A Local Florist’s Guide to Planning Your Moab Elopement
Kayla Bertagnolli Photography (Dead Horse Point State Park)
If you’ve been considering eloping, you might have noticed that the definition has changed a bit over the last few years. Back in the day, elopements were a secret—just two lovebirds sneaking off to get married and coming back to tell their friends and family after the deed was done.
These days, with the rise in smaller weddings (and especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic), “elopements” have become synonymous with “micro-weddings,” “intimate weddings,” or “adventure weddings.” The party might consist of just the couple, the photographer, and the officiant, but it may also include five, 10, or even 20 of your close friends and family.
In other words, the definition of elopement has expanded, and the notion of a small, intimate party has become more and more popular. We’ve put together a Moab Elopement Guide that will serve as your jumping-off point for all things Moab, Utah. Below, you’ll find info on how to plan and execute an adventure elopement or small wedding as well as everything you need to know about being a good steward of the desert.
Adventure Elopement Day
Planning a full day of adventure with a Moab elopement photographer is one creative way to celebrate your union. The Moab area is home to two national parks (Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park), a state park (Dead Horse Point State Park), Bears Ears National Monument, the Colorado River, Castle Valley, and seemingly endless BLM land (federal public lands) to explore.
The La Sal Mountains are just south of town, providing an entirely different ecosystem and backdrop for photos if you’re looking to add alpine vistas with aspen and pine trees to your red rock desert elopement photos. The natural wonders of Grand County and San Juan County are truly an embarrassment of riches.
If you’re up for a hiking, rafting, rock climbing, kayaking, horseback riding, mountain biking, or off-roading experience, choose local for as many vendors as possible to make sure you get the inside scoop from us on the best places for an adventure elopement. Some Utah elopement photographers will even plan multi-day excursions with you.
Location, Location, Location
Angela Hays Photography (Dead Horse Point State Park)
Since most folks getting married in Moab aren’t locals, it might be tempting to stick to the national parks as tried and true elopement locations, whether you’re looking for an adventure or simply a stunning backdrop for photos. And yes, a national park elopement will be outstanding and incredible, but the parks can also be crowded, depending on the time of year and time of day you visit.
The following areas are some of the most iconic and popular areas in the parks. Your best bet in these areas is to go at sunrise to beat the crowds. We will leave it to our local photographers to share their secret spots once you’ve booked a Moab elopement package with one of them — those are some of the best-kept secrets in our industry, and we’re not in the business of stepping on toes!
Arches National Park:
Delicate Arch
The Windows and Double Arch
Landscape Arch
Sand Dune Arch
Panorama Point
Canyonlands National Park:
Mesa Arch
Grand View Point
Pothole Point
Shafer Canyon Overlook
The Calders (Mesa Arch)
Unless you have a particularly personal or sentimental need to hold your vows inside the park, we recommend shooting your first looks or couples photos at sunrise in the parks, and then choosing a different ceremony location, especially if you’ve invited guests. Sunset is far more crowded, and you’ll likely have a harder time getting photos in that perfect location without other tourists in the background.
Arches National Park has also instituted timed entry for high-traffic seasons, which could throw a wrench in your day if you don’t prepare properly (you can reserve an entry time on recreation.gov).
Weekdays are a little less busy than weekends, but not by much since most visitors are on week-long vacations here. And be prepared for entrance fees. Every car has to pay the entrance fee at all national and state parks, except on certain holidays.
Endless Possibilities
We can assure you that there are SO many otherworldly spots to choose from if you’re hoping for an out of-the-box idea that doesn’t involve the parks. From slot canyons, to hiking and biking trails, to unexpected locales surprisingly close to town, the possibilities are truly endless. If you’re looking for an arch outside the park boundaries, there are plenty, some more accessible than others. Some of the easiest to get to include:
Corona Arch
Wilson Arch
Looking Glass Rock (pictured below)
Again, we’ll defer to our local photographers to give you the inside scoop on the less-trafficked areas once you book with them. Most of us Moab locals have our favorite places off the beaten path to bring our visitors and show off the wonders of southeast Utah. We’re happy to share our favorites with our clients as well.
