The BEST Places to Elope in Sedona

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Best Places to elope in Sedona and Full Guide to planning your elopement in Sedona.

scouted and written by your Sedona local Elopement Photographer Traci Edwards, owner of Adventure and Vow (updated for 2023)

Sedona has become one of the most popular places in the United States for eloping. On any given day in the area you can expect anywhere from two to ten weddings to be happening, and depending on the location, there might be that many just in that location! Sedona is known for it’s easy access to beautiful places, its spiritual energy, stunning red rock vistas, adventure and more. It is a great place to spend the weekend or a full week, depending on what all you want to do. It is close to Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon, Page and Phoenix. It is easy to see why Sedona has become such a popular elopement location. This blog will tell you literally every little thing you need to know about planning an elopement in Sedona from a local elopement photographer and outdoor enthusiast. Before we dive into all things getting married in Sedona, let’s talk about the logistics of just visiting the area!

How to get to Sedona

If you are flying in to get to your elopement, you will most likely need to rent a car to visit. The best airports to fly into are Phoenix for the most convenient all round location but also the most expensive other than Flagstaff which is one hour north of Sedona and a much smaller airport. The cheapest option would be to fly into Las Vegas, which is further away but an awesome road trip to stop and visit other National Parks like the Grand Canyon, Zion or the Page area. We recommend either way being sure to drive the 89A through the canyon for some epic views! Also be sure to drive the 179 into Sedona from HWY 17 for great red rock views of Courthouse Butte, Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock.

*** Note: Hwy 17 is one of the most dangerous highways in the United States and for good reason. The highway is two lanes, very curvy and mountainous with a lot of semi trucks on it. This road often gets shut down due to wrecks. Our advice is to drive it not on a weekend and not during busy road traffic times. (This is the road that connects you from Phoenix to Sedona.)

Best time to go to Sedona

Sedona is pure magic throughout the entire year, although the best time to elope in Sedona in our opinion from a local perspective is Feb-March and mid October to December. With the ideal weather also comes the busiest times of the year in Sedona being spring break, fall break, mother’s day and Easter weekend – which is part of the reason we suggest April has not the best option. In April the weather is prime, flowers are blooming, but it is Easter and spring break so everything is busy. We recommend avoiding the high times because trailhead parking is extremely limited in Sedona. Not only that getting around town can take you 1 hour to drive 4 miles. While these things can be a pain it doesn’t making eloping impossible you just want to plan ahead and be aware.

If you are hoping to see some Fall colors the best time is late October to mid November. If you want to avoid snow or see snow, you can expect very minimal flurries from mid January to mid February. However, know that snow in Sedona only happens a few times during the winter season and when it does, it is so magical! The white contrast against the red rock is beautiful and the best part is that snow here typically is not enough to close down roads or stay around long. The summer months from late June to end the of August are what we consider the no go zone. While it doesn’t bother some people, the temperatures can be over a 100 degrees making it both unsafe and no longer enjoyable for many outdoor activities.

Can you Get Married in Sedona?

Why, of course you can get married in Sedona! In the state of Arizona you need an officiant and two witnesses. If you are working with Adventure and Vow for your elopement, we have you covered. We are a two person team and we are both ordained, so you can “self-solemnize” or have us perform your ceremony. For the “self-solemnization” we would give you the space to hold your own ceremony, and after the fact perform the legally required actions separate from your intimate ceremony. We can also count as your witnesses if you want to hire an officiant out, which we have additional recommendations for.

Do not worry if you do not have guests coming to your elopement, it is never hard to get some fellow hikers on the trial to sign as witnesses or folks back in town near where you are staying. If you live out of state, you will need to make an appointment online to pick it up at any Arizona clerk office. The state of Arizona does not have a waiting period from the time you get your paperwork from the time you get married, however be sure to keep their office hours in mind and make your appointment with the clerk office prior to booking your travel. Below are links to the clerk offices most convenient for getting your paperwork if you are eloping in Sedona.

