Adventure Sedona ATV Wedding

I remember when I first talked to Chelsea and Tanner. They weren’t really sure what kind of elopement they wanted to have exactly but they wanted an elopement adventure and were not afraid to get dirty. At first I wasn’t thinking about a Sedona ATV wedding…

Like some couples, the number of guests changed back and forth a bit. They struggled with how they might do what they want and include the people that they love. At times 

In our conversation, I became nervous that this wedding might include 20 or more people. How could we have a bit of a wilderness experience and still please everyone. We were up for any challenge but ultimately want to work in smaller more intimate affairs. In the end, they decided their wedding should be about them. 

We talked about Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, Lees Ferry, Grand Canyon and lastly, Sedona. Sedona. Though our emails and zoom, we learned who they were, how durable and what kind of adventure might work for them.

“If it’s just the group mentioned above, we could definitely do a mile trek,” Chelsea told us, “Heck, I’m not even afraid of going to the bathroom in the wild…with help with my dress, of course.”

We really appreciated their go with the flow attitude and we continued to offer up new location and adventure ideas until ultimately Chelsea and Tanner decided on Sedona with no entourage, just their two closest friends. At Katy and Sam’s wedding, only Tanner and Chelsea were present, so their presence was essential to this elopement. 

Chelsea and Tanner began dreaming up their elopement days with a train ride on Amtrak and stops all over the southwest before and after the wedding day. They chose September 20th, hopefully a boring Tuesday, to the rest of the world, would leave more space for them to create memories devoid of other tourists. 

We continued to help them with logistics, marriage license location times, travel around the state and eventually where to rent the ATV for this Sedona ATV wedding. Sarah Kay and I went down to identity a wedding location that you HAD to ATV to. We found the perfect spot not too far off a black diamond ATV trail with a nice flat clearing, some privacy vegetation and red rock surroundings. We originally looked at popular locations like the Merry Go Round Rock and Chicken Head Point but decided that a quiet cleaning would lend itself to a more private affair. We didn’t want other ATVs zooming up on us durning the ceremony. 

Before we knew it, this beautiful day that we all planned together was just around the corner…. And we got this call full of panic and sadness. It seemed imminent that Amtrak would go on strike the very day that Chelesa, Tanner, Katy and Sam were set to depart on it. This well-oiled plan full of very specific hotel arrangements, car rentals and stops along the way seemed ruined. We got on an emergency call right away. Both Sarah Kay and I tried to work a contingency plan, we all agreed on one and went to bed tired and nervous about what news might greet us the next morning. Luckily, the strike was postponed and alternate plans aborted. We all breathed a sigh of relief.

The day eventually came and we met them all at the ATV location where we loaded the ATVs with snacks and supplies for the day. It was gray and threatened to rain with the passing hurricane. Once at the location, it truly poured and we waited it out a bit. The day was a lot like this, changing light and heavy clouds and at times, a little bit of rain. Well it cleared up perfectly for the ceremony and the Sedona ATV wedding adventure and then for sunset we walked right into a full double rainbow. We very truly had the most amazing day and I am so happy that everyone rolled with the adventure of it all. 

Call me about planning an adventure wedding. Contact Terri.