zion elopements and weddings
ZION
ZION
A majestic land full of high red rock cliffs, slot canyons, sand dunes, rivers, waterfalls, bighorn sheep, and endless wilderness.
10 Years of Local Experience
I live in St. George, one hour west of Zion National Park. The desert is my home and it always will be! I’m an avid adventurer, I was camping, off-roading, hiking, exploring, fishing, and basically outside every chance I could get even before I got into photography. I know this area like the back of my hand and I would love to help you have the Zion elopement of your dreams. Most people elope to the exact same overlook (which is an incredible overlook don’t get me wrong) but I can take you to the remote areas of Zion, the places where people aren’t, and amazing landscapes that most people don’t know about. We can off-road on top of desert mesas to see panoramic views, go to remote canyons, and even visit the Zion ponderosas on the east side.
benefits of my packages
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This guide contains ALL the info you need to know about locations in the desert and across the country. This guide will tell you which spots are good for ceremonies, which spots are private, the hiking distance and logistical details of each spot, what lighting is best for each spot, and more.
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I offer faster turnaround times than the industry average. I remember how excited I was to get my own wedding photos back and I want to deliver your photos to you as quick as possible. I send you 48 hour sneak peaks to share with family and friends right away!
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I have a vendor list complete with everything you need for your wedding. They are people I’ve personally worked with and know do a good job. I have all their contact info and website information on this list. Currently this list contains: 2 officiants, 2 hair and makeup artists, a wedding planner, live ceremony painter,live acoustic guitar player, 2 horseback riding vendors (1 company and 1 private owner), a catering and charcuterie company, wedding rental company, helicopter tour company, ATV/offroad rental company, custom cake shop, a bakery, and an Etsy vendor with aesthetic Zion wedding invites.
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I shoot on 35mm film, polaroids, super 8, and drone to give you lots of different looks and options for your wedding photos!
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I offer consultation with me throughout the whole process to give you peace of mind! Found an airbnb that you’re not sure about? Message me and I’ll tell you if it’s located in a good area. Want to know where to eat? I know all the local gems. Any question you have I’ll do my best to answer and help you with.
which zion elopement/wedding package is right for you?
2 full day complete zion elopement package (includes moab or lake powell)
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DAY 1
8am: Offroad to a remote location full of joshua trees
10am: Brunch at the local crepery
12pm: Head to Sand Hollow to go cliff jumping
2pm: Hike a remote river location near Zion
5pm: Dinner at Zion’s renowned steakhouse
7pm: Explore a hidden Zion pool that tourists don’t know about
9pm: Watch sunset on Zion’s cliff overlook
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DAY 2
6:30am: Sunrise photos on top of a desert mesa overlooking Zion
9am: Breakfast picnic set up on top of the cliff
11am: Offroad to the valley floor of the Zion wilderness for the ceremony
12pm: After the ceremony we take some stunning drone photos around the area
2pm: Lunch at the best mexican restaurant in town
3pm: Enjoy a few hours to rest and relax at your lodge/airbnb
6pm: Zion helicopter tour where you see every part of Zion from the sky
6:30: Private butte landing on the helicopter tour
7pm: Short dinner on the butte, and end the helicopter tour
9pm: Sunset and astronomy photos on the beautiful north side of Zion
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Polaroids INCLUDED
35mm Film INCLUDED
Drone Photography INCLUDED
1 full day zion elopement/wedding package (mOAB or lake powell INCLUDED)
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6:30am: Sunrise photos on top of a desert mesa overlooking Zion
9am: Breakfast picnic set up on top of the cliff
11am: Offroad to the valley floor of the Zion wilderness for the ceremony
12pm: After the ceremony we take some stunning drone photos around the area
2pm: Lunch at the best mexican restaurant in town
3pm: Enjoy a few hours to rest and relax at your lodge/airbnb
6pm: Zion helicopter tour where you see every part of Zion from the sky
6:30: Private butte landing on the helicopter tour
7pm: Short dinner on the butte, and end the helicopter tour
9pm: Sunset and astronomy photos on the beautiful north side of Zion
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Polaroid ADD-ON
35mm film ADD-ON
Drone photography ADD-ON
Super 8 vintage film ADD-ON
WHY SHOULD YOU ELOPE IN ZION?
let me show you
Instead of only talking about it, let me show you what Zion has to offer visually too! Watch this incredible video of the area, and just know that these locations are only a small part of the incredible desert!
