Moab Elopement at Arches National Park

Sunrise and Sunset Elopement in Moab

Michele + Nick

As soon as Michele and Nick got engaged, they knew that they wanted to elope. They dreamed of doing something different, getting out of New York City where they live, and embracing their love for travel and adventure. They wanted their wedding day to feel almost like a mini road trip, with a lot of different sights packed in. When we first started talking to them, they were stuck between getting married in Colorado and Utah. And we have to say, both states are an elopement dream! But with their desire to get married in April and avoid cold, snowy weather, Utah seemed like the best choice.

But then was the real task of deciding where in Utah to get married! They considered Zion National Park and even some smaller State Parks. But they couldn’t get Moab out of their heads, and we can’t blame them. It was the perfect fit for their mini road trip vision! With two National Parks to choose from, Arches National Park and Canyonlands, as well as Dead Horse Point State Park, and all of that connected by gorgeous public lands, they had a lot to choose from! So they decided to do a little bit of everything!

In the days leading up to Michele and Nick’s elopement day, all of our eyes were glued to the forecast. The first half of the day was going to be rainy and cold. Fortunately, there is a lot of flexibility when you elope and we were able to adjust some of their plans. But we were all determined to hike to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park for sunrise.

On the morning of the elopement, we met in the trailhead parking lot and hiked up through the dark to the arch. Just as the sky turned blue, we crested the hill to our first sight of Delicate Arch, and Michele and Nick changed into their wedding attire for their first look. Up until this point, the rain had held off. But as Nick turned around and said, “You’re beautiful,” to Michele it started to sprinkle. They enjoyed the foggy views and looked up at the arch in awe before hiking back down.

Their ceremony was held in a sandy slot canyon underneath a red sandstone arch. Alex is able to legally officiate wedding ceremonies in Utah, but two witnesses are required. Lisa could sign as the first, and we asked a random hiker if he would be the second. The man ended up being a retired physics professor who spends his time traveling and hiking with his wife. Yes, Alex followed him on Instagram.

Michele and Nick started their ceremony by reading their personal vows to each other, both starting with the exact same line. When they first met, they never expected this day to come. But as unexpected as their love might have been, it’s so obvious that they are a perfect fit for each other. After their vows, they each read letters written to them by their families. Nick’s parents even included a lock of hair from Nick’s first haircut, which got a laugh from Michele. They ended their ceremony by exchanging rings, having their first kiss, and applause from the other hikers on the trail.

After an afternoon break to wait out the rest of the rain, we met back up for a hike to another arch. This is one of our favorite hikes because it involves a little bit of climbing and the views are amazing. By this time, the skies were sunny and blue, a huge change from that morning!

We ended the evening at our favorite canyon overlook. Michele and Nick had their first dance (complete with a few twirls) and then laid out a picnic blanket on the rock and shared a red velvet cake. While they ate, they read more letters from their families. It was so calm and quiet and we all found ourselves looking out over the canyons unable to believe that it was real. As the evening came to an end, we were greeted by the most incredible sunset. After such a dreary morning, it really felt like we had earned the golden sun. Once the sun was gone and we were once again surrounded by dark blue skies, we drove to our final location to cap off the night with a little bit of stargazing. We saw a little bit of every kind of weather, and a lot of all the different views Moab had to offer. In the end, a pretty perfect way to spend your wedding day.

This elopement took place on Ute Land.

Photographs

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Hi There!

We're Lisa + Alex, the goofballs behind Vow of the Wild. We live in Colorado, but we’re passionate about exploring new places. Being elopement photographers + videographers is a dream for us and we can’t imagine doing anything else (other than being professional dog petters).