Zion National Park Destination Wedding at Lazalu | Erin & Vince

Did we just become best friends? One of the absolute best parts of being a wedding photographer in Southern Utah is the people that we get to spend time with who get married in Zion. This is true of every single one of the lovely couples that we work with, but what we had with Erin and Vince was something special. For us it was love at first Zoom call. The work we do is very intimate and so chemistry matters a lot to us. So we always try to schedule a call to make sure we are all on the same page and check the vibe. It is important that we connect with our couples and equally important that they feel they connected with us. With these two it was immediately clear that they were head over heels in love with each other! And the more we got to know about their story, the better it got. They’ve known each other childhood and went to middle school and high school together. They each needed to leave and strike out on their own after high school and they lost touch with one another. Years later they reconnected during Covid times and have been inseparable ever since. Sound like a Rom Com to you too? Because that's what this wedding felt like the entire time! Especially when the maid of honor read Vince’s entry in Erin’s high school yearbook.

We have had the privilege of shooting weddings all over the world, but to be honest there is nothing quite like our backyard. Zion National Park is a cathedral of rock and beautiful nature and is a wonderful place to get married. Out of all the Zion wedding venues, Lazalu has to be our favorite! We are always thrilled when we find out that our couples have selected this venue, because along with all of its rustic charm and off grid beauty, it attracts a certain type of couple. It’s always a good sign that we are going to be on the same wavelength!

The wedding day was full of magic, a beautiful sunset, and perfectly planned by the talented Laura Stagg with Forevermore Events. We love all of the thousands of tiny things that make a wedding what it is, but do you know what the most important ingredient is? Well, besides love. It’s all of the guests who show up! Now, I don’t just mean show up to the wedding because that's obvious. But show up for the couple. Zion National Park is a bit of the beaten path and Lazulu is even a little bit further out of the way. You don’t just accidentally end up there. Erin and Vince had bus load after bus load of people coming from all over the country and world. These friends and family members packed up their finest clothing, book travel and journeyed to support this union! We laughed, we cried, and we partied. 10 out of 10 wedding all around and our hope is that the photos do it justice! 

From the bride: “Our wedding is about the people and this place, and coupling all of that with an incredible dance party. We want candid photos of people talking, laughing, dancing, drinking, and crying. We love each other so much, and our journey to getting to marriage has been a decades-long fun adventure. Our hope is that our wedding reflects that fun adventure. This people and this place reflect everything that's gone into getting us here, and our photos should reflect that. When we found Lazalu, we knew it was the perfect setting for everyone to experience the magic of Zion, and we knew that it was a place that felt like us.”

ZION NATIONAL PARK WEDDING VENDORS:

Planning: Forevermore Events
Venue: Lazalu Zion Retreat
Floral: Bloomers
Catering: Kelsos Culinary Creations
Sound: Festival Sounds
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Film Lab: The Find Lab

Zion National Park Destination Wedding at Lazalu Retreat

We met these two for an engagement shoot in Zion National Park almost a year before their wedding. From the first moment we met we knew we loved them both! Anissa and Omar have a subtle way of making space for everyone through love and respect. We were really moved by the way that they showed up for each other too, offering kindness and support, it was instantly clear that what these two shared was really special. Overall, an amazing shoot in the Utah desert and we were stoked to see them again close to a year out for their wedding. 

One year later it was time to party in Zion! One of the best things about kind, loving, respectful and supportive people is that the people they choose to surround themselves with usually share the same qualities. This was certainly true for this crew! The couple got ready for their wedding in Adobe houses at Lazalu Zion Retreat. The bride was surrounded by both friends and family, sipping champagne while hair and makeup did their thing. They were blasting music and having a chill day in their rustic cabin at Lazalu.

