Sedona Elopement Photographers

I’m Lucy, Sedona Elopement Photographer and facilitator of your best day ever! In this guide, I’ll share all the details, locations, and step by step guide on how to plan an incredible elopement in Sedona, Arizona in 2024 & 2025. The first thing you need to know about Sedona is that it is AMAZING! The best Sedona Arizona elopement locations are just about everywhere in this valley! If I was planning to elope in Arizona, Sedona would be my first choice. Let’s dive in!

Where is Sedona?

Sedona is a town in central Arizona, about 30 miles South of Flagstaff and 115 miles North of Phoenix. It’s moderate elevation of about 4,300 feet above sea level means you’re in a desert-mountain climate. However, it’s not so high that you’ll catch your breath while hiking. The red sandstone mountains that surround the small town are similar to Zion National Park, but Sedona has more areas to explore. This is not a national park, and much of the land is National Forest.

Elopement Locations in Sedona – Updated in 2024

There are so many incredible spots to have your elopement in Sedona, it’s going to be hard to list them all! And if you can’t have your ceremony at one of these spots, consider adventuring there to see the views anyway. You don’t have to hike to find a great ceremony spot. Look on the Red Rock scenic byway for easy access spots. Sedona’s red sandstone is also home to many caves with fun names! Raven, Subway, Birthing, and Hideout.

Cathedral Rock Sedona Elopement Location

A difficult but short hike including scrambling leads to an epic view with rock spires. It’s very popular & busy.

Lovers Knoll Sedona Elopement Location

South of the city, on Red Rock loop road is a small pull out with a great view that’s perfect for intimate weddings and elopements. However, there are no reservations for this popular spot, so you may run into other weddings.

Yavapai Vista Sedona Elopement Location

Near the village of Oak creek, this scenic pull off is about as good as it gets. There are lots of areas to spread out along the open rock, so it can be quite private. Great at sunset.

Slickrock Sedona Elopement Location

Near Crescent moon ranch, a super easy trail leads to a stunning open rock with views of towering rock formations. It’s popular, but there is room to spread out so everyone can enjoy a slice of privacy.

Chicken Point Sedona Elopement Location

A moderate hike or a easy jeep tour ride will bring you to a gorgeous vista surrounded by red rocks. This location is quite private.

Crescent Moon Sedona Elopement Location

Located inside Red Rock state park, this location has a few ceremony options – a grassy field with a big cottonwood tree, or an open rock beside a river. There is a picnic pavilion onsite you can rent for a small simple reception. You will need to get permission from the State Park.

Northwest Sedona Elopement Locations

Northwest of Sedona, the national forest trailheads are incredible for a couple who loves to hike. Many trails offer great opportunities for a private ceremony along the red rocks.

Devil’s Bridge Sedona Elopement Locations

Maybe the most famous location in all of Sedona, this moderate hike is usually so crowded that there’s a line to get a photo on the bridge. For this reason, I can’t recommend this location for your ceremony.

Subway Cave Sedona Elopement Locations

Up Boynton Canyon trail, the famous Subway cave is a very popular spot, and a shuttle is sometimes required to access the trailhead. Definitely plan for a weekday and early morning or late afternoon for photos at Subway Cave.

Additional Sedona Elopement Locations

  • Coffee Pot Rock
  • Bell Rock
  • Hideout Cave
  • Fay Canyon
  • Heart Rock
  • Raven Caves
  • Vultee Arch
  • Schnebly Hill
  • Soldiers Pass
  • Rachel’s Knoll

Sedona Elopement Locations Map

So where are all these locations? I’ve created a map with all the trails, viewpoints and ceremony sites. I’ve included color photos I’ve taken of each place, so you can see all the spots without leaving your living room. If you’re planning from afar, this is a visual key to picking out the elopement spot that works for you. To get this map in your eyeballs, make me your Sedona elopement photographer. Details like what seasons and time of day are best for each location are included. It will help you plan your activities, accommodations, and your day’s itinerary. Lastly, it’s easy to have a great backup location picked out with this map in front of you. Having that Plan B in your back pocket will keep your planning stress-free!

When to Elope in Sedona?

Sedona has pretty incredible weather year round. Winters are generally mild, but can still receive a beautiful blanket of powder. Spring is balmy and comfortable and flowers start coming in. Summers can be VERY hot, too hot for hiking, but you can splash around in the Verde river to compensate. Fall is idyllic and warm through early November.

