In April of 2024, my sister Mary asked how funny it would be if she and her longtime boyfriend eloped on their trip to Utah that May, I said “Incredibly funny… but are you being serious?” She was. Three weeks later, on a Tuesday, I flew to Las Vegas, with a rental car ready to meet them partway through their travels in Utah. We went to Bryce Canyon National Park for adventurous desert elopement photos in their wedding attire, and I’m so excited to show you exactly how they did it.
Why did they want to elope?
Mary and Matthew have been together since eighth grade.
Yes, you read that right.
They’ve been together since they were fourteen years old. Middle school sweethearts. It was no secret to anyone that they would get married eventually. As recent college graduates, the budget for a wedding was nearly non-existent on all fronts, and the outside noise that comes along with planning a wedding was entirely unappealing. They knew they wanted to get married, but the money and pomp and circumstance of it all was so stressful.
So when Matthew surprised Mary for Christmas with a trip to Utah to cross some national parks off of her bucket list, which included flying in and out of Las Vegas, an idea started to take form. The trip was already planned – all they would need to do is figure out how to get married during their time there. So, that’s exactly what they did. The drama of it all, the surprise, were so perfectly them. They weren’t even formally engaged when they decided to elope.
Immediate family were the only ones who knew in advance, and let me be clear: everyone was so supportive of them. They are so loved, and so in love, that it was the easiest thing for everyone to get behind. As Mary’s big sister, the greatest honor of my career was celebrating such an enormous milestone by their sides. So, I met them a couple of days into their trip, and we set out.
Accommodations in Hurricane, Utah
We stayed about 2 hours away from Bryce Canyon in Hurricane, Utah, which is near Zion National Park. Hurricane is one of the largest towns between the airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, and all of the parks of Utah. There are grocery stores, hotels, and plenty of places to get supplies before heading out into the desert. I rented an adorable casita guest house, and there are many more similar options to choose from on Airbnb.
Permits for Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon does not require a permit for standard still photography in public areas of the park, regardless of whether it is commercial or not. Their website lists the specifics of what would require a permit. There are, however, permits required for couples getting married at Bryce Canyon National Park, which you can learn more about here. They cost $100, and include a reservation at Sunset Point for up to 30 people. That said, photography is still permitted at other points throughout the park.
Ultimately, Mary and Matthew didn’t exchange vows or finalize any paperwork in the park itself. They planned a separate, secret ceremony at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas later in the week, where they were (iconically) married by Elvis.
Arriving at Bryce Canyon National Park
On Wednesday morning, we were off to the canyon. The drive was uneventful but absolutely beautiful – a long, flat highway that eventually cuts up into deceivingly high altitude mountains. We drove together through the desert past distant snow covered peaks, with a healthy soundtrack of sexyy red, Glorilla, and show tunes. Mary finished her makeup in the car, and we stopped at the iconic entrance sign that greets all National Park visitors.
Utah is a large state, with so many national parks and landmarks to choose from. All of them, somehow, are about 2 hours away from each other. Mary and Matthew chose Bryce Canyon National Park for the incredibly unique rock formations (called hoodoos), and the ability to hike down into the canyon itself for photos. Though the canyon isn’t wildly deep, the hoodoos are truly other-worldly.
Hiking Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden Trail
When we arrived at the park, the weather started to churn in a late morning storm. We detoured to the visitor’s center for souvenirs and stopped at a restaurant in the park for a quick lunch to let the weather (and many visitors) clear out. In just another hour, the skies turned blue again, and we prepared for our hike into the canyon.
The Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden Trail are two shorter trails that can connect for a full hike through much of the canyon. At 3 miles long and only 325 feet of elevation, it’s a relatively moderate distance with a short elevation gain. That said, Bryce Canyon is a high altitude national park. Its average elevation sits around 8,000 feet, higher in some places. Visitors and hikers traveling from sea-level (like myself) will notice that 3 miles and 325 feet of elevation, even for an experienced hiker, are still plenty challenging at a higher altitude. Canyon hiking is also deceiving, because (unlike hiking a mountain) all of the elevation gain waits at the very end of the trail, when fatigue has already set in. High elevation hiking can pose health concerns for anyone with pre-existing conditions, or who might be more susceptible to altitude sickness.
First Look
Mary and Matthew started the hike in their regular clothes, carrying bags of their formal attire until we reached the locations they were most excited about. The canyon was stunning. The switchbacks, rock formations, and textures took our breath away. For most of the Navajo Loop, we took our time admiring every crevice of the canyon.