The fellas were on the other side of the property doing their thing too. Putting on cufflinks, offering advice, and tossing back a drink or two in preparation for the wedding ceremony. After snapping plenty of candid photos capturing both scenes as they played out, it was time for the first look. One of the best parts of a Lazalu wedding is that it gives us quick access to some of our favorite places to shoot in Zion National Park. So a quick drive to a quiet meadow and we were able to set the stage for our bride and groom to share a first look and have a quiet moment together. We love the emotion of a first look and having the dramatic background of massive sandstone spires and deep canyon walls of the Utah desert as a backdrop makes the perfect scene for the moment. We also love how the first look makes the whole thing feel real for the couple. Seeing your partner all done up in wedding attire helps everything sink in like “We are really doing this!”

Just like that, it was time to head back and walk down the aisle!

A stroll across a field to the site of the ceremony where chairs were set and the space was adorned in flowers set up against a jaw dropping background of sandstone cliffs and blue skies. Lazalu never disappoints! After a beautiful and heartfelt bilingual ceremony, our newly wed couple was flying high and overjoyed. An open bar with drinks already mixed and a charcuterie spread was waiting for everyone in the shade of the grove. Cocktail hour! Meanwhile the center of the grove was getting the final finishing touches from the incredible team at Forevermore Events, making sure that everything was flawless before the guests were invited in. The seating chart was a shot of tequila, letting you know what type of energy you were expected to bring with you! 

Outdoor dining nestled inside the shelter of a grove of scrub oak just feels special! Dinner was filled with delicious food and heartfelt speeches. These guys had so much love and support from their families and their chosen families, it made for many amazing moments and we were absolutely loving it. It is always a goal of ours to capture how the day feels, so that our couple can go back and relive all of the small exchanges that happened throughout the day, and this wedding had all of it.

Now that everyone was well fed it was time to light up the dance floor and party! Tequila was flowing and the music was pumping, nothing like some Latin grooves to get a party going. This wedding was an absolute blast and we hope our photos did the day justice. Thank you Anissa and Omar! We love you both and and so happy for you!

ZION NATIONAL PARK WEDDING VENDORS:

Planning: Forevermore Events
Venue: Lazalu Zion Retreat
Floral: Bloomers
Catering: Kelsos Culinary Creations
Sound: Festival Sounds
Hair: Hair by Brooke
Makeup: Beauty by Allie J
Cake: CBJ and Company
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Film Lab: The Find Lab

Red Rock Canyon and Little White Chapel Las Vegas Destination Wedding

Fun, sweet, silly, authentic - this wedding had it all. Brit and Adam are insanely gorgeous but they are even more gorgeous on the inside! These two were so loving and caring for each other and those around them. It was truly an honor to witness their union.

The pandemic sent these two around the world. Instead of being holed up at home, they set out to explore the exotic and remote corners of the earth. When it came time for them to get married, they wanted to pick a city that was both ironic for a wedding, but also central and could host their guests who were spread out all over the world. Las Vegas ended up being the place!

Leaning into the theme of their city of choice, they kicked things off with a wedding rehearsal. Not just any rehearsal, but one fit for Las Vegas royalty! They gathered family and friends together at a little white chapel on the Las Vegas Strip for a full on mock wedding where they were married by the King himself, Elvis Presley (or at least a good impression of him). After a serenade of Love Me Tender and epic photos in a vintage pink Cadillac, the group made its way for a round of drinks in a local dive bar. A good time was had by all!

The wedding ceremony took place in Red Rock Canyon which is surprisingly not too far from the glitz of the Las Vegas Strip, but with a strikingly different vibe. Spring Mountain Ranch State Park was low-key and surrounded by beautiful natures, exactly what the bride and groom had hoped for. We met in a small field with the stunning and dramatic mountains as the backdrop. Friends and family were dressed to the nines making the atmosphere feel special. Live musicians accompanied the procession and here we were, having a wedding! This wedding day was heartfelt, authentic and so very sweet.  These two pulled off making this day feel even more special by having it be so different from the wild time that we spent the night before on the Strip. The contrast of these two events really had a way of showcasing what makes this couple different, along with the many thoughtful details that went into creating these experiences. 

We snapped some candid photos of the family and friends and then sent them on their way to the reception so we could get the bride and groom alone for some photos that felt natural and documentary, while still allowing for some beautiful classic portraits. The light was magic and these guys were still on a high from having just been married, a great combo for making images!

