This guide will help you plan your Salt Lake City elopement, so you can worry less and adventure more! Most couples look to Colorado or other countries when they’re thinking of having a mountain elopement. And while those are wonderful locations, let me tell you why you should consider Salt Lake City for your elopement!
Why have an elopement in Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City is the perfect place for an elopement if you want mountain and/or city views. With tons of hiking and 4WD trails, lakes, and stunning views, you can’t go wrong with eloping in Salt Lake!
Here are a few reasons to consider when thinking about Salt Lake City for your elopement:
Super accessible mountain locations
For starters, our mountains are incredibly accessible! My one caveat with eloping in Colorado, is that you have to drive at least 30 minutes to an hour to get to the mountains. In Salt Lake, you can be in the mountain within 10-30 minutes depending on where you are in the valley! There are also many locations that don’t require a bunch of hiking and can be wheelchair accessible if needed.
Epic mountain views
There is no shortage of stunning mountain views here in Salt Lake! Heck, I can just look out the window of my house and see mountains in all directions. A quick drive to the canyons in Salt Lake will get you views with forests, mountains, lakes, wildflowers, and more! And if you’re willing to drive about an hour outside of Salt Lake, those views are amplified!
Elopement vendors
A lot of wedding vendors have high minimums that can only be reached with a high guest count. However, Utah in general has become a big elopement destination. So many vendors like florists, cake makers, hair and makeup artists, and caterers/private chefs have created packages just for elopements!
You can get married the same day
There’s no waiting period on marriage licenses in Utah. So you can get married the same day as you apply for your license. But if you’re traveling in from out of state, I highly recommend that you arrive in Utah early so you can adjust to the altitude before your wedding. It’s also nice to pick up the marriage license at least a day before your adventure so you don’t have to rush around the day of or wait in line at a county clerk’s office.
You can apply for your marriage license online
Utah is one of the only states where you can apply for your marriage license online, which makes the process much easier! There is a small fee to do your license online, but worth it so you don’t have to do it before or the day of your wedding.
Best time of the year to elope in Salt Lake City
There are spots around Salt Lake and the surrounding mountains where you can elope at any time of the year. However, my favorite seasons are summer and falls!
Spring
If you are looking for mountain views, the springtime can be tricky to navigate. Depending on how much rain and snowfall we get in the winter months, spring can look very muddy and wet. If you want to do the mountains in the spring, I highly suggest the later spring months. And even then, a lot of mountain roads are not accessible until June or early July because they’re still under 10+ feet of snow.
But if you’re looking at the Great Salt Lake or Salt Flats, the springtime is perfect! Both spots are very exposed to the sun. So the spring is perfect because it’s not too hot and the sun will add the perfect amount of warmth to your day.
Summer
Summer is my absolute favorite time of the year for elopements in and near Salt Lake City! Everything is alive and in bloom in the summer and the mountains really show off. Towards the end of May through July you’ll see wildflowers blooming in the lower mountain areas. And from July to early August, wildflower pop off at the higher elevations. Mix those with some forests and alpine lakes and you have the PERFECT mountain adventure! The temperatures in the mountains are also the most pleasant during the summer months. While it may be boiling hot in the valley and especially down in southern Utah, the mountains are cooler and provide a nice relief from the heat.
Fall
Fall is my next favorite season for elopements in and near Salt Lake City. The aspen trees start turning yellow and orange in September and you just can’t beat driving through the canyons to see them in all their glory! Mix those aspen trees with the lush green pines and mountain peaks sticking out from behind, and you have the most beautiful and unimaginable fall backdrop to say your vows to each other.
Winter
Eloping in the winter in Salt Lake City is going to be cold. But if you don’t mind the cold (hello Elsa) or love the snow, then Salt Lake and/or Park City is perfect for you!
The Salt Lake City and Park City areas are known for having some of the best snow on earth. We also experience snow and winter conditions for about 5-6 months out of the year. So we’ve become very adaptable to the weather during this time of the year and have many activities available to you!
Here’s a list of winter activities to consider for your winter elopement in Salt Lake!
- Snowshoeing
- Snowmobiling
- Dog sledding
- Ride a gondola to the top of a mountain to say your vows
- Make some hot chocolate or hot toddies
- Enjoy a warm dinner and or drinks by a fire
- Horse-drawn sleigh ride
- Hop in the hot tub after a day on the mountain
- Check out the ice caves
- Sledding
- Build a snowman
- Ice skating
Elopement planning checklist
Brainstorm:
Consider having a date night with your partner, where you grab your favorite takeout and drinks, and make a list of all the things you can dream up for your wedding/elopement day. Think about what activities you might want to do, what you want to eat, who you want to invite if you plan on having guests, etc.
Pick your date and location:
Some will tell you to book your photographer first even if you don’t have a location in mind. And while you can do that, I would recommend choosing at least a general area first. So say you know you want to elope in the mountains near Salt Lake City, but you don’t know exactly where. That’s okay! As long as you have a general area in mind, I can help you find the perfect location based on what you are envisioning for your day.
It’s also good to have a date picked out or at the very least, a timeframe of when you would like to elope. That way, you can find a photographer and other vendors that are available at the time you are wanting to get married!
Find your photographer:
Now I know this may sound biased, but booking your photographer should be one of the very first things you do. For one, we tend to book out early in the year, and you don’t want to miss out on booking your favorite photographer! But two, and even more important, I highly suggest hiring a photographer that specializes in elopements (like myself). Those of us that specialize in elopements tend to offer planning assistance and can help you during that process and take some of the stress off of you! We’ve also done many elopements and can give you advice where you may need it.
Find your other vendors:
Once you have booked with me, I will send you a list full of vendor recommendations that I have personally worked with or vetted that I believe will enhance your elopement day.
Book your travel:
Once you’ve started planning and have a date picked and location picked out, you should start booking your travel arrangements. This can include flights, car rentals, and places to stay. If you need help on places to stay, don’t worry, I have some recommendations up my sleeve for that, too!
Plan your day:
Now that you know where you are eloping and have your travel arrangements made, it’s time to start putting together your elopement day. I will help you make everything come together, but this is a great time to brainstorm together on if you want getting ready and detail photos, where you want to have your ceremony, and what activities you want to do on your elopement day. Think about if you want to have a moment to do private vows between the two of you if you are having guests. Come up with food and drink ideas.
If you need some inspiration on what you can do for 4, 8, or 12 hours, be sure to check out my blog post with example timelines!
Obtain your marriage license:
This is a pretty easy step in this whole process! Like I mentioned above, you can get your marriage license the day of your elopement day or you can even do it ahead of time online!
Elopement day:
It’s finally time to get you two married and have the best adventure ever! Everything you have worked towards is finally here! I’ll send you a timeline 2 weeks prior for you to check off so that the day of runs as smooth as possible.
You receive your photos:
I will send you some sneak peek photos within 48 hours of your elopement and then the rest of the gallery will be ready in 4 weeks! Afterwards, you are free to print and share your photos with your loved ones.
