As a local husband and wife planning, photo and video team, we have helped create more than 80 epic Moab elopements over the last 5 years. From sunrise hikes out to soaring sandstone arches, to horse riding deep in the canyons, to chartering private flights to the middle of nowhere, to staying out after dark to see the Milky Way, we’ve done it all with our couples.

Moab is a place that gets in your soul. The rugged, wild landscape is other-worldly and just so darned dramatic with its towering red rock formations and plunging canyons.

We have spent endless time exploring every corner of this vast desert and never tire of its beauty. Now, we’d love to share it with YOU!

As locals to Moab, we are your eyes and ears, your ‘feet on the ground’ when you’re planning from afar.

We’ve got all the insider info on Moab elopements, from where to go for the best photos (away from the crowds!), how to time out your day for the best lighting, how to apply for any necessary permits, what fun activities to fill your day with and all the best vendors to work with to create the day of your dreams.

In this Moab elopement guide, we’re going to take you through all the nitty-gritty details of how to have a Moab elopement or small wedding.

Moab elopement FAQs

Let’s start with some FAQs.

This is just a quick lowdown of some of the most commonly asked questions about Moab elopements.

You’ll find a TON more info – and lots of inspiring photos – as you read on.

Why Choose A Moab Elopement?

There are a million reasons to plan a Moab elopement, but it all comes down to this in the end:

The natural beauty is incomparable and the adventures are endless.

Moab is heaven-on-earth for outdoor lovers. Whether you want to hike in the back country and barely see another soul, road trip around the national parks, off-road to a remote vista or simply sit out at a viewpoint with a picnic and soak it all in: there’s truly something for everyone in Moab. 

Eloping in Moab is perfect for anyone with a simple appreciation of the great outdoors.

The Best Places For Your Moab Elopement

With soaring natural arches, winding canyons, dramatic overlooks: there’s no end of ‘venues’ to choose from.

There are SO many stunning vistas for a Moab elopement, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing the exact spot where you’d like to share your wedding vows.

One of the best parts of our job as elopement photographers is helping our couples pinpoint YOUR perfect location, and that really is different for everyone. We spend a lot of time getting to know you and what kind of setting sings to you the most, whether it be red rock towers, spectacular arches, never-ending canyons or even a snow capped mountain range. And we spend hours and DAYS scouring maps and getting out on trails to find the best locations for you. We’re forever finding new cool spots we’re desperate to share with our couples.

We’re going to share a few location ideas below!

General Considerations For Choosing Your Moab Elopement Location

• You must make sure all necessary permits are in order for your chosen location (more details below).
• You’ll need to consider transportation for yourselves (and any guests). Car-pooling is a great idea if you’re bringing a group as parking is often limited, especially in the Moab national parks. And some locations will require a lifted, off-roading vehicle to access.
• Consider park entrance fees. We highly suggest picking up an annual national park pass. Seriously, it’s the best 80 bucks you’ll ever spend!
• Be sure to check out and abide by any specific rules for your chosen location eg. are chairs allowed, can you have an arch, is music allowed, is it ok to have a fresh flower bouquet and throw confetti, is popping champagne within the rules etc? We’ll explain where to find all these rules.

Moab Elopement/Wedding Permit Requirements

The division of land in Moab is complex. There’s public land (managed by the Bureau of Land Management), private land, federal land etc… 

Each area has its own set of rules, and figuring out where and how to elope in Moab legally can be hard to navigate. There are strict rules on what permits you need, where you can hold your ceremony, how many people can be there, whether or not you’re allowed fresh flowers, if it’s ok to have chairs or an arch…. The list goes on!

Figuring all of this out is something we, as your Moab elopement specialists, can help you with. Part of our planning assistance service is to ensure that all the correct boxes are checked.

The last thing you want during your elopement is for an official to kick you out for breaking a rule without even meaning to! 

There are two types of permits you may need for your Moab elopement, depending on where you wish to hold your ceremony and any other locations you may want to have photos taken.

The first is a ‘special use’ permit and it is the responsibility of the eloping couple to obtain and abide by. This allows you to hold your Moab elopement ceremony in a given location at a given time.

Some locations are completely free, others can cost up to around $300.

You’ll want to apply for your permit at least 2-3 months in advance of your elopement date to be sure it’s processed in time. If you’re eloping in buy season (Spring and Fall), you’ll want to apply even earlier if possible, as there is a limit to how many permits are issued and you may find the day you want isn’t available. It’s always good to have a Plan B in mind, ready for this situation.

