Sedona Sunrise Weddings – 5 reasons to have your Sedona Elopement or wedding ceremony at dawn

As your Sedona wedding officiants, we have performed elopements and weddings at all hours. Most commonly, couples choose sunset for their celebration, and with good reason – the sunset light is superb, and there is time to prepare for your wedding throughout the day. But, while we love ending your wedding day with the setting sun, we are actually just as in love with sunrise ceremonies. Below are 5 reasons why this possibly surprising choice is a great idea for your Sedona elopement or wedding:

1) Beautiful sunrise light.

The Sedona sunrise lighting is every bit as magical (and flattering!) as the lighting at sunset.  Sedona wedding photographers always rejoice when couples pick this magical time of day.  The softer lighting of the rising sun illuminates the Sedona red rocks, and brings out subtly beautiful colors in the sky.

2) The famous Sedona red rocks are less crowded … with humans.

Even in the busy Sedona wedding season, opting for a sunrise ceremony frees you from worries about parking at the busier trailheads. Likewise, there are fewer hikers about. And, on the flip side, you have a greater possibility of catching site of some of our beautiful wildlife in the quieter hours. Stay tuned for an upcoming blog on Sedona wildlife…

3) Take the whole day to celebrate.

Having your Sedona elopement or wedding at sunrise allows you to enjoy the entire day, gallivanting about as newly married. Start your first day as a married couple with breakfast in your wedding attire, and enjoy the compliments and congratulations. Plan a special day of pampering at one of Sedona’s spas, or have fun playing on the red rocks in your finery.

4) The early morning weather forecast: clear and cool. 

While Sedona is known for our sunny days (over 300 a year!) we do get storms, especially in the summer monsoon season. Happily, these wild bits of weather tend to occur in late afternoon, so a sunrise wedding further increases your chance of clear skies. Also, while we are cooler than Phoenix, summer temperatures are no joke here. If you are planning your Sedona wedding between May and October, early morning is the most refreshing and coolest time of day, letting you stay more comfortable for your ceremony.

5) Planning for a sunrise ceremony allows for wedding-day flexibility.

As your Sedona wedding officiants, our first priority is your enjoyment of your wedding experience. Planning a sunrise ceremony may give us flexibility to have the ceremony later in the day should there be an unexpected difficulty, like car trouble or unforeseen bad weather. 

For all these reasons and more, we love our sunrise wedding ceremonies, and are happy to talk to you about which locations are particularly suited for early-bird love birds.

Give us a call at (928) 301-9288/(928)254-9957, or use our easy contact form.