Eloping in Sedona, photographed and filmed
An elopement in Sedona is a half day for two, a few witnesses and a crew of two who photograph and film. For a larger guest list, see our Sedona wedding page; here we cover the paperwork, the permits and the plan for the half day.
Last updated
- Coverage
- Photo · Video · Photo + Video
- Collections
- Half day · Full day · Two days
- Travel
- In the quote
- Booking
- Direct with your photographer
In short
A Sedona elopement is a half day with an officiant, two witnesses and one crew for photo and video. Arizona has no waiting period, and Forest Service land needs no permit for a small wedding when only the officiant and photographer or videographer are paid and no sound equipment is used.
Eloping in Sedona
A Sedona elopement is built around one ceremony and the hours of light on either side of it. Who comes is short: the two of you, an officiant, two witnesses, and the crew. Arizona requires two witnesses aged 18 or over1, and Sedona Magistrate Court, which performs ceremonies, can sometimes provide adult witnesses2. A license from either county is valid anywhere in Arizona13, so you can collect it in Flagstaff or Camp Verde and marry in Sedona.
The arc is simple. We start with getting ready and a quiet first look, travel together to the site, hold the ceremony, then spend the rest of the half day on portraits while the light moves. Because the crew is one team, the film and the photographs share a schedule, and the ceremony audio is recorded on the officiant. A half day collection covers all of it, photo and video together.
Getting married in Sedona: the paperwork
Arizona issues the license through the Clerk of the Superior Court. The Yavapai County and Coconino County offices both work, because a license from either is valid anywhere in the state13. The fee is $98 in both, there is no waiting period, and Yavapai licenses stay good for 12 months1. Coconino asks you to marry within one year and return the signed license within 10 days after the ceremony3.
- Both of you appear in person. Yavapai may ask for ID as proof of age and has no blood test or residency requirement1.
- Coconino wants a driver's license, state ID or passport, plus Social Security numbers from U.S. citizens; payment is cash, cashier's check or money order, and the Flagstaff clerk also takes cards3.
- Sedona Magistrate Court performs ceremonies but does not issue licenses2.
On Coconino National Forest land, a wedding of fewer than 75 people needs no permit if the only paid providers are the officiant and the photographer or videographer and there is no sound equipment; anything else needs a special use permit4. If you plan music or a speaker, confirm that condition with the Red Rock Ranger District. Check current status for flooding too: the Forest Service posted an alert on November 2, 2026 for the district, including Oak Creek Canyon5.
Marriage license
- Issued by
- Clerk of the Superior Court — Yavapai County (offices in Prescott and Camp Verde) or Coconino County (courthouse at 200 N. San Francisco St., Flagstaff; also the Page and Williams Justice Courts). Sedona straddles both counties.
- Fee
- $981
- Waiting period
- none1
- Valid for
- 12 months1
- Witnesses
- 2, aged 18 or over1
The day
A half day in Sedona
This sample is an October half day, built on sunrise at 06:32 and sunset at 17:52 on October 158, and on Crescent Moon's October 11 to March 31 ceremony slots at 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm and 4 pm9. If that site is closed, the same order moves to another one.
- Getting ready and a quiet first look, close to where you are staying.
- Travel to the site; the crew walks it with the officiant.
- The ceremony, in the 4 pm slot.
- Couple portraits along the creek while the light lowers.
- Final frames; sunset follows at 17:52.
October at Sedona station averages a 78.7 °F high and a 51 °F low, with 1.38 in of rain7: warm in the afternoon, cool by sunset. Sunset comes early in October, so the half day ends in afternoon light rather than a long evening.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 07:34 | 17:38 |
| Apr | 05:55 | 18:59 |
| Jul | 05:24 | 19:41 |
| Oct | 06:32 | 17:52 |
Sunrise and sunset computed for the 15th of each month, local time.8
Where we shoot an elopement in Sedona
Four places we plan Sedona elopements around, each with its own rule.
- Airport Mesa a scenic overlook and hiking trail about 300 yards north-east of Sedona Airport10.
- Red Rock Crossing, Verde Valley School side reached from the roadside at Baldwin Trailhead parking, with no reservation and no fee9.
- Crescent Moon Picnic Site reservation-only on recreation.gov. A Small Wedding slot holds up to 15 people for two hours with three reserved parking spaces, at $114 on a weekday or $130 on a weekend or holiday9; no arches, tables or carpets, and no amplified music. Check current status before planning around it11.
