Sedona, Arizona is one of the best places in the country for an adventurous elopement! If you love all things desert, spiritual, and outdoorsy, then Sedona is the perfect place for your wedding adventure. Planning your Sedona elopement doesn’t have to be stressful. I’ve compiled an entire guide to help you plan your Sedona elopement with ease so you can enjoy every step of the process.

This is everything you need to know for planning your Sedona elopement. From the best hikes, what time of year, my favorite local vendors, Sedona elopement packages, and everything in between.

Why Sedona, Arizona is the perfect location for your elopement adventure

Sedona is a magical little town that is less than a 2 hour drive from Phoenix that is filled with so much adventure. This red rock town is known for its energy vortexes perfect for those who want to feel grounded and close to nature on their adventure. With dozens upon dozens of hikes ranging in difficulties and sceneries, it’s a hikers dream! For those who prefer overloading and off-roading, there are multiple great OHV roads for all levels of experience! If you want to add more adventure to your elopement experience there are tons of epic companies that offer hot air balloon rides, Jeep tours, horseback riding, and so much much! For your more laid back days you can check out one of the local wineries or relax by Oak Creek. The possibilities are endless in this little town!

The Best Time of Year for a Sedona Elopement

One of the best parts about eloping in Arizona is that the weather is beautiful year around! Let’s chat about what time of year could be best for your wedding.

A Winter Sedona Elopement (December-February): Believe it or not, Sedona DOES get a real winter! Anytime between December and February there may be a light dusting of snow on the red rock mountains. Don’t be afraid though! This is one of my favorite times to photograph elopements in Sedona due to there being significantly less tourists and cheaper lodging. A Sedona winter means highs in the 60s, sunny most days with the occasional dusting of snow. Bring your layers and embrace the cooler red rock desert with no crowds!

A Spring Sedona Elopement (March-May): Spring in Sedona is always a dream for warmer weather (highs in the 70s-80s), blooming flowers, and clear skies. Spring is windy season in Sedona so be prepared for the gusts, otherwise it’s beautiful weather. Weekends start to become busy with tourists, but in general this is an amazing time to elope in the Sedona desert!

A Summer Sedona Elopement (June-August): Summer in Sedona isn’t necessarily the greatest time of year for a wedding adventure. Summers in the desert include monsoons (daily rain storms) that can produce dangerous flash flooding and lightning and warmer temperatures in the 100s with humidity. Trails tend to be busier, especially during sunrise and sunset. One of the perks is the epic cotton candy colored sunsets that happen almost every night. If you’re okay with some rain and heat, it could make for a fun adventure!

A Fall Sedona Elopement (September-November): By far one of the most popular seasons for Sedona elopements! The weather is perfect (not too hot, not too cold) with highs in the 60s-80s. September and October are by far the busiest months in this tiny town so I always recommend couples to stay away from eloping on the weekends. The leaves tend to change the last week of October through the first weeks of November. In general, I recommend November as the perfect month to elope for perfect weather and less crowds! Oh yeah, and the fresh apple cider is to die for.

Best Hikes & Places to Elope in Sedona

One of the best parts about eloping in Sedona is that the options for elopement locations are endless! There is a location for every accessibility and scenery. Yes, that means there are ceremony locations that even your grandma can get to! There are also locations perfect for adventure lovers who want to get their wedding dress a little dirty. These are a few of my favorite areas to explore in Sedona. Keep in mind that I do keep some spots a secret (and only tell my couples!) to help prevent them from getting extremely busy. I’m a huge lover of helping my couples find the perfect off-the-beaten-path location for their special day.

Cathedral Rock: Cathedral Rock is by far one of the most popular elopement locations in Sedona. This 1.2 mile roundtrip hike takes you to an epic red rock cliff, perfect for having a picnic, sharing a first dance, or watching the sunset. This hike is becoming more and more popular and can be extremely busy at times, so I always recommend taking this adventure on a weekday. Be prepared with lots of water, makeup for touchups, and be ready to use your hands to scramble up this steep mountain!

Bell Rock: Bell Rock is one of my favorite elopement locations in Sedona if you’re looking for 360 views that is easily accessible. There are dozens of different spots that are perfect for your ceremony. If you love vast scenic views and beautiful red rock mountains, you will love Bell Rock!

Slide Rock State Park: Slide Rock State Park is one of those spots in Sedona that is absolutely breathtaking. I love this location if you’re looking for beautiful views without any hiking involved. Another great part of Slide Rock is that variety of scenery ranging from red rock canyon, orchards, and Oak Creek. Slide Rock requires a special use permit that ranges from $100 to $200 to reserve your wedding date and space. Remember: This is a popular state park so there will be other people exploring the grounds.

West Fork: West Fork is a great location if you have fallen in love with the red rock canyon and Oak Creek. West Fork is the closest thing to a slot canyon that you can find in Sedona. Another great part about this location is the gorgeous greenery! There are beautiful trees and ferns that change along with the seasons. If you want golden leaves as the backdrop of your elopement, this is the perfect location! This a long hike with tons of different areas that you can hold your ceremony, some more private than others. This is one of the most popular hikes in all of Sedona so parking fills up fast. No permits are required for groups under 75 people.

Crescent Moon Ranch: Crescent Moon Ranch is another easily accessible location with a gorgeous view of Cathedral Rock. I love Crescent Moon if you’re looking with red rock views, along with wanting to be near Oak Creek. This location requires a reservation for a 2 hour time slot for $50 , and only allows groups under 15 people right now due to the pandemic.

Secret Off-Roading Locations: If you’re for an extra spice of adventure for your elopement experience, I highly recommend going on an off-roading adventure! This is one of the best things to do while visiting the red rocks. Off-roading allows you to get to some epic locations without much hiking. Some roads are more challenging to drive so depending on your prior experience, you can choose to go through a Jeep tour company or renting your own Jeep. You can have all of your guests join you on your adventure or choose to keep it private- totally up to you! I’m an avid off-roader so I have tons of epic locations to suggest to you.

Secret Hiking Location: There are so many locations in Sedona that aren’t popular but have EPIC views. The best part about choosing one of these locations for your wedding is that there will be less crowds and you will have super unique photos. There are tons of different hikes all around Sedona varying in difficulty, length, and scenery, but don’t worry! We can find a perfect location for you and your partner’s special day.

If you are planning an intimate wedding in Sedona, check out our favorite Sedona Arizona intimate wedding venues.

Ready to get started on planning your elopement? Contact us for more details.