How to elope or get married in Sedona, Arizona.

To elope in Sedona, get an Arizona marriage license from a county clerk, choose a ceremony site, and marry in front of an authorized officiant and two witnesses aged 18 or older. Arizona has no waiting period, so a couple can collect the license and marry on the same day.

1. Get the license. Both of you apply in person at a county clerk's office and pay $98. Sedona's own court does not issue licenses; the closest office is Yavapai County's in Camp Verde.
2. Choose the site. National forest land, Crescent Moon Picnic Site, a state or city park, or a resort. Each sets its own permit rules and fees.
3. Book an officiant and two witnesses. Arizona authorizes licensed or ordained clergy, judges and justices of the peace. Sedona's Magistrate Court performs ceremonies (call (928) 282-1189) and can sometimes provide adult witnesses.
4. Sign and return the license. You, the witnesses and the officiant all sign. The officiant returns it to the clerk within 30 days under state law; Coconino County asks for 10.

To get a marriage license in Arizona, both of you appear in person at a Clerk of the Superior Court office in any county, show photo ID, give your Social Security numbers and pay $98. Arizona has no waiting period and no blood test, and the license is valid for one year anywhere in the state.

A wedding on Coconino National Forest land around Sedona needs no permit when fewer than 75 people attend, there is no sound equipment, and the only paid providers are the officiant and a photographer or videographer. Every other wedding on the forest needs a special use permit, and Crescent Moon Picnic Site needs a reservation.

These rules are on the Forest Service's permits page, and the Red Rock Ranger District's permit contact is 928-203-7532.

Yes, you can get married at Cathedral Rock. For a Cathedral Rock wedding or elopement, the reservable site is Crescent Moon Picnic Site, beneath the rock at Red Rock Crossing, where it reflects in Oak Creek. A two-hour slot for up to 15 people costs $114 on weekdays and $130 on weekends and holidays.

• Book on Recreation.gov. Slots start every two hours: 9am to 5pm from April 1 to October 10, and 10am to 4pm from October 11 to March 31. Holiday weekends can be blacked out.
• The Forest Service wedding policy bans arches, carpets, thrown petals, glass and amplified music. Away from the ramada, seating is limited to a chair or two for guests who need one.
• The Cathedral Rock trail itself has no reservable site and falls under the general forest rules. It is a strenuous 1.1-mile round trip with 669 feet of climbing, and the trailhead lot is closed while the free Sedona Shuttle runs: Thursday to Sunday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., plus extra days at spring break and some holidays.
• The Verde Valley School side of Red Rock Crossing, reached from Baldwin Trailhead, needs no reservation.

Eloping in Sedona costs $98 for the marriage license, plus the site, officiant and photographer you choose. A reserved Crescent Moon slot is $114 to $130. One elopement company, Elopements Inc., publishes packages from $1,875 to $2,275 for up to 20 guests, as of September 2026.

That published price leaves out the license, flowers, hair and makeup, lodging and travel. This guide's planning estimate for an intimate elopement is under $10,000, a rough ceiling with no itemized lines behind it. If you plan it yourself, compare photographers and officiants directly.

A Sedona wedding for 50 guests at a mid-range venue is estimated at $25,000 to $45,000 all-in, in US dollars. That is a planning figure, not a quote. The three lines this guide prices (venue, catering and photography) total $16,260 to $32,250; flowers, officiant, hair and makeup, decor and rentals make up the rest.

Venue space alone is estimated at $2,300 to $7,650 for a desert garden, boutique resort or inn, and at $17,350 to $24,150 and up for a luxury resort or private garden. None of these figures states tax or service charges.

Venues include Enchantment Resort in Boynton Canyon (estimated at about $22,000 and up with food, beverage and site fees), L'Auberge de Sedona on Oak Creek, Agave of Sedona (a desert garden, estimated at $5,000 to $8,000), Sky Ranch Lodge on Airport Mesa, Poco Diablo Resort, Sedona Golf Resort and Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village. Compare them among wedding venues in Arizona.

The best time of year to get married in Sedona is March to early May or September to November. NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals give average highs of 75°F in April and 79°F in October, against 94 to 97°F from June to August. July and August also bring monsoon thunderstorms.

Sedona sits at roughly 4,500 feet, so provide water and shade in any season. Venues and photographers can book 12 to 18 months ahead for fall. Choose the ceremony time from the sunset, then let the wedding day timeline generator build the schedule around it.