ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
WEDDING GUIDE
WEDDING GUIDE
Arches National Park
Wedding Guide
For the wild & adventurous souls looking to get married in Arches National Park.
Thinking about having your wedding at Arches National Park? Well you came to the right place. Arches NP is one of the most unique parks in the country, with over TWO-THOUSAND sandstone arches. The stunning nature-made geography and beautiful red rock desert makes Arches the perfect location for that adventurous wedding you’ve always dreamed of. Not sure where to start? This Arches National Park wedding and elopement guide is filled with everything you need to know about how to plan a wedding in Arches, beautiful spots to explore, how to get there, and SO MUCH MORE.
follow along below to learn everything you need to know about
having an Arches National Park wedding.
The Best Spots to Explore during your Arches National Park Wedding
location #1 Sand Dune Arch
Sand Dune Arch is one of the best permitted wedding ceremony locations in Arches National Park. This spot allows up to 25 people at your ceremony and is a super easy 10 minute walk through sand and surrounded by red sandstone walls.
Location #2 Turret Arch
Turret Arch is personally my most favorite arch in the park. This spot has opportunities for some EPIC photos while also being a super accessible arch. I recommend exploring this spot around sunrise just to avoid crowds and have the place all to yourself. Some ideas for things to do here is have your first look or sunrise session at Turret Arch and then have your wedding ceremony at another permitted location in Arches NP. This will add a huge variety to your wedding photos and add an extra adventure to the day.
La Sals Mountain Viewpoint
While this spot isn’t actually an arch… I absolutely love the view from here. La Sals Mountain Viewpoint is near the entrance of Arches National Park and could be a great spot for a first look, ceremony, or just a quick stop on the way to your wedding.
Arches National Park Permits & Ceremony Locations
how to get a permit for your arches national park wedding:
One of the most important things when planning an Arches National Park wedding is to get a permit as soon as possible. A wedding permit is required for any type of wedding in the park. The application & permit fee costs $185 dollars. I recommend applying as soon as possible, as dates can get reserved in advance and you want to make sure you can get married at your ideal spot! There are 9 designated wedding ceremony locations where you can get married at. Other arches can be explored throughout the day, but you have to have your ceremony at one of the locations listed below.
Arches National Park Wedding Locations:
(note: guest counts includes the couple themselves, their photographer, officiant, and/or videographer)
3-10 guests
Delicate Arch
Landscape Arch
11-25 guests:
the Windows Section (North Window, South, Window, Turret Arch, or Double Arch)
Sand Dune Arch
Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Pine Tree Arch
Park Avenue
26-50 guests:
La Sal Mountains Viewpoint
Panorama Point
51- 80 guests:
Devils Garden Campground Amphitheater
need help deciding on a location?
Let’s chat!
I help couples throughout the whole process to plan & capture their dream elopement!
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK WEDDING ADVICE:
Head to the park at sunrise to get some golden skies and the place all to yourself. You can always bring breakfast & make coffee while you relax and have a peaceful morning before you start your wedding day adventures.
WHO AM I?
hey, i’m amanda.
I’m an adventurous travel elopement photographer who believes in experiencing all that life has to offer. I truly love connecting with my couples and capturing their relationship authentically and genuinely.
i believe YOUR WEDDING DAY SHOULD BE AS adventurous, as breathtaking, and unique as you want it to be.
My goal is to capture wedding photos that make you feel something. I want to tell the story of your elopement day so you can look back and re-live those moments for the rest of your life.
I want to work with couples to design their ‘perfect day’ that they didn’t even think was possible. I am so excited to hear more about you two as a couple and help create the perfect adventure for both of you.
i want to help you create your dream elopement in Arches national park.
How to Get to Arches
National Park
By Plane:
Salt Lake City International Airport: SLC airport will have the most affordable/direct flights into Utah but is about 230 miles from Arches National Park. This will be about a 3.5-4 hour drive to the Moab from Salt Lake.
Grand Junction Regional Airport: Located in Colorado near the Utah border, this airport is about a 1.5 hour drive to Arches National Park. This is a much more doable drive, but may involve an indirect flight depending where you are flying from.
