Wintry Mount Charleston and Red Rock Canyon Elopement near Las Vegas, NV

“We just decided. [There was] no real proposal.”

What started as a simple trip to Vegas quickly turned into the most extraordinary adventure, one that photographer Kyle Sheppard describes as a wonderful whirlwind. “[Blake and Kayla] decided on a whim to elope during a trip to Las Vegas,” he says. “When they reached out to us, we had less than a week to put a plan together and make it happen. We spent the next couple days going back and forth with permitting offices, trying to nail down a location. A storm blew in the day of the elopement… creating a gorgeous winter vibe… and Blake and Kayla embraced it and laughed their way through everything… They just huddled for warmth and took it all in stride, enjoying the perfectly imperfect adventure.”

Creating a vision as a team and executing it together made this day particularly special for the couple, who kept their love and relationship their focus. “We wanted simplicity,” the bride shares. Decisions about every detail were a joint process, and Blake and Kayla fully embraced their surroundings and all of the natural elements. The snow, sleet, and rain enhanced the landscape and made their experience truly unique. “There was a particular moment that sticks out in my mind,” Kyle recalls. “While we were shooting… in Red Rock Canyon, I had them snuggling together for warmth when another wave of heavy rain blew around us, Kayla threw back her head and laughed, letting the rain fall on her face. It was a perfectly unscripted moment that captured what that day felt like.”

Photography by Kyle Loves Tori Photography

mount charleston red rock canyon nevada winter elopement adventurous wedding

CHOOSING AN ELOPEMENT:

“Weddings are expensive! Also, we didn’t want all the pressure and expectations that go with a wedding. We wanted it to be about us and our love for each other – no obligations, expectations, schedules, plans, stress, etc. Just us.

Honestly, we already had the trip planned [to Vegas]. The officiant, photographer, decor, etc. all came together a few days prior to our ceremony – lots of Yelp and lots of Pinterest! We decided on almost all the details together, and that was really nice because it was truly what we both wanted.”

[Kayla, the bride]

CHOOSING A LOCATION:

“We really had no idea how beautiful the areas just outside of Vegas were. We did some research, got a few recommendations from our photographer, and spent the day prior to our wedding scoping out good ceremony spots and hiking. We found one we really liked and went with it. Kyle really helped with the Red Rock area photos and had done some scoping and research on his own prior to our wedding day – SUPER helpful.”

[Kayla]

PARTING THOUGHTS:

“DO IT, and don’t think twice. We, of course, weighed the benefits and disadvantages of having a big wedding or just eloping. When it came down to it, we just wanted to celebrate our love in the most intimate way possible. It was the best decision ever.”

[Kayla]