Eloping from Sunrise to Sunset in Zion National Park
Zion National Park is a natural wonder that should be on everyone's travel bucket list. Located in southwestern Utah, the park covers over 230 square miles and features a variety of stunning landscapes. Now If you're looking for a breathtaking desert location for your elopement, Zion may the perfect place for you. The park's majestic red cliffs, winding sandstone canyons, and stunning vistas make for a truly unforgettable wedding experience. As you’ll see with this elopement, photos here are out of this world.
Adventures in free upgrades!
Flying in a few days before the wedding my adventure got off to a great start at the rental car counter. I had reserved whatever economy car had been the best deal at the time but the universe had another plan. The rental agent informed me I’d be getting an upgrade and as it was almost 1am I just nodded and said great. A few minutes later standing in the parking lot I gazed on the bright blue Dodge Ram Power Wagon. It was the size of a tank and if you’ve ever visited Zion National Park you know there are some awfully tight spaces and tunnels.
Angela and Matt’s Zion Elopement
With the behemoth parked on the side of the road only marginally jutting into traffic I met up with Angel and Matt just before sunrise to begin their big day. It being January, Zion was a bit chilly and we were all thankful to have a hike up one of Zions many painted canyons ahead of us. As the sun rose we shed jackets and started our session. If you’ve never been to Zion it’s hard to imagine just how beautiful the sunrises here are. The already red and white sandstone walls get set aflame with the golden light of dawn. Needless to say this was an ideal backdrop for elopement photos and we had an absolute blast.
Somehow I’ve only ever made it Zion in the wintertime. So maybe I’m a little biased but winter is an incredible time to be in the park. The crowds are nonexistent, the snowcapped peaks make the valley somehow more beautiful, and the little puddles everywhere are perfect for reflecting shots. Also, when eloping to the national parks its not all about creating beautiful pictures, you got to have fun! If you love rock climbing like Angela, then you gotta get a little climbing in. If that’s not your thing, kayaking, bike riding, or whatever other activities you enjoy should be a part of your big day. That way not only do you get a bit of extra fun, but your photos will show a bit more of the real you.
After finishing up out photos in the high-country we headed down into the main canyon of Zion for a change of scenery and some incredible shots along the river. It was still pretty early in the morning so we didn’t see a ton of people despite being in one of the busiest places in the park. When eloping in the National parks, always, always get out there as early as possible or wait till the late afternoon when everyone’s left to go find food.
The Sun sets on Zion
Now Angela an Matt made a great decision here. After a killer morning of wedding photos we took a break and I know I took a stellar nap, had lunch, and then did a little sightseeing. We met back up a few hours before sunset to do the second part of our photoshoot. Now I know not every elopement photographer is cool with splitting up the day like that, but I encourage it. Sunrise and sunset are the best times of day to do your photos and Mid day is absolutely terrible. I want you to get the best photos possible so the minor inconvenience of a split shoot is a price I will pay any day of the week. Just take a look at these photos and try to image what they would of looked like with the flat blah lighting of a noon shoot.
Elopements can be micro weddings or they can be more intimate one on one affairs. Angela and Matt opted for the latter and had the sweetest Vows and an exchange of rings surrounded by Zion’s stellar landscape.
After the sun set we sat out on the rocks for about an hour to let the sky fully darken to attempt some night photography. I did mention it was January right? This was one of the more rushed night sessions I’ve done as the temps plummeted we struggled to stay more and the wind picked up which didn’t help at all. I’m not entirely satisfied with the results but given the conditions I still think they are pretty cool. We hiked back out and after saying our goodbyes I jumped back in my monster truck and headed back to warmer lands. All in all an absolutely incredible elopement experience and I can’t wait to do my next one in Zion.