Today is the one year anniversary of this Horseshoe Bend elopement! May 14th, 2019 was an incredibly special day. Elopements are always graced with a special kind of magic, and Kat and Kyle’s beautiful day was no different. Gathered with just their immediate families on a ledge overlooking a majestic turn in the Colorado River, vows were exchanged, rings were dropped (whoops!) and champagne was shared. This is part 2 of a blog post featuring this trip to Arizona- view Part 1!
We had all kinds of weather, including some pretty epic wind that was possibly made worse by the amazing location of their gorgeous hilltop Airbnb. We had a bit of rain, and then things cleared up and we were blessed by some really amazing light that settled in right as we arrived at the ceremony site. Sunny and bright with some perfect cloud cover to diffuse the sun- Mother Nature ended up being on our side!
Kat and Kyle arranged the most perfect day from start to finish, and it was an absolute treat to document it all. After an incredibly sweet first look and family photos at the Airbnb, we hopped in an open air 4×4 vehicle and hit the road! Our first stop was a private visit at a slot canyon, which we had completely to ourselves. This pretty much looks exactly the same as the super popular Antelope Canyon, but without all the crowds! I couldn’t tear myself away from photographing so many portraits of Kat and Kyle here, but they knew that the best was yet to come.
Horseshoe Bend was absolutely breathtaking and I have never in my life seen such a picture perfect spot to tie the knot. The company that toured us around (shoutout to HorseshoeBendTours.com!) has private access to this ledge, and once again, we were the only ones there. It was such an incredible spot to see and so special to not have to share the view with crowds of people. After the ceremony and TONS of portraits (again, could not tear myself away!) Kat and Kyle hosted a special dinner at a restaurant on the water. To end the evening, everyone headed back to the Airbnb for cake and toasts, and a sweet first dance on the grand patio.
Intimate ceremonies and epic elopements have certainly seen their popularity rise over the last several years, but with so many weddings being postponed and plans being changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I really think that elopements are going to be more popular than ever before. At every elopement I’ve photographed, I can tell how special it is for each person who is there to be witnessing a moment so special and intimate. I always feel thankful that I get to be there for those moments, and I always make sure to get tons of photos of the few special guests watching the ceremony. Seeing parents swell with pride and joy is one of my favourite parts of wedding days, and I love how much time Kyle and Kat got to spend with their families on this day.
Many tears and many laughs were shared a year ago, and I hope Kat and Kyle are able to celebrate in style today, despite the current situation our world faces.
Enjoy!
xo Jenn
