capture (or even slightly capture) getting ready photos in 15 minutes. I like to AT MINIMUM spend an hour with a couple shooting photos of them getting ready! Ideally I like to have an hour and a half to two hours. Think about set up, driving, walking, hiking, etc. Wedding days take time and it’s important to not rush yourself! I’ve become a firm believer in ENJOYING your day! And a huge factor in that is giving yourself enough time to fully enjoy your day! Seriously, you’re gonna feel MAJOR stress if you’re trying to cramp a bunch of things into 2 or 4 hours.

Seriously, there is SO much you can do in a day to make it fun, adventurous, memorable, and totally 100% you.

So what does an “all day” elopement even look like? While we’ve talked about the fact that elopements can look like anything; it’s sometimes hard to actually imagine the day, hour by hour.

So! I’m gonna share an example timeline of an all day elopement at my favorite place ever—Moab!

4AM - Getting ready photos of couple

5AM - Drive to Delicate Arch

6AM - Start hiking Delicate Arch Trail 🥾

7:30AM - Arrive + watch the sunrise over Delicate Arch

Share vows privately with one another + Start taking epic portraits

9:30 AM - Start the hike back down

11AM - Drive to Turret Arch

11:30AM - Arrive + have a picnic and some tequila shots

12PM - Wrap up coverage

And there went EIGHT HOURS! And there’s still so much you could do in the day. That was a timeline fit for a morning couple, lol, but you could also totally work that back from sunset instead!

It’s SO easy to fill up an eight hour day! I work with my couples on creating a timeline that perfectly fits them, their needs, and their hours that they’ve booked with me! If you’ve ever wondered “we certainly don’t need more than two hours of wedding photography” think again! Your day is just as special as any other wedding day + you totally deserve to have every moment covered so you can look back on these moments forever. ✌🏻

Are you ready to take the next step in planning  the adventurous elopement day of your dreams? Fill out my contact form for a free elopement consultation!

How to have an epic off-roading adventurous elopement - Merry Go Round Rock Sedona, AZ

Are you not really into hiking, but you really want to elope somewhere epic and beautiful?Let me tell you about this epic spot in Sedona that requires NO hiking and just a little bit of off-roading. Some couples aren’t really into hiking! Or maybe you are into hiking--but not on your wedding day. I don’t know about you, but I get SO sweaty when I am hiking.

I have photographed some bad-ass couples who hike on their elopement day and appear to be sweat-free unicorns. I’ll need to investigate more into this strange phenomenon of couples who don’t sweat. I’ll get back to you. 

However, that ain’t me! And maybe you’re not a sweat-free unicorn either. But let’s not have that hold you back from eloping somewhere epic.

This spot is my favorite secret elopement location in Sedona! And I’m going to give you all the deets.

You don’t need a permit to elope in Sedona!! 

Seriously! This makes it one of the best options for eloping, especially if you’re planning something last minute. Tons of iconic spots in Sedona don’t require a permit to elope there! I’m talking Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and my favorite--Merry Go Round Rock! For many spots in Sedona, all that is required is a parking fee! (But not Merry Go Round Rock. WOO!)

What are the best months to elope in Sedona?

Almost any time other than the middle of the summer, lol! People don’t realize how HOT Sedona gets in the summertime! Sedona can often be over 100 degrees in the middle of the summer. Remember what I said earlier about being a sweat-free unicorn? If you’re not one--I recommend avoiding the summer!! 

If you want the “perfect” weather, I’d recommend eloping in Sedona in the spring or fall months! Remember that it can also snow in the winter months! But honestly, those snow capped red rocks are BEAUTIFUL. So, if you’re down for some nipply weather--then do it!

Keep in mind that it can rain in Sedona! I know what you’re thinking...Arizona? Rain? Impossible! I know, it confuses me, too. But it does *occasionally* rain here! But that’s mostly during monsoon season which is also during the summer! And remember? I told you it’s best to avoid the summer--for more reasons than one! While rain can create some epic Notebook moments and I 100% subscribe to couples embracing mother nature and dancing in the rain; in Sedona it can cause flash floods in certain areas so you should be careful!

I recommend getting to Sedona on a weekday or the day before your elopement and picking up your marriage license!

You can go https://www.coconino.az.gov/134/Marriage-Licenses here and get all the info! Arizona is actually a state where there’s no waiting time for getting married after you purchase your marriage license! You can technically pick it up the day of your wedding! However, to save you the stress and headache, I recommend trying to get it a day or two before if you can!

What kind of vendors do you need for an elopement in Sedona? 

I always recommend at least the basics! Florists, hair and makeup, and some grub! However, you can get wild and have as many (or as few) vendors as you’d like! I fully believe that eloping couples have the joy of doing whatever the f#@k they want to on their wedding day. Do you want something simple and laid back? YES! DO IT! Do you want something extravagant and the whole nine yards? TREAT YO SELF. Absolutely do you, boo.

But let me recommend some of my favorite vendors!

You’ll need a photographer--hello, nice to meet you! 

You’ll want a florist that compliments the beauty of Sedona! (She created these gorgeous flowers from this shoot!) https://moelleuxevents.com/

Maybe you’ll want some hair and makeup! https://sedonabeautyteam.com/

And you’ll definitely want something good to eat. If it’s just the two of you eloping or you are having a few guests, I recommend grabbing dinner reservations at The Hudson! https://thehudsonsedona.com/

You’ll also need someone to get you two married! Did you know you can self-solemnize? If you’re wanting to ditch the traditional officiant route you can instead share your vows privately with one another! And then I can legally sign as your officiant on your documents.

