Kyhv Peak, Utah (formerly known as Squaw Peak, but was recently renamed from this slur to Kyhv which is the Ute word for mountain.)

Utah is one of the USAs meccas for elopements and weddings, which means it was critical to me that we focus on privacy as well as LNT principles. It’s often hard to find quiet little hideaways or private moments in these landscape focal points. Thankfully, Utah is full of little pull offs and hiking trails that, if you’re up for it, can lead to being miles away from anyone else in the world and offer private, intimate moments of solitude with your favorite person in the world (and, your favorite photographer.)

We woke up early and drove out through a mild snowstorm and in the fog from Salt Lake City up to Kyhv Peak where in the early morning light we quickly set up a lightweight little alter that didn’t need to be stabilized or pushed into the ground in anyway. The sun started to slowly wake up and wink over the edge of the mountains to fall across the winding highway road. The Utah fall weather is certainly chilly, but even through quick snowstorms and gloomy weather the sun manages to push through and cast the land in an orange, warm glow.

The ceremony was short and sweet, focused on reading private, intimate vows expounding on their love, their future, and the quiet little moments that make up a relationship. They chose to have their ceremony and vows out at the peak and save the paper work for later. (Most of my elopement couples choose to not bring along an officiant on their adventure, but save the 3rd party and the filing of documents for later at a courthouse to stay in the moment and preserve the magic.) After the ceremony they wanted their first portraits as husband and wife, spiritually and emotionally connected, bound by vows, not the laws of man. After our intimate portraiture session we decided to head back to their airbnb for an in-home couples session where they made breakfast together, sipped on coffee, helped each other get undressed, and settled in to escape the chilled October air in Utah.

After visiting and hiking throughout Utah I decided it was one of the best states for a road trip, so I added it to my road trip elopement plans. Utah is one of those states where it’s hard to pick just ONE place to visit or elope too (I provide a list of favorite places down below and honestly can’t narrow it down to one) and I think the best solution is to not pick just one, make a list of your favorites, send it over to me, and I’ll plan the PERFECT Utah based road trip for y’all!

Here’s a short list of my favorite places to elope in Utah. While I always recommend a National Forest or BLM Land which is plentiful out West over a National Park (which requires a permit and doesn’t quiet have enough privacy, I have a few favorites I just can’t leave out):

Toadstool Hoodoos Trail

Zebra Canyon

Devils Garden

Yant Flats Trail

Delano Peak one of my favorites for an elopement

Avenue Twin Peaks another favorite for an elopement

Cecret Lake Trail

Corona and Bowtie Arch Trail

Moab Rim Trail Down for some hardcore off-roading for your elopement? Let’s do it!

Fairyland Loop Trail (No puppies on this one!)

Goblin Valley State Park On My Travel Bucket List!!! This is one of the locations I offer a discount for if you book me for an elopement or musician session here!

Here’s the ONE accessible trail in Zion National Park, hopefully with more awareness to the community we can get more trails just like this one that is wheelchair accessible in other parks while also preserving the natural landscape. Pa’rus Trail

If you’re interested in eloping on horseback in Utah here’s a quick list of the best trails for horseback in Utah: Utah Horseback Elopement Trails

I’m here for quiet little elopements or sprawling, wild adventures to commemorate your love. Just holler at me if you’re down.