Flowers for Your Elopement
We pride ourselves on our expertise in hardy floral arrangements suitable for a dream elopement in the great outdoors. Since Tangled Sage started out as a succulent-based wedding floral business, our early offerings consisted of succulents, air plants, faux florals, and hardy fresh cut ingredients like thistles, misty, billy balls, protea, and leucadendron (just to name a few). Those floral selections were based on an objective to create beautiful pieces that wouldn’t wilt or need refrigeration, and we still carry that skill in our back pocket, a skill perfect for adventure elopement florals.
Our ability to create wedding flower arrangements that will withstand the elements for a day (or two or three!) of adventure is one of the many things that sets our florist business apart.
Not only do we have a field-tested, successful strategy for creating bouquets that fit perfectly inside backpacks, we also offer custom decor for chalk bags (for a rock climbing adventure), headbands/crowns, hair combs and pins, and a variety of options and alternatives to the traditional boutonniére.
Depending on the size and scope of your floral plans for your small wedding or elopement, we have a package that will fit your needs. We offer a simple personal flower combo (bouquet and boutonniére or pocket garden, two bouquets, or two boutonniéres); a more complex combo that includes wearables like earrings, crowns, and cuffs; and/or a small ceremony setup that includes arch decor that can be transferred to the reception or party spot after the elopement ceremony.
Prepping for your Moab Elopement
A great elopement planning service or local photographer will be your boots on the ground to help you get the essentials lined up for your big day, but in case you plan on more of a DIY experience, it’s really important to know what you’re getting into when you come to the desert. (As a side note, we highly recommend hiring a wedding planner if you’re not local to the area. It might add cost, but you can’t put a price on the stress you’ll save by having the main planning spoke be a local with boots on the ground.)
Weather, Water, and Sunscreen
Whether you’re planning a small wedding at an easy-to-reach location or a private ceremony deep in the Needles district of Canyonlands, you need to make sure you’ve scoped the weather forecast, packed plenty of water, and prepared for a variety of conditions. Even the best times of year in the Moab area can come with unpredictable weather (wind, flash floods, heat, and cold), so don’t wing it.
We’re in the high desert, which means intense sun, so wear sunscreen or physical barriers, and advise your guests accordingly. A cute way to help your friends and family members prepare for sunshine in style is to provide parasols. Just check the forecast for wind first so they don’t end up broken. A great photographer will capture them beautifully—it will be a whole vibe.
Permitting, Officiant, and Camping
Every state has different marriage laws, so come prepared with all the legal requirements to file for your marriage certificate here in Utah (ID, driver’s license, birth certificate, etc).
You also need to think about any special use permit or wedding permit you might need in certain areas to be able to legally hold your wedding ceremony on public lands. If you plan to camp or throw a small reception/party on public lands, that requires permitting too. Reach out to the county clerk’s office for more info on permitting and to obtain your marriage license. You can find a list of local officiants and their contact info at Moab City Hall.
Most campsites in the area are run by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), so you’ll want to reach out to the local field office at the start of the planning process to find out their requirements and inquire about sites that allow reservations, plus if there are any noise restrictions or a maximum capacity. If you’re planning your elopement during peak season (April-June, September-November), you’ll want to shoot for reservable sites rather than crossing your fingers and hoping for first-come-first-served areas.
Glamping
Ryan Lundbohm Photography (Glamping Canyonlands)
Alternatively, you can kick your party up a notch by reserving spots at a glamping site in the area. Our favorite one to recommend is Glamping Canyonlands. Their spot is small enough to reserve entirely and large enough to extend your wedding day festivities into a whole weekend of fun with friends.
They also have a platform on site that serves as a reception area so you and your guests can walk back to your tents after the party rather than worrying about organizing shuttles for transportation. It might be worth the splurge to have a dedicated party spot for a few days with your closest friends and loved ones.
Budgeting and Logistics for Your Special Day
Make no mistake, destination weddings are not cheap, even if it’s just the two of you. Moab might be landlocked, but it’s like an island as far as how long things take to get here, the availability of materials, and cost of goods and services since the nearest metro area—Grand Junction—is almost 2 hours away.
