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.
4 Tips to Choosing the Best Elopement Location
Elopements are my favorite thing to shoot, and a lot of eloping couples have a hard time narrowing down a location. I’m spilling all my secrets today! Here are my top 4 tips to choosing the best elopement location - and they might surprise you!
My husband and I eloped last year, and it was incredible. We had always wanted to go to Iceland or Ireland, elope in the wild, and then have our honeymoon right after. Instead, we ended up getting married at Horseshoe Bend in Arizona because it was closer to home, and left us more time to relax. Our elopement was amazing, and I’m so happy we decided NOT to have a traditional wedding. Elopements are my favorite thing to shoot, and a lot of eloping couples have a hard time narrowing down a location. I’m spilling all my secrets today! Here are my top 4 tips to choosing the best elopement location - and they might surprise you!
First, I wanted to explain why we opted for an Arizona elopement instead of heading across the Atlantic. We had picked Horseshoe Bend for our engagement photos. We had never been there before, but it looked amazing and we wanted to go somewhere cool and explore.
On the day of our engagement shoot, it was rainy and a bit stormy, but we started hiking anyway. Within a few minutes it got SO cold, but we went for it cause we were committed! Once we arrived at our pre-planned location, we got set up, and our photographer started shooting.
Me + my hubs on our elopement day. Photo by KMT Photos
For like, all of two minutes. All of a sudden there was a torrential downpour! We ran back to our car while water rushed everywhere around us, lightning struck down from the sky and hit the ground around us, and crazy, tornado-style winds threatened to blow us off the cliff…
I thought I was going to die. It still makes me anxious thinking about it. LOL. We only got about five photos, but since we had planned this whole trip just for the engagement shoot, we said NAH. We went back the next day for a reshoot and got fun, awesome photos.
I didn’t want to have a tainted image of Horseshoe Bend, and we wanted our elopement to be someplace special, so we went back there to get married. On our elopement day, it was the perfect, perfect day. It was so calm, slightly warm with a gentle breeze, and the sun was shining. It was all in stark contrast to our previous visit, and it couldn’t have been a more perfect day.
You may be thinking, “Rebekah, cool story - but what does this have to do with our elopement?!”
Hang tight - and keep reading.
Here are my Top 4 Elopement Location Planning Tips:
Weather
It’s super important to look at what the weather’s going to be like for the location you want to elope in. Obviously if you’re not local to a particular area you won’t know what the weather is going to be like, but that’s why it’s a good idea to do some research ahead of time.
Also - what do you want out of the weather on your elopement day?
Are you hoping for a warm sunny day? Do you want to elope in the Grand Tetons in the snow? Even if you DO want snow, you may not want to be completely snowed out! I lived in Wyoming for a year, and when it snows you can’t get anywhere. A nice fluffy layer of snow is cute and pretty, but most people don’t want to be in a white out or blizzard on their elopement day.
2. Time of the Year
Think about what time of year you want to elope. You have a bit more flexibility when planning an elopement than you do with a traditional wedding.
You don’t have to elope within the month, and you also don’t have to wait 2 years. You can elope anytime you want - just make sure that the time of the year or season works for you.
3. Hiking Elopements
To hike or not to hike?
You may see gorgeous mountain elopements and envision yourself doing just that, but a lot of the time it’s a 14 mile hike both ways. If that’s what you want to do, then totally go for it! But consider how much you might be hiking, and whether or not you’re comfortable with that.
Some people want to drive and then just have a short walk instead of a day-long hike.
Be mindful of the location you’re choosing and how much hiking is involved. Also, is a hike something that really speaks to you and that you want to incorporate into your elopement?
I offer 2 day elopements if you want to hike somewhere awesome, camp out, and then hike the next day and elope at sunrise. :)
This Zion elopement required some hiking, but it was SO worth it!
With hiking in a very specific place, you can always ask your photographer for suggestions. If you’ve narrowed down a general area (for example Zion or Yosemite), you can ask your photographer to help you pick a specific spot to elope in.
Yosemite National Park is a super popular elopement location. It’s beautiful, but it’s SO busy. If you’re comfortable with it not being quite so private, though, then it’s a great spot!
When we got married at Horseshoe Bend, it was so busy! We even ventured off the main stretch to get away from the crowds, but there were still so many people there. Despite the unexpected guests, we still had a gorgeous day! I’ll be the first to admit though, that it was a little distracting. I prefer more privacy for myself, and I like to have privacy for my couples as well. If you’re a very private person and don’t want the world watching while you tie the knot, that’s something to keep in mind.
Popular Elopement Spots
You can also have your ceremony in a secluded, private spot and then go elsewhere for photos. If there’s an epic elopement location that you’ve seen and love, it’s not to say that you can’t go there if it’s busy. It may just be a better option to go there after your ceremony in case you run into hikers or people passing by.
4. Elopement Locations -
A new place vs. someplace special
For your elopement, you have two options:
Pick a place that you’ve always wanted to go to, OR
Pick a place that’s really special to the two of you.
Someplace special to the two of you
For example: If you got engaged while on vacation in Ireland, or Redwood National Forest. If that’s your special spot and that’s where you want to get married, awesome!
If you love Colorado and it’s sentimental to the two of you, then you can absolutely choose that as your elopement location!
Going somewhere you’ve always wanted to go:
I’m a big fan of eloping at a dream destination, because you can just turn it right into your honeymoon!
If you’ve always wanted to visit Morocco, then that might end up being an epic elopement location for you!
You can elope, celebrate, and then immediately start your honeymoon. You can also have your photographer take cute honeymoon photos the next day. Picture the two of you just chilling, playing on the beach together, exploring…
To narrow down your elopement location - you don’t have to pick an exact spot!
Reach out to your photographer and let them in on your must-have list. If you want to hike, but don’t want to hike 20 miles, put it on your list. If you want to get married when it’s cool outside, but not snowing - add it to the list. If you have dream destinations on your list but aren’t sure if it will be perfect for you since you’ve never been, ask your photographer for advice. Elopement photographers are also elopement planners, so you can get way more help with making sure your day is perfect.