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

A Winter Wedding at Zion Mountain Ranch | Zion Wedding Photography

There aren’t enough words to describe how much Joey and I adored this day! From the beginning, Courtney and Andrew were wonderful to work with, just all around fantastic humans. They wanted a wedding that was focused on each other and their loved ones, so they invited their close family and friends for a destination wedding weekend in Zion. They all stayed at Zion Mountain Ranch— a perfect little cabin retreat tucked outside of Zion National Park. December weddings in Zion are pure magic. The air is crisp and cold and I I will forever be obsessed with cabin light for getting ready photos. Even with unexpected rain, snow, and mud, the talented team at Forevermore Events put together the most beautiful weekend filled with so much joy and love. We could stop smiling at this one and even shed a few tears.

The weekend started with Joey and I meeting up with Courtney and Andrew for some pre-wedding photos at Canyon Overlook in Zion National Park. They wanted the first time they say each other in their wedding attire to be when Courtney walked down the aisle, so we discussed some options and decided to do their photoshoot in semi-formal attire instead! It made the photos the day before less stressful and more of a fun pre-wedding outing before their rehearsal dinner back at the ranch. It was cold but these two were troopers! We got some gorgeous, fun photos at sunset and then hiked back down the mountain for the rehearsal dinner.

The next morning, Joey and I woke up before sunrise for a quiet walk of our own through the park at dawn. We shot some film and enjoyed a beautiful winter morning in our favorite place! Then we headed up the mountain for Courtney and Andrew’s beautiful day.

I mentioned this earlier, but cabin light on a cloudy day is my absolute favorite. The weather kept threatening to pour but

Vendor List:

Wedding Planning: Forevermore Events
Floral: Bloomers
Catering: Zion Mountain Ranch
Entertainment: Charlie Kessner
Paper Details: Black Julep Studio
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Cake: Cupcakes by Julie
Venue: Zion Mountain Ranch

Southwest Wedding Under the Stars | Haley & Kevin at Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab

Haley and Kevin’s gorgeous southwest wedding under the stars was a top favorite for 2019. Summers in Southern Utah can be brutal, like 110 degrees for weeks on end. It was SO refreshing to photograph their beautiful outdoor wedding in the middle of August at Angels Landing at Best Friends Animal Society! This place is perfectly sheltered under a beautiful red cliff canopy, there is tons of shade, a natural spring, and a beautiful grassy field. We’re talking 85 degrees during the day people! Perfection. Beyond the beautiful setting though, it was such a joy to work with Haley and Kevin. These are two of the sweetest and most genuine humans. I love their belly laughs and silly moments together, and the way they adore their family and friends. There were so many beautiful and sweet moments on this day. I loved being part of it. I thought I would include a little snippet from their questionnaire because it perfectly describes them and their wedding day!

“We love animals, open space, and nature. We love this location because it takes us out of our usual grind and into our favorite place to explore, have deep conversations about our relationship, life, and enjoy the natural beauty. Best Friends is particularly special to us because they inspired us to overcome a huge obstacle and make us a stronger, more compassionate team. We adopted our dog Cassie, who quite frankly was a terrifying, aggressive, and unpredictable dog. We were told multiple times to euthanize her. We felt like failures and very alone because no one in the area would work with her due to her unusual triggers. Best Friends inspired us to persevere and work beyond our perceived limitations, which led us to fall in love and help this poor little dog heal and safely fit into society. It truly was a mutual rescue. We are so grateful to Best Friends and the animal rescue community for teaching us that we really can make the impossible possible and showing us the priceless reward of saving a life. We are over the moon to celebrate unconditional love and commitment at this overwhelmingly compassionate and selfless place. We hope to bare our emotions, dance the night away, laugh and celebrate with loved ones, eat Chef Shon's incredible vegetarian food, and soak in the sights during our big day.”

Vendor List:

Wedding Planning: Forevermore Events
Floral: Bloomers
Beauty: Tracy Sotirakis
Bridal Shop: Anomalie
Catering: Sego Restaurant
Entertainment: Festival Sounds
Paper Details: Black Julep Studio
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Cake: Sego Restaurant
Venue: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Moab Elopement Wild with Love & Crazy for Adventure | As Featured in Style Me Pretty

“Say the most important day of your life is quickly approaching. And you’ve got two paths ahead of you. You can do what’s expected, or do something that truly represents who you are: Wild with love and crazy for adventure. To Ariel and Andrew, their path was clear: Take off and elope! To the canyon lands of Utah.”

Ariel and Andrew had the most epic adventure elopement in Moab back in 2015 before it was even a thing. When Ariel first contacted me about photographing their wedding in Moab she mentioned that her father is a backcountry pilot and that they fly together a lot, and that she was thinking about flying one of these planes to her wedding ceremony. As you can imagine I was pretty excited (and also terrified that I would have to ride in the plane, which thankfully, I did not). Joey and I photographed this wedding together and we truly loved it! Andrew and his production team/best friends were awesome to work with and the whole two days was like a big party. We started our day bright and early and followed the Jeeps into this beautiful landing strip at the base of a canyon, right near the river. The road getting there was a bit sketchy but Joey had a blast navigating it! We were on standby while the guys scouted the location to make sure it was still safe to land after the rain that week, but all looked good and clear, so we started our pilgrimage to this epic spot.