We went back to the Strip for a classy cocktail hour and formal dinner at an upscale restaurant, completing the Las Vegas experience. A perfect wedding weekend!

Luxury Destination Wedding at Auto Camp Zion National Park

Weddings have a way of revealing who you are and the way your people show up for you. A wedding is the perfect opportunity to see all of the attention, care, and love that a couple has put into their relationships as it gets reflected back to them. It was immediately clear that Cassie + Danny had a tribe that loved them fiercely! Their destination wedding took place at Autocamp, a luxury glamping destination located in Virgin Utah, just outside of Zion National Park. It was the ideal location to host this eclectic crew who traveled from Southern California to the desert of Utah.

The first night at Autocamp was an epic Welcome Dinner featuring a massive spread from Chef Shon Foster. It was immediately obvious that this group knew how to have a good time and had great style! Among a sea of Stetson hats, Pendleton sweaters & bolo neckties you could pick out a few famous faces in the crowd. It ended up being a fun and mellow hang that got everybody in wedding mode. 

Wedding day we were greeted with good vibes and blue skies, perfect for an outdoor wedding in Zion National Park! The fellas hopped aboard a tour bus at Zion Autocamp to get spiffed up for the day ahead. It was a laid back scene that involved a really great looking custom suit paired with designer shoes and accessories. But what stood out the most was the solid friendships. These guys all had Danny's back to make sure his day went smoothly. Meanwhile the ladies were getting ready for the day in a beautiful suite at La Fave. It was a relaxing pace and Cassie really seemed to be taking it all in with the full support of her people.

Laura and her amazing crew at Forevermore Events had an absolutely stunning ceremony set in the grass field located at Switchback Steakhouse in downtown Springdale. The set up was amazing, nestled next to the Virgin River and with the peaks of Zion all in the background. The ceremony was so sweet and heartfelt. You could feel how much these two love each other and were incredibly supported by so many family and friends.

Time to head back to Autocamp to eat and P-A-R-T-Y! 

Chef Shon was back for another night, which is  always a good sign! He and his crew threw down an awesome spread and topped the night meal off with an ice cream table. 

We had heard that some of the bride and grooms close friends were going to do a special performance and as I mentioned earlier there were some VERY famous faces hanging in the background. There was a buzz about what could go down and we were excited. 

Time to cut loose! Our cozy wedding tent in sleepy Southern Utah was about to throw down. DJ Bobby Booshay started cutting and mixing an awesome live DJ set. It’s not every wedding that brings in a touring DJ and this guy was slaying his set! Then the badass drummer known as Rook climbed up on the stage and he started playing to Bobby’s set. It is hard to overstate how insane this was! This is a guy who is used to playing in sold out stadiums in front of thousands of people and he is crushing a set for an intimate wedding in a little ol’ town in Utah. Words aren't adequate! After these guys put on a set of a lifetime, Grammy award winning country singer Dustin Lynch climbs up on the table with a microphone. He gives a really sincere speech about how much he loves our bride and groom and then breaks out singing his hit song Stars Like Confetti. Our bride and groom are having the time of their life and Dustin hands the mic to Danny to sing the chorus! It was pure magic.

Now this was hard to top. But suddenly, their wedding guest and friend, Machine Gun Kelly, is climbing on the table with the microphone. He gives a heartfelt toast and apparently our bride is the reason this man can leave the country to tour. Dude. MGK is now joining his drummer Rook and DJ Bobby Booshay and he starts performing now too! Absolutely wild!

The party is thoroughly hyped and the dance floor was full to the brim with everybody. Mom’s, grandma’s and what feels like half of L.A are all cutting loose and having a good time. This was definitely a wedding to remember. We absolutely love when wedding guests are part of the entertainment. It's always a great way to express love for the couple on their wedding day and is a touching show of affection. I’ll never forget the day that we were able to witness Internationally touring artist do that for this bride and groom. These guys were amazing, but there was true love and joy in these performances and it was incredible!

