Amanda & Jake’s Arizona Elopement in Sedona, Horseshoe Bend, and Saguaro National Park
An epic week-long adventure elopement all over Arizona
Buckle up buttercup. We've got one massive, Grand-Canyon-sized blog post coming your way because Jake and Amanda's wedding week, was, well, massive. We traveled all over the state of Arizona. We traversed a whiteout snowstorm in Flagstaff, we went off-roading in a pink jeep. We caught sunsets in Sedona, Horseshoe Bend, and Saguaro National Park. And between all of that, Jake and Amanda got married.
Part 1: horseshoe bend
Like all of our Arizona stories, this one starts in Phoenix. We flew into Sky Harbor and took an Uber to my (Mike's) parents place in Sun City where we'd hang out before Amanda and Jake arrived later that night.
Our first stop on the itinerary was Horseshoe Bend. A top spot on both of our bucket lists, Horseshoe Bend is far enough out of the way that fitting it in requires quite a bit of planning. The 4 1/2 hour drive takes you through Flagstaff, over Humphrey's peak, through Coconino National Forest, and across Navajo land before depositing you in the middle of nowhere. Horseshoe Bend is isolated. There's nothing around it, nothing near it, and it's better for it.
Kayla and I love spending time in the car. But we realize not everybody shares our tolerance, so when we proposed a day trip to Amanda and Jake, we let them know, "Hey, this means 9 hours of driving in one day. Is that cool?" And being the adventurous sort they are, they were down. I realize most people might be weirded out by 9 hours in the car with their wedding team, but it honestly just feels like a road trip with friends. We relish these extended stretches hanging out with our couples.
On our way to Horseshoe Bend, we stopped off in Flagstaff during an absolute whiteout snowstorm for lunch and a trip to one of Kayla's absolute favorite boutiques, Basement Marketplace. After the pitstop, we jumped back in the car. The last 2 hours of the trip is pretty barren, with very few stops for bathrooms and snacks and even less to look at. And without realizing it, you end up in a little parking lot, you walk down a 1/4 mile trail, and you're looking at one of the best views in the country. Because it's so out of the way, there aren't as many visitors, and the few tourists who were there came and went quickly after taking their iphone pictures. There's few guardrails and fewer paths, so Amanda and Jake, being the daredevils they are, had no problem sneaking right up to the precipice and dangling their feet over the edge while I hyperventilated and slammed the shutter button on my camera. We stayed until it got dark, and were one of the last cars out of the parking lot. After hanging out for a bit, Amanda and Jake fell asleep in the back of the car, while Kayla edited photos and I listened to audiobooks as we made our way home.
Part 2: wedding day in sedona
We homebased in a bomb AirBnB in Clarkdale, Arizona. A short 30 minute drive from Sedona with beautiful views of the mountains, it provided an excellent place to chill out and get ready.
The morning started for Kayla and Amanda with hair and makeup at a salon in Sedona with the Sedona Beauty Team. Meanwhile, Mike ran a few errands in the neighboring town of Prescott to snag a few things for the day's festivities while Jake got to sleep in. With no rush, they relaxed, took their time getting ready, and made sure everything was perfect for their first look.
Before the ceremony, we wanted them to have a little treat. Kayla put together a private picnic in Red Rock State Park. They popped champagne, ate lots of cake and charcuterie and got to hang out with each other for a bit before getting hitched.
A little behind the scenes here: Kayla spent days figuring out how to best pull this off and she doesn't remember any of it. As we were loading up the car to go, the trunk of our car came down on her head hard enough to give her a concussion. Because she's a boss, she still managed to make this happen. She just can't tell you how it went.
After the picnic, we drove into downtown Sedona where we chartered a Pink Jeep tour and took a teeth-rattling ride up to the cliffs of Sedona for a private ceremony at sunset. We were all howling with laughter as our hair and camera gear got blown around and thrown around as our Jeep crawled over boulders. Our incredible driver was hauling ass up the mountain trying to get us to the spot in time for sunset, while simultaneously giving us a history of the area.
When we arrived we walked to the edge of the cliff, set our cameras, and I (Mike) officiated the ceremony while Kayla took pictures and video. They read private vows, made each other cry, and then kissed each other real big for the first time as husband and wife.
Not gonna lie, sunsets in Sedona are kind of weird. The light is insanely bright right up until the moment it dips below the horizon. As such, you get about five minutes of that traditional golden hour light before diving straight into blue hour. The sunlight bouncing off the red rocks casts a hue over everything creating these wild glow effects. We leaned into it hard. Jake and Amanda flirted with the edges of cliffs while simultaneously making out and making each other laugh. As we finished up, I took a few portraits of Amanda, and when I looked over I saw Jake taking pictures of her on his phone with the happiest, goofiest grin on his face. It made Kayla cry immediately (because of course it did). They couldn't be cuter if they tried.
In customary Lang Co fashion, we celebrated their wedding dinner at none other than Chipotle. I love the double takes that people make when they realize they're in the presence of a bride and groom. The juxtaposition of gorgeous people dressed to the nines celebrating one of the most important days of their lives while doing daily tasks most of us handle in a hoodie and sweatpants is the best. We chowed down on our bowls, drove back to our Airbnb, then left them in peace to enjoy their wedding night.
Part 3: Saguaro National Park
The day after the wedding, we loaded up in the van one more time to drive down Interstate 10 from Phoenix to Tucson for a visit to Saguaro National Park. We've been a lot of places, and there are very few places we like more than Saguaro. Seriously. It's hands down one of our favorite National Parks, and it's criminally underrated. Sure, it's not huge like the Grand Canyon. Sure, it doesn't have that signature view like the Grand Tetons, but there's something special about it. The cacti are gorgeous. The light is gorgeous. And my God, Amanda and Jake are gorgeous.
After driving and hiking around the park, we stopped by the visitor center so they could change into their wedding attire for some more formals. Only this time, Jake ditched the tie and threw on a pair of aviators while Amanda grabbed a hat and her denim jacket and ya'll, it was a vibe. They absolutely crushed these photos. When the sun finally went down, we grabbed some food in Tucson, Mike put his airpods in and turned on an audiobook, and everybody else promptly passed out in the car. It was the perfect ending to an incredible week.
