Epic Moab Elopement with Private Flight and Off-Roading Adventures
Kristen and Craig aren’t the type of couple who do anything halfway. When they decided to get married in Moab – a place they’d fallen in love with on a previous trip – they didn’t just fly in for a quick ceremony. They loaded up their Jeep, convinced their best friends to do the same, and drove all the way from Canada to Utah. Their Moab elopement included a private flight, dinner with a private chef, and multiple hiking and off-roading adventures. Their day was not just a celebration of their love, but also a reflection of exactly who they are.
Full-Day Moab Elopement with Private Flight
Getting Ready Separately
The night before their elopement, Craig stayed at Under Canvas Moab while Kristen stayed nearby at Moab Springs Ranch. They wanted to get ready separately and have a real first look moment, which we always love. There’s just something special about the anticipation of seeing your partner for the first time on your wedding day.
On the morning of their Moab elopement, Craig hiked into Corona Arch with his best friend, and Kristen hiked in separately with her girlfriend and their hair and makeup artist – shoutout to Wild Brides Backcountry, who actually stayed with us for most of the day.
Corona Arch Elopement Ceremony
We met at Corona Arch just before sunrise. The light was perfect – a soft blue sky with shades of pink and purple that made the red rocks come alive!
Under the arch, Craig and Kristen shared a first look followed by an intimate elopement ceremony with just their two friends as witnesses. During their vows, they mixed their favorite cocktail together as a symbol of blending their lives. It was a unique elopement idea that made their Corona Arch elopement ceremony even more their own.
A Private Wedding Flight Over Canyonlands with Redtail Air
After we hiked out from Corona Arch, we headed to the airport for one of Moab’s most epic adventures: a private flight over Canyonlands.
A lot of couples planning a Moab elopement think about including activities like hiking or off-roading. And while those are absolutely incredible ways to experience the desert, Moab offers another option that opens up a completely different perspective. Redtail Air can fly you to remote locations in the desert that would otherwise take days of off-roading, hiking, and canyoneering to reach on foot. If you’ve seen couples take helicopters or small planes in Alaska, it’s similar – just in the desert instead of the mountains.
For Kristen, getting on the airplane was a big deal. She wasn’t a fan of flying (and flying through the desert canyons can be intense), but she wanted this bucket list experience with Craig on their wedding day, and she did it.
Redtail landed us at a completely private vista in the middle of nowhere. Kristen and Craig spread out a picnic and just sat together, taking it all in. Away from everyone and everything else, they got to spend a few moments with just the two of them in one of the most remote spots in the desert.
An Under Canvas Moab Wedding Dinner
After their scenic wedding flight, we made our way back to Under Canvas, where a private chef had set up a beautiful lunch overlooking the La Sal Mountains. The setup was stunning, complete with proper table settings and thoughtful decor, all in a private area behind the tents.
Kristen and Craig cut their cake and enjoyed their meal with their friends, who had rejoined them for drinks and celebration. After lunch, we took a midday break to recharge, and before setting back out, Kristen got her hair and makeup touched up. Then it was time for the final part of their day: off-roading in their Jeeps.
Sunset Off-Roading Elopement Adventure
This off-roading portion of Craig and Kristen’s Moab elopement was one of the experiences that they were most excited about. For these two, their Jeeps aren’t just modes of transportation – they’re a big part of their story. Craig and Kristen off-road and camp in their Jeeps regularly, and Craig even proposed while they were jeeping in Canada. So, to have this experience on their wedding day was a very special full-circle moment.
We took their Jeep to a private overlook between two canyons. The drop is about 3,000 feet, and it was here that we discovered Craig has a fear of heights that no one, including Craig, knew about until that moment. Kristen was incredibly supportive, the same way he’d supported her through the flight earlier in the day.
At the overlook, they read letters from family who couldn’t be there and shared their first dance as a married couple with the desert stretching out around them. We closed out the evening watching the sun set, staying through blue hour to capture those last quiet moments of their day.
What Made This Wedding Flight and Off-Roading Elopement Day Special
What stood out most about Kristen and Craig’s Moab adventure elopement wasn’t any single big moment – it was how present they were for all of it. They never felt rushed, and they weren’t anxious about what came next. They settled into each experience fully, whether that was while sharing vows at their Corona Arch elopement ceremony, looking out over the Canyonlands during their scenic wedding flight, or taking in the sprawling desert views during sunset.
Their day is a great example of how couples make their elopements feel special – by building it around what actually matters to them and creating space to be fully present for each moment.
There was something really beautiful about watching them step into these new (and occasionally familiar) experiences together. Flying and heights aren’t naturally comfortable for either of them, but they showed up for those moments anyway because being together in those places and experiencing them on their wedding day mattered. That’s exactly what partnership looks like – supporting each other through the things that push you slightly outside your comfort zone.
Ready to Plan Your Own Moab Adventure Elopement
Kristen and Craig’s Moab adventure elopement is just an example of what’s possible when you plan your elopement around what actually matters to you. For them, that meant their Jeep, their closest friends, and experiences that pushed them slightly outside their comfort zones in the best way.
The flight with Redtail opened up a part of the desert they never could have reached otherwise and created a bucket-list moment they’ll remember forever.
Your Moab elopement doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. It can include flights, off-roading, intimate chef-prepared meals, or something completely different. What matters is that it reflects your story and gives you space to be fully present with each other.
If you’re thinking about eloping in Moab and want help planning a day that feels like you, reach out. We’d love to hear what you’re envisioning.
They truly thought of everything and had our day run so smoothly
From the very start of our engagement when we decided on Traci & Bill they were having us schedule Skype calls, going over plans, encouraging date nights, had questionnaires for us to connect but also for them to understand us more to make our day perfect. The time and attention they put into planning our day was pretty unreal. They truly thought of everything and had our day run so smoothly. The day felt fun, romantic, and like we were just hanging out with a couple of friends.
Moab Wedding Flight and Off-Roading Elopement Video
Vendors who made this Moab Elopement with Private Flight possible:
Photography & Videography: Adventure and Vow
Hair & Makeup: Wild Brides Backcountry
Accommodations: Under Canvas Moab and Moab Springs Ranch
Flight Experience: Redtail Air
Dress: Martina Liana from Hello Beautiful Bridal Boutique
Rings: Paris Jewellers
Suit: Moores
Flowers: Baker’s Blooms
Catering: Moab Private Chef
Decor Rentals: Moab Event Services
Blog post written by Sonder Studio
Meet your team!
Hi – it is Traci, Bill and Malachi
Over the years, we’ve helped hundreds of couples plan and document intentional, meaningful elopements in wild places.
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