ZION NATIONAL PARK WEDDING VENDORS:

Planning: Forevermore Events
Venue: Auto Camp Zion and Switchback Grille
Floral: Bloomers
Catering: Chef Shon Foster
Video: Tanner Castro Films
Sound: Festival Sounds
Hair and Makeup: Kandice Delgado
Cake: CBJ and Company
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Film Lab: The Find Lab
Entertainment: Machine Gun Kelly, DJ Bobby Booshay, Rook, Dustin Lynch

Zion National Park Elopement at Sunrise

Imagine standing on top of a cliff overlooking the breathtaking views of Zion National Park, watching the mountains turn pink and purple as the sun rises. You are in your wedding attire, waiting to share a intimate first look with your bride or groom before the wedding ceremony. You have timed everything so that the light is at it’s most magical for this moment. No big deal right? Ha! Let’s walk through it.

Depending on the time of year the sun usually rises around 6am. It can take a 30 to 45 min to drive to the Canyon Overlook trailhead from Springdale and an additional 30-45 min to hike to the top of the Overlook. For those doing the math you may need to leave your hotel at 4:30 AM or earlier depending on how close you are staying. Leaving the hotel at 4:30 you say? That’s not awesome, but it is doable. Don’t forget that you are going to need to leave time for hair, makeup, oatmeal and coffee! What about when to put on the dress? Some brides hike in their dress, while others change at the top.

Are we starting to paint a picture?

The light at the top of Zion Canyon is absolutely stunning but it moves fast and can be tricky to shoot in at sunrise. So whenever you see an effortlessly beautiful bride standing on the edge of the canyon, please know that it didn’t just happen! We work closely with our couples to plan everything accordingly so we are in the right place at the right time for optimal light and views of the canyon.

One of the reasons that we love photographing elopements and weddings in Zion National Park is because of the type of couple that this place attracts. Julie and Kevin traveled across the entire US, bringing their closest friends and family. The entire group was up and ready at the crack of dawn to meet up with us in Springdale, Utah, located just outside Zion National Park. We caravanned up the canyon and began our hike to the top in the pitch black of early morning. Huge props to this crew for being on time and ready to go! The air was crisp and fresh and the stars were bright. A beautiful morning. It’s not a super difficult hike, but it can be a bit tricky in some spots, especially in the dark. Luckily we had the best crew and we got to the top of the canyon with a little bit of time to spare. Zion is absolutely magical before sunrise and it was worth it.

You need to have a wedding permit to get married or elope in Zion National Park and Canyon Overlook is not one of the permitted locations. We met up at sunrise just for the first look and photos afterwards and then chose a private location on BLM land that still opted for some great views of the canyon.

Julie is a bride that has a passion for film photography and requested that we cover the day with a lot of film. We are camera dorks that love documenting on film and so we brought out all of the cameras on this day! Both 35mm and medium format make an appearance in this gallery so we hope you enjoy. We got set up just in time for the magical light show of sunrise to begin. We love the way the sun starts to slowly fill the canyon with its light. The way it begins to turn on all the features of the canyon one by one as if on queue.

The type of couples planning their weddings and elopements in the beautiful desert of the southwest are looking for an experience that is bigger than them. There is something so lovely about the way it all unfolds. Zion National Park offers a drama and a sacredness that man can’t compete with. We can only place ourselves into these scenes and let nature change us with its elements. This morning was special and one that we feel privileged to use our cameras to bear witness to. Thank you to Julie and Kevin for inviting us to be a part of your wedding day!

Zion National Park Wedding Vendors

Photography: M. Felt Photography
Floral: Jocelyn’s Floral
Dress: Martina Liana Bridal
Film Lab: Indie Film Lab

Zion National Park Wedding at Lazalu Retreat

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Imagine an intimate wedding under the stars of a dark sky in Utah. You’ve brought all of your closest friends and family and, of course, your dogs! The scene for the wedding takes place in a picturesque field that is touching the boundary of Zion National Park. Lazalu is our absolute favorite wedding venue in Zion. Every aspect of this amazing artist retreat turned wedding venue knows that it’s job is to not distract from the amazing vistas that surround it. Sacred and ancient canyon walls rise up from every direction that you look! The sun drops behind the cliffs as you and your guest are enjoying custom cocktails and appetizers and the blanket of stars start to fill the sky. It’s time to move your guests into the oak grove where a lavish scene awaits them. Flowers hang from the sky with the lights and the well appointed tables are set with all the trimmings and special details. Every guest has a place set with a photo and hand written note about what your relationships mean to them. This destination wedding in Zion National Park PARK literally had it all! 