- Slide Rock State Park an Arizona State Park in Oak Creek Canyon, 7 miles north of Sedona, named for a natural water slide in the creek bed12.
Collections
Every collection comes as photo, video, or both, with the same team on the day. Half day covers an elopement or a small ceremony and portraits; Full day runs from getting ready to the first hour of the reception; Two days adds a rehearsal dinner, a welcome evening or a next-morning session. Travel to Sedona is built into the quote, not added later.
Prices depend on the date, the team and how far we travel, so we send a price list for Sedona rather than publishing one number for every town. Ask for it below; it arrives within one business day.
Half day
Covers an elopement or a small ceremony and portraits.
- Edited gallery
- Print rights
- Sneak peek within days
- Feature film
- Teaser
- Full ceremony audio
- One crew
Full day
Runs from getting ready to the first hour of the reception.
- Edited gallery
- Print rights
- Sneak peek within days
- Feature film
- Teaser
- Full ceremony audio
- One crew
Two days
Adds a rehearsal dinner, a welcome evening or a next-morning session.
- Edited gallery
- Print rights
- Sneak peek within days
- Feature film
- Teaser
- Full ceremony audio
- One crew
How booking works
- Send the form with your date and location.
- We reply within one business day with the Sedona price list and the partner's recent work.
- Call with the photographer; if it fits, a deposit holds the date.
- A short questionnaire about people, places and timing, two weeks before.
- The day.
- A sneak peek first, then the full gallery and the film on the dates set in your contract.
Questions about eloping in Sedona
01Do we need witnesses to elope in Sedona?
02Can you help us choose a time and a spot for the ceremony?
Yes. At Crescent Moon, the October 11 to March 31 slots are 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm and 4 pm, and the April 1 to October 10 slots are 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm and 5 pm9. We match the slot to the light, and move to another site if that one is closed.
03How long does an elopement session take?
A half day collection covers getting ready, the ceremony and portraits. The ceremony itself is short: a Crescent Moon Small Wedding slot lasts two hours, including arrival and departure9. The rest of the half day is for portraits as the light moves.
04Can family join us for part of the day?
05Where is the most romantic place to propose in Sedona?
That is a matter of taste, so we answer with what we can source. We photograph couples at Red Rock Crossing, where Cathedral Rock is reflected in Oak Creek11, and at Airport Mesa, an overlook north-east of the airport10. We also shoot proposals and engagement sessions; see engagements.
Say when.
Tell us the date, who is coming and which part of Sedona you are drawn to. We reply within one business day with the Sedona price list and a partner's recent work.
Sources
- Yavapai County Clerk of the Superior Court — Marriage Licenses (fee, appearance, waiting period, validity, witnesses); verified 2026-11-06 courts.yavapaiaz.gov/clerk/Marriage-Licenses
- City of Sedona Municipal Court — Weddings (Wayback snapshot 2026-10-21; live page blocks automated access) web.archive.org/web/20261021025824/https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments/municipal-court/weddings
- Coconino County Clerk of the Superior Court — Marriage Licenses (Wayback snapshot 2025-08-25; live page blocks automated access) web.archive.org/web/20250825112359/https://www.coconino.az.gov/134/Marriage-Licenses
- USDA Forest Service, Coconino National Forest — Permits: Group Events (Including Weddings) and Wedding Information fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/permits
- USDA Forest Service, Coconino NF — Alert: Red Rock Ranger District affected by severe flooding; many closures in effect (start date 2026-11-02) fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/alerts/red-rock-ranger-district-affected-severe-flooding-many-closures-effect
- Wikidata Q80041 (Sedona): population P1082 (2020 census), elevation P2044 1,319 m, inception P571 1902 wikidata.org/wiki/Q80041
- Wikipedia, "Sedona, Arizona" — weather box, Sedona station, NOAA 1991–2020 normals en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedona,_Arizona
- Computed with suncalc (NOAA algorithm) for the 15th of the month at 34.8697, -111.761, America/Phoenix (MST, no DST) github.com/mourner/suncalc
- USDA Forest Service — Crescent Moon Day Use Site Wedding Policy (effective 1 January 2025, PDF) fs.usda.gov/sites/nfs/files/r03/coconino/publication/2025%20Crescent%20Moon%20Wedding%20Policy.pdf
- Wikipedia, "Airport Mesa" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_Mesa
- USDA Forest Service, Coconino National Forest — Crescent Moon Picnic Site fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/crescent-moon-picnic-site
- Wikipedia, "Slide Rock State Park" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_Rock_State_Park