April and May: High temps of 75 to 85 / Lows at night 40’s and 50s
June to September: Highs in the upper 90s / Lows in the 60s
October: Highs in the high 70s / Lows in the 50s
November to March: Highs in the 60s / Low temps in the 30s and 40s

Choosing a Weekday to Elope in Sedona

As with most of the popular places, it is always best to select a weekday date for your elopement in Sedona. Most couples want a bit of privacy, and there’s no way to get away from the busy areas on weekends. Be especially careful of festivals, spring break, easter, memorial day, labor day and 4th of July holidays, because the traffic can be a bit stressful.

How to elope in Sedona, AZ

Planning a simple elopement in Sedona is easy! Though there are some rules here, I handle all of that as your planner & guide. Like most gems of nature, Leave No Trace principles should be followed to a T. Do not litter, throw confetti of any kind, have a dove or butterfly release, set up any props, have amplified music, or block the public from accessing any spot. Here’s a step by step guide to planning a great elopement in Sedona.

  1. Select a season and weekday that suits your schedules. Get excited!!
  2. Book a Sedona Elopement photographer who will help you with everything else!
  3. Book your accommodation, flights & car if necessary. Select a time and location for your ceremony.
  4. Purchase your garments, hire a florist and additional vendors if desired (jeep tour?)
  5. Finalize your dream elopement timeline, grab your AZ Marriage license and ELOPE!

Arizona Marriage Licenses

You can apply for your $83 Arizona Marriage license by making an appointment at any Arizona county courthouse. You will both need a form of photo ID and you both need to be at the appointment in person. All the information about obtaining an Arizona marriage license is here. Once you have your AZ marriage license, you and your officiant fill it out at the ceremony and the officiant returns it to the courthouse of the county where you obtained it. Be mindful of knowing which county you’re marrying in, as Sedona is split between Yavapai and Coconino counties. (You’ll put this info on your license on the day of the ceremony.)

Do I need an officiant in Sedona?

While an officiant is required, you can choose to have a friend get ordained online. It’s a very simple and easy 5 minute process that costs nothing. Your marriage will be legal. Or, your photographer can act as your officiant in Arizona, if they are ordained like I am of course! You could choose to hire a professional officiant or minister at an additional expense. You will also need two witnesses, so if you aren’t bringing anyone along, your fellow hikers may be giving you the honor of their signature.

Sedona Officiant Options:
– Elect for me to create your ceremony and officiate – $0
– Bring an ordained friend – $0
– Hire a professional officiant ($500 to $1500)
– Get legally married in your home state and have a non-legally binding commitment ceremony in Sedona

2024 Sedona Elopement Packages

I offer 2024 Sedona elopement packages including photography & planning for a one stop shop option. There are no travel fees, download fees, watermarks or other hidden fees. These prices are for 2024.

2 Day Sedona elopements photography – $9900

1.5 Days of Sedona elopement photography – $7900

1 Full day Sedona adventure elopement photography – $6900

Up to 4 hours Sedona elopement photography – $5500 **Only available on select dates**

Where to Stay in Sedona?

Sedona has some hotels, ranging from a Best Western to the fancy shmancy resorts. But, those are hardly your only options! Browse my list of favorite unique Sedona Airbnbs to get inspired. You’ll see farm stays, dome homes, modern mansions, condos, cottages and cabins. There’s even a treehouse nearby! If you live nomadically in a van, or are considering renting a campervan for your elopement trip, Sedona may not be the right fit for you. The closest legal campsites are 30 minutes out of town.

SeDONTa

I know, I know, the last thing you want to do is talk about the rules. And Sedona has so many of them, my husband and I jokingly call it SeDONTa. Some of the things that are against the rules in Sedona are:

  • E bikes of all kinds on trails
  • Camping, including sleeping in your van or car, anywhere in the town
  • Campfires
  • Having outdoor lights on after 8pm
  • Parking at the popular trailheads (A shuttle is sometimes mandatory)
  • Setting up any arches or chairs at your ceremony
  • Photography in areas designated as Wilderness (generally.)