We know this can all sound confusing. Don’t worry, if you work with us as your planners/photographers, we’re going to help you through this entire process: you’re just the ones who need to sign on the dotted line and make payment.

Then there’s a photography permit which is entirely separate to the special use permit. Here at ‘The Outlovers’, we take care of the photography permit and the cost is included in all of our Moab elopement packages. So, you don’t even need to think about this one!

There are a LOT of ducks to get in a row for your Moab elopement or small wedding which is why having local, elopement-specialist photographers on your team is a HUGE advantage (Hi, that’s us!).

Respecting Your Elopement ‘Venue’: Leave No Trace Considerations

For those unfamiliar with the idea of ‘Leave No Trace’, it is a set of 7 principles written by the Center for Outdoor Ethics, aimed at encouraging us ALL to act as stewards for the natural environment.

Here at ‘The Outlovers’ we are deeply committed to respecting and protecting the great outdoors. We strive to follow LNT principles in all our work and play activities. 

What this means exactly varies from environment to environment.

In Moab, specifically, it means being really flipping careful where you step! 

You want to be sure you are walking on durable surfaces such as rock or sandy washes, and NOT on the super sensitive ‘cryptobiotic crust’. 

This crust is a living layer of biotic organisms also known as ‘desert glue’: this magic stuff literally holds the soil together and stops Moab from turning into one massive sand dune! A huge amount of damage is done by people walking or driving off trail and killing the crust.

It can be hard at first to recognise what is crust and what is just dirt: don’t worry, we’ll always make sure you’re walking somewhere responsible and can teach you the difference if you’re interested.

Arches National Park Moab Elopement

Right on the edge of town, an Arches National Park wedding is a great option if you want a super accessible, easy elopement location with insane views and a totally wacky other-worldly landscape. And what could be more romantic than getting married under an entirely natural arch?!

The main downside to an Arches National Park wedding is the popularity of the area. We can’t guarantee you’d have any spot to yourselves; there will likely be other people around, so it’s not the best choice if you want a totally private place to exchange vows. Opting for a sunrise ceremony certainly alleviates this issue but, even then, there’s every chance there’ll be a few dedicated landscape photographers around catching sunrise through the arches.

The cool thing, though, is that while your ceremony must be in one of the designated spots (you can find a full list here along with how many people are allowed at each), we can then go off exploring and find somewhere secluded for romantic portrait photos once your ceremony is concluded.

Arches National Park Considerations:

• Your wedding Special Use permit fee is $185 and will take ten business days to process
• A ranger may be on site to supervise your ceremony. They’re lovely and usually hang back to give you space!
• No alcohol allowed
• No live or amplified music
• Ceremony cannot exceed ten minutes
• No more than ten continuous minutes under an arch at any one time, then must allow other visitors to enjoy for at least ten minutes. Don’t worry, there are SO many cool arches and landmarks to see, you’ll want to be bouncing around exploring anyway.
• No rice, birdseed or non-native plant seed (this is super important as it prevents non native species from invading the area)

It’s also important to know that from April to October, Arches National Park employs a ‘timed entry’ system to try to manage the huge crowds. This means that there will be a limited number of tickets available and people will need to purchase them in advance, and will only be allowed in at their designated time.

The good news: as long as you have your special use permit all in order, you (and any guests) will be allowed to enter the park in time for your ceremony without a separate timed-entry ticket, so there’s no chance of you ‘missing out’ on the day you were hoping for.

Just be prepared for a wait line to get in and factor this into your timeline for the day. Please be aware you will still need to pay entry fees.

*** UPDATE FEBRUARY 2026: CURRENTLY THE TIMED ENTRY SYSTEM HAS BEEN REVOKED FOR THE 2026 SEASON. WHILST THIS MEANS YOU DON’T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ACQUIRING A PASS, IT DOES MEAN YOU’LL NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR LONG LINES GETTING INTO THE PARK AND EXTREMELY LIMITED PARKING. WE HIGHLY SUGGEST A SUNRISE ADVENTURE FOR THIS REASON. ***

As you can see, there’s a lot of ‘rules and regulations’ if you want to elope in Arches. That’s the price you pay to be in a super popular spot: the rules are in place to manage the impact on the environment and other visitors, and we respect that.

If you feel like it’s more than you’d like to contend with for your ceremony, here’s the good news:

You can hold your ceremony elsewhere, outside of the park, then just come into the park for some killer pictures! You do NOT need a permit for that.