Sedona Clerk Office

Flagstaff Clerk Office

Phoenix/Maricopa County Clerk Office

Airbnb elopements have become very popular, but it is important to know that in the state of Arizona it is illegal to hold an event at an Airbnb. It is also important to know that no matter what state you are in, if you have a photographer planning to take photos of you in an Airbnb you need to get permission from the home owner first. So while in Arizona you can not legally hold your ceremony at an Airbnb, you can get ready at your Airbnb or have dinner there after your ceremony with permission of the owner. Sedona is known for its Airbnbs being unique and plentiful. For places we recommend staying from resorts, VRBO, Airbnb check out our guide.

So if you are eloping in Sedona, you will want to legally get married out on one of the trails that is not in wilderness or you can get married at a “venue” or State Park.

Where can you elope in Sedona?

This is a very important question! Sedona is millions of acres of red rocks, mountains and beautiful deserts, but you can not elope just anywhere.

Devil’s Bridge

It is important to know that in Sedona you are not allowed to elope on Wilderness Land, this mean you can not elope at Devil’s Bridge, West Fork or at other popular areas you may have seen images of floating around on Pinterest, Instagram and other places. You can always email the Forest Service rangers for more information on this or to try and seek special permission as sometimes they will grant it to a couple.

This rule is in place by the Red Rock Forest Service. Other rules that apply to eloping in Sedona are no set ups without approval, no groups larger than 75 people and the only paid vendors that can be present without pulling a permit are the officiant and the photographer. If you have any questions about permits/rules you want to reach out directly to the Forest Service Rangers for the Red Rock District. My biggest advice is to not assume something is okay just because you saw it on social media. A great map resource for seeing what is Wilderness Land and what is not is Gaia. Do not worry though, we are local to Sedona and know the area like the back of our hands. We are always happy to help with suggestions that would best fit your elopement day from a specific adventure to any amount of privacy desired.

The top three elopement locations in Sedona based on location, light and their popularity are :

While the areas above are very busy and very popular it is important to remember they are not the only three places you can elope in Sedona. Most of our couples that choose an elopement type wedding are doing so because value privacy, the outdoors and the experience of an adventure style wedding. This can be hard to achieve in the two places above.

If you keep an open mind and are open to adventure then there are plenty of other places you can elope in Sedona that are not as crowded or well known. We do not often post about these places because we want to keep them as little foot trafficked as possible and protect them the best we can as they are mostly social trails/climbing areas.

However, when we send location guides to our couples they get the full details and images form past elopements to be able to check it out better! Without naming names, here are some other options for Sedona Elopement Locations:

• A 2 mile hike, perfect for sunrise if you want to see the hot air balloons flying by or perfect for sunset!
• A 6 mile hike that can be shortened if you can off road some, to a beautiful area overlooking lots of different areas of Sedona. Not family friendly or friend family as you are high up on some cliffs.
• A desert spire, over looking a ton of Sedona – can you say cozy? This requires knowledge and the ability to trad climb and a 6 mile hike.
• A short 2 mile hike and serious scramble or short climb – depending on your comfort, we rope up for it. To a heart shaped rock facing Cathedral – stunning at sunrise.
• And so many more 🙂

Do you need a permit to elope in Sedona?

No, you do not need a permit to elope in Sedona currently.

That is the short answer, the longer answer is you do not need a permit to elope in Sedona, unless you want to elope at one of the State Parks or Crescent Moon ranch. Then you need a permit. While as of right now, Spring 2023, you do not need a permit for an elopement or wedding on the Forest Service land in Sedona that does not mean this will not change. We recommend always checking in with FS before your elopement and while you plan. Currently, the only time you need a permit is for styled shoots or commercial filming, which does not apply to a wedding day.

Also, important to note: Sedona Forest Service does not allow set ups of any kind.

