Ready to start planning your elopement in Capitol Reef National Park? While Utah boasts of many epic landscapes and parks to explore, this has to be one of my favorites! With its epic red rock formations and unexpected foliage adorning the desert landscape: it really feels like another planet. There’s plenty of epic locations with a variety of easy-advanced hikes that make this park accessible for the low-key adventure-ish to the advanced adrenaline seekers (some of those cliffs are STEEP!)
How to Elope at Capitol Reef National Park
Before jumping into booking your elopement at this National Park there are a few things you should know. I’ve compiled some tips on how to elope in Capitol Reef and I’m happy to answer any questions. I’ve got plenty of location options and planning advice for those who book with me. I love being your adventure guide/photographer!
Permits:
Having your elopement or your wedding in any National Park typically requires a special use permit (currently $50 here). This entails filling out an application online up to a week prior. (But don’t wait; the parks service gets BUSY and you don’t want to wait til the last minute.) You must get approved, and carry your permit with you as the park rangers will ask to see it! For more information on what is allowed for elopement/weddings at Capitol Reef, head over to the National Parks Service page here.
When to elope:
If you want ultimate privacy at your elopement, plan for an off-season date October-May. However, there can be ways to work around the crowds; such as having a sunrise ceremony or picking a less-popular trail. When eloping in a public space, there’s really no guarantee you will have the space to yourself. But as a general rule avoid peak vacation times when the tourists (and the heat) are most active!
Weather: Capitol Reef has an arid climate with precipitation averaging 7.91 inches annually at the park visitor center weather station. Much of the rain falls during the summer monsoon season, usually from July to September. During monsoon season, summer downpours can create dangerous flash floods, as well as beautiful ephemeral waterfalls. Always check the weather forecast before hiking in canyons during monsoon season. It’s always a surprise, but this desert landscape can get cold (even snow!) in the Winter months. Spring and Fall are great times to visit!
Utah marriage license requirements:
To get married in Utah, you need to apply for a marriage license and have the marriage solemnized. You can apply for a marriage license at any county clerk’s office. Visit the Utah City and County page on the state’s website for links to local government pages, and look for a link that says something like County Clerk. Check with the county clerk’s office where you intend to get the marriage license for any specific requirements. There is no waiting period before you can get married. As soon as you get your license, you can get married. However, the license is only valid for 32 days. If you do not have the marriage solemnized within that time, the license will expire.
Where to stay:
There’s lots of options of where to stay near Capitol Reef NP before your elopement. Here’s a few ideas:
Leave No Trace is a national program that protects the outdoors by teaching and inspiring people to enjoy it responsibly. The seven principles of Leave No Trace promote responsible outdoor recreation by building awareness, appreciation, and respect for public lands. The seven principles are:
We will work together to be careful in preserving the landscape we are adventuring in together by staying within allowed locations/trails and adhering to all park rules and regulations!
Utah Elopement Photographer
Looking to hire a photographer for your Capitol Reef Elopement? I am an experienced adventure elopement photographer and can help guide you through the process! Contact me if you’re ready to start planning your Utah Elopement adventure! And be sure to head over to my Instagram for behind the scenes of more desert adventure elopements like this one!
For the couples who.... want to capture a full day with no breaks or they want to split coverage between 2 days. It's best for the couples who want a day dedicated to just them and then the next day dedicated to their guests.
What's included:
+ up to 12 hours of photography coverage
+ Personalized planning workflow that will guide you through the process from start to finish
+ Custom location scouting, vendors recs, activity inspo, permit assistance, and timeline creation
+ Behind the scenes photos send straight to your phone
+ 3-5 Polaroids
+ Online gallery with unlimited high-res downloads, personal printing rights, and access to pro lab printing
+ All travel within AZ or UT
For the couples who.... are eloping with no guests or want a light adventure elopement with a few guests. If you choose to have guests, a minimum of 2 hours would be dedicated to ceremony, guest portraits, travel time, and buffer room for traffic, hiking, delays, etc. This is based on past experiences with eloping with guests.
What's included:
+ up to 4 hours of photography coverage
+ Personalized planning workflow that will guide you through the process from start to finish
+ Custom location scouting, vendors recs, activity inspo, permit assistance, and timeline creation
+ Behind the scenes photos sent straight to your phone
+ 3-5 Polaroids
+ Online gallery with unlimited high-res downloads, personal printing rights, and access to pro lab printing
+ All travel within AZ or UT
For the couples who.... want to take advantage of the desert golden sun at both sunrise and sunset, explore multiple locations, or need more time for a longer adventure or wedding day. This package is able to be split half and half in order to get the best of both worlds on your elopement day or it can be continuous coverage depending on what works better for your vision.
What's included:
+ up to 8 hours of photography coverage
+ Personalized planning workflow that will guide you through the process from start to finish
+ Custom location scouting, vendors recs, activity inspo, permit assistance, and timeline creation
+ Behind the scenes photos sent straight to your phone
+ 3-5 Polaroids
+ Online gallery with unlimited high-res downloads, personal printing rights, and access to pro lab printing
+ All travel within AZ or UT
HALF DAY | $5,100
ARIZONA + UTAH ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY PACKAGES
*MOST POPULAR PACKAGE*
What's Included: + up to 12 hours of photography coverage
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