Check out the Arches National Park website for all details and further info on weddings in the park. 

Canyonlands National Park Moab Elopement

Uggghhhh, Canyonlands is one of our favorite places in the whole wide world. Every single time we go there (which is OFTEN!), we feel like we’re living in a real life oil painting.

Canyonlands is just 30 minutes outside of Moab but it feels SO remote. The sense of vastness is honestly indescribable so we’ll let the pictures do the talking.

Canyonlands is a great choice if you want easy accessibility – you can literally hop out of the car to a panoramic viewpoint and get insane pictures with absolutely zero effort – OR if you want to get ‘lost’ in the backcountry on a multi-day hike. It truly has it ALL! And, better yet, since it is a bit further from town, it has waaaay few tourists than Arches.

Canyonlands National Park Considerations:

• Your wedding Special Use permit fee is $185 and will take ten business days to process
• A friendly ranger will oversee your ceremony. Don’t worry, they’re pretty chill and usually hang out at a bit of a distance!
• No alcohol allowed
• No live or amplified music
• Your ceremony itself can be held at Shafer Overlook (insane at sunrise!), the Green River Overlook (epic at sunset!) or Grand View Point, then we can galavant around and take epic pics all over!
• No rice, birdseed or non-native plant seed (this is super important as it prevents non native species from invading the area)

Check out the Canyonlands National Park website for details and further info.

Dead Horse State Park Moab Elopement

Dead Horse State Park is right next door to Canyonlands and shares similar views. It’s just a little smaller, though there’s still plenty of places to explore and take killer photos.

Oh, and unlike the other parks, you can BRING YOUR DOG here! Major plus point in our opinion.

Dead Horse State Park Considerations:

• Your wedding Special Use permit fee starts at $260 (for a 2 hour ceremony block, and up to 50 people) and should be applied for at least 30 days in advance
• In addition, you will need to pay your state park entrance fee of $20 per vehicle
• You have 5 designated sites to choose from for your ceremony (you can see a map and images of them all here). 
• Real flowers are allowed but please don’t bring in invasive species such as pampas grass
• No seeds, confetti or rice allowed to be thrown
• No amplified music or large decorations allowed

Check out the Dead Horse State Park website for details and further info.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Moab Elopement

If you want to avoid crowds, get out somewhere remote and wild and feel truly immersed in your surroundings, an elopement on BLM land is absolutely the best choice for you. From multi mile hikes, to off-roading locations, to simple ‘drive right on up’: BLM land can offer it all.

The Bureau of Land Management protects almost 2 million acres of land in the Moab area and you’ll find canyons, arches, waterfalls, crazy towering stacks of red rocks, huge mesas…. Everything the national parks have minus all the people! Massive WIN, we say.

In fact, if we’re 100% honest, Moab elopements on BLM land are our absolute favorite, hands down. You feel like you’re TRULY in the desert, more than you ever possibly could in a busy park.

BLM Considerations:

• There are a list of (amaaazing) locations for you to choose from, which rules on how many people and/or vehicles are allowed at each.
• You do not need a permit, yay! All you’ll need instead is a ‘letter of authorization’ from the BLM office. This costs nothing and we’ll even draft it up for you: you just need to sign it and send it in. It couldn’t be easier!
• Although no permit is needed, there are still rules you need to abide by. This primarily comes down to being respectful of the land and doing no damage. You want leave knowing that future eloping couples will still be able to enjoy it just as much as you have!

You don’t have to pick and choose and limit yourself to just one of these fabulous locations. If you book a full day elopement package, you could easily hit up at least two of these locations: one for sunrise, followed by a lazy afternoon, and another for sunset! This is by far our most booked package and we truly believe it’s perfect for 99% of couples.

You could even go all out and have a multi-day wedding adventure, checking out our other favorite place, the San Juan mountains region of Colorado. Imagine: deserts AND soaring peaks in the space of two days… Now, THAT’S an adventure elopement to remember!

CHECK OUT ALEXANDRIA AND MICHAEL’S FULL DAY MOAB ADVENTURE

CHECK OUT DIANA AND MARCOS’ MULTI-DAY MOAB ADVENTURE: ARCHES, CANYONLANDS AND BLM

Fun Activities For Your Moab Elopement

This is where Moab as an elopement location seriously excels! When you elope in Moab, there’s just SO MUCH to see and do, no matter your personal ‘adventure level’. Be warned, you’re gonna want to stay forever. 

