frequently asked questions

Elopement and Wedding

Where can I get married at Grand Canyon National Park? 

Although you can take wedding photos anywhere that the public is allowed to go, you are only allowed to get married at permitted locations at Grand Canyon.

WHAT ARE THE PERMITTED LOCATIONS ALLOWED FOR GRAND CANYON WEDDINGS? 


At the South Rim some locations are available year-round and some are seasonal. Grand Canyon’s North Rim is only open seasonally from May-October.

South Rim locations are - Rim Worship Site, Pima Point, Grandeur Point, Shoshone Point, Moran Point and my personal favorite, Lipan Point.

North Rim locations are - Cape Royal Amphitheater and Point Imperial. 

Each viewpoint has it’s own personality and some can offer a more private ceremony location than others and some are more visible by other tourists. Some locations are accessible for the winter and some are permitted for the winter but vulnerable to road closures. 

I am here to guide you in making the most educated decision based on what your needs are and if you will be accommodating lots of people for the wedding or eloping, just the two of you.

When do I need to apply for a permit?

Weddings at Grand Canyon can be planned up to a year in advance or as little as 4 months in advance. 


How much does the Grand Canyon wedding permit cost?

Shoshone Point costs $500 while non-Shoshone Point wedding permits cost $240.


How do I find resources/services like florals, wedding cakes, hair and makeup and officiants or ministers for my Grand Canyon wedding?

Luckily depending on the type of marriage ceremony or elopement that you are planning, I can help wrangle and connect you to all of the appropriate vendors including catering if it’s permitted in the location that you choose.


How do I get an Arizona marriage license to get married at Grand Canyon?

AZ marriage licenses must be obtained though Coconino County Courthouses in Flagstaff, Page, Williams or Fredonia on the business day before the wedding is to take place. 

How many people do I need to get legally married at Grand Canyon?

In order to fill out the marriage certificate, it must be signed by the officiant and 2 witnesses. As a photographer, I can be one of those witnesses and most times of the year, it’s relatively easy to ask a bystander to be the second witness on the certificate.

Engagement and Proposals

Should I do a sunrise or sunset engagement proposal at Grand Canyon?


Depending on the season, I usually recommend sunset for proposals. I’ve done a ton of both and sunset seems the easier one to orchestrate but sunrise has its potential for magical photos as well. One thing I will say is, if you are NOT a morning person, I don’t recommend sunrise. For sunrise photo sessions, it’s imperative to be on time. The proposal will happen before the sun actually rises, leaving the sunrise for portraits and easier communication. It get’s bright quickly and there is nowhere to hide from the sun in the desert so usually I work quickly at sunrise. I know a few locations that keep open shade for longer than most. Sunset can be a bit easier, I use some shrubs to hide the direct sun as it’s setting and feel like it can be a bit more of a relaxed engagement session. Usually I’ll try to do two or more locations for variety in a sunset proposal shoot.


How can I find a secluded proposal location at a busy national park like Grand Canyon?


Well, luckily YOU don’t have to. I’ve lived and worked at Grand Canyon since 2009. I’m up there all the time so as visitation fluctuates seasonally and economically, I know the best spots to get away from others. However, my plan hinges on me blending in with the crowd and looking like any other tourist with a camera around my neck, so I choose locations that are still visited, have small parking lots and people that come and go but don’t stop for too long.


At What location should I propose at the Grand Canyon?

It’s so hard to say! Every season changes light, influx of tourism or lack of, road closures due to snow or otherwise. Some times of the year you can see the sun set over the rim of the canyon in some locations, and other times you can’t. There are a great many bends and folds at the canyon rim that sometimes obscure the sunrise or sunsetting over the rim from your view. So it would be pretty hard for you to plan this yourself but luckily, the Grand Canyon is home to me and I know every bend and fold and can help guide you in the location and the perfect plan for your surprise proposal.

Portraits

Do you do family photos at Grand Canyon?


Although I am not currently advertising for family photos at Grand Canyon, occasionally I still accept family sessions, maternity sessions and senior portraits. Mostly I am working to specialize in couples photography but happy to help with other kinds of portraits when I am available. I also have an associate photographer to take on family photos when I am busy with elopements and proposals at the canyon.

Do you only work at Grand Canyon?

Though Grand Canyon is my most favorite national park an the one that I know like a friend, I have worked shooting proposals, engagements and some family photos in Arched National Park, Death Valley National Park, Grand Teton National Park. I want to try to be as green as I can and also as much of an expert as I can in one place, so I am mostly working in Arizona as a photographer and taking photos at Horseshoe Bend, Sedona, Flagstaff and Saguaro National Park.