By Car:
No matter where you are coming from, renting a car is your best option to travel around Utah. Arches National Park is located in the small town of Moab, so you’ll definitely want your own transportation getting to Moab and to navigate around the town/parks.
Peak Season & Crowds:
Arches National Park experiences a high volume of people from April-October, with extreme traffic & crowds around holiday weekends (specifically Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day). The best ways to avoid crowds are to plan your Arches National Park wedding on a weekday, earlier in the morning, and/or on a weekend in the off-season. If you are eloping on a weekday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday tend to be the best days to avoid long-weekend crowds.
Where to Stay for your Arches National Park Wedding
Looking for some cozy ideas on where to stay in Moab? Here are few of my favorite lodging options for you or your guests!
These adorable Bungalows equipped with everything you could need while staying in Moab
Looking for a true adventure/desert experience, explore these luxury glamping tents at Undercanvas in Moab
Want something a little more high end? This luxury resort with high-end cabins mixes adventure with some elegant comfort, Sorrel River Ranch is a beautiful resort and spa, but be aware: it is a about 15-20 miles from the town of Moab
Arches National Park
Wedding & Elopement
Packages
Are you 100% set on getting married in Arches National Park? HECK YES. Now it’s time to start planning! Here are my wedding/elopement photography packages for couples looking for someone to help them plan & photograph their adventurous wedding day!
Full Day Adventure Elopements
The full day adventure elopement packages start at 8 hours and are for couples looking for a full day adventure in the outdoors while capturing the story of their day with just themselves or with close friends and family. These packages include full planning assistance to find the perfect location, create a custom timeline, and guide you through the elopement planning process.
Includes:
- 8 hours, 10 hours, or 2 Day Elopement Photography
- Personalized Adventure Guide & Location List
- Elopement Planning Handbook
- Custom Timeline Creation
- Option to include both sunrise & sunset in your day
- High Resolution Gallery of Photos
Starting at $7200
Half Day Vow Ceremony & Golden Hour Adventure:
This elopement experience is for couples who want to say their vows in an amazing location & take adventure photos at golden hour. Couples who choose this option are looking for a simple elopement experience and don’t want full day coverage/planning offered in the other elopement packages.
Includes:
- 4 Hours of Photography Coverage
- Location List of set locations nearby
- High Resolution Gallery of Photos
Starting at $4500
VIDEO ADD-ONS
Looking for video of your elopement without hiring a separate elopement videographer?
I’m now offering a few different options of video add ons to your elopement packages:
1. ‘Home Movie’ Style Elopement Video
2. Behind the Scenes iPhone Video Content
3. Ceremony Recording
Looking to Plan an Arches National Park Wedding?
I would love to chat! As both an adventure photographer and guide, I work with my couples to help plan & capture their PERFECT wedding day. If you’re looking for a photographer who is super laid back, loves to joke around, and is 100% in your corner- I’m your girl.
Arches National Park Wedding Advice:
Visit Delicate Arch at sunset. This is when it will have the best colors with a beautiful backdrop. Make sure to bring headlamps if you watch the sunset so you can safely hike back in the dark!
Temperatures can fluctuate easily in Arches National Park, it’s important to be prepared with sunscreen, water, hats, and in the winter months bring layers!
For Arches National Park weddings, the park still requires guests to pay the $30 entrance fee, the entrance fee is good for a seven day pass, if guests want to visit the park at other times while visiting
If you are having guests at your Arches wedding or elopement, try to coordinate carpooling to lower the entrance fee for everyone and to make sure everyone can find parking at your ceremony location.
Make sure to either print out a map, pick one up at the visitors center, or have a map saved on your phone before entering Arches. The majority of areas in the park have spotty cell service, so GPS may not always be reliable. If you are entering the park before the visitor center is open, make sure to have a map since you won’t be able to pick one up!
HAVE QUESTIONS?
LOOKING TO START
PLANNING YOUR
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK WEDDING?
Explore my social media pages for more elopement inspiration