We highly advise you spend at least 4-5 days in Moab so you can explore the multiple parks, try out some fun activities, soak it all in and really make the most of your honeymoon.

Here’s just a handful of the activities you might want to check out:

Hiking

There are endless trails in the Moab area, ranging from a mile or two to multi-day adventures. 

Here’s just a few of our favorites for your Moab elopement adventure:

• Delicate Arch in Arches National Park (3.5 miles roundtrip)
• Peekaboo in the Needles district of Canyonlands (10 miles roundtrip, takes you out to some incredible petroglyph drawings in the cliffs)
• Devil’s Garden Trail in Arches National Park (8 mile loop with 7 different arches, can easily do just a part of it)
• Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park (permit required, must be acquired in person up to 7 days in advance)

Off-Roading

We absolutely LOVE off-roading elopements and often suggest it to our couples for at least part of their day.

1. It’s so darned FUN!
2. It makes for some badass photos!
3. It gets you out to some of the best locations without hiking!

Whilst there are some extreme trails in Moab, the kind of stuff we’d suggest tackling on your elopement day is pretty moderate. You’ll most likely feel confident driving yourselves, and can rent a lifted Jeep from somewhere like Twisted Jeeps.

If you fancy doing the more extreme stuff – Hell’s Revenge, for example – we HIGHLY recommend hiring someone to take you on an exhilarating, adrenaline-pumping tour. High Point Hummer offers both Hummer and UTV tours.

We’ve had couples take their guests on a post-ceremony off-roading adventure before and it’s such a cool way to make unique memories with everyone.

See Moab From Above

There are multiple ways you could enjoy seeing the wild Moab landscape from above: set off on a hot air balloon ride, charter a private helicopter tour and see an aerial view your ceremony spot…. Or, if you’re feeling really brave, you could try a sky-dive! That would certainly make for a wedding day to remember.

We’ve had multiple couples charter a private sunset plane ride with Red Tail Air, touching down in the middle of nowhere, feeling like the entire world is your’s and your’s alone. Bring a cozy blanket, snuggle up and tuck into a champagne picnic…. ROMANTIC!

Horse Riding

Honestly, there’s nothing more badass than a couple horse-riding through the wild west landscapes of Moab all dressed up in their wedding attire. We know some fantastic companies that can set this all up for you.

Venture Down The Colorado River For Your Moab Elopement

We’re dying for someone to stand-up-paddle-board in their wedding dress. Who’s game?! Alternatively, you could go on a rafting, kayaking or jet boat tour. The Moab Adventure Center can help you with all this.

The Logistics Of Your Moab Elopement

Coz every good adventure takes at least a bit of planning!

What to Pack for Your Moab Elopement

If you book us for your Moab elopement, we’re going to send you a really full, detailed packing list. For now, here’s a handful of things you REALLY want to be sure you remember for an outdoor, adventurous elopement wedding:

Gorgeous And Comfortable Wedding Attire

If you’d like to learn more about choosing your elopement attire, check out this blog post. For now, suffice it to say that stiff, rigid attire is not your friend in the heat of the desert: think soft, flowing, maybe even stretchy, fabrics instead. The best thing you can do to make sure your outfit is Moab elopement appropriate is try it out. Put on your dress/suit and shoes/boots: now march around your house! Take big steps, try going upstairs pretending like you’re hiking, swing your arms around. Is anything uncomfortable or restrictive? If so, make some changes. You don’t want minor irritations like that distracting you on your elopement day.

Good Hiking Boots/Shoes

We can’t stress this enough. Nothing will ruin your wedding day happiness like a blister ten minutes into your hike. If you don’t already own a pair we suggest ordering well in advance and trying them out on some test-run hikes first.

A Well Fitting Backpack

Just like the shoes, you want to be sure in advance that your backpack fits you well and is comfortable. You also want to make sure it is big enough to carry your wedding clothes, lots of water, snacks, a first aid kit and all the odds and ends you’ll need for your elopement.

Large Water Container

We love Camelbaks as they slide right into your backpack then have a hose coming over your shoulder so you don’t have to stop and pull out your bottle every time you want a drink. We find people are more likely to stay properly hydrated this way!

Layered Clothing

The desert temperature can vary greatly throughout the day at any time of year so be sure to bring layers that you can easily change in and out of. Something warm and cute that you wouldn’t mind taking photos in is a great idea! We’re thinking fitted puffer jackets, cosy jumpers and snuggly blankets.

