Hey guys I’m wanting to plan an elopement to Utah!
what are some of the best areas, venues, hotels, that you would elope to in Utah!
I’m looking for a beautiful backdrop, but also activities to do
since I’ll be bringing a group I want us all the have activities to do!
it’s either Sedona or Utah and so far a lot of people like Utah so
I’m wanting some suggestions. Thank you so
much ❤️

When? Time of year?

I can guess at the timing one of several ways

Since "elope" often means run away to get married, as opposed to a planned "destination" wedding, assumption 1 would be they mean now, as in asap.

Or, since the other implied meaning of "elope" is without parental consent, this could be any time in the future, and they plan to bring friends but not parents.

Either way, until COVID i safely behind us I cannot recommend anybody plan any gathering with people who are not part of their immediate household.

If this is a far distant plan, post COVID, I would recommend Zion as the ideal setting. Perhaps a wedding cermony at the famous Temple of Siniwava, where the Virgin River flows forth from Narrows into the magestic Zion Canyon. You could follow the ceremony with a small reception at Angel's Landing.

My first choice would be the Moab area. I saw a couple planning their wedding in Arches NP a few years ago. There is a small airport there, but most folks fly into Salt Lake City, UT or Grand Junction CO or Albuquerque, NM, or Las Vegas. Each of those allows for planning a trip to see other sites on the way to/from Moab.

My suggestion is to fly to Las Vegas and get married there. I do remember finding a geocache at a drive up wedding chapel in LV. On another trip to LV, I stood in for the father of the bride and took the bride 3 steps down the very short aisle. At the "Chapel of Love" there was room for about 4 witnesses in the small room. They did pick up everyone from their hotel in a stretch limo and return them to the hotel later.
Rental cars are cheap in Las Vegas and you can be in Zion in about 4 hours from Las Vegas.
If you want to get married in Utah, you may have trouble finding an officiant. In Las Vegas you can get married by an Elvis impersonator if you want to.

OK -- semantics here When folks 'elope' hey seldom take a boatload of people (or any people really). My guess since you are deciding between Sedona and Utah . . . we are really discussing a destination wedding - right?

In any case without knowing more it is really impossible to give you useful advice. Most important is WHEN. Month makes a huge difference re types of possible activities. Then more info like size of group, maybe age range?

Then what sorts of activities are you looking for outdoorsy like hiking or skiing - or spas and such - or both. And for venues -- what sort of price range are you looking for and a full service resort, or something rustic or???

Welcome to Fodors BTW

You are planning a destination wedding. Elope means you go away to get married and no one is told about it and no one is invited.

It depends on time of year, I love to ski so I'd choose someplace near Park City. They have some fancy resort hotels at Deer Valley.

If I was planning a destination wedding I would give the potential guests a short list of several hotels, motels and condos/apartments to cover all price ranges since some folks will be able to afford a pricey hotel and others may be dipping into their savings to attend your shindig.
Another reason to not have everyone all under one roof is so you and your new mate do not get roped into playing "social director" to a bunch of guests not familiar with the area.

So we still don't know. I am voting for destination wedding with a bunch of friends who want and area ble to entertain themselves with hiking, etc. Stop with the difinition!! Don't take all the fun out of it for him. But post Covid would be the best time to do it--maybe by spring it will be a little safer? We can HOPE!!

{so far a lot of people like Utah} Then why not ask those friends what they suggest, since they know and like Utah? Seems an odd choice to me... but with no background whatsoever maybe I'm missing something here.

ps- "bringing a group" is not an "elopement"