An Intimate Family Elopement in Sedona, AZ

The desert was still dark when we started hiking on the morning of Deanna and Matt’s wedding in Sedona. The couple had wanted to start their elopement day completely alone—just the two of them, watching the sun come up over Sedona’s red rocks before anyone else was part of their day.

When it came to planning their celebration, Deanna and Matt knew they didn’t want to choose between having an intimate experience and including their parents. So they didn’t. They planned a family elopement in Sedona that gave them both—time with their parents for getting ready and the ceremony, FaceTime calls to include family who couldn’t be there, and hours of private adventure time exploring the desert together.

Their elopement ended up being one of our favorite celebrations of the year. Not because it looked a certain way, but because of how open everyone was to experiencing the day as it unfolded. Deanna and Matt had a vision for how they wanted the day to go and their families simply showed up ready to go along with whatever they had planned.

An Intimate Sedona Elopement with Family

A First Look and Private Vows at Sunrise

Deanna and Matt’s Sedona elopement started in the dark—in the quiet early morning hours before anyone else is awake. We hiked up to a sunrise viewpoint in the red rocks before dawn, the air still cool and the sky just starting to shift from black to deep blue. They shared a private first look in the watercolor-painted desert.

As the sun came up and the red rocks vividly shone in shades of orange and gold, Deanna and Matt emotionally read their private vows to each other. Just them two and a morning bird here and there. They sat down on a blanket to read letters from family members who couldn’t make the trip. Deanna’s sister wasn’t able to be there, and when they read her letter, we could tell it hit them both. They sat together with tears in their eyes, reading and soaking in those first moments before the rest of their day began.

Once they were ready, we hiked back down the trail and took a mid-morning break so they could hang out with their parents before the next part of their family elopement day began.

Getting Ready with Family

A couple of hours later, we met them back at their Airbnb. The space was full of small, thoughtful details, including framed photos of family members. Even without being physically in Sedona, those people felt present in the room.

Before Matt and his parents left for the ceremony location, Deanna gave gifts to both moms. Watching her hand over the gifts and seeing the tears and the hugs between them reminded us just how powerful family elopements can be when done intentionally.

Matt then left with his parents while Deanna stayed back with her mom to finish getting ready. Before leaving, Deanna FaceTimed her sister so she could be there to see the finishing touches and be part of the excitement. On the drive to the ceremony, Deanna FaceTimed one more special person–her grandpa–and everyone in the car started crying again.

A Family Elopement Ceremony in Sedona’s Red Rocks

It was important to Deanna and Matt to include their loved ones in their ceremony as well. Deanna’s mom walked her down the aisle, and Matt’s dad brought up the rings. They also included a unique elopement idea that we had never seen before. Instead of a traditional sand ceremony, they blended glass together–pouring colored glass into a container that they later had fired into a vase. They sent us a photo of the finished vase a few weeks later and it’s a beautiful, tangible reminder of the promises they made to each other during their vows.

After the ceremony, they popped champagne and shared a toast with their parents before heading to the next part of their celebration. Even though the family portion of their elopement was over, their adventure was just getting started.

An Off-Roading Adventure at Merry-Go-Round Rock

An elopement is the perfect time to try a new adventure! Neither Deanna nor Matt had ever been off-roading before, so they rented a Jeep specially for the occasion (click here for more off-roading elopement inspiration).

They brought dinner that Deanna’s mom had cooked + packed for them and shared it while sitting on a log looking out at the view. Watching them feed each other chicken wings at sunset on top of a Sedona red rock was not something we expected to photograph that day. But the way they were laughing and the lack of self-consciousness about eating messy food in wedding attire perfectly captured how comfortable they are with each other and served as a reminder that sometimes the unplanned moments end up being the most memorable.

As the sun set, we took some individual and couple portraits. Then we stepped back and just let them sit together and watch the sun go down.  While we love going on epic adventures, there’s also something to be said about taking in the moment and enjoying the experience without an agenda.

Sedona is known to have some of the best stargazing in the country and we knew we wanted to include some star photos at the end of their day. So, on the drive back down, we stopped the car and witnessed some of the clearest nighttime skies you can imagine. Having photographed in the desert for several years, this is one of those views that never gets old.

A Late-Night Cake Reception with Family

When we got back to their Airbnb, their parents had set up a beautiful cake area. Even though it was late, everyone stayed to celebrate with the couple and hear about the adventures from their day.

What Deanna and Matt wanted most from their elopement with family was for the day to feel like best friends hanging out together, stress-free. They wanted time alone mixed with intentional time with family. And that’s exactly what it was.

We also got incredibly lucky with privacy. Almost everywhere we went, we had the locations completely to ourselves. For a popular place like Sedona, that’s not always guaranteed, but it made the intimate day they wanted even more possible.

What Makes a Family Elopement Work

Every family elopement looks a little bit different. Some couples include family for the entire day. Others, like Deanna and Matt, include them for specific moments and keep the rest private. There’s no right or wrong way to elope with family. 

But we’ve noticed that the most meaningful family elopement celebrations often happen when loved ones show up ready to support the couple’s vision. No demands about timing or locations or how things should go. Just openness to however the day unfolds.

Deanna and Matt’s families approached the day in exactly that way. When the couple stayed out late for their off-roading adventure, their parents didn’t complain or feel left out—they simply went to dinner together and met back up for cake later. Some of their guests even had mobility issues, so getting to the ceremony location took extra time. But no one rushed. Instead, they just embraced the extra time they had together.

When family elopements work like this and guests show up with the right energy and couples stay focused on what matters to them, it makes for a positive experience for everyone. For more advice on how to elope with family, check out our guide here.

Ready to Plan Your Sedona Family Elopement?

If you’re considering a family elopement in Sedona and want to include parents or a small group of loved ones while keeping the day intimate and focused on you two, it’s absolutely possible. The key is understanding what parts of your day you want to share and what parts you want to keep for just the two of you.

Deanna and Matt included their parents in getting ready and the ceremony, then took the rest of the day for themselves. That structure worked for them. Your structure might look completely different, and that’s the point! Your elopement should reflect what feels right for your relationships and your day.

If you’re thinking about eloping in Sedona with family, check out our Sedona elopement guide for location ideas and planning tips. And if you want to talk through what a family-inclusive elopement might look like for you, reach out to connect with us. We’d love to hear what you’re envisioning.

See more Sedona Elopement Photos and Read Other Elopement Stories below! 

We Can’t Wait To Hear More About Your Family Elopement Plans!

Blog post written by Sonder Studio