But if you are wanting the officiant experience then you have a few options! You can choose a friend or family member to get ordained and marry the two of you. It’s easy--trust me! Or you can ask about my husband's services! He’s officiated several of the weddings I’ve photographed. He may be available for your day, too! And he’s pretty handsome in photos. Or you can reach out to my favorite celebrant in Sedona! 

Life Passages. https://life-passages-wedding-planner.business.site/

Is there a certain day of the week we should elope? 

I’m so glad you asked! YES. In Sedona (or almost anywhere really) I always recommend my couples try to elope on a weekday if they can swing it. If you can’t--that’s totally okay! I know that’s not possible for everyone and we will still get you married and you’ll still have an amazing day. But! There are just usually significantly less people in national and state parks, and on hiking trails on weekdays!

I love when my couples are given the privacy on their elopement day to be 100% them. I think everyone deserves to feel like it’s “only them” on a day when they’re getting married. And on a weekend day there can sometimes be a lot of people in one spot! And that’s another reason I recommend Merry Go Round rock because it’s SO private! There are other hikes in Sedona that are frequently crowded and can feel like you’re just another person in line trying to get married.

What’s so cool about Merry Go Round Rock?

As I said above--it’s so private and intimate! I usually plan for my couples to elope there towards sunset for the best lighting! Jeep Tours in Sedona will take people to this spot throughout the day, but they stop taking people towards sunset for safety reasons. Keep in mind that it’s not unsafe to travel back in the dark. In fact, you’ll get some pretty sick star pictures on the way out. Seriously, the stars are INSANE over there on a clear night.

While the spot is more private you don’t have to compromise epic views. It’s one of my favorite views in Sedona!

AND you don’t have to hike! You can sit back and enjoy the (bumpy) ride!

Okay, how do we get there?

You’ll definitely want to rent a jeep or some other off roading vehicle. https://www.myejeep.com/ Check out MYW Jeep to rent some vehicles in Sedona for your off roading adventure! I had a couple do an adventure session in Sedona and they rented their own Jeep to adventure around Sedona! You can check out the full adventure session HERE.

Keep in mind that if you’re taking it slow + safe it will take you 1-1.5 hours to get to Merry Go Round Rock from the start of the trail! But it’s SOO worth it for those epic views. Merry Go Round Rock is one of the best spots to elope at in Arizona!

Check out a fully wedding day that I blogged from this location to see what your wedding day here might look like! Check it out HERE.

Seriously, eloping in Sedona at Merry Go Round rock is that simple! If you’re thinking of eloping here then reach out to me! Fill out my contact form below and we can go over all the details of planning your epic off roading elopement day.

Sedona Couples Adventure Photos | Kelsey + Ryan

Kelsey and Ryan are SUCH a fun and in-love couple! They’ve been married for almost a decade and have two perfect, gorgeous kids together. Because life with kids is busy, they were in need of a solo vacay, and decided to vacation in Arizona together. I met them at their van, and from there we embarked on their Sedona couples adventure session! 

Arizona had been on Kelsey + Ryan’s bucket list for awhile, so they went on vacation to the Grand Canyon. They hiked all over Sedona, and rented a Jeep to drive off-road to Merry Go Round Rock. It’s not an easy drive to get there through the rocky desert, but they were persistent about it! We did it, made it there in one piece, and it was amazing! 

Keep scrolling to see their badass red Jeep, why sunsets in the desert are so gorgeous, and how an evening under the stars can be your most treasured vacation souvenir.

The road up was so rough, we were shaking back and forth the whole time. I felt like I was going to either fly out of my seat or fall off the edge of the cliff. LOL! We survived to tell the tale, and when we arrived we had the entire place to ourselves. 

Kesley and I became fast friends as we chatted about our mutual hatred of the GOT finale, and laughed hysterically about getting simultaneously pee-shy when we hit up the restroom and had side-by-side stalls. 

She and Ryan are super fun and laid back, and I was very impressed with Ry’s offroading skills in the Jeep!

They started out with cute, casual outfits, and then changed later in the day into more saucy black-on-black outfits (with Kels in a cute hat, of course!). 

Not only was our adventure together fun, but they were so much fun! They needed barely any direction at all. They’re so in love, even after 9 years of marriage and parenting two kids together. I loved watching them and snapping pics as they enjoyed the Arizona scenery! 

We wrapped up with their rented red Jeep, which they were SO excited about!

As we drove back, we were stopped dead in our (Jeep) tracks when we noticed the stars. Believe me when I say that I’ve never seen a starry sky like that in my life. They just lit up the sky. We stopped and just gazed at them for awhile, and then I decided to go for it, and take a star photo with them! 

If you’re planning an epic outdoor adventure, incorporating couples photos is such an amazing way to document your time together.

Especially when you carve out an entire day so you can explore and watch the stars come out. ;) 

Kelsey and Ryan are such a fun couple, and I could photograph them forever! I’m so glad that they decided to do fun photos while on their Sedona vacation, and I’m so glad they trusted me to capture their magic! 

If you want to plan an epic adventure but don’t know where to start, check out this list of epic locations to get the ball rolling!

Need help planning your own Arizona vacation adventure session? Contact me and I can help you plan!