The 13 Most Breathtaking Utah Elopement Locations in 2025

Table of Contents:

• How to Decide Where to Elope in Utah
• The 13 Best Places to Elope in Utah in 2025
• How to Legally Elope in Utah
• All-Inclusive Utah Elopement Packages

While no one place is ever really your home as a nomad who travels around in a camper van, Utah is probably the place that came closest for me. I’ve discovered every epic Utah elopement location on the map, explored some of the country’s most breathtaking parks, and covered miles upon miles of desert with incredible couples. 

That’s why I’m confident that, while there are certainly other guides out there like this, I’ve got only the best of the best places to elope in Utah for you to browse through. From the iconic red sandstone arches to the vast desert valleys that seem to touch the horizon, you’ll leave this guide with a much better idea of where you’d like to tie the knot—and all the resources to make it happen!

How to Decide Where to Elope in Utah

I know what you might be thinking: if there are SO many amazing places to elope in Utah, how are you ever supposed to choose just one?

Spoiler alert: You actually don’t have to choose just one. Your timeline can include multiple different spots if time allows, depending on how close they are to each other of course—get my best tips for planning a seamless elopement timeline here.

But back to the actual subject of this section, which is picking a location for your Utah elopement ceremony. 

Here are the main things you’ll want to keep in mind when sifting through all your options!

Landscapes

When you envision you and your partner holding hands, saying your vows, and exchanging rings, what does it look like around you? Are you standing underneath an iconic red rock arch? In front of a vast desert expanse that seems to be endless? Maybe you’re overlooking a deep canyon full of towering spires, jagged cliffs, and river basins.

Utah is famous for being incredibly diverse, offering many different types of terrain including:

• Canyons
• Deserts
• Forests (crazy, right?)
• Mountains
• Plateaus
• Basins

You really can’t go wrong—Utah is one of those states that is beautiful at nearly every turn. Start by figuring out what type of landscape/scenery is your top priority for your ceremony, and then you can add additional locations from there, if you’d like.

Seasons

Next, think about what you want the weather to be like on your elopement day. The best time to elope in Utah is typically in the spring and fall, when temperatures are comfortable enough to hike + be outdoors for long periods of time—but it’ll depend on your specific location and timeline. I’ll be able to help you pick a date when we work together, if you don’t have one set yet.

Activities

Utah has no shortage of rad activities and adventurous ways to spend time, including:

• Hiking
• Rock climbing (my personal favorite—learn how to plan a rock climbing elopement here!)
• Canyoneering
• Off-roading
• Rafting
• Hot air ballooning
• Sandboarding

Decide what kinds of activities you want to incorporate into your day, and then you can figure out what locations + time of year will be best for those.

Crowds

Don’t forget to account for crowds when choosing your Utah elopement location, unless you really don’t care about exchanging intimate vows in front of large groups of tourists! Most of Utah’s national parks see their peak season from around May through September, so I’d recommend eloping in the early spring or later fall if you can manage it.

Permits

Finally, permits will play a huge factor in deciding where to elope. If you’re planning an elopement less than 1-3 months away (which is totally possible, btw—learn how here), getting a national park wedding permit is unlikely, so you’ll need to opt for a permit-free location. I know quite a few places around Utah that don’t require permits, so don’t worry, you’ll still have plenty of options!

The 13 Best Places to Elope in Utah in 2025

Ready to dig into all the most epic places to get married in Utah? 

1. Arches National Park

Boasting over 2,000 natural stone arches that have become total icons of Utah, Arches National Park offers some of the most stunning landscapes in the state. The vibrant red and orange rock formations are unreallll and truly provide otherworldly backdrops for any eloping couple. You won’t want to leave this park too early in the day, as it’s famous for its incredible stargazing opportunities thanks to its remote location + lack of light pollution! 10/10 recommend including photos under the stars, you won’t regret the magic that comes of it.

