While Sedona is best known for its red rock landscape and hiking trails, it’s also thought to hold a lot of spiritual power. The town holds several energy vortexes, which are areas of concentrated energy that are thought to encourage healing, reflection, and meditation. Whether or not you buy into the idea of energy vortexes, you can’t deny that the inviting atmosphere of the town, the stunning scenery, and incredible sunrises and sunsets that reflect off the red rock make Sedona the perfect place to recharge.
For any couple who feels like a traditional wedding might not be for them, a Sedona elopement is an amazing alternative! You can have a wedding day that truly reflects who you are, spent exploring the scenery and taking in the gorgeous views. To learn how to elope in Sedona, keep reading this guide!
Getting There
If you’re traveling across state lines for your Sedona elopement, and it’s farther than road trip distance away, you can take a flight into the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The airport is two hours south of Sedona, so once you land you’ll need to rent a car - which will come in handy when you explore!
Setting an Elopement Date
When you start planning your Sedona elopement, one of the first things you’ll need to do is set a date!
Weather in Sedona
Sedona is a desert landscape, which means the weather can get pretty hot! It’s important to be prepared and decide which season is best for your elopement. Below is a graph of Sedona’s weather averages:
As you can see, summers can be very toasty! Eloping in the summer may not be ideal for most couples - though mornings and evenings can be pleasant.
The weather in Sedona is best in spring and fall, when temperatures are more mild. It’s perfect hiking weather, and you may get to spot some desert wildflowers in the spring, and fall colors in autumn.
Winters in Sedona are chilly, but usually not too extreme. There is the occasional dusting of snow, but daytime temperatures are usually pretty comfortable. This is the least popular time to visit Sedona, so it may be a good way to avoid crowds! And the red rocks dusted with white snow can look so beautiful!
Avoiding Crowds
And speaking of avoiding crowds, this is something you’ll want to consider for your elopement! You probably don’t want a bunch of strangers around as you say your vows, and exploring nature is always better when you can enjoy the peace and quiet - so here are some tips for avoiding crowds.
The first thing you can do is elope during the off season - which is winter! Most travellers head farther south for warmer weather, so Sedona tends to be pretty empty. Summers are more popular, but less so than spring or fall. Eloping right before or right after peak season can help ensure good weather, but less crowds!
Another tip I always give my couples is to plan your elopement for a weekday. Weekends are always busier, so if you elope midweek, you’ll avoid a lot of crowds!
My favorite way to avoid crowds when you elope is to plan a sunrise ceremony. Sedona’s sunrises are unbeatable - when the light pours over the desert, reflecting shades of red, you’ll forget that you woke up before the crack of dawn! And, you’re likely to get your ceremony location all to yourself.
Where To Stay
There are tons of options when choosing where to stay for your wedding day in Sedona! Some of my favorite options are;
What To Eat
The Hudson
I always recommend checking out The Hudson while you’re in Sedona. The Hudson explains their restaurant as “Chef Jeff Storcz pairs sophisticated comfort food with genuine hospitality in a relaxed urban atmosphere at an exceptional value. The menu combines the very best simple, yet hearty, dishes ranging from chopped salads to juicy burgers, and truly great fish, chicken, ribs and steak.” It’s a great place to eat for a delicious meal with a great atmosphere. But make sure you grab a reservation! This place can be super busy—even on a weekday!
Mariposa
If you’re looking for an upscale experience—look no further than Mariposa! Mariposa describes their restaurant as “Mariposa’s stunning architecture and unique menu of South American-inspired cuisine delivers an entirely new fine dining experience in Sedona, Ariz. Perched atop a scenic bluff, floor-to-ceiling windows and an expansive outdoor patio deliver panoramic views of Sedona’s majestic red rocks from every table. The 6,500 square-foot restaurant serves as a reflection of Dahl’s style with a 1,000-lb door handcrafted from African and South American stone and two dramatic glass-enclosed wine vaults that house more than 600 bottles of wine, including many South American varieties. At the heart of the restaurant, Chef Dahl uses a wood-fired grill and wood-burning oven to create handmade empanadas, ceviches, grilled chorizos, fresh fish dishes, mole and house-made chimichurri sauces inspired by her travels to Argentina, Uruguay and Chile.” It’s seriously fancy AF over there. Perfect for a romantic experience to celebrate your wedding day!
Best Places to Elope in Sedona
There are countless stunning locations where you can elope in Sedona - you can find all of my favorites in this blog post, but here are a few ideas!
Merry Go Round Rock
I love this spot so much it has its own blog post! There’s no hiking required to get to Merry Go Round Rock - just a little bit of off roading, and this is one of the few spots that’s managed to stay pretty secluded in Sedona. The views are insane, the location is private, and you don’t have to hike! What more could you want?
Cathedral Rock
You’ll need to do some work to get to Cathedral Rock. While the trail is only 1.2 miles long, it’s pretty steep and requires some rock scrambling. The views are jaw dropping - which is why this is one of the most popular spots in Sedona! I definitely recommend sunrise for this one, because any other time of day can get pretty crowded.
Lovers Knoll
This easily accessible viewpoint offers 360 degree views, and is a great spot for couples eloping with guests! It’s just a short walk from the parking area (a pull off from Red Rock Loop), and you’ll be greeted with incredible views of Sedona’s most iconic landmarks - including Cathedral Rock!
The Legal Stuff
Your Sedona elopement is all about adventures and having a blast - but to make sure you’re legally married, you’ll need to squeeze some not-so-fun paperwork in there. Don’t worry, this is everything you need to know to get legally married in Sedona!
Marriage License
You can get your marriage license at any county clerk’s office in the state of Arizona. Coconino county is the closest, and you will need to appear in person. Both of you need to be there with a photo ID and $83 for the licensing fee - so if you’re traveling from out of state, make sure to arrive in Sedona early enough to do this! You’ll get your marriage license, and there’s no waiting period - which means you can get married right away! It does expire after one year, and will need to be returned within 10 days of your elopement ceremony.
Officiant
You’ll need an officiant to sign your marriage license. This can be a professional officiant, or even a friend or family member. If there’s someone you trust to perform your ceremony, they can get ordained online at ULC.org! I am also a licensed officiant, if you’d rather it be just the two of you sharing your vows to one another!
Witnesses
You’ll also need two witnesses to sign the marriage license - but if you weren’t planning on inviting guests, this doesn’t mean your plans are foiled! The only requirement is that your witnesses be over 18, so you can ask your vendors to sign, or any two people you run into throughout the day. Everyone is always excited to help out!
Planning Your Elopement
Make sure you celebrate your elopement to the fullest - it’s not just a ceremony, it’s an experience! There are no limits to what you can do during your Sedona elopement, so plan something that would make this the best day ever. Here are a few ideas!
Hike
There are countless trails to explore in Sedona, so if hiking’s your thing, you can hike to your ceremony spot!
Hot Air Balloon Ride
Imagine floating above the red rock landscape in a hot air balloon! For a completely unique elopement day experience, check out Sedona’s hot air balloon tours.
Jeep Tour
You can explore more in a Jeep than you can on foot! Taking a Jeep tour through the backroads is a great way to see all that Sedona has to offer. Offroad Adventures is a great way to see some of the hidden gems down roads less traveled! You can also rent your own Jeep through Barlows or rent one through me! I have my own four door Jeep Wrangler, ready to use for your off roading adventure.
Sedona Elopement Packages
As an elopement photographer, my goal is to make sure every couple has a stress free day, and a wedding day that actually feels right to you. From location recommendations to building a timeline, I’ll be there every step of the way! If you’re ready to elope in Sedona, contact me to take a look at my Sedona elopement packages!