Complete with a photo booth, bounce castle and karaoke, not one single detail was missed.

But most importantly this wedding was absolutely full to the brim with love! The type of people who choose to have their destination wedding in a place like Zion National Park are special. They tend to value their relationships above all else. The couples that a place like Lazalu wedding venue seems to attract are in a category on their own. They choose to build an experience for their guest in a temple that has been constructed by nature.

We started the destination wedding weekend with these two beautiful people with a private vow ceremony in the desert outside of Zion. Just the four of us plus two of the cutest dogs. You can see the full post from that day here.

We shot with both film and digital at this wedding and you will find a mix of both in their gallery below. We feel that shooting with film and digital is the best way for us to honor the documentary wedding style that we love so dearly!

Wes and Noreen. Thank you for inviting us to document your wedding! We hope these photos speak for themselves and that the love, joy and absolute fun shines through every single image. 

ZION NATIONAL PARK Wedding Vendors

Planner: Forevermore Events
Zion National Park Wedding Venue: Lazalu
Hair and Makeup: Beauty By Freckled Fox
Floral: Bloomers
Catering: Kelso’s
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Photo Booth: Photo Booth Bus
Entertainment: Festival Sounds
Content Creator: BACHD

Zion National Park Destination Wedding at Lazalu

She was from Utah. He was from England. They met in NYC and fell in love. They eloped in Las Vegas during 2020 and planned an epic celebration in the backcountry near Zion National Park in Utah.

The day started with blue skies in a gorgeous field full of wildflowers. The bride and groom had a quiet morning getting ready at the off-grid Zion wedding venue called Lazalu, nestled just outside of ZION NATIONAL PARK with stunning and private views of the red rock mountains. The charm and beauty of Lazalu provided a beautiful backdrop and setting for the day. Lazalu used to be an artist retreat and is now one of our favorite Zion wedding venues. It is a perfect way to combine the experience of an adventurous destination wedding in a national park with the quiet and secluded experience for a luxury wedding in the Southwest.

The couple shared their first look in a field overlooking the Zion landscape. Gucci shoes and a custom Markarian wedding dress. 

Jordan and Ricky knew what was important to them for their wedding day and they worked with the best wedding planner in Southern Utah for Zion destination weddings to make it happen: Laura at Forevermore Events! They envisioned  dinner and dancing under the stars in their favorite place in Utah. An experience for their city friends like no other! The blue skies quickly turned gray as a torrential summer thunderstorm moved through the mountains. 

Our favorite moments include watching as all of the guests worked together to move the entire wedding to shelter, and the bride and groom running through the field with a bottle of Dom into the wildest party with a live band. A terrible storm couldn't keep this party down! These humans are as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside. 

The night ended with clear skies and a sky full of stars, as Jordan and Ricky and their favorite people moved outside to the grove with a live DJ and a disco party. 

From the bride, as featured in Over the Moon: 

"Watching our people save the wedding was a really emotional experience, and I think we were both just taking that in. It felt like a culmination of their love and support over all the years. Ultimately, it just felt like how we handle all obstacles—together, with good humor, and with the support of the people we love.”

ZION NATIONAL PARK WEDDING VENDORS:

Wedding Planner: Forevermore Events
Photographer: M. Felt Photography
Zion National Park Wedding Venue: Lazalu
Videographer: Dalton Call
Florist: Bloomers
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Catering: Chef Shon
Music & Entertainment: 
Mimi Knowles
Justin Cornwall @whatjustin
Gown Designer: Markarian
After Party Rentals: Festival Sounds