A Moab Elopement | From Arches National Park to Dead Horse Point

Kelly and Tyler traveled from Florida with their closest friends and family for their epic and heartfelt Moab elopement. These two are the kindest, sweetest people you will ever meet! We started the day with a tearjerker first look between Tyler and Kelly, and then a first look with Kelly and her Dad. They exchanged vows under Sand Dune Arch, one of my favorite ceremony locations at Arches National Park, and then we headed over to Dead Horse Point State Park to play along cliff edges and enjoy the sunset. I LOVED every minute of this elopement, and I am thrilled I was able to help these two plan such an awesome day.

Now for some Q&A from the gorgeous Kelly:

How did you and your significant other first meet?

We met at our part time job at school, Columbia Sportswear. It took about six months of me finding projects to work with him on waiting for him to ask me out before I finally took his number off our phone tree and made the first move because I couldn’t wait any longer.

What is your proposal story?

I actually ruined my own engagement twice and then almost again on the day of. (Obviously didn’t I didn’t know his plans). On the day everything finally happened, went downtown (we live in St. Augustine) under the guise of looking for a birthday present for his brother. I got annoyed because it didn’t seem like he was taking my present suggestions at all. We had some time to kill before we had to go to dinner so he asked if I wanted to walk the bay front. We walked the bay front, he made a comment about it being a crazy world, stopped, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was SHOCKED. I was also oblivious because our parents were hiding behind a palm tree and I had no idea, they jumped out and surprised us and then his brother and the little nieces came strolling down the path too. It was a crazy day in a crazy world.

What are your favorite things to do together?

We love to do outdoor activities together.

Why did you decide to elope/have an intimate ceremony?

I’ve never been one of those girls who’s dreamed of a wedding period, let alone one who dreamed of a big extravagant day. As we started talking about what we wanted COVID provided a great excuse for us to do whatever we really wanted, which ended up being a grand adventure with a handful of people closest to us.

What was your favorite thing about your wedding/elopement day?

It was just so magical. This is the part where I’m supposed to say “marrying my best friend”, that was great and all, but I think my favorite thing was being able to have time him and I where we could explore and adventure.

What advice do you have for other couples that are thinking about eloping?

DO IT! I have zero regrets and honestly want to do it all over again because it was such a magical day. We had an intimate wedding and then left and went on our own mini adventure, it allowed those super important to us to be there while also allowing the day to be completely about us. People kept asking me if I was stressed on my wedding day and honestly there was no reason to be stressed because all that mattered was Tyler and I getting married, there was none of the extra stuff to stress about that comes when you have a traditional wedding. Don’t let the fear of others opinions and reactions hold you back, it’s not about them.