Good Sunscreen

Whatever time of year you’re planning your Moab elopement, BRING SUNSCREEN! Even in winter that sun can be brutal.

Getting to Moab

Despite being in a pretty remote corner of Utah, Moab is super easy to get to.

You’re going to want to fly into one of four airports: Moab itself, Salt Lake City, Grand Junction or Denver. We recommend checking out Skyscanner to browse flight schedules and costs.

Moab ‘Canyonlands Field Airport’ (CNY)

Moab has its own little airport just 18 miles north of town. Flights here are a little more pricey, but the simplicity of getting right where you need to be is pretty nice and if you’re looking for ease and efficiency this might be your best option.

From the airport, you can rent a car or catch the Moab Express Shuttle into town.

Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT)

Grand Junction is just a stone’s throw away from Moab, over the border in Colorado.

From here, you can either rent a car for the 90 minute drive or use the same Moab Express Shuttle as above.

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLK)

Salt Lake City is a major hub so you’re going to find plenty of options here.

Once you land in SLC, you’ll need to rent a car for the 4hr drive to Moab. It’s a pretty scenic route! Try something like Expedia to compare car rentals.

Denver International Airport (DIA)

Denver is another major hub, located on the other side of the Rocky Mountains. The 5 hour drive to Moab is STUNNING!

INSIDER SECRET: The Rocky Mountaineer  – a luxury train travel specialist  – has a rail line from Denver to Grand Junction. The journey takes two days with an overnight stop in the mountains AND their trains have a glass ceiling so you can take in all the crazy views! How about THAT to add a bit of unique luxury to your Moab elopement experience?!

Where to Stay for Your Moab Elopement

Of course you can find all the standard hotels in Moab: Hilton, Best Western, Hyatt etc. But if you’d like something a little more unusual for your elopement, we’ve done some digging and there are SO MANY cool, unique places to stay in and around Moab. There are some real gems to suit all budgets.

Moab Accommodation $0-200

Camping

Yes, truly, you can stay in Moab for free or like $20! You’ll just need to bring your own tent (or RV).

There are lots of campsites in the area and there are also spots where you can ‘dispersed camp’ (just be aware there are zero amenities). 

It’s really important you understand what type of camping is allowed where and also how to camp responsibly so you don’t do damage to the local environment. We recommend checking out this article that clearly explains how to camp responsibly.

AirBnB

There are so many cozy-looking places to stay on AirBnB or VRBO. Just plug in your dates, your price range and how many people you need to accommodate.

BOOKING.COM

You’ll find lots of budget friendly options here: just plug in your dates then filter by price, low to high.

Moab Accommodation $200-500

Wooden bungalow in Castle Valley

This place has a real cool ‘cozy cabin’ vibe to it and is nestled amongst the most gorgeous orchards with insane red rock towers all around. Don’t be surprised if some deer come wandering by as you enjoy breakfast outside!

Under Canvas Moab

We are IN LOVE with the Under Canvas upscale camping vibe: we’d pretty much live in these luxury tents forever if we could. Wild, romantic, earthy: this is the total DREAM for your Moab elopement accommodation. And if you’re bringing guests you could rent out the whole place: just imagine your wedding celebrations with everyone gathered around the campfire, dancing the night away under the stars….

Red Cliffs Lodge

This beautiful 3-bedroom home would be a great option if you are bringing guests to your Moab wedding and would like to accommodate some of them together.

Moab Accommodation $500+

Sorrel River Ranch 

This beautiful ranch and spa, nestled on the banks of the Colorado river, offers ‘Wilderness. Privacy. Serenity.’ They offer all sorts of fun activities, as well as a nightly campfire with your own ‘S’mores Concierge’. Sign us up!

ULUM

Ulum is a gorgeous high end ‘glamping’ resort 30 minutes south of Moab. It combines the best of both worlds: luxury in the heart of nature.

Who to Hire For Your Moab Elopement: Moab Wedding Vendors

First up, you’re gonna need a kick-ass elopement photographer. (Cough, cough, hint, hint!)

Seriously, though, hiring a local photographer who knows Moab inside out is super important: we know allllll the best places (well beyond the basics we’ve shared here), the best times to hit them up for the best light for photos, how to avoid the crowds etc. etc.

As your photographers, we’re going to guide you through the whole planning process, making sure it’s stress free and FUN for you!

Booking your photographer should be your FIRST STEP. We’re going to help you SO much, you don’t have to figure this all out alone.

