How to Elope in Antelope Canyon
Elope in Antelope Canyon
You know the excitement you get when you buy your plane tickets to your next vacation? The feeling of serotonin coursing through your veins as you write down how many days left until the trip you’ve been looking forward to? You are filled with adrenaline, excitement and already putting your vacation leave at work. Well, imagine this same feeling times a million when you elope.
The ease of planning a trip with just the two of you, or with a small number of others, is easy right? You get together or jump on a FaceTime to talk about your plans, things to do, places to see and all the while the excitement builds with each step you take into planning. When you elope- you are planning the same exact way but now you are getting married!
So why Antelope Canyon?
Eloping in Antelope Canyon offers a truly magical and intimate experience for couples seeking that unique and surreal feeling for their elopement day. Located in the Navajo Nation in Arizona, (Page, AZ) Antelope Canyon boasts stunning sandstone formations, sculpted by millions of years of natural forces. The narrow passageways and ethereal light beams create an otherworldly atmosphere.
Spend your wedding day stress-free from all the planning and drama that goes into a traditional wedding and actually enjoy your big day. Extend the trip into a honeymoon, go on fun excursions, visit multiple outdoor locations and still pay a third of the price of a traditional wedding. Are you feeling better about getting married now? Good! Eloping is the way to go then.
Whether you dream of a simple elopement or an intimate ceremony with a few loved ones, Antelope Canyon promises a truly magical and unforgettable experience.
3 Easy Steps to Elope in Antelope Canyon
Hire your Photographer & Videographer
Our first step is to hop on a call so I get to know you two a bit more. If you were still in the planning and brainstorming stages that is totally fine and actually the best place to start with me! After learning more about how you to envision your day I will suggest other locations we can visit and the best time of the year to go. Along with capturing your day I also help you plan your entire experience from start to finish. From finding a location for your ceremony, planning the logistics of your day, to finding local vendors like florists, caterers & private chefs. Fun fact- I am also ordained and officiant most of my elopements so you can get married on that mountain top, in front of that waterfall, or on top of a cliff with crashing waves beneath you. Whatever you need, I am here for you!
Pick a Date
The next step is to pick your elopement date! At this point I will get to work on finding the specific location for your ceremony and create what's called a location list. The location list will have all of my recommendations on locations for your ceremony with taking into account any guests you may have, accessibility issues, road closures, etc..
Elope!
Now that we have all of the planning done, timeline finalized, information theory guess delivered then it is time to relax and enjoy your epic elopement day that is totally custom to you! So sit back, relax and enjoy your epic day!
What you need to know…
Getting There
If you are coming from out of state you will fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport. From there it is a 4.5 hour drive to Page, Arizona.
A good midway point is Flagstaff, Arizona where you will be surrounded by forestry and grass valleys with the mountain in the background. Flagstaff is a bit of a college town so there is a lot of places to eat, drink and shops to explore.
This is an incredibly scenic drive and you will go through so many different terrains in this distance.
Where to Stay
You will stay in Page, Arizona which is in the Navajo Nation. There is a variety of hotels, resorts and Airbnbs to stay in. If you are looking for Airbnb’s I have included a list below:
What to Do
Along with visiting Antelope Canyon you can also see:
Horseshoe Bend
Lake Powell (and do plenty of water sports during the summer)
Glen Canyon Dam Overlook
Visit the sits of Wahweap Overlook
Go to the Vermilion Cliffs
Tour Details
The tour that we will visit is a private tour that we will have to ourselves for 3 hours! It is just a 15-20min drive from Page to get to the meeting point. Once there we will check in and drive down a dirt road until we reach the entrance to the canyon. There is a few flights of stairs down to get to the bottom floor where we will enter the canyon and begin the adventure! I will also facilitate the Special Use Permit required to shoot in Antelope Canyon.
The normal tour tourists will go to is a huge line that is always crowded and takes a while to get through (picture a line at Disneyland but with no ride at the end)
FAQ’s
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Elopements have evolved so much from the days of running to the courthouse on a whim. Adventurous Elopements are planned months in advance and are a couples wedding day that is completely custom to them. From going to an epic location to doing all of your favorite things, elopements are your way to have your perfect wedding day all about you two.
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The best times to visit Antelope Canyon are during the spring and fall seasons, specifically from March to May and September to November. During these times, the weather is not that hot especially once in the canyon. To guarantee an ideal time slot we will plan the elopement on a weekday; this also helps avoids crowds for other sight-seeing locations like Horseshoe Bend and Lake Powell.
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Contrary to popular belief- yes you absolutely can! Elopements in Antelope Canyon can have under 5 guests and can be involved in your day as much as you want them to. However, if you do decide to invite family or friends along, whether it’s just a celebratory meal, the getting ready portion of the day, just the ceremony, or the whole day, make sure they’re fully on board with your vision and understand that you’re not having a big traditional wedding—but a unique celebration that’s authentic to your relationship. Remind them that this is for you, not anyone else.
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Yes. The Navajo Nation requires that a Special Use Permit is obtained prior to the elopement in order to photograph elopements in Antelope Canyon. I will help you obtain the permit with my personal contact with Navajo Nation to ensure compliance. Our tour company also requires this in order for us to shoot in the canyon.
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No, Antelope Canyon is on Navajo Nation’s reservation and protected under them. We need to hire a tour guide and pay an entrance fee in order to visit and shoot in the canyon. I know of the perfect tour company to give us private access in the canyon.
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You will receive upwards of 400 final images. Of course, the more to the elopement day (excursions, multiple locations, activities, etc.) will result in more images. There is no maximum cap but you will receive a minimum of 400. All images are fully edited and fully sized; whether you want to blow up a photo on a canvas or just post it to Instagram, it will be good for both.
Get a free sample of my Elopement Guide!
Click here to receive the first 25 pages of my 100+ page Elopement Guide all about how to create your dream elopement!
Contact Nick to get started!
View Antelope Canyon Wedding Galleries
Audrey & Trevor
Bobbi & Matt
Hey there!
Congrats on deciding to elope- that is pretty badass! With all of this newfound freedom- planning an elopement may seem a bit overwhelming; that’s when I come in!
I am here to help guide you throughout the entire elopement process from start to finish. There is so much you can do and it is my job to fuel you both with ideas so you may cherry pick what you want to do on your big day!
My services include:
Finding your exact ceremony location & other locations to shoot at.
Officiate your wedding while still capturing everything. Click here to see how I do it.
Locating local vendors for you (florists, hair & make-up artists, rentals)
Building your elopement day timeline & figuring out travel logistics.
& more!
