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Non-denominational minister Rose Marie Lagorio (Your Sedona Wedding) remembers a wedding in Sedona where a hike up Doe Mountain ended in an engagement and wedding—all in one afternoon. The groom had arranged for musicians, flowers and catered food to be flown in to the flat mesa top so the couple could launch their new life together amidst the rutilant red rocks, glowing in the late afternoon sun.
With its majestic, fairy-tale formations and resplendent Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona couldn’t be a more romantic setting. It offers a picturesque backdrop for engagements, weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries and other memorable milestones. Standing amidst Sedona’s red rocks and sweeping vistas that stretch far out into the horizon, there is the feeling of nature’s timeless embrace. “To get married in Sedona is to be surrounded by nature’s lavish beauty,” says Jennifer Wesselhoff, President/CEO of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. (When it came time for her own wedding, Wesselhoff chose a panoramic, red-rock location in Sedona and held her reception in Oak Creek Canyon.)
Many of Sedona’s red rocks, with their spires and buttes, look like outdoor cathedrals. They exude a feeling of the sacred and add an unparalleled dimension to an outdoor wedding. Indeed, for many centuries Sedona has been a holy place for Native Americans tribes, who still come to perform their ceremonies amidst the radiant red rocks.
Chapels, churches and temples are also part of the Sedona landscape, some have so much glass that the outside and inside appear to be one. Two popular, intimate, non-denominational chapels are the charming “capilla” in Tlaquepaque and the glass-spired venue at the spectacular Sedona Creative Life Center.
Couples can also choose to get married creekside; in a restaurant or hotel courtyard; in a hot-air balloon; on a train, trolley or jeep; in a vineyard, museum or country club; and at the foot of a mountain. Theme weddings—from Victorian to Western—can also be created by Sedona’s talented wedding professionals . “We help you create a magical and unforgettable Arizona wedding that reflects the uniqueness of your relationship, your life experiences, your hopes and intentions!” says Rev. Laura Lane of Sacred Unions.
A huge plus for couples dreaming of an outdoor wedding is the weather. Sedona has a mild, four-season climate, which is pleasant all year round. With more than 300 days of sunshine in an average year, the chance is excellent for getting a picture-perfect day that is dry and clear.
In addition to Sedona’s exotic, alluring beauty and welcoming weather, Sedona can offer a wedding party all the services and personalized attention they might need. There are dozens of wedding professionals who are at the ready to assist the wedding party in creating an unforgettable event. “From two to two hundred, from simple to lavish, Sedona can accommodate all types of weddings,” says Anthony Flesch, president of Arizona Weddings in Sedona.
More than 80 wedding experts belong to the Sedona Wedding Professionals Association, which is committed to helping couples create the wedding of their dreams in Sedona. Sedona wedding professionals can tailor a wedding around virtually any budget. As wedding planner Judi “JB” Bloomfield, president of Sedona Luxury Weddings, LLC, says: “From lavish celebrations to intimate ceremonies, we design dream weddings. The limit? Only your imagination.”
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