Tara Baker at Terra Vida Events notes that, in her experience, couples planning to elope in Moab should anticipate spending between $7,000 and $10,000 dollars, all in, on their big day. That range includes a good photographer, quality florals, and a scenic picnic for the two of them and possibly a few guests. To add a planner into the mix with up to 5 guests, the price point starts at $10k, and to host 10-30 guests, the starting point jumps up to $20k.
Here’s a Quick Elopement Checklist for Booking Vendors
Please remember that we’re a small town, and while we all want to serve you for your wedding day, we book up quickly, so don’t dilly dally when it comes to booking your Moab wedding vendors. This is the order we recommend booking vendors for your ELOPEMENT (for a bigger, more traditional wedding, we’d recommend a different order):
Elopement Photographer
Wedding Planner (they can help you book everything else on this list)
Accommodations
Private Chef (if desired)
Hair and Makeup (if desired)
Florals
Expect personal flower pricing to range from $350 to $1,000, depending on your needs, and ceremony decor to start at $500. (The ceremony decor you see here is about $500 to rent from us.) We also offer full-service elopement packages that include rentals.
One of the great advantages of going small with the guest list is that it opens up your budget for upgrades like top-notch photographers and videographers, luxury florals, high-end catering, and a fancy mobile bar and lounge.
Leave No Trace - Take Only Pictures, Leave Only Footprints (but not on the crypto)
The desert ecosystem is both harsh and delicate. It’s important that visitors understand how to behave and interact with the natural wonders of this incredible place and recognize what’s under your feet.
Human Waste
First and foremost, desert camping isn’t like forest camping. There are many places in the United States and around the world where digging a hole a few feet deep and leaving your waste there is an ecologically safe thing to do, but the Moab desert isn’t one of those places.
Never leave human waste or toilet paper anywhere in the desert—you have to pack it out! The local Trail Ambassador organization here is often around handing out “wag bags,” in highly trafficked areas during peak season, but don’t rely on that. Bring your own supplies, and pack out your waste. All the outdoor shops in town can help you with the essentials.
Cryptobiotic Soil
Cryptobiotic soil, also called the “Desert Crust,” is the glue that holds the desert ecosystem together. It might just look like dirt, but make no mistake, it’s filled with living bacteria, fungi, lichen, and other living organisms that make it possible for the desert flora and fauna to survive. It also provides stability on the desert floor and prevents sand storms and wind erosion.
When it’s broken up, sand becomes loose, and the desert becomes both less habitable and less safe. It can take upwards of 50 years for damaged crust to reestablish, so don’t touch it, walk through it, or kick it. Stay on designated trails and slick rock at all times, and keep your dogs off of it as much as possible.
Red Rock, Anthropology, and Archeology
The rock formations that make this place beautiful and unique represent a rich geological history. They’re made out of sandstone, which becomes delicate and breakable when wet.
Never go rock climbing after a rain, as you or your gear could irreparably damage the routes that people come from all over the world to climb. And please never scratch your name or messages into the rock, as this ruins the ability of people who come after you to enjoy nature in its raw, original form.
Petroglyphs and ancient ruins found on and around the red rock make this area of the country a treasured display of human history. Residents of Moab want all of our visitors (whether you’re here for your wedding or passing through on a road trip) to enjoy the landmarks and outdoor experiences that make this place special.
But enjoying the wonders of the area means respecting them and leaving them as they are. The petroglyphs and ruins are considered sacred by the native peoples of the area, and we all want them to be left unspoiled for future generations to enjoy and admire.
Your Moab Elopement
We’re so excited to welcome you (and your guests!) to this magical, glorious, spectacular place we call home. It’s such an honor to live in a place that people travel to from all over the world to see and experience, whether it’s for a traditional wedding, adventure elopement, or a vacation.
Our goal as a local wedding vendor is to make your experience here as fun and easy as possible. We do that by making your flowers and decor seamless and stress-free, and there’s a boatload of local talent to choose from in every category, including some of the best photographers and planners that will help you nail down every detail of your visit. Reach out to inquire about your Moab wedding date, and we’ll get the ball rolling.