One of the things we help you with is lining up any other vendors you might need. We are plugged into a huge network of wedding professionals and can help source florists, hair and makeup artists, bakers etc.

Since Moab is so tiny, there’s not a TON of vendors close by. However, there are many from elsewhere in Utah or other states who will happily travel to the desert to serve you. Be sure to book your vendors early, especially if you’re eloping in high season.

Here’s just a handful you might want to check out (our booked couples receive a FULL list of recommendations):

SWEET SERENDIPITY: Baker

TANGLED SAGE: Florals

WILD BRIDES BACKCOUNTRY: Hair and Makeup

The Timing Of Your Moab Elopement

Best Time of Year to Visit Moab

We generally advise against the height of summer in Moab for your elopement: it’s scorching hot in the desert in July and August and, well, it can all get rather unpleasant just by being outside. Think running makeup and sweat patches! 

If this is the only time you can make it, don’t worry, there and ways to manage the heat: consider this advanced warning that you’ll need to be prepared to get up for sunrise and to hide away in the heat of the day.

So, it’s much better if you can time your Moab elopement for spring or fall, even winter!

Spring in the desert is magical. Temperatures are ideal (60-80 compared to the 100+ of summer), the crowds aren’t tooooo large and, if you get lucky, you might even catch the spring flowers. Just avoid the easter holidays if you don’t like crowds!

Fall is equally lovely. Similar temperatures and crowds. And you could combine your Moab elopement with a trip to Ouray in Colorado and catch the spectacular fall colors of the Aspen forests there.

We really enjoy winter in the desert! Something about the white snow contrasted with the red rock is totally magical. Just be prepared, it does get COLD! People often assume the desert is hot all year round…

Best Time of Day for Your Moab Elopement Ceremony

In terms of photography, we’re ALWAYS going to recommend you schedule the most important parts of the day – things like your first look, your ceremony and couple portraits – for around sunrise and/or sunset. This is when the light is at its softest and most romantic and makes for the most beautiful photos.

Whether you choose sunrise or sunset is really up to you and which you enjoy most! Whichever you choose, we will then base our location suggestions on that to make sure you get the best views at your chosen time of day.

Our FAVORITE elopements are full day adventures, embracing both sunrise AND sunset (usually with a little down time in the middle of the day). You can see an example timeline below of what that day of adventure might look like for you.

Sample Day-Of Timelines for Your Moab Elopement

Our Moab elopement packages start at 4 hours of photography coverage and go right through to multi-day, multi-location adventures.

Here are just a couple of ideas of what your Moab elopement could look like:

The Legalities Of A Moab Elopement

Utah Marriage Laws When You Elope in Moab

Marriage licensing laws vary from state to state and can be super confusing so we’re going to try and break it down simply here:

If you would like a paper marriage license that you will sign on the day:

• BOTH of you must present yourselves at the county clerk’s office in Moab and pay a non-refundable fee of $40 USD. So, make sure you factor this into your vacation itinerary: you don’t want to be rushing around on the day of your elopement! To save time, you can have your application all ready and filled out but DO NOT SIGN IT until you are at the clerk’s office.
• Make sure you remember your IDs!
• You must provide the date of the ceremony and the officiant’s name.
• In return you will be issued your marriage license.
• Once you’ve had your elopement ceremony and you, the officiant and the witnesses has signed your certificate, they must return it to the office within 30 days. Then your finalized marriage certificate will be issued to you. (You can do this part in person or via mail).

OR….

You also have the option to apply for a digital marriage license via Utah County (it’s valid across the whole of Utah). That way, you can have it all applied for in advance, you don’t need to worry about carrying it with you on the day, and you won’t have to physically return it after. Easy as can be!

In Utah, you will need a legal officiant to lead your ceremony and sign your marriage license. If you’re working with us, we’ve got you covered: Vanessa is an officiant and will lead your ceremony while Chad continues to photograph. It’s one of the perks of having a team! All of our packages include complimentary, personalized ceremony officiation.

In addition, you will need two witnesses to sign your certificate. Don’t worry, if you’re having a ‘just us’ elopement, Chad will act as one of your witnesses and we always have fun finding the second: a fellow tourist, a hiker, the bar man at your hotel…

So, there you have it! Everything you could possibly need to know to get started planning YOUR Moab elopement.

Don’t forget, locking in your photographer is a GREAT first step! We’re going to help you sooooo much with the planning so it gets infinitely easier from there.

Don’t be shy reaching out if we can help you! We ADORE Moab and would love to share it with you on your elopement day.