Once we got closer to the Queen’s Garden trail, Mary and Matthew found a quiet nook to change into their wedding attire. They did want to have a first look, and Mary kept her dress a secret through all their travels. Other hikers offered smiles and congratulations as they passed, while Mary retied her hiking boots with her short wedding dress. Mary has always preferred a short dress to a maxi dress, and I adore that she stuck to her guns even for her elopement day. This celebration was non-traditional in so many ways, from the order of operations all the way to her wedding dress from BHLDN.
Not having much time to plan, we had several DIY projects leading up to their elopement. She and our mom made her veil themselves with fabric and a hairpiece from Joanne Fabrics. In the days before their trip we went to Jacque’s Faux Floral Design to build a custom silk flower bridal bouquet that could travel safely. I couldn’t recommend this option enough for destination elopement flowers! Their durability, price point, and eternal blooms made the decision easy. We saved the flowers for our second location of the day!
Queen’s Garden Portraits
After their first look, we set out to explore more of the Queen’s Garden area. Dark clouds rolled in and out of sight, but the rain held off. We played with rock formations, texture, and lighting, stopping at every interesting viewpoint. All in all, we got the perfect day for their elopement in Bryce Canyon National Park.
After exploring for hours, Mary and Matthew got changed back into their hiking clothes and hiked back up the canyon. Sunset was approaching and they were ready to start the drive home – but we still had one more stop.
Red Canyon Trailhead
On our way in the park, we noticed an incredible trail with roadside parking outside of Bryce Canyon. The Red Canyon Trailhead is a part of Dixie National Forest. It falls under the jurisdiction of US Forest Service, which means that its regulations differ from the national parks. We planned to make a quick stop and hike up to an overlook of bright red rocks. Mary changed in the car to a second surprise dress from Lulus (complete with matching white Crocs).
This short trail was steep with lots of small rocks, but so worth it. We caught some incredible light and braved the wind for as long as we could – and it was entirely worthwhile. I photographed their details here since we had the flattest surface and the best light all day. Then, we packed up and drove back to Hurricane, Utah.
The Proposal – what?
We grabbed dinner on our way back to our own casitas, and slept soundly after such a big day. I booked a flight home for late Thursday night, while Mary and Matthew stayed for a few more days. After all, they still weren’t technically married.
In the morning, we met in Zion National Park for one last adventure together – and one last surprise. Mary and Matthew applied for permits to hike Angel’s Landing, one of the most famous hikes in the park, but weren’t chosen. Even so, you can still hike all the way up to the beginning of the Angel’s Landing trailhead, via West Rim Trail to Scout Lookout. This 3.6 mile out-and-back trail begins at the bottom of the canyon and ascends 1,122 feet up to the rim. The elevation at Zion National Park is significantly lower than Bryce, but the temperature is significantly warmer. The sun beat down even in May, but this trail was worth it. We climbed many switchbacks, took many shaded breaks, and eventually made it up to Scout Lookout…
Where Matthew proposed to Mary.
They planned this entire trip, took their elopement photos on Wednesday, and got engaged on Thursday before actually getting married on Friday. They did everything perfectly backward. People cheered, and they got to tell them “we’re getting married tomorrow!” They shared their story with women seated next to us on the shuttle bus on the way out of the park, with the server at lunch at the Zion Canyon Brew Pub. They were so celebrated by the kind strangers that were let in on this secret of theirs that almost nobody knew back home,
Epilogue
While I couldn’t stay for their actual elopement due to another wedding I was photographing back home in Philadelphia, Mary and Matthew were indeed married by Elvis at the Little White Chapel. They had beautiful photos taken by Jamie Y Photography all around downtown Las Vegas. They hard launched on Instagram a few days later, and chaos ensued. (Remember, they weren’t even engaged before this trip!)
Everyone back home was stoked for them and their badassery. A few weeks later, they planned a small rooftop get-together with their closest family and friends to celebrate. The rooftop at the Ram was the perfect place to celebrate their elopement. Yard games, a bar, and vintage style cakes marked the occasion. Mary wore a third wedding dress (elopement perks, right?) form Altar’d State. My associate Brooke Thomas photographed the event, and I edited the images from there.
Mary and Matthew, thank you for letting me join you on your elopement in Bryce Canyon National Park. This experience was a highlight of my career and of my life, and I’m so grateful to celebrate with you!
Ready to book your own adventure elopement in Bryce Canyon National Park?
Don’t have to ask me twice! I’m already on board. As a destination elopement photographer, I’m here to help you iron out the logistics, find permits, and more. I can’t wait to hear more about your plans and bring your vision to life!
Looking for more elopement magic?
Take a look at this summertime Pennsylvania Farmhouse Elopement!