About Lucy – Sedona Elopement Photographer

I’m a colorful Sedona elopement photographer with an obsession for mountains, hiking, and taking life slowly. My photography style emphasizes the epic red rock landscape of your dreams and the authentic moments that make you two.. well, you two! I love my job and my nature-loving clients. Sedona is one of my very favorite places to explore in all of the Southwest. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Adventure Elopements in Sedona

Ahh, now you’re talking! Thinking of an Adventure elopement in Sedona? Let me craft it for you! There are so many incredible ways to recreate here. Hot Air Balloons, off-road jeep tours or those you drive yourself, and scenic flights are just some of the highlights. You don’t have to hike to have an adventure elopement in Sedona, but hiking is a popular activity here for good reason. That feeling of hitting the trail, being surrounded by nature, and red rock dust all over your shoes might be the spicy accessory you’re dreaming of.

Sample Sedona Elopement Timeline

6:00 Get ready together at your Dome Home airbnb
6:30 Watch the sun rise from a knoll with 360 views of the pink and purple sunrise light
8:30 Get breakfast together in town. Get the extra maple syrup.
10:00 Go off roading in a jeep or take a scenic helicopter tour of Sedona
1:00 Picnic lunch of all your favorites, fresh bread, cheese and fruit
2:30 Go for a hike, Feel the energy of a vortex, experience a salt room, get a tarot card reading or explore ancient ruins
4:00 Short hike to an incredible ceremony location as the late afternoon light glows around you
4:45 Champagne and cake! You’re MARRIED!!
5:15 Dinner at a swanky place.. or by the fireplace with a private chef back at your Airbnb
7:00 Prickly pear ice cream around the firepit

Having an intimate wedding in Sedona

If you’re planning to marry and invite more than 10 people, things get tough in Sedona. The usual cost-cutting methods for dining, like finding a restaurant with a private room, are nearly impossible to find. One solution is to get a large Airbnb and use a private chef to cater the meal. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of rentable places in Sedona for a small wedding. A true elopement without a “reception” is best suited for Sedona.

Rentable Microwedding Spots in Sedona


Crescent Moon group Shelter – $168/day
Chavez Crossing Group Campsites – $95 to $235 per night
Tlaquepaque – $3500 for up to 4 people and 90 minutes
Sedona Heritage Museum – $500/hour, 2 hour minimum
The Garden Pagoda at Sedona Creative Life – $140/hour, 2 hour minimum
Red Rock State Park – $125 for up to 4 hours at The wedding tree, Rooftop, Twin cypress ramada or Habicamp ramada
Mercier Group’s Restaurants – Variable cost for ceremonies and dinners
Posse Grounds Pavilion – $440/day for the big stage. Picnic ramadas also available.
Elysian Retreat Microweddings – $4555+ for up to 16 people

How much does it cost to elope in Sedona?

Sedona is a relatively high cost of living place. But, don’t let that stop you. You can still have an affordable and incredible elopement here if you are aiming to be thrifty. If you’d like to do it up real nice and make your elopement into your dream honeymoon too, Sedona is a great place. Accommodation may take up the biggest share of your budget – that and how spendy you want to be with your outfits. Here’s a sample budget breakdown for an elopement in Sedona:

Sedona Elopement Budget

$83 Arizona Marriage License
$500 to $5000 Your elopement garments and accessories
$600 to $2500 Accommodation for a weekend in Sedona
$5000 to $8000 A great Sedona elopement photographer
$400 Hair & makeup (optional)
$300 Food and snacks and cake
$400 to $800 Professional officiant (optional)
$400 Flowers

=$7000 to $17,000

Sedona’s Mystical Properties

To put it mildly, Sedona is as hippy-dippy as it gets! You’ll find mystical bazaars, tons of local art, alternative thinkers, and crystal sellers here. You can get your fortune read or indulge in a salt room experience. I even stumbled on a group taking a silent Sound Bath while hiking one day. A lot of the town’s lore revolves around Sedona’s energy vortexes that are spread out in the valley. There are five vortex locations: Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon-Kachina, Airport Mesa, and Chapel of the Holy Cross. Some folks choose these locations for their elopement because of the vortexes.

2024 Sedona Elopement Packages

I offer full day, 1.5 day and 2 day Sedona elopement photography packages for all couples. If you are interested in an all inclusive package with florals, officiant, private meals, hair, makeup or anything else, I can make it happen for you! See my pricing and package details here. I would love to chat with you and help see if a Sedona elopement with me is what you’ve been dreaming of. Get in touch below!

Contact Me – Sedona Elopement Photographer

See my other Arizona elopement guides:

More Desert Elopement Guides

One Comment

  1. This is an absolutely fabulous set of locations, images and resources. Very impressive.

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