Despite what you may have heard, an adventurous Southwest elopement doesn’t mean you have to spend your whole day hiking (though it certainly could if that’s something that you both enjoy!). There are so many fun activities to incorporate into your elopement day that will make it more enjoyable and unique to the two of you. Start by thinking about what you love to do together, and what might be a fun way to incorporate those activities into your wedding day. Some fun activities could include getting ready together, exploring a state or national park, having a picnic, canoeing, skiing, playing board games, wine and cheese tasting, off-roading, reading, or playing music.

Activities

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Inviting family or friends to your elopement day is a wonderful way to celebrate with your most loved ones. Some couples choose to celebrate with a quiet ceremony with up to 30 guests, while others may invite only one or two. It’s important to keep in mind that the number of guests that you invite can impact your options for ceremony or reception locations, especially if any of those guests have certain accessibility requirements. Places like public or national parks may be a great place to start, though some have permit considerations. If you’re planning something more strenuous like walking or hiking to your ceremony location, just keep in mind that this may not be for everyone! Either way, you can choose to plan portions of your day independently of your guests if you’d like some special time to adventure together. 

Guests

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Seclusion is important to many couples who choose to elope and luckily Arizona, Utah and Colorado have many gorgeous and scenic spots that are off the beaten path. However, with an influx of visitors in recent years, many towns and national parks have become tourist destinations which is important to consider for your elopement day location. For example, you’ll find that during March and April, spring breakers flock to Sedona to enjoy the sunshine and hiking. More recently, some national parks have become overcrowded during certain seasonal times and obtaining the necessary permits has become a more rigid process. If privacy and seclusion is most important to you, be sure to notify your Southwest elopement photographer when discussing locations. Your local guides will be the best to find those lesser-known, hidden gems that won’t pop up on the “Top 10” lists of Google.

Privacy

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Whether you are planning an elopement day for just the two of you, or inviting a handful of guests to celebrate, it’s important to consider accessibility for the locations you are planning to visit. Even if you are both avid hikers who would like to spend the day on the trail, you must be aware of the length, difficulty, time and accessibility before embarking on an adventure. If you or your guests are not a fan of steep cliffs, wind, deserts or water, it’s important to note these in your photography location questionnaire so that you can plan accordingly. Also think about transportation to said locations. Do you need to rent a car? Book an airline ticket? Take a train or boat? The goal is to make your day as relaxed and enjoyable as possible without the added stress of unknown accessibility restrictions.

Accessibility

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Each state in the Southwest has an abundance of unique scenery that will transform your elopement day into an unforgettable adventure. Arizona is so diverse with its beautiful geography – the sun-drenched desert landscapes, stunning red rocks, scenic fields of cacti, dreamy lakes, and dramatic canyons – make it such an exciting location for a dream elopement adventure. Utah is an outdoor enthusiast’s heaven – with over 40 state parks and five national parks, the options are endless, especially if you’re a couple that loves to hike, run, camp, kayak, and adventure together! And Colorado, with four national parks, rugged mountains, sweeping plains, and breathtaking landscapes – can provide the perfect backdrop for an intimate and unforgettable celebration that is unique and authentic to just the two of you. 

SCENERY

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The Southwest is filled with diverse landscapes from cactus deserts to snow-covered mountaintops and everywhere in between, which makes it such a unique choice for an adventure elopement. Depending on where and when you choose to elope, you will want to take into consideration the different climate, weather and seasonality for each state.
The ideal months to elope in Arizona and Utah are late fall and early spring and you’ll want to avoid the hot summer months because temperatures get into the 90s and 100s. Peak busy season for the mountains is June-August and for the desert is late spring and early fall. The best months to avoid the busy season in both locations are March, April, October, and November. During these times, it is often sunny but not too hot or cold, and it’s also in between the usual top tourist seasons.

seasonality

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