← All Services by Jade Jarvis Photography
couple eloping in Salt Lake Utah kissing with wild mountain summer background

Helping bridal couples Create their Unique Utah Elopements

Adventure Elopements

book your utah Elopement photography
★★★★★ Google Reviews

shooting weddings since

2025

couple hugging after wild adventure ceremony in Saint George Utah

What does it mean to Elope?

Elopements are a type of untraditional wedding that is based around you as a couple. There is no cookie-cutter way and it gives you free rein on your wedding day.

When you choose to elope, you’re choosing to put your relationship first over hosting a big party for your friends and family. Eloping allows you to build your day around what's meaningful and important to you, through activities and landscapes you get to explore together.

The short version: a wedding is typically built around hosting family and friends at a planned venue with a reception. An elopement centers on just the two of you, plus however many or few guests you choose, exchanging vows somewhere meaningful, often paired with an adventure activity, with no reception required. Both are legally the same marriage, just a different shape of day.

When you Elope you…

An elopement is more than a spur-of-the-moment decision

Some couples plan an elopement for a year, complete with permits, a photographer, hair and makeup, and a custom timeline. Others decide on a Tuesday and are married by the weekend. Neither approach makes it more of an elopement than the other. What makes it an elopement isn't how fast you plan it: it's that the day is built around the two of you first.

Just like weddings, elopements can be as elaborate as you want! A full day of exploring, hanging out with your person, doing what you love and creating a day you’ll remember forever. Your wedding day should be a reflection of you both. Filled with your hobbies, special & meaningful moments and ultimately enjoying your day with your favourite person by your side! Which is why you choose to elope!

Elopements are not just about getting married quickly or on a whim. Elopements are just weddings that are focused on you, reflect you both as a couple and allow you to experience a wedding day with no rules doing what you want to do!

A wedding photographer in a stylish green jumpsuit relaxes on a black leather couch against a light gray wall.

Hello Fellow Adventurers

My name is Jade and the mountains are my playground

Spending the last couple of summers exploring Moab, Saint George and Hanksville, I know all the ins and outs of the area, From the best time to visit, parking, avoiding crowds, and the lesser-known spots.

Just like you, I understand that life’s greatest treasures are moments. Not big elaborate productions that will fade, but those moments doing what you love surrounded by our beautiful world with your favorite person.

If you love adventure, want a stress stress-free elopement, ready to stand on the edge of a cliff, climb a mountain and aren’t afraid to get a little dirt on your boots then I can’t wait to meet you!

We want you!

How Do I Plan an Elopement in Utah?

  1. Pick your setting. Red rock canyon, snowy mountain pass, desert overlook: start with the landscape that feels like you. My Utah Park Elopement Guide compares permits, fees, and group caps for every national park, national monument, and state park in the state.
  2. Sort out permits and your marriage license. Some locations (BLM land, most of Salt Lake City) need no permit at all; national parks and some state parks require a Special Use Permit. Your marriage license is a separate step through any Utah county clerk, valid for 32 days with no waiting period.
  3. Book your photographer and officiant. I coordinate permit paperwork as part of every package, and can point you toward officiants used to small, informal ceremonies rather than traditional wedding-day formality.
  4. Decide how the day feels. Just the two of you, or a handful of guests? A hike, a helicopter ride, a bar crawl after the courthouse? There's no fixed script, just what you two want to do together.

See current pricing on the Utah elopement packages page, or start with the park-by-park permit comparison if location is your first decision.

looking for something all-inclusive?

How Much Does It Cost to Elope in Utah?

My Utah elopement packages start at $2,000 for a mini elopement booked within two months of your date, with full-day and multi-day adventure packages running $5,870 to $10,500 depending on how much ground you want to cover and what's included (officiant, florals, hair and makeup, permit assistance). See the full breakdown of Utah elopement packages and pricing to find your fit.

laughing bride and groom walk around orem utah temple surrounded by family and friends candid wedding photo

You want an elopement day that’s memorable and beautiful without the stress of posing for pictures. That’s where I come in! As your Utah elopement photographer I’m here to document your day and make pictures comfortable.

What’s included in your Utah elopement experience?

Discover your Elopement package

You’re here because you want more than pretty photos. You want life-long memories

What does an Elopement look like?

Just like most couples, you probably have no idea where to start when it comes to elopements. Unlike weddings, there is no set checklist of what a typical elopement looks like so you may be pretty lost right now trying to figure it all out which is totally normal! If you’re kinda lost, here are some ideas to help you start envisioning your day!