Zion National Park has some of the most majestic scenery in the nation. You can hike up Angels Landing, which is 1488 ft above the base of the hike, where you can see rock walls standing thousands of feet in the air on all sides. It’s actually one of the most incredible views I’ve ever seen. There’s a reason it’s one of the most popular national parks! There are also slot canyons, rivers, and one of the largest freestanding arches in the world on the outskirts of the main area! There are insane overlooks, miles of ponderosa pines on the east side, and river hikes all throughout the park. There is even a hidden pool area that most tourists don’t visit or even know about. If you want an adventurous elopement, Zion is absolutely the way to go.
advantages of having an adventure elopement/small wedding
zero stress
Weddings can be pretty stressful. I’ve photographed big ones before and even though there’s nothing wrong with them I have seen a lot of stressed out brides! A lot of people who have decided to elope felt like they were planning their wedding for other people instead of for them. Adventure elopements and intimate weddings allow you to have complete control over your day! It’s going to be one of the most special days of your life so why stress out about it?
flexibility
When you rent a venue and plan things for hundreds of people it’s not easy to be flexible. Say the day before your elopement you decide you want to go kayaking instead of doing sunrise photos, that’s totally possible! You can switch your day around as you please. If your tired and want to take nap you can. No one is relying on you.
cheaper
At the end of the day elopements are just cheaper! You don’t have to feed 200 people, rent an expensive venue, worry about decorations, and a lot of other expenses that can rack up the cost of your wedding. The average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is $28,000, and the cost of my top package, including all my add ons, for 2 days is $7500!
You can still bring friends and family!
A lot of the elopements I shoot actually have some friends and family too! You can totally bring the people who mean a lot to you! I’ve had families get brunch together and then drive out to the Zion wilderness for the ceremony and they have a great time! You can have your friend officiate and your dad walk you down the aisle, it’s all still totally possible!
offroader | tour guide | desert explorer | photographer | basketball player | snowboarder
Kelsea Callister
What does the process look like?
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Fill out the inquiry form at the bottom of this page or on the pricing page, and I’ll get in contact with you! Before you book we’ll talk on the phone, figure out locations, and what you want to do, and go from there! You’re welcome to ask any questions you have and contact me anytime!
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Once you’ve decided you want to book for sure we’ll pin down the exact location you want to elope at and then we’ll start crafting a timeline! I’ll be in contact with you on what activities you like, what food you like, and send personalized recommendations to you!
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I’ll get you connected with all the vendors you need! I work with an officiant, hair and makeup artist, live acoustic guitar player, florist, rental company, airbnbs, and more! You won’t have to worry about finding trusted vendors because I know them all!
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1 month before your wedding we’ll pin down the exact timeline and get all the plans worked out! We will send the timeline to your family and friends if they’re coming, and we’ll make sure all the permit info is taken care of!
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If you’re in town before your photography coverage I’ll be happy to give you some recommendations of where to hike and basically be your area consultant! We’ll make sure everything is ready to go for your wedding and then we’ll meet up for your wedding day and have a great time!
Zion Elopement Package
Customized Adventure
+ completely customized and fully planned adventure, I will plan out the timeline of the day and work with ya at any point if there’s anything you want to add!
High Resolution Photo Gallery
+ high resolution digital photo gallery with personal printing rights!
Logistics
+ I’ll make sure we have all the right permits (if necessary) and offer vendor recommendations around the area and even help you find cool camping spots or Airbnb’s for overnight stay!