2. Bonneville Salt Flats

Home to many an Instagram influencer photo, the Bonneville Salt Flats offer a totally different type of scenery than a lot of the locations on this list that are further south. Rather than colorful orange rocks and massive sand dunes, the salt flats stretch over 30,000 acres of dense salt pan and are just 1.5 hours away from Salt Lake City. The vast white landscape makes you feel like you’re on another planet, with gorgeous sunrises, sunsets, and mountain ridges way out in the distance.

3. Bryce Canyon National Park

If you’ve never heard the word “hoodoo,” good thing there’s a first time for everything! Bryce Canyon National Park is famous for its towering hoodoos, aka these super unique, tall rock spires that have resulted from erosion over the years. Who wouldn’t want to tie the knot in front of sweeping canyon views, surrounded by bright red rock and the grandeur that comes with standing in the middle of a desert? The way the light shines down on the area throughout the day makes for some fun creative shots, too, playing around with shadows and all the different colors of the canyons.

For a little real-life inspo, take a peek at Lacey and Edith’s Spring Bryce Canyon Engagement Photos.

4. Canyonlands National Park

Does your dream elopement location consist of winding canyons, swirling spires, and massive pinnacles that make you feel tiny and insignificant? If so, you may have found just the right location for you! Canyonlands is one of the less busy national parks in Utah, seeing way fewer visitors every year than parks like Arches, which means you’re way more likely to get a bit of privacy for your ceremony. Divided into four different districts, there is SO much ground to cover in Canyonlands, each of which offers its own unique activities, beauty, and magic. 

5. Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park might take the cake when it comes to dreamy golden sandstone, filled with all kinds of expansive canyons, bridges, and natural domes that’ll leave your jaw on the floor (or in the dirt, rather). The park is known for a landmark called the Waterpocket Fold, which is this crazy 100-mile long warp in the literal crust of the Earth that was formed 50-70 million years ago. I’m obsessed with every type of terrain and landscape, but something about walking across a desert that was formed so many millions of years ago is just insanely cool. You can see results of the erosion that formed the rock layers through bright cliffs, colorful patterns, spires, monoliths, arches, and canyons!

6. Dead Horse Point State Park

Ahhh onto one of my all-time favorite (and totally underrated) state parks. If you drive just over 30 miles west of Moab, you’ll find Dead Horse Point State Park, which spans more than 5,000 acres of gorgeous desert terrain. This park only gets about ⅔ the amount of annual visitors that Moab does, so you’re more likely to find privacy amidst the enchanting overlooks, golden sunsets, and dramatic views of the Colorado River.

7. Lake Powell

Located on the Colorado River, Lake Powell is a man-made reservoir that spans northern Arizona and southern Utah, and attracts tons of visitors who love boating, fishing, camping, hiking, and more. One of my favorite places to admire this scenic reservoir is Alstrom Point, a breathtaking overlook that’s only accessible by 4×4 and high-clearance vehicles—meaning there are never too many people up there. Saying your vows against the stunning backdrop of Lake Powell is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for sure, and could be made even better by a little stargazing at the end of the night!

8. Moab BLM Land

A few of the parks I’ve already mentioned in this list are located super close to Moab, but Moab also has plenty of land maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that make for beautiful elopement locations. The BLM Moab Field Office encompasses nearly 2 million acres of desert that winds along the Colorado and Green Rivers, and usually requires a Special Recreation Permit for any wedding ceremonies that take place in the region.

I’m going to save my favorite locations for my booked couples—inquire now to become one— because I’m MORE than happy to help you understand how to use this public land + go through the permit process.

Wish you had a resource full of expertise to help you plan your Moab elopement? I’ve got just the thing for ya.

9. Monument Valley

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is easily one of the most photographed destinations in the country (if not the world), featuring absolutely massive sandstone towers, endless mesas, buttes, trees, sand dunes, and majestic desert views. The 17-mile loop road is famous for its picturesque vistas and rugged desert terrain, with designated routes that offer stunning views of the 90,000+ acre expanse. Many people like to ride horses through this incredible area, which would be SUCH a fun way to explore on your elopement day. No matter your preferred form of transportation (foot, vehicle, or hoof), you’ll need to pay an entry fee as the valley is maintained by Navajo Parks and Recreation!