Couple in snowy winter forest, woman in white dress and man in beige sweater, opening champagne in fresh snow.

Elopement Activities

Activities are a great way to add some more fun and adventure into your elopement! You can choose to do multiple activities or just one depending on what you prefer. There are so many activities you can do from skiing/snowboarding, paddle boarding, a canoe ride, a picnic, helicopter tour, hiking and so much more!

couple eloping in Salt Lake Utah kissing with wild mountain summer background

Elopement Locations

This is where you get to dream up the elopement locations of your dreams! Here's what to consider when you’re brainstorming a destination: what activities do you want to do? What views do you want to see (waterfalls, mountains, desert canyons, etc.)? What about outfits and weather? This all matters when it comes to selecting a destination!

couple exchanging riverside vows during elopement

Elopement Size

How do you picture your elopement? Do you picture it to be just you and your fiancé? Do you see your friends there? Family? This is all important to consider and its totally up to you!

Couple exchanging rings during a winter wedding ceremony outdoors in snowy landscape with officiant. Couple holding hands in snowy winter forest with tall pine trees covered in snow during an outdoor elopement ceremony.
couple eloping in Salt Lake City Utah ski adventure elopement
Bride and groom holding hands while walking along a red rock ridge during their St. George elopement

Check out some adventurous love stories here in Utah

newly married couple laughing after their snowy elopement ceremony in Salt Lake Utah

blog post

Mavely + Tyler’s Brighton Winter Ceremony

boyfriend and girlfriend hugging after summer proposal in Provo Canyon Utah

gallery

Bree + Garrett

A newly engaged couple embraces outdoors against a bright blue sky with tree branches visible in the background. Lindon Utah

gallery

Bella + Taylor

A black and white sequence of dance floor moments showing a bride enjoying herself at a utah wedding reception

candid elopement photography packages

see Packages starting at $2,000

Need some help deciding how long your Elopement should be?

You’re not sure how long you need for your elopement and that’s totally ok! It’s normal to feel lost and unsure in this area, due to the fact that elopements are not the typical wedding route for most people.

My elopement timeline samples offer you an idea to start dreaming up your wedding day so you can go into your planning process with a better idea.

When you book with me I help you through this and create custom timelines based on you both and your vison to create a day perfectly suited to you both.

Are you starting to picture your dream Elopement?

Reach out and let’s chat about it! I can help guide you in the right direction and help you put your ideas together to create the perfect and unique elopement of your dreams!

I’m ready!!!

Frequently Asked Questions About Utah Elopements

How much does it cost to elope in Utah?

My Utah elopement packages start at $2,000 for a mini elopement booked within two months of your date, and run up to $10,500 for a multi-day adventure elopement with hair and makeup, florals, and full permit assistance included. Most couples land in the $5,870 to $7,750 range for a half-day or full-day package.

What's the difference between an elopement and a wedding?

Both are legally the same marriage; the difference is in how the day is built. A wedding typically centers on hosting family and friends at a planned venue with a reception. An elopement centers on just the two of you, plus however many or few guests you choose, exchanging vows somewhere meaningful, often paired with an adventure activity, with no reception required.

How do I plan an elopement in Utah?

Start with your setting: red rock canyon, mountain pass, or desert overlook. Then sort out permits (some locations need none, national parks require a Special Use Permit) and your Utah marriage license, which is valid for 32 days with no waiting period from any county clerk. From there, book your photographer and officiant, and decide how the day itself should feel, whether that's just the two of you or a small group, a hike or a helicopter ride.

Do I need a permit to elope in Utah?

It depends entirely on where you choose. Utah's national parks (Zion, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands) all require a Special Use Permit for an actual ceremony, typically $100 to $185. BLM land and most of the Salt Lake City area don't require any permit at all. Some Utah state parks, like Snow Canyon, have their own separate wedding permit process.

How many guests can come to a Utah elopement?

As many or as few as you want. Most couples I work with choose just the two of them, or a small handful of close family and friends. If you're eloping inside a national park, guest counts are capped by whichever ceremony site you choose, usually somewhere between 15 and 100 people depending on the location.

Do you travel for elopements outside Utah?

Yes. Travel anywhere within Utah is included at no extra charge. An elopement elsewhere in the U.S. adds a flat $1,000 travel fee on top of your package price, covering my travel and stay; an international elopement adds $2,000 for the same. Reach out and I'll build the exact number into your quote before you book anything.