I don’t think you’ll find anywhere better for a sunrise elopement in Arizona than the Grand Canyon – even if it is below freezing so early in the morning! Clayton and Darby definitely agreed, as they couldn’t stop smiling their whole wedding day despite the cold.
Meet the Couple
Clayton Leichter and Darby Codd have known each other since elementary school, when Clayton was best friends with Darby’s brother. After not seeing each other for years, the two reconnected in 2020 at a 4th of July picnic. Clayton quickly asked Darby out on a date, and they’ve been together ever since!
What I love about these two is their desire to be true to themselves through every step of their relationship (and now marriage). They knew before they were even engaged that a traditional wedding wasn’t for them – they both hate being the center of attention, so an adventure elopement with just the two of them, their officiant, and a photographer was exactly what the doctor ordered!
Darby and Clayton also love being outdoors and wanted to bring that to their wedding in a…Grand…way (their words, not mine!) The Grand Canyon was the perfect spot to make the first days of their wedding and the last days of their engagement a memorable adventure!
Besides, as Darby said, “How many brides can say that on their wedding day, they had McDonald’s for lunch and took a three-hour nap before dinner?” That sounds like a great reason to elope to me!
Another Vote for Pre-Elopement Meet-ups
I know I say this with every elopement I write about where we met up the day before, but that’s because it makes such a huge difference! Meeting up on location before your wedding day helps immensely to calm the nerves, plus gives us a chance to really fine-tune the timeline so everything goes a lot smoother.
So we met up the day before at the Canyon to scout out locations and officially meet in person. While out exploring, we almost literally ran into a herd of elk, which was equal parts exciting and scary! Pro tip for adventure elopers: don’t approach the wildlife.
Clayton and Darby had already settled on a ceremony spot, and after checking it out we decided a sunrise ceremony would make for the best photos. So it was that we met back there bright and early the next morning at 6:30 am for one of the best sunrises I’ve ever seen!
Where to Elope in the Grand Canyon
If you’re eloping at sunrise like these two did, the rim is the best place to start so you can watch all the amazing colors and landscape shifts (I’m not telling you exactly where – that’s private information for clients only!) After the ceremony and some photos here, we opted to head into Grand Canyon Village where we found a super cool passenger tour train that still operates!
After these two must-visit spots, we had a snowball fight at Shoshone Point (I love a bride who isn’t afraid to get her “princess dress” dirty!) After that was Darby’s favorite spot, Duck on a Rock, where we toasted a couple of beers.
To wrap things up, we headed to Grandview Point to get some more amazing panoramic shots with the happy couple on the rim, then explored different angles of the canyon at Lipan Point.
Why Get Married at the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is just unbeatable when it comes to epic canyons, colorful rock formations, desert trees, and big sky views. I took so many stunning panoramic shots, there’s just not enough room to put them all here! There’s just so much history there.
As an added bonus – though a chilly one – there was snow on the ground that day which made it all the more magical! It was also ironic and became a running joke that Clayton and Darby chose Arizona in lieu of their home state of Pennsylvania because it’s supposed to be warmer, and yet on the day of their elopement it was 28 degrees at the Grand Canyon and in the 70’s back home!
Darby had been dreaming of returning to the Grand Canyon ever since she first visited 12 years ago, so when they decided to elope she convinced Clayton that this would be the perfect place. Considering how happy he was on the big day, I don’t think it took too much convincing.
One of the other benefits of eloping somewhere as vast and scenic as the Grand Canyon is that it doubles as the perfect honeymoon spot! Clayton and Darby came early for a bit of a pre-honeymoon at the Red Feather Lodge in Tusayan and stayed after as well to continue enjoying the Canyon – and each other – in wedded bliss.
Have I convinced you that you should elope in the Grand Canyon? Great! Contact me and let’s start planning the Arizona adventure elopement of your dreams!
Where to Elope in the Grand Canyon
If you’re eloping at sunrise like these two did, the rim is the best place to start so you can watch all the amazing colors and landscape shifts (I’m not telling you exactly where – that’s private information for clients only!) After the ceremony and some photos here, we opted to head into Grand Canyon Village where we found a super cool passenger tour train that still operates!
After these two must-visit spots, we had a snowball fight at Shoshone Point (I love a bride who isn’t afraid to get her “princess dress” dirty!) After that was Darby’s favorite spot, Duck on a Rock, where we toasted a couple of beers.
To wrap things up, we headed to Grandview Point to get some more amazing panoramic shots with the happy couple on the rim, then explored different angles of the canyon at Lipan Point.
