Full Day Adventure with Hot Air Balloon, Off-road adventures, and night time fun
Scott and Kim reached out to me interested in planning a full day red rock elopement including a hot air balloon ride, a bit of hiking, and an adventurous off-road excursion.
Scott and Kim’s love blossomed while enjoying a mutual love of outdoor activities, travel, and healthy foods with wine. After four years of dating, Scott popped the question snowmobiling deep in the Italian Alps. A relationship this full of magic was destined for a wild and free wedding- making an epic sunrise hot air balloon ride in Sedona an ideal way to begin their elopement adventure.
Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride
There is something surreal about being up and ready before the birds begin to chirp with the early morning light. Sedona’s hot air balloon rides only run during sunrise, so adding a balloon ride requires a commitment to a pre-dawn getting ready timeline.
We met the crew at their offices, then headed out to the launch zone. Scott and Kim enjoyed watching the crew set the balloons up and were excited to begin the flight. They floated over the red rock mountains, dipping low enough to graze the basket on the tippy tops of the trees below. The wind blew them into a clearing where the crew had to push the balloon the rest of the way out to the dirt road to disembark. The crew spread the balloon out to allow for some fun photos inside the red, yellow, and blue dome before packing it up.
To finish the morning flight it’s tradition for the crew and passengers to toast mimosas to the balloonist prayer. Their pilot twisted one of the champagne wire baskets and cork into a little balloon to commemorate the special event with a souvenir. The crew even found a tarantula crawling along the side of the road that Scott volunteered to let crawl on his hands while Kim kept a safe distance, not wanting to add THAT adventure to her wedding day!
Getting Ready
After a morning of excitement, everyone was ready for a short break to eat and relax before heading out for the 4×4 adventure. I arrived back at their loft a couple of hours later so we could capture getting ready for the day. To Kim’s surprise, Scott had coordinated with her dad to fly out and join them for the ceremony. He is not much of a traveler, so this was an extra special gift that spurred more than a few tears amongst the group.
Scott helped Kim into her simple yet elegant light cream slip dress. For his attire, Scott chose a dark suit with a grey striped tie and socks with hot air balloons! Kim’s bouquet was classic and elegant- white roses, hydrangeas, lilies, and baby’s breath.
Ceremony
We chose a beautiful easy access location for the ceremony to keep travel minimal for Kim’s dad. As we set up for their vows on the ledge, Scott dropped to one knee to “officially” propose to Kim. He had not followed the traditional one knee ask during their actual proposal, and Kim had teased him about it to no end.
With their printed vow books in hand, they said their vows as the wind bustled around them, throwing Kim’s dress high into the air. There were many tears from all involved, followed by hugs of gratitude before we said our goodbyes and began our 4×4 journey for couple’s portraits.
Off-road Adventure
Scott and Kim hopped into the 4runner as we drove along the bumpy road to multiple stops along the way. From private deep canyon overlooks, some fun and silly photos Scott had dreamt up, and a few of Kim’s Army Guard jacket with her new last name emblazoned across her chest, we laughed and adventured our way up to the main attraction- Merry Go Round Rock at sunset. There is a reason Merry Go Round is so popular, and this day was no different. The skies blessed us with fluffy white clouds that turned fiery shades of pinks, oranges, and purple as the sun set in the distance.
We topped off the evening with cake, champagne, and dancing in the light of the headlights before heading back down to town for their dinner at Rene at Tlaquepaque.
Scott & Kim’s Wedding Vendors:
- Dress:
- Bouquet:
- Sunrise Balloon Ride: Red Rock Balloon Adventures
Hello! I’m
Shannon Durazo
and I would love to be your Sedona Elopement or Wedding Photographer!
As a Sedona Wedding Photographer, I specialize in helping couples find the best views for your wedding and portraits amongst the red rocks. Venues, hiking, off-roading, or climbing into a cave- I love this town and will help you find your “perfect spot”!
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