Moab Elopement and Small Wedding Planning Tips

Planning your Moab Elopement or Small Wedding

All my best tips for planning your Moab Wedding – locations, logistics, and vendors.

I am so stoked you are thinking about getting married in Moab! One of the most beautiful places in Utah, heck the USA. Moab is known as the adventure capital of Utah, easy to see why!

Moab is a very popular place for small weddings and elopements because it is an awesome, friendly little town in the desert surrounded by beautiful canyons, giant red rocks, and arches. Perfect for just the two of you to elope by yourselves or with a few guests. When staying in Moab you are less than an hour from hundreds of beautiful trails and super close to 2 national parks (Arches and Canyonlands), plus  3 more national parks (Zions, Bryce Canyon, and Capitol Reef) only a few hours away.

The best time to get married in Moab is in the Fall or Spring. The summer temperatures are ultra-hot. The 2 national parks there are open year-round though.  No matter what time you visit, stay hydrated, and cool. Desert safety is a must. Watch out for critters too.

Moab attracts people from all over. The trails are there for a reason, stay on them. The Moab desert eco-system depends on the biological soil (it is alive!) Check it out: https://www.nps.gov/articles/seug-soil-crust.htm.

Where to get married in Moab

There are so many amazing places to get married in Moab, Utah! Here are some of my favorites:

Moab Elopement Locations

Please note that most outdoor Moab elopement locations require a permit and have restrictions on the number of guests you can have decor, music, etc.

Arches National Park – Delicate Arch is what you will find on Utah License Plates and is the iconic arch that Arches National Park is known for. You can get a permit for up to 10 people to get married there, or if you go to the viewpoint up to 25. The permit is $185 dollars and there are some restrictions but what a beautiful view! Double Arch and Sand Dune Arch (a mini slot canyon) are also gorgeous.

Dead Horse Point State Park – I love this place for it’s incredible views of canyons and the river from above. Plus, it is DOG FRIENDLY woo! So if you want to get married in Moab with your pup, this is the place to go. The permit is $60+ depending on how many people you have in your wedding.

Canyonlands National Park – Wedding permit is $185 for less than 25 people and your options are all in Island of the Sky which is an epic view of miles of canyons. Beautiful rock features too!

Castle Valley – Famous buttes towering out of the desert along highway 128.

Corona Arch – Easy hike to get to for a less crowded arch.

Moab Wedding Venues

Under Canvas Moab – I am obsessed with Under Canvas! They have campgrounds in several national parks and offer glamping at it’s finest. Their Moab site might be my favorite because they also offer tons of guided adventures in addition to a great place to stay in the desert.

Castle Valley Inn Bed and Breakfast – Beautiful views just outside of Main Street in Moab. This is a cozy little place to enjoy Castle Valley.

Red Cliffs Lodge – Tucked away between canyon walls and right along the river, this is a beautiful place to get married in Moab!

Whispering Oaks Ranch – 50 acres of beautiful land riverside with mountain views. There are several cabins you could stay in and plenty of room to host your small Moab wedding.

Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa – whopping 240 acre property with riverside cabins and plenty of adventure. Absolutely stunning!

Airbnb – Airbnbs are another great option for a place to stay and some allow weddings. (I am an Airbnb associate so I get paid to share this, but it costs nothing to you and I truly love Airbnbs when traveling).

View beautiful wedding and elopement inspiration from the Rocky Mountain Bride Magazine – Moab edition 

What to do on your adventurous Moab Wedding day or Elopement

Adventure lives here! Imagine a having a wedding day you never want to end because you are having so much fun! Here are some unique Moab wedding day ideas:

Moab Rock Climbing & Canyoneering – Moab is famous for it’s beautiful red rocks, what better way to experience Moab than rock climbing! Enjoy helping each other reach the top of the cliff or explore the bottom of one.

Glamping – There are plenty of free camping spots around Moab but if you want to do something extra special for your wedding then you should check out the glamping options! Under Canvas Moab is a beautiful camp site made up of canvas tents. There are tipis, treehouses, and plenty of unique options to connect with nature with a sense of luxury.

Horseback Riding – Riding a horse through the backcountry is so romantic and will give you a view of Moab you can’t see otherwise. Moab Horses offers great options.

Dinner Cruise – Take a sunset jet boat cruise on the Colorado River through Canyonlands, most include dinner and a light show. You can book your cruise here.

Sunset Tour – There are so many ways you could watch the sunset; by jeep tour, hummer tour, small plane tour, helicopter tour, or even a hot air balloon tour. Imagine seeing all of Moab from above!

Spa Day – Sorrel River Ranch offers spa services so you can relax with your partner. Get geared up for your next adventure or soothe sore muscles from your last adventure with a couple’s massage.

Whatever adventure you want to have, you can probably do it in Moab! Great resources to book your adventures:
Airbnb
Tripadvisor
Discover Moab
Moab Adventure Center

Moab Wedding Logistics

Moab is a very popular road trip destination in the Southwest. The closest major airport is Salt Lake City International in Northern Utah.

~4.5 hour drive from Salt Lake City, Utah
~ 8 hour drive from Denver, Colorado
~ 5 hour drive from St. George, Utah
~7 hour drive from Las Vegas, NV
~2 hours from Capitol Reef National Park
~2.5 hour drive from Monument Valley
~4.5 hour drive from Page, AZ (Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon)
~5 hours from Zion National Park
~6.5 hours from The Grand Canyon

Moab, Utah Wedding License

You can get your wedding license in Moab at:

Grand County Clerk/Auditor
125 E. Center St.
Moab, UT 84532

To obtain the marriage license you have to have your IDs, the name of your officiant, and $30 to apply. You can get married anywhere in Utah as soon as you have a marriage license.

You need an officiant and two witnesses over the age of 18 to sign the license to make your marriage official.

Here is the link for all the info https://www.grandcountyutah.net/586/Marriage-Licenses

Moab Wedding Vendors

Here are some amazing wedding vendors that frequent Moab. Don’t be afraid to hire outside the city, Moab is actually a pretty small town. Salt Lake City and Denver wedding vendors will usually travel there.

Moab Wedding Planners
https://www.tellurianevents.com/
https://desertharborretreat.com/Elopement_Packages/index.html
http://thesimplyelegantgroup.com/blog/nataliecolby
https://www.weddingmoab.com/services
https://cultivatedeventsco.com/

Moab Hair and Makeup Artists
http://www.atomic-salon.com/
http://www.lesleylind.com/
https://www.makeupbykatina.com/

Moab Florists
https://byfmk.com/
https://www.floralandfaunadesignco.com/
https://www.etsy.com/search?q=wedding%20bouquets

Moab Photographer
Shameless plug for me! Kaci Lou Photography is a Moab Elopement Photographer & Moab Wedding Photographer 🙂

I am so excited for your Moab wedding! If you need help planning your elopement or small wedding or still need a Moab photographer then I’m your gal. I love Moab! Please reach out to me at https://kacilou.com/contact so we can plan the best day ever!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this post! Do you have any tips to add for planning a Moab wedding or Moab elopement?