Saaty Photography: How to Elope at the Grand Canyon
How to Elope at the Grand Canyon: Saaty Photography. If you have recently gotten engaged you and your partner have probably started thinking about all of your options; venues, florists, cakes, and your ceremony in general. Elopements are a great option if you and your spouse want a smaller, more intimate ceremony, especially in times like this when we need to be extra careful. If you’ve chosen an elopement ceremony, let me tell you about one of the best places to do it: The Grand Canyon.
Eloping at a National Park
Traditional elopements in the state of Arizona only require a marriage license, but once you obtain one you can put it to use immediately (and they’re about $80 max). Compared to eloping in non-protected areas such as Sedona or Flagstaff, having an elopement ceremony in National Parks requires a special use permit as well as your marriage license, these can range from $50 to $300. This is a permit you should plan and apply for months in advance, even a year if you want to elope at a very popular park.
Eloping Details at The Grand Canyon
You can also email Commercial Services at grca_permits_mail@nps.gov to get more information regarding your ceremony at the Grand Canyon and their updated guidelines. You will also have to email them to get information on their pre-approved ceremony sites as the Ceremony Sites Calendar is not available right now.
Some of the most common locations are Prima Point, Rim Worship Site, Grandeur Point, Shoshone Point, Moran Point, and Lipan Point. If you are doing a destination wedding and traveling to the Grand Canyon from a different state (or country) you can fly into the Flagstaff, Las Vegas, or Phoenix Airport. The Flagstaff Airport will be the closest to the canyon with a 1 and a half hour drive. You and your wedding party have a variety of lodging options, depending on whether you are staying the night after your ceremony. A few of these include Phantom Ranch, Xanterra Parks and Resorts, and Under Canvas.
The Extra Stuff
Most couples who choose to elope still want to have a beautiful ceremony including cake, decorations, etc. Decorations when eloping at the Grand Canyon are recommended to be kept at a minimal, this means things such as a rug/blanket to stand on and a few more decorative details. I would recommend bringing some snacks, water, and definitely some champagne to pop on your big day, just make sure you clean up after yourself as the Grand Canyon is a prestigious, natural park. As for your clothing options, obviously you’ll have your ceremony in traditional wedding garb but it is a good idea to bring hiking shoes and a jacket. The South Rim can get as cold as 60-70 degrees in the nighttime, so layering is a great idea. A flashlight is also a must if you might be hiking down the canyon in the dark.
Your Special Day
Getting married is one of the most important decisions you and your spouse make, elopements are an option you should definitely look into. The Grand Canyon is a sight you have to see at least once in your life, why not make it extra special? Wherever you decide to elope or have a traditional wedding ceremony, Saaty Photography is here to help guide you! Please visit our website https://saatyphotography.com for contact information, pictures, and some of my amazing clients’ testimonials. To see even more of my work look up Saaty Photography on Pinterest! I have boards especially for Elopements, where you can see some of the beautiful Grand Canyon elopements I have had the honor of photographing!
To browse some other resources for clients, click here!
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To inquire about services, e-mail: Monica@SaatyPhotography.com
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