Ariel and Andrew built their wedding around their own ideas and relationship and said adieu to any traditions that didn’t felt authentic to them. I loved this. They made a pretty amazing film about it too. Andrew owns a film production company so the whole thing was incredible. Their film made its rounds on the internet when it was first featured on Style Me Pretty. I highly recommend watching it! The reason I say that they are the ones who made adventure elopements a things, is because, well they are! I can’t say I’ve a single bride after this who has flown a plane to her own wedding, or any groom who built his own chuppa the day before the wedding by foraging sticks from the desert where they would exchange vows.

The night before the wedding, we joined Ariel and Andrew and their families to photograph their lovely rehearsal dinner at Sorrell River Ranch. We met up with the couple before the dinner for a fun portrait shoot near Fisher Tower. The Moab desert is incredible. The day after the wedding we hiked Arches National Park and I got to see Delicate Arch for the first time. It was an incredible experience.

Thanks again to this wonderful couple, their production crew, and families! You can see the feature over at Style Me Pretty here.

And watch their wedding film below!

Zion National Park Wedding Photographer

I’ve been photographing weddings and couples in Zion National Park for the past eight years, and before that, I grew up exploring the mountains and trails in Zion. I was born and raised in St. George, Utah, a lovely town in the southwest corner of the state that is within driving distance to some incredible national and state parks, including Zion. It wasn’t until I moved to Southern California for college that I realized how much I need the mountains and desert landscape in my life! The desert is my home, it’s in my heart and soul, and it’s a place that I’ll always return to.

Over the past few years, I’ve watched Zion grow in popularity for weddings, elopements, and engagements. Even family photos. It’s become one of the top destinations for weddings and elopement in the region, and I can certainly understand why! The beauty of Zion is unparalleled and there really is a magical energy to the place. I grew up surrounded by the backdrop of these red mountains and it’s not something I take for granted. I think the experience of being with couples and families as they explore Zion taking photos helps me fall a little more in love with it every time.

Here’s the different thing about me as a wedding photographer: My goal isn’t just to capture the beauty of the landscape in Zion, which of course I will do, but rather to capture you within that space. Your joy, your love, and the special thing about your relationship that makes you choose this place to be the place where you exchange vows and make that lasting commitment to one another. Think of me like the perfect combination of beautiful scenic photos of your day but also those images that capture how it felt.

In addition to basically being obsessed with this place, I have a lot of experience with the process of having your wedding in Zion National Park. I greatly respect the National Park Service and so I’m familiar with their regulations when it comes to having your wedding in the park. They actually make it pretty easy to apply and it’s only $100 for a permit. You can find out more about that process here: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/weddings-in-zion-national-park.htm

I often tell my couples that if it’s not feasible to have their ceremony in the park, I know a lot of beautiful spots outside that the park that still offer those beautiful views! And we can always go into the park for some gorgeous photos either before or after the wedding ceremony. I know some good spots for that too, especially with the crowds.

And speaking of the crowds… Zion National Park is the third busiest park in the nation and it continues to grow each season. Zion saw more than 4.5 million visitors in 2017, a 5 percent from the year before. The busiest season is June through August, although April through September can be pretty packed too. But don’t worry! I am quite used to the crowds and I know the best ways to avoid them when possible and work around them when it’s not! It’s totally worth it :)

If you want to learn more, I wrote a whole blog post in my ProTips series about planning your wedding in Zion National Park so you can check that out here!

You can also read this super helpful blog post from one of my lovely brides.

Featured Vendors:
Forevermore Events
Bloomers
Sarah Boling, Lunatic Fringe Salon
Tracy Sotirakis
Switchback Grille
Bit n’ Spur Saloon
Bison and the Bird Videography
Steve Masefield, Officiant

Summer Barn Wedding in Southern Utah

It doesn’t get much better than this lovely barn wedding in Southern Utah. Jordan and Evan held their ceremony in a beautiful straw field overlooking Kolob Canyon. The reception was held inside a gorgeous red barn that belonged to a family friend. Their wedding was focused on the things that were most important to them: family and each other! I love these two and their families. Joey and I were so happy to be part of their day. One thing that really stood out to us is the sweet and close relationship that Jordan has with both sets of her parents. As a stepmother myself, I was incredibly touched by the fact that Jordan wanted both of her moms with her while she got ready, and she did a first look and a dance with both dads. It really had an impact on us to witness such a special relationship. Also, I've never cried during the mother and son dance but this one had me in tears.

It was really important to Jordan that they have sunset portraits in this beautiful field so we made sure to set aside a good amount of time for that during the reception. It was definitely worth it!

Floral: Jocelyn’s Floral

Venue: Private Residence

Moonrise Kingdom Wedding Inspiration Shoot

For this editorial shoot in the 2017 issue of Southern Utah Bride magazine, I really wanted to do something fun and different. The idea was inspired by the Wes Anderson film Moonrise Kingdom and the vintage Scout camp sketches from the 1950s and 60s. I teamed up with my favorite gals Forvermore Events and Bloomers to make the vision come to like! I’m so happy with how it all turned out. It was the most relaxed and fun styled shoot to date, even with our little adventure with the canoe. Thank you to all of the talented people who contributed!

Design: Forevermore Events
Floral: Bloomers
Videography: A. Green Films
Hair and Makeup: Sarah Boling at Lunatic Fringe
Catering: Kitchen 435
Dress: Illume Gowns
Paper Goods: Hey Hay Designs
Cake: Mary Lou Timpson
Film Lab: The Find Lab