10. Sand Hollow State Park

If your dream elopement day involves an exhilarating ATV ride through giant sand dunes, then Sand Hollow State Park is the place to be. In the park you’ll find a beautiful blue 1,300-acre reservoir and a large vehicle recreation area on Sand Mountain, ideal for thrilling rides along the ATV trails. The warm water of the reservoir even makes for great opportunities to swim, fish, and boat if you want to take advantage of your time there!

11. Snow Canyon State Park

Named for the white Navajo sandstone that you’ll find throughout the region, Snow Canyon State Park boasts majestic views of over 7,000 scenic acres filled with colorful sandstone cliffs, volcanic lava flows, and various desert flora and fauna. With 16 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails as well as an array of opportunities to rock climb, this area of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve absolutely deserves consideration when deciding where to elope in Utah.

12. Utah Slot Canyons

Utah is renowned for its jaw-dropping slot canyons, which are essentially these long channels carved into soft rock (such as sandstone) by erosion, water, and wind. These narrow gorges provide some of the most unique and dramatic scenery in the world, with evidence of millions of years of erosion literally surrounding you the entire time. I honestly don’t know if there’s anything more striking than a couple dressed in elopement attire, standing in the middle of a slot canyon full of colors, patterns, shapes, and textures—it’s a photographer’s dream come true.

13. Zion National Park

What if I told you that you could explore the vast Utah deserts not by foot, but by horseback on your elopement day? 😉 That’s exactly what one of my couples, Emily and Ryan, did for their adventurous two-day elopement near Zion National Park—and it was a dream come true. The deep chasms and towering cliffs of Zion make it one of those places that makes you feel so small, so reflective, and so in awe of the natural beauty around you. What better place to experience your elopement day than in a location as magical as this, surrounded by sandstone formations in endless shades of pink, orange, and red?

How to Legally Elope in Utah

Before you go, I’ve got a few final pieces of info you should know before eloping in Utah!

How much does it cost to elope in Utah?

Most counties in Utah have a non-refundable $50 marriage license fee, but you may also need to pay additional filing fees, or fees for extra copies. You’ll also need to budget for park entrance fees, backcountry/camping permit fees, and Special Use Permit fees.

Can you get married the same day in Utah?

Yes! There’s no required waiting period in Utah, so you’re free to get married as soon as you have your license. Anybody want to plan a superrrr last-minute elopement? 👀

How long is a marriage license valid in Utah?

Once you have your finalized marriage license, it’ll be valid for 32 days. After that, it expires and you’d have to get a new one.

What documents do you need to get married in Utah?

Both of you will need to bring your social security numbers, valid picture ID, and full names, addresses, and dates + places of birth when you apply for your Utah marriage license.

How many witnesses do you need to get married in Utah?

You’ll need two witnesses over the age of 18 present at your Utah marriage ceremony—I can be one of them for you!

All-Inclusive Utah Elopement Packages

For couples who are craving a once-in-a-lifetime elopement experience in Utah, an all-inclusive elopement package is without a doubt the way to go. All-inclusive means that all the hard stuff is completely done for you, from booking accommodations, to hiring your vendors, to planning an epic multi-day timeline full of your dream adventures—aka everything that takes time away from you simply enjoying the process!

My all-inclusive Utah elopement packages are $9,800, and include travel, planning support, and so so much more. It’s truly the dream way to curate the elopement experience of your dreams without all the stressful stuff—I take that alllll on for you. If you’re ready to get started, slide into my inbox and give me all the details about what you’re dreaming up!

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If you’re set on the idea of a desert elopement but aren’t sure where you want to elope yet, here’s a list of the Top 23 Most Beautiful Desert Elopement Locations in the World.