Lacie & Jesse’s Two-Day Adventure Elopement with Their Dogs in Sedona, Arizona

Two days, good humans, handmade details, and one hell of an Adventure

Lacie and Jesse didn’t come all the way from Canada for a traditional wedding day. They came for an adventure.

Instead of squeezing everything into one timeline, they split their wedding into two days. It gave them time to hike, bring their dogs along, celebrate with their favorite humans, and leave room for whatever the desert decided to throw our way. As it turned out, that flexibility became one of the best parts of the whole experience.

Getting ready started at their Airbnb with family and friends hanging out, music playing, and the kind of laid-back energy that makes my heart sing.

Almost every detail of their wedding had a story behind it. While Lacie was finishing up getting ready, Jesse and Lacie’s sister wandered into the backyard and picked fresh flowers for her bouquet. Lacie wore dried florals tucked into her hair, turquoise jewelry, and a custom burned-felt hat that tied into the southwest desert vibe. Jesse finished off his look with a bolo tie and boots. Even their hiking backpacks got the full treatment, with colorful pom-pom garlands and little felt hearts hanging from them. Their pups Toro and Jupiter had matching hearts on their collars because, obviously, they weren’t about to be left out.

Jesse picked up his guitar and played for a bit before we packed everything up and headed for the trail.

Lacie is the epitome of badass energy. She threw her backpack over a lace wedding dress, laced up her white Doc Martens boots, and headed up the trail without a second thought. Wind, steep climbs, a little rain- none of it fazed her. She was there for the adventure, and it showed from the very first mile.

Their ceremony took place in a quiet spot tucked into the canyon, surrounded by towering red rock walls and some of their favorite people. Their best friend officiated while the wind whipped through the canyon around us, making the whole place feel even wilder. They stood together on a woven blanket, exchanged vows, shared a kiss, and celebrated with a shot alongside their family.

Before everyone split up, Lacie’s sister shared a quiet incense blessing over the two of them. Then the adventure continued. Family, dogs, and little ones headed back toward the trailhead while Lacie, Jesse, their best friends, and I kept climbing toward one of my favorite hidden overlooks.

The weather had been keeping us on our toes all afternoon. We caught a few sprinkles here and there, but somehow managed to stay one step ahead of the storm. By the time we reached the final rock formation, the skies had turned beautifully dramatic without ever forcing us off the mountain.

The overlook feels a little like nature’s version of Pride Rock. Jesse isn’t the biggest fan of heights, so he took a minute to settle in before stepping out onto the edge. Once he did, though, the views (and photos) were absolutely worth it.

After the hike back down, nobody was in a hurry to call it a night. They grabbed the leftover pizza, turned up the music, and had an impromptu dance party in the middle of the canyon without a single passerby.

Originally, day two was supposed to start in a hot air balloon.

Arizona weather had other plans.

After two cancellations due to weather and wind, we decided to pivot.  We picked Secret Slickrock for a laid-back sunrise instead. Honestly, it felt like exactly where we were supposed to be, since now the pups were able to join.

From there we headed down to Crescent Moon Ranch to enjoy the water.  Toro and Jupiter immediately stole the show. Toro conquered his fear of water and played in the creek with endless enthusiasm while Jupiter smiled all morning long, looking absolutely majestic, her giant white floof catching every bit of the sunrise breeze.

Lacie and Jesse splashed through the creek, floated together on a paddleboard, and soaked up one last morning together before wrapping up the weekend.

To finish everything off, they shared a traditional double spout wedding vase ceremony by the water. Taking turns drinking from opposite sides of the vase symbolizes two lives becoming one, and it felt like the perfect way to close out a weekend full of movement, laughter, and adventure.

Looking back through their gallery, I don’t think about the weather changing or the balloon ride that never happened.

I think about Jesse playing guitar while everyone got ready. Lacie hiking miles in a lace wedding dress with a backpack on her shoulders. Handmade flowers picked just hours before the ceremony. Leftover pizza surrounded by nature. Toro living his best life in the creek. Jupiter looking like she owned the place everywhere she went.

Two days. A whole lot of laughs. One hell of an adventure.