Grand Canyon Elopement Guide
Updated for 2024
Why Elope in Grand Canyon National Park?
When you picture your intimate adventurous elopement, do you picture:
Standing on the edge of a 3,000 (or more) foot cliff?
Changing colors, and watching as the world wakes up?
Silence, goosebumps flushing up your arms?
An overwhelming feeling of being so small, amongst something so grand?
If you’re not afraid of heights and waking up at the crack of dawn, and you answered “HECK YES” to all of the questions above, then you should consider exchanging your marriage vows atop an epic view of the Grand Canyon at sunrise.
The Best Elopement Locations
Shoshone Point: NO RAILINGS - An easy 1 mile walk out to the edge. Make sure you pull directions up because it can be easy to miss.
Powell Point: NO RAILINGS - Hop down a few ledges after you see the rock wall. Amazing sunrise spot and less crowded than Hopi!
Hopi Point: Railed off and busier, but best sunrise spot according to the park rangers!
Mohave Point: Railed off, but you have a better view of the Colorado river than the other points!
Pima Point: Railed off, another decent view of the Colorado river.
Things to Know
The shuttle buses on the South Rim are free to everyone, but make sure you are aware of their schedules and the color system of which bus is the right one for you to get on! Come prepared to know which bus and time you’ll be getting on, otherwise you may be stuck there waiting for awhile. The BLUE ROUTE is the one to access all the best viewpoints for sunrise (in my opinion) and there are strict times for the first and last shuttle of the day. So make sure to plan accordingly if you are aiming for sunrise or sunset! If I am your photographer - I will 100% help you with figuring out timing of all of this!
Park Fees
You must have a National Park Pass to enter the park. There are toll booths at both sides to the park.
Permit Requirements
You may need a permit to get married in the park. Wedding permits may be applied for up to one year in advance, and usually take the park a minimum of 30 days to process. Wedding sites are granted a 2 hour window typically. Click here for more information on Grand Canyon National Park Weddings.
Time of Day
For elopements, I highly suggest doing your ceremony & photos at sunrise to beat the crowds! The last thing you want is tons of tourists surrounding you, in the background, and taking photos of you. The mornings here can be quite chilly, especially in the fall and winter. Make sure you pack a cute jacket/warm layers, or be prepared to brace yourself for some freezing temperatures! However, if you’re wanting to be warmer, you could definitely elope at sunset. Aside from tourists being an issue, you’ll want your photographer to make sure you pick a viewpoint in the park that is best at sunset because lighting matters a TON here! For sunrise, I recommend being willing to arrive there 30 minutes early so you can shoot when the canyon walls and the sky are changing colors between their beautiful blues, purples and pinks.
Time of Year
The weather here can unpredictable. If you find yourself thinking “The Grand Canyon is in Arizona so it must be hot year round, right?” you would be sadly mistaken! They get a lot of snow here in the winters and roads can be closed for extended amounts of time. I definitely recommend eloping outside of the winter months - May and June tend to be the most comfortable months.
Railings
No railings = better photos! But, no railings means you need to be much safer. This should go without saying, but don’t be dumb while standing on the edge of a cliff. The rocks may appear sturdy, but that doesn't mean they are. Should you choose to elope at a viewpoint without railings, I will NEVER push you to get closer to the edge, I will NEVER ask you to do anything that puts you at high risk, I will constantly check-in with your comfortability, and allow you to communicate to me if you are ever feeling scared and wanting to move and I will always respect your answers!
Crowds/Privacy
This is one of the most popular National parks in the states, so of course it’s busy. Again, by choosing sunrise you’ll be able to miss 90% of the crowds! There will of course probably always be a handful of people at each location though, even in the wee hours of the morning.
Phone Service
Reception in the park is pretty terrible and unreliable for communication. We will line everything up completely beforehand so that we do not need to rely on communication for important details the day-of, because that can lead to potentially missing the sunrise with the best light, or showing up at the wrong place! So all details will be nailed down beforehand.
Grand Canyon Packages
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Full Day $7,500
7 hours of coverage
3-5 locations + capturing any activities you do
Split or consecutive coverage
Includes any necessary photography permits
Includes ALL TRAVEL FEES to get here
Vendor referrals, location recommendations, help planning your timeline
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Half Day $6,000
4 hours of coverage
2-3 location
Consecutive coverage or $250 extra for split
Includes any necessary photography permits
Includes ALL TRAVEL FEES to get here
Vendor referrals, location recommendations, help planning your timeline
Let’s work together.
Fill out this form as detailed as possible and we’ll be planning together in no time!
