Elopements

Horseshoe Bend Wedding Elopement Guide

Near the town of Page, Arizona you’ll find one of the best places to elope and plan an intimate wedding together. Horseshoe Bend is a great place to elope in Arizona. You get that epic horseshoe-shaped incised meander of the Colorado River as the backdrop for your wedding photos. But how do you plan a Horseshoe Bend wedding? We got you covered with our detailed guide below. 

How to Elope at Horseshoe Bend

Horseshoe bend elopement in Arizona.

Photography by Savanna Kaye

This is a pretty long resource. Use the links below to jump to the section you’re most interested in while planning your Horseshoe Bend wedding.

Jump to this spiritual Horseshoe Bend wedding below.

If you’re looking to elope somewhere else in Arizona, then check out our Arizona Elopement Packages for more ideas.

Where to Elope in Horseshoe Bend

Horseshoe Bend is in itself the main location to elope at this destination. The horseshoe-shaped meander is the main reason why so many want to plan their wedding ceremony here. Since it’s the main location, you need to expect crowds when planning your wedding here. This is why it’s so important to team up with a professional elopement vendor in the area. 

The hike to Horseshoe Bend itself is one mile and super easy! Just make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes (you can always bring heels in your bag to change into), and take plenty of water and snacks. The bend is pretty big, and keep in mind a lot of visitors tend to crowd towards the middle. Don’t forget you can still get epic views on either side, but the terrain is a bit more uneven in comparison to the middle. 

You can explore nearby areas like Antelope Canyon or Lake Powell after your wedding ceremony at Horseshoe Bend. You can even plan a picnic near Horseshoe Bend to enjoy the view or off-road together near some bumpy back roads together.

Permits and Rules for Horseshoe Bend Weddings

The most important thing you need when planning your Horseshoe Bend wedding is a special use permit. Permits at places like these are constantly changing, so please double-check the park’s website to make sure you have the most up-to-date permit information.

Here are the permits and regulations for Horsehoe Bend Weddings:

  • If you have less than 5 people (including your vendors), you do not need a special use permit for your wedding day.
  • For more than 5 people at your wedding, you’ll need to obtain your permit 45 days prior to your wedding day (not including weekends and holidays).
  • If you plan on using any decor or props during your wedding ceremony, then you need a special use permit, no matter how many people you have at your wedding ceremony.
  • Currently, the application fee is $100 and the permit fee is $200. Remember, this is subject to change at any time. You can find the application here.
  • You will also have to pay for parking fee, $10 per vehicle.

When to Elope in Horseshoe Bend

We talked about how there is one main wedding ceremony location here, which is Horseshoe Bend itself. This makes you consider crowds when planning your wedding. We highly suggest avoiding busy weekends. Asking your elopement vendor is your best bet for planning a stress-free and less crowd-heavy ceremony. 

In Page, Arizona the weather is moderate for the most part. Summers, however, does get pretty hot, so keep this in mind if you aren’t too keen on the idea of over 100 F. We personally love weddings here from October-May. 

If you’re thinking about planning a winter wedding at Horseshoe Bend, then keep in mind that snow is pretty unpredictable in Arizona. It can be really cold in January and February, but snow usually comes and goes. Talk to your photographer to see when they recommend the best time to catch some snowy red rocks for your photos.

Another big question we are often asked is whether should we elope at Horseshoe Bend during sunrise or sunset.

Ever heard of the early bird getting the worm? In all honesty, if crowds are your biggest concern then a sunrise wedding at Horseshoe Bend is your way to go. There are a few things to consider with this option: the lighting and how early you have to get up. If you’re not a morning person, the idea of waking up at 3 am to get ready for your sunrise ceremony, may not sound appealing. For others, it’s one of the biggest highlights to watch the sunrise at such an epic place. Another big thing to talk about with your photographer is the lighting. The sun rises behind the bend. We suggest asking your photographer if you can see some of their past work during a sunrise elopement here.

Sunsets are gorgeous. You really can’t beat the glow and overall magical feeling the Bend has during this time. However, a big negative is that a lot of people want to see this magical glow too. Crowds are way heavier during this time in comparison to sunrise elopements. 

With this in mind, your best resource is to chat with your elopement vendor about the best option for you during your wedding day. Depending on what you both want to do during your day, depends on what they probably would recommend! 

Vendors For Your Horseshoe Bend Elopement Package

You didn’t think we would say to rely on your elopement vendor without sharing some amazing featured vendors of ours for your epic Horseshoe Bend wedding. These vendors specialize in the Arizona area for elopements and intimate weddings, and they are excited to start planning your wedding day with you. Remember to ask these vendors what they each include in their Horseshoe Bend wedding packages. 