Things to do in Sedona for your Elopement Day

There is no shortage of adventures available to you in Sedona for your elopement day, but the other plus is there is no shortage of things to do that do not include adventuring, making it also a family friendly elopement location. Typically people tend to visit Sedona between two days and a week. For an elopement, we recommend visiting at least 4 days so you have flexibility to get used to the area/time change, in case of bad weather or any sickness, etc. So while you can do some of these things at your elopement, some you may do during your trip in general.

Here are some adventurous things you can do in Sedona on your elopement day:

• Rock Climb a spire or climb at a near by crag
• Hike
• Off Road in a Jeep or ATV
• Mountain Bike
• Take a hot air balloon ride
• Take a private plane or helicopter ride over the red rock canyons
• Yoga on a vista
• Cliff jumping into local swimming holes

Things you can do in the area that do not include adventuring and are more family friendly:

• Get a massage
• Dine at one of the many restaurants or grab coffee in the am (A couple of our favorites in the area are Elote, Tortas De Fuego and Shore Bird)
• Shop in Uptown Sedona
• Take a town Trolley ride
• Get tattoos in Sedona or in Flagstaff
• Take the train from near Flagstaff all the way to the Grand Canyon
• Star gaze for the Milky Way

How much does it cost to elope in Sedona?

The cost of eloping in Sedona costs between $6500 and $10000 depending on your stay, your wedding day and what you choose to do while here.

What is the cost of visiting Sedona? The cost during peak times is always more expensive, per typically tourist areas. A typical stay in Sedona can average $75-$500+ a night at a hotel or other rental. There are plenty of free camping spots in the area as well year round. Visiting during the least busy time of the year like early December, many home rentals as well as all of the hotels will be dramatically cheaper than during April for example. Depending where you are visiting from, it is still typically sunny and 60 degrees for the high, although the days are shorter and the nights do drop below freezing. If you’re coming down to Sedona from far up north, it will definitely still feel like an escape! Your average dinner in Sedona for two can average $60-$150. Some of our favorite restaurants that we recommend out are Javelina Cantina, The Hudson, Mariposa, Layla’s Bakery, Vino de Sedona and more!

So to configure what the cost of coming to Seodna + eloping is check out this list to easily plug in your amounts and come up with a total:

• Wedding Attire
• Marriage License $65-$85
• Hiking boots
• Red Rock Parking Pass – $5 a day, free if you have a National Parks Pass
• Flight + Rental Car
• Gas
• Food
• Officiant – ranges from $75 – $300, but if you book with us it is included in our services
• Photo + Video – ranges from $3000 – $9500
• Stay
• Flowers if desired
• Activity costs – pending if you are doing a hot air balloon ride, off roading, spa day, further travel, mountain bike rental, etc
• Permit – if eloping within Crescent Moon Ranch

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” From the day we reached out, she was so kind and responsive. She eased our nerves instantly with her knowledge on photography, the location we had chosen, and all the nitty gritty details of what an elopement entails.

We were lucky enough to meet Traci the day before our ceremony and although our nerves were high, it felt like we were instant friends. It was such a calming feeling going into our elopement day! She was willing to answer all questions, go through all the worst case scenarios, and help us stay positive and upbeat for the next day. On the day of our ceremony, Traci was all business. She is extremely punctual and knows exactly what needs to get done in order to make your dreams come true.

We are so thankful to have met and get photographed by both Traci and Bill and we are so hopeful to cross their paths again someday! Thank you both so much for making our elopement the very best day of our lives!!!!”