Consultation
+ you’re welcome to contact me at anytime during the entire process and afterwards. I would love to remain friends with you and am always here if you have questions about your gallery or future adventure recommendations!
creative packages with lots of unique photography options
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35mm film
There’s just something about film you can’t replicate with digital photos. Get an entire roll of 35mm film of your wedding day.
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Polaroids
Take home photos right away with a handful of polaroids! You can frame them or hang them up and keep them forever!
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Super 8 Vintage Video
The biggest regret with my own wedding is that I didn’t have a super 8 video of it. Super 8 videos are nostalgic, vintage, and so authentic.
what type of scenery can you get in southern utah
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The cliffs in the desert are like none other, you can stand on cliffs and see hundreds of miles out into vast wilderness. The desert doesn’t have a ton of trees so the views are INSANE. There’s nothing like it!
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You definitely don’t have to drive all the way to Joshua Tree National Park to see joshua trees! We have miles and miles of them just an hour away from Zion! Not a lot of people know that but we seriously just as many joshuas!
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Bet you didn’t know that we have ocean quality beaches here huh? Just a half hour away from Zion is a beautiful lake similar to Lake Powell with fine sand beaches and incredible cliff jumping!
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Only an hour north of Zion you can get pine trees, forests, mountain lakes, and STUNNING combos of red rock and pine trees in the same place! There are cool caves, waterfalls, and mountain cliffs all over! We even have a ski resort nearby!
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If you’re into canyoneering or rock climbing, or just want to see super unique slot canoyns, we have them! Lots of them! There are also arches all over! (If you want to see the coolest arches definitely visit Arches NP)
all pricing info is on my pricing page
Contact Me!
Fill out this form or feel free to email me at hi@kelseacallister.com!
300+ Spots
I’ve created a map of over 300+ spots in Southern Utah, by Zion National Park. Plenty of locations to choose from if you decide to come to my hometown!
Don’t know exactly what location you want? Here are some suggestions (All near Zion National Park).
Kolob Canyon
Absolutely one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to. Towering red rocks, canyons, and creeks surround you. This is a super underrated part of Zion National Park.
Gooseberry Mesa
The view from the top of this mesa is unreal! You can see a panoramic view of Zion with Pine Mountain on the other side. The drive is beautiful and there are Mongolian Yurts at the top.
Grass Valley
Grass Valley is home to a huge reservoir that turns into an underground river. Located north of Pine Mountain you get beautiful mountain views and access to rivers and streams everywhere. There are old windmills and caves as well!
Mojave Desert Scenic Byway
Joshua trees are actually really sweet! The Mojave Desert Scenic Byway takes you through old highway 91 and out through Gunlock. The desert landscapes and views are some of my favorite. Desolate, remote land and a lot of hidden gems make this one of my favorites.
Oak Grove
Oak grove is a drastic change from the desert scenery that most of Southern Utah has. It has tall pine trees, lots of green, pinecones, and the trailhead to Signal Peak, which is the tallest peak in Washington County. It’s one of my absolute favorite spots to camp!
Smith Mesa
This mesa is everything! It has a panoramic view of Zion and Kolob, it takes your breath away! I’ve been slacklining up here, camped, and gone offroading! It has rolling green fields with lots of cattle which you would not expect going on top of a desert mesa!
Baker Reservoir
Baker is a quiet little reservoir north of Pine Mountain. It’s great for trout fishing and canoeing! The Holmstead Ranch is a little above it, and there are lots of animals, mini cabins, and camping spots! It’s a great lake to get away from the craziness of the more crowded beaches.
Modena
Modena is a ghost town about an hour north of St. George. The famous transcontinental railroad goes right through this tiny town where only about 20 people live now. Great western vibes are in this town and you can even see a huge abandoned hotel right in the middle of it!
Kolob Terrace
This is one of the best drives of all time. I love this place so much it’s where I decided to take my bridals. The views of Zion are about as good as it gets from the outside, and there are gigantic, towering cliffs of red rock all around you. There are also giant wheat fields and old cabins on a road that ends up taking you to the mountains!