Places to Stay for Your Horseshoe Bend Elopement

Are you looking for somewhere to stay during your wedding day in Page, Arizona? Explore some unique rentals here. 

Getaway to Arizona’s Grand Canyon with these flexible cancellation vacation rentals from Vrbo!

Spiritual Horseshoe Bend Elopement in Arizona

bride and groom hold hands.

Photography by Savanna Kaye

An elopement is something intimate, sacred, and personal. For Gabby and Grant, getting married surrounded by God’s creation was something that was the main priority for them. With that said, these two had a spiritual elopement at Horseshoe Bend and a photo session at Antelope Canyon in Arizona.

“We wanted to be fully surrounded by God’s creation during the most important day of our lives. Grant and I love the trends of today with formal weddings but knew we would look back and say, ‘Remember when we thought that was in style?!’ We wanted depth, something that man or no trend could alter. Thus, we wanted creation in its purest form.” [Gabby]

Challenges When Eloping

Planning elopement doesn’t require much planning. Right? This couple sheds light on one detail many forget to count on as they plan their adventure wedding. Gabby explains how the difficult part of planning an elopement is the distance. Horseshoe Bend is in the middle of nowhere, and Phoenix, the closest big city, was 4 hours away from their elopement destination.

Gabby suggests finding a wedding coordinator that knows the area. They were all so overwhelmed with not knowing the area that having someone who knew the landscape helped to plan the day out.

“It was a very much go-with-the-flow type of planning for this wedding because it was so foreign to all of us,” says Gabby.

Savanna tells us she didn’t know what to expect on this elopement at Horseshoe Bend. Since she was traveling with the couple and the wedding party, she didn’t have time to scout the location beforehand. “I did create a mood board before flying out to Page, Arizona. I included colors that inspired me, dessert textures, and pictures of Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon,” she says.

After cramming 7 bridesmaids, luggage, and a ton of flowers into a car, Gabby and Grant’s special day was finally ready to happen. Their special day began with an intimate photo shoot at Antelope Canyon.

A Day About the Bride and Groom at this Horseshoe Bend Elopement

Having an intimate wedding was Gabby and Grant’s favorite part of their special day. With 40 guests, including the bridal party, they celebrated a day entirely focused around them.

“We didn’t have to worry about pleasing anyone or living up to a traditional standard of what a wedding was supposed to be. We made it our wedding. It was the most peaceful day of my life. There was no stress and we were constantly reminded of the Lord’s goodness with his creation surrounding us.” [Gabby]

Gabby and Grant had a Spanish guitar player meet them at Horseshoe Bend to play as she walked down the aisle. Her Rue de Seine wedding dress flowed in the air as the two exchanged vows.

Between having a slumber party with the Bride, and long talks with the groom about fun memories and the stock-market, Savannah tells us she has a hard time picking her favorite moment. However, one of her favorite moments was during and after the ceremony.

“Standing on the edge of Horseshoe Bend listening to both Gabby and Grant tearfully read their vows to one another. Also, when Gabby went to throw her bouquet and Make It Rain by Fat Joe blasted through the speakers, and when we danced our faces off. It was all just so beautiful, fun, joyful, and Christ-centered.” [Savanna]

Advice from The Couple

The biggest mistake many make on their big day is focusing on what other people will think. Before deciding to elope at Horseshoe Bend, Gabby and Grant were going to sign a contract at a venue in Georgia. Although it was a beautiful venue, and they had already planned what arrangements would look like, they realized it wasn’t the right choice for them. “It wasn’t until one day it hit us both and we thought, ‘are we doing this for other people or is this really us?’ We canceled all plans, booked our flights, and took a chance on a landscape that will bring you to tears. It was nothing short of perfect.”

Savanna’s Advice for Couples

Savanna feels that it is also important for couples to do something true to who they are as a couple for their wedding day.

“Whether you have a wedding with 300 of your closest friends and family or an elopement with you, your significant other, and the officiant in the mountains, this day is a day meant to serve you two and your relationship as you say ‘yes’ to forever. You’re not going to be able to make everyone happy, so you might as well do something that makes you and your fiancé happy.” [Savanna]

Other Vendors:

Invitation Suite| Carleen McCarty
Videographer| Brandon Dugai

Planner, Cake and Florals| Debra Joaquim w/ Monumental Arizona Weddings and Events
Ceremony| Horseshoe Bend
Reception Venue| Antelope Point Marina
Dress| Rue de Seine

 

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