-The Seibergs <3

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2023 Sedona Availability

Currently, we are still available for the following dates for an elopement in Sedona:

March 27-31st

April 3rd 11th and 13th

October 20th and 27th

November 1-3 and the 6th

For 2024 we are booking elopements in Sedona mid February to May

Sedona Elopement Packages

Our elopement packages start at a mini elopement day for four hours and goes all the way to a multi-day elopement packages. Our packages include:

• Officiating
• Photography
• Video Add-On option
• Assistance in Planning + location scouting
• Leave No Trace Education
• An elopement planning guide 80+ pages of everything you could ever imagine when it comes to putting together a perfect elopement day
• Vendor recommendations to past vendors couple’s have loved, or we have loved and recommendations for where to stay + dine while in Sedona (From a locals perspective!)
• Timeline for you and guests if you have any
• Same Day Sneak Peaks
• A full gallery within 5 weeks, 8 weeks for video
• And so much more! We really are your right hand people during planning, on the trail, and more.

Our Sedona elopement packages start at $4200.

Planning information for a Sedona Elopement

Understanding the layout of Sedona

This is super important!!!! So in Sedona you have:

• Uptown
• West Sedona
• Village of Oak Creek

Uptown is where all of the shops are, several Airbnbs and hotels. This area has great red rock views and places to eat. Uptown is near trailheads like Brins Mesa, Cow Pies, Oak Creek Canyon, etc

West Sedona is easiest to get to from Cottonwood, Arizona. From here it is easy to access grocery stores, coffee shops, some restaurants and trials like Devils Bridge, Lover’s Knoll and Boynton Canyon.

Village of Oak Creek is easily accessibly via hwy 17. Here there are places to eat and one small store. Trails here are Bell Rock, Red Rock Crossing and Chicken Point area.

Why is this important? Driving time. To get in-between the three of these can take anywhere form 15 minutes to 3 hours depending on traffic that day. We recommend to all of our couples to wait and book their airbnb after they have selected where they want to elope.

Can I Bring guests to our Elopement in Sedona?

Yes! We would say half of our couples in Sedona elope with guests and half do not. However, we recommend capping your guests count at 10 people if you plan to elope out on the trails. This way logistics are easier, parking is do-able, etc. If you plan to have more people we recommend booking a venue or private elopement area.

What to pack

• Sunscreen, even in lower temperatures you will need this in the desert
• Layers, in the desert it can be warm during the day but super chilly in the evening, also it can be very windy out on those vistas
• A head lamp – night hiking in the desert is the best
• Hiking shoe, water shoes, chacos all depending on your activity
• Chapstick + Lotion because the desert is dry
• Wedding things I.E. – vow books, letters from family, special items like jewelry, ID to get marriage license, etc

Wildlife you may encounter in Sedona

• Rattlesnakes – Yes, we have them. Should you be scared? Nope. Just keep your eye out and give them space. If one is coiled or rattling back away slowly and do not provoke it.
• Javelina’s are like rodent large pigs. You may see them on the trails or even in Uptown. Don’t worry, they mostly dont care that you are there, just do not approach a mother with it’s young.
• Mule Dear
• Elk in Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon
• Bears are not seen often in the Sedona area unless you are deep in the canyon, closer in elevation to Flagstaff. This is not really something you need to worry about at all in any of the elopement locations allowed in Sedona.
• Big Cats – Yes we have cougars and the rule of thumb is – It may be there, but you wont see it. If you see it, there is a problem. Cougars, do not want to see you and do not want you to see them. We have been here over three years and never seen one and we hike in the dark a ton as well as on remote trails a ton. If you see one do not break eye contact and back away slowly.

Following Leave No Trace during your elopement in Sedona:

For elopements in Sedona out on the trials, it is important to follow Leave No Trace. Sedona sandstone is super fragile and crypto soil can be found on some of the trials. Sedona gets millions of visitors a year so it is important to treat the land with respect so people can enjoy it for the many years to come. Sedona is already seeing a large impact from social media with locations like Devil’s Bridge becoming overwhelming popular from folks geo-tagging it on IG and FB.

My suggestions is to never tag a specific trail. The other LNT principals to follow are: plan ahead and be prepared, travel on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize fire impact, respect wildlife and be considerate of other visitors. The last one is so important in place like Sedona, it is important to remember we all share the trail, even if it is your wedding day.

Check out below more desert elopement stories and location guides!