Moody Intimate Wedding in Sedona

Sedona Intimate Wedding

This Sedona intimate wedding took place in the beginning of November. While some might worry about overcast skies, photographers love it. Especially in Sedona, the light can get pretty harsh. Clouds create soft light and makes photographs moody and dramatic.

Randi and Andrew came from Texas to get married in Sedona, Arizona. They decided to have an intimate wedding with just a few guests to celebrate their vows.

Elopements versus intimate weddings can be pretty controversial. Some think you can elope and still have 10-15 guests. For me, I really only consider elopements to be the couple, and maybe 2 guests if the couple needs witnesses.

Let me know your thought in the comments! How many people can attend an elopement before it’s considered a wedding?

Wedding Details

Details are some of my favorite shots to get at any wedding. Even though most of my clients don’t hang these images up in their house, I take them to tell a complete story of the day: what the couple wears, the vow books, the rings, the lodging, anything that helps me paint a picture of the couple’s story.

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If you’re interested in staying at this Airbnb, check it out HERE.

Bride Getting Ready

Randi got ready at the Airbnb the couple stayed at. Airbnbs can be more peaceful to get ready at than resorts or hotels, simply because you have more space.

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Randi brought two pairs of shoes. Sedona can be very rocky, and wedding shoes and heels don’t do very well. Randi decided to wear hiking boots for when we needed to walk long distances.

Groom Getting Ready

Andrew met me at the ceremony location in Sedona before Randi arrived to get his portraits.

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First Look

For intimate weddings and elopements, I often suggest to my couples that they should have a first look. A “first look” is where the couple sees each other for the first time apart from their guests, rather than waiting to see each other during the ceremony.

There are a few benefits of doing a first look.

• you can have a moment alone together before being with guests for the rest of the day
• you can get emotional with each other if you’re worried about losing it with an audience.
• you can travel together to the ceremony location.
• often there is no “isle” for you to walk down. So it makes sense to see each other before traveling to the ceremony together.

You don’t have to do a first look, if you feel more joy about waiting until the ceremony. But if any of these reasons speak to you, you should definitely consider adding a first look to your timeline.

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Ceremony

This ceremony spot in Sedona wasn’t a hike, just a small walk up a hill. It’s the perfect spot to hold an intimate wedding of 10-20 guests. The parking lot has plenty of spots usually, but I often suggest arranging a shuttle if you anticipate more than 4 vehicles. In Sedona, you never know if there will be a lot of people, or even if another wedding will be taking place at the same location.

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Randi, Andrew, and their guests were all full of emotion at this intimate wedding. Their vows were sweet and meaningful, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd.

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After sharing their first kiss, Randi and Andrew celebrated the beginning of their marriage by popping a bottle of champagne.

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MoodyPortraits in Sedona

After we held the intimate ceremony, Randi, Andrew and I found an even more secluded spot in Sedona for couples portraits. The reason we didn’t have the entire ceremony here was because has hike that was a bit more strenuous than the older guests could handle. But we were absolutely secluded while we were taking photos here.

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Sedona doesn’t often rain, but when it does, the rain pools in the red rocks. These pools of water create beautiful elements in photos.

Intimate Wedding Dinner

After the portraits, we returned back to the Airbnb to share dinner and dessert with the guests. Intimate weddings should also have a gathering after the ceremony, just like weddings have a reception. Even if you don’t choose to cut the cake, taking time to celebrate with guests is a great way to end the day.

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Get in Touch

Sedona is full of amazing spots to hold an intimate wedding or elopement. If you’re curious about finding a spot that meets your needs, get in touch with me! With me, I will help you choose a location and create a timeline. I’ll guide you through the process of eloping in Sedona.

GET IN TOUCH

If you’d like to find out more about how to elope in Sedona, check out my blog HOW TO ELOPE IN SEDONA.