Micro Wedding in Sedona With Native American Shaman
Elopements

Micro Wedding in Sedona With Native American Shaman

Allyson and Christopher are both in the military and decided to forgo their traditional wedding plans to have an intimate wedding ceremony. When they got engaged, Allyson knew that she wanted to experience the desert of Arizona. It was so different from the snowy Alaskan landscape that she grew up on. So, the two of them opted for an intimate micro wedding with less than 20 guests in Sedona where a Native American shaman officiated their ceremony.

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Details About This Wedding in Sedona

Imagine saying your “I do’s” among the gorgeous red rocks of Sedona. That is exactly what this couple wanted. To make their day even more personal and unique, a Native American shaman officiated this Sedona wedding ceremony.

“We wanted the day to be as less stressful as possible and just an enjoyable experience for everyone involved and for it to be focused on our family and friends supporting us and our new life together, rather than focusing on a massive get together where we’d be stressed out and not even get to eat the cake!” [Allyson, the bride]

Are you thinking about having your ceremony here? Check out our Sedona elopement guide

Planning a Micro Wedding

When it comes to planning a micro wedding, you want to make sure you and your wedding team are aware of the best times and locations for your elopement. You also want to think about how many guests you will be inviting, and if your space is able to accommodate them.

“We originally planned this elopement for a location that was in Sedona but was a bit of a hike and ended up being FULL of tourists. Luckily, the spot that we changed to was tourist-free! The time of year definitely makes a difference, too. The groom is from Arizona so he was able to give us first-hand information on the best times to visit in order to beat the Arizona heat. This elopement was in March and it actually snowed for 2 days prior to this day!” [Kylie, the photographer]

Hiring an elopement planner can also make preparing less stressful, especially if you’re hiring a photographer that isn’t familiar with the area. Allyson tells us her planner helped them along the way and did a lot of the leg work when it came to helping them make decisions.

Deciding What Type of Wedding Ceremony You Will Have

When it comes to planning a micro wedding, you have a lot of options when it comes to personalizing your wedding ceremony. Allyson and Christopher initially wanted something more traditional, but they both finally agreed to have a Native American Shaman officiate their Sedona wedding ceremony would be a unique experience to share together as the start of their marriage.

The O on the dirt represented the couple’s individual pasts and how those pasts are now closed and over with. The X represented the crossing of their paths and the couple becoming one. During the ceremony, the shaman told the couple after they make their commitment to each other, they are to leave the past, in the past. This represents a beautiful start to their marriage.

So what type of ceremony should you opt for on your wedding day? 

“I would tell couples to do what resonates with them, whether that’s a ceremony officiated by a random hiker or by a Native American Shaman like this couple did. Incorporating any type of ceremony should happen because the couple relates to that religion/tradition/meaning, not because they feel forced.” [Kylie, the photographer]

Explore some more ideas you can incorporate during your wedding ceremony

Memorable Moments During This Wedding

We asked both the photographer and couple what their favorite moment from this micro wedding was, and we weren’t surprised when we were told more than one. However, we think the best moment during this wedding has to be when Christopher and Allyson announced their pregnancy to their family.

She was 3 months pregnant and did the big reveal during their family photos. As they were taking a big group photo, Kylie said “alright everyone, say Ally’s pregnant”, and their reaction was perfect!

Photographer’s favorite moment:

“Two moments that immediately come to mind are when Ally read her vows to Chris’s son, and when they shared their first dance privately after sending their friends and family back to their Airbnb. Ally’s vows to Chris’s son were absolutely beautiful and had everyone crying.”

Couple’s favorite moment:

“My favorite part was getting to walk around a tree, and see all our friends and family surrounding Christopher, and then to see him waiting there for me was my favorite part. I literally was like a school girl giggling, smiling, blushing and trying not to cry as I walked to him. I asked Christopher and he had said that his favorite part was, ‘I got to marry my best friend.'”

Are you Ready to Elope?

“Chris and Ally are two souls who are meant for each other. Ally is from Alaska and Chris is from Arizona, so the fact that they eloped in a way that included traveling somewhere beautiful only made sense.” [Kylie, the photographer]

Have you thought about what makes sense to you during your wedding day? Where do you imagine saying your I do’s? What places would you love to explore together? Check out our top places to elope to see some of our favorite spots!

Vendors

Location/Timeline Planning | Jane in the Woods 
Photography | Kylie Farmer Photography
Dress | Unveiled Bridal Collection 
HMU | Carrie Kacen 
Flowers | Sedona Mountain High Flowers  
Cake | Sedona Bakery 

Photos From This Sedona Micro Wedding Ceremony

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