How to Plan a Winter Elopement in Utah
Utah is such a beautiful location for destination elopements and micro weddings, and while most of these take place during spring through fall, winter is such a magical time to elope in Utah! The mountains are beautiful, National Parks are less crowded, and there are so many amazing winter activities that you can include your celebration. Planning an elopement or micro wedding in winter may seem a little extra challenging - so here is my guide to help you get started!
Where to Elope in Utah in Winter
PARK CITY
Park City is Utah’s most well known mountain town, and is my favorite option for combining an adventurous mountain elopement with a more luxury experience. There are so many amazing hotels, lodges, restaurants, bars, and adventure experience companies. There are beautiful ski resorts, winter sport areas, and state parks that give us a variety of options for photo locations and elopement activities.
SALT LAKE CITY
Salt Lake City may not be in the mountains, but there are so many canyons that can be accessed from the Salt Lake Valley that it is actually a very central area to stay! SLC has so many airbnbs, VRBOs, hotels, restaurants, breweries, and bars to celebrate at, including many that are located in or near the canyons! There are 4 very close ski resorts, and many trails, lakes, and winter sport areas that we can utilize.
MOAB
Winter is the perfect time for a Southern Utah elopement in one of the state’s National or State Parks. These parks are very busy from March to October, so November to February are my favorite months for a Moab elopement! The temperature is not quite as cold as Salt Lake City or Park City, and snow on red rocks is absolutely stunning. Arches and Canyonlands are close to Moab, but one of my favorite options for a Southern Utah winter elopement is actually Capitol Reef National Park! It is the state's least visited park, and winter sees so few visitors that it will feel like you have the whole place to yourself.
ZION & BRYCE CANYON
Zion is the most visited National Park in Utah, so I almost always recommend an off season elopement in Zion. The whole area is beautiful and more secluded in winter, giving us access to some of the more popular spots with way less crowds! Bryce Canyon is also beautiful in winter, but is at a higher elevation and gets colder and more snow, so this park might require a little more adventure and equipment. Both parks are near a couple towns, the largest being St. George, which has many options for hotels, airbnbs, VRBOs, and restaurants.
UTAH WINTER ELOPEMENT ACTIVITIES
Skiing & Snowboarding - most people coming to Utah in winter are coming for the greatest snow on Earth! We can incorporate a ski day into your elopement - whether you like resorts, cross country, or backcountry.
Snowshoeing & Hiking - there are many trails accessible in the winter, most just require a little extra gear! If winter hikes are your thing then we can grab some spikes or snowshoes and hike up to a secluded peak or lake for your vows.
Snowmobiling - there are many snowmobile rentals and tours that you can book, and this way we can access mountains and roads that are closed during the winter. Some airbnbs are only accessible via snowmobile. Many places also have dog sledding!
Distillery & Brewery Tours - Utah has many local distilleries and breweries that offer tours, tasting, and some even have private rooms that can be reserved for events.
Mountain Lodges - many lodges have outdoor fire pits, glass globe dining pods, hot tubs, and many other cold weather amenities to enjoy!
As always, we can include any wedding traditions (and non traditions) that you’d like
Private Chef Dinner or private room dinner at a restaurant
Cake Cutting & Champagne Toast
First Dance
Intimate dinner with friends & family
Winter Elopement Tips
First things first - book a photographer who will help you plan your elopement! I love photographing your full day elopement, but also guiding you to other vendors, scouting locations, creating your timeline, sending recommendations for lodging, rentals, and dining, as well as securing permits and accompanying you on your adventures! My couples are so relieved when they book someone local who can guide them through the whole process, and give them beautiful photos of it all.
PREPARE FOR THE WEATHER
Winter is cold and snowy in Utah, so I always recommend dressing in layers. Wear a base layer under your suit/dress, wear wool socks with boots, and bring cute and cozy coats and blankets to put on in between photos and events. Wear gloves, bring hand warmers, and have a thermos with a hot drink in it to sip in the car.
Snow is always a possibility in the winter, and most of the time we can just embrace it! Snowy photos are so magical, and thankfully snow in Utah is generally light and fluffy with a low water content, which means you won’t get as wet or cold as you might in other snowy areas! In the case of blizzards and serious storms, have an indoor backup or another day backup.
TIMING AND LIGHTING
Winter days are shorter, so plan your ceremony and portraits around the best light. The sun rises between 7 and 8am for most of the winter, and sets between 5 and 6pm. Sunset portraits or a sunset ceremony might actually need to take place around 3pm if you’re in the mountains.
RENT A 4WD VEHICLE
You’ll want a rental with AWD or 4WD if you’re going anywhere near the mountains in the winter. Snowy road conditions can be scary if you’re not used to driving in the snow, so make sure to get a vehicle that will handle snowy roads well.
INDOOR/OUTDOOR
You don’t have to be outside the entire day! Many couples will have an outdoor ceremony and photos, and celebrate together in a mountain lodge or restaurant afterwards. There are many indoor locations for photos and taking a break in all locations listed in this post.
MAKE IT LEGAL
Make sure to secure a Utah Marriage License - see all the info here.
SAMPLE WINTER ELOPEMENT TIMELINE
Sarah & Garret had a stunning full day winter elopement in Park City with their close families, and this was their timeline!
10am Sarah & Garrett Get Ready, Zandra comes for an hour to do detail photos and getting ready
11am Get dressed (aim to put dress on by 10:45), first look at Hotel/Airbnb
11:15am Everyone leaves to Ceremony Location (40 minutes from Airbnb)
12pm Ceremony
12:45pm Family Portraits
1:30pm Family Departs, Snack Break
2pm Portraits and private vows with Sarah and Garrett on canyon road, stop at spots along the drive down to Blue Sky (42 minutes from Ceremony Location)
4pm Arrive at Blue Sky, additional photos on property and inside the lodge
5:18 - SUNSET
5:30pm Champagne Toast & Cake Cutting
6pm Dinner, Zandra leaves
These are just a few ideas for winter elopements, but really the options are limitless! As your Utah Elopement Photographer my goal is to give you photos that feel like you’re reliving your favorite day over and over again, but I also help plan your favorite day from the ground up. I’ll help you have the most intentional elopement possible, because your wedding should feel like you.
Choosing a season is just one of the first steps, I’ll also help with
Timeline Planning
Vendor Recommendations - tailored towards elopements and you two as a couple. No more google searching!
Custom Location Guides - all of my favorite scouted areas that aren’t listed here!
Permit + Licensing help
Adventure Planning - all the best options for skiing, hiking, horseback riding, or whatever else you’re dreaming of doing together!