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Kirsten & Joe’s Cathedral Rock Elopement in Sedona, Arizona | Sedona Wedding Photographer
Kirsten & Joe and their closest family members came all the way from Michigan to elope in the red rocks in Sedona, Arizona. Their day was spent half with their loved ones, and the other half on the adventure of their dreams- climbing up Cathedral Rock to catch the sunset. It was a day filled with so many beautiful, intimate moments as well as pure adventure in the desert. Talk about the perfect elopement experience!
Planning their Elopement
From the first phone call, I knew Kirsten and Joe were my kind of people! They decided a big wedding wasn’t for them and they wanted to follow their hearts out west to say their vows to each other. Having an intimate day with each other and their close family was a priority for them, so that’s exactly what they did.
Their Cathedral Rock Elopement
Their Airbnb had the most expansive views of Sedona, with touches of Adobe style and bohemian decor. They had a slow morning getting ready, writing their vows and packing up all of their hiking essentials. It was a warm 95 degrees and sunny, in October believe it or not!
Some of the most special moments of their day included their first look and their ceremony. I always love suggesting doing a first look before a ceremony for a couple of reasons, mostly because it helps relieve your nerves before your ceremony. It’s amazing to take a few minutes beforehand and really embrace those butterflies- the same butterflies that you had when you first started dating. What an amazing moment!
Joe and Kirsten’s ceremony was intimate and tear filled. Their ceremony location overlooked Cathedral Rock in the distance- what a preface to their adventure later on! To begin, Kirsten wanted to include her late father on her wedding day by spreading his ashes around their ceremony site. This was such a special moment for everyone attending. Along with that, Kirsten’s stepfather officiated their ceremony. Another amazing way that they included their family was to share their first dances right after the ceremony. They danced with the most gorgeous views of Sedona in the background- it was magical.
Once their ceremony concluded, it was time for Kirsten and Joe’s private adventure. They decided to climb up Cathedral Rock– one of the most beautiful spots in all of Sedona! Cathedral Rock isn’t for the faint of heart- it’s ranked as a moderate hike with an 800 foot elevation gain. It was a warm day but Kirsten and Joe climbed up the mountain with huge smiles on their faces. It’s such an incredible adventure!
We ended their elopement day by watching the sun set on the cliff edge of Cathedral Rock. It’s always so special to be able to slow down on your wedding day and really take everything in. To be able to watch the sky change to various shades of blue, and the red rocks take on my purple hues is one of the gifts of choosing to elope in Sedona.
I had such an amazing time getting to work one on one with Kirsten and Joe to plan their elopement experience and capture all of their special moments. What a perfect day it was!
Need help planning your elopement in Sedona? Contact me now to schedule a free elopement consultation.
Here are some sweet words from Kirsten about their experience of having me as their elopement photographer and guide for their Cathedral Rock elopement:
Sweet Words from the Couple
“I wanted to first start off by saying no matter how great you think Caitlyn will be based upon her work and reviews you will still be blown away by the entire experience you have with her.
My fiancée and I knew from the start that we were wanting to elope out of state. This is a lot easier said then done especially coming from a couple who has never been to Arizona and lacks any planning skills.
When we first called Caitlyn we immediately knew our crazy dream could become a reality. From the start Caitlyn was there to answer EVERY question we had. From where we should have our ceremony with grandparents attending, to all the vendors, to how to get a marriage license and every other last detail.
When Covid hit, we were not sure what our big day would look like but Caitlyn was there to answer any questions and relieve any worries we had. The constant honest communication was so helpful.
Fast forward to the day of. My fiancée and I felt like we were hanging out with one of our closest friends. Caitlyn made us feel so extremely comfortable and had the entire day planned ahead of time. Caitlyn has such a calm and welcoming personality which helped my anxiety a ton!
When we got up to cathedral rock she had champagne ready for pictures and the timing was PERFECT to enjoy the sunset! I could not imagine our day going any more perfect.
The next morning Caitlyn made sure to send us the most amazing preview photos so we could begin to relive our big day.
I could not recommend someone more. My fiancée and I are already trying to plan a reason to go get more photos done!”
Special thanks to all of the vendors who helped make this day incredible:
Hair & Makeup: Sedona Beauty Team
Florals: Bliss Floral
Dress: Ivory Loft
Want to see more full day elopement stories? Check out more blog posts here!
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[…] Molly wore a beautiful 70’s inspired gown by Rue De Seine paired with a headpiece and a cathedral length veil. I loved the pairing of the head piece with the lace- such a great mix of boho and traditional! Bret wore an all black suit which contrasted with the red rock of Sedona so beautifully! Put them both together, and BAM you have the hottest couple alive, haha! Wanna get even more inspo for your boho wedding? Check out another blog post here! […]
[…] Cathedral Rock Elopement […]