July 27, 2022
Cathedral Rock is one of the best places for your Sedona Destination Engagement Session!
Don’t believe me? Just ask Brandon and Jessica, the couple featured in this blog! These two are from Chicago, Illinois, but they fell in love with the outdoor scene that Sedona has to offer after visiting on vacation!
They love the outdoors and are always adventuring together. They made the decision to have their wedding in Arizona and wanted to have a Sedona Destination Engagement Session beforehand.
Want to learn more about Jessica and Brandon’s session and why you should choose Sedona for your photo location? Keep reading!
MEET THE COUPLE: Jessica and Brandon
Jessica and Brandon both grew up in the same small town but their paths never crossed. Jessica’s church was around the corner from Brandon’s house, and they knew each other’s friends (shared some mutual friends). However, neither knew who the other person was.
After both getting out of long-term relationships, they were not looking for anything serious at all. The universe had something else in mind for them though. Both happened to be at the same dive bar the same night.
Jessica saw Brandon and mentioned to Brandon’s friend that he was cute. Then they were officially introduced, exchanged some Instagram DMs, and the rest was history.
They’ve been together for over 6 years, bought a home in that same small town, and developed a love for traveling.
Brandon originally proposed in Moab, Utah. Which is another red rock town, so having their engagement session in Sedona was meaningful to them. It was like an adventure and a date night capturing their sweet love.
THE TOP REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE A SEDONA DESTINATION ENGAGEMENT SESSION
SEDONA IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA! It is my favorite location in Arizona for Engagements, HANDS DOWN! The gorgeous red rocks, the mountainous landscape, and the Sedona sunshine always have me coming back for more.
ONE: SEDONA’S WEATHER
The weather in Sedona is simply iconic. Seriously, it is perfect!
Because the weather in Sedona, Arizona is about 15 degrees (Fahrenheit) cooler than places like its neighbor, Pheonix, I recommend shooting in the summer! I know it sounds crazy, but I promise the weather is tolerable!
On the day we shot Jessica and Brandon’s engagements, it was over 115 degrees in the Phoenix Valley. However, heading up to Sedona it was 100 degrees with cloud coverage. This made their session easier to stand in the heat.
Because of Sedona’s elevation, once the sun starts to go down it tends to be a lot cooler. Keep in mind that depending on where the engagement location is in Sedona, the sun can go down a lot sooner because of the mountains.
TWO: SEDONA’S VARIETY
I love shooting in Sedona because of all the variety of locations we can shoot at.
There are over 200 trails covering 400 miles in Sedona. Since you are up in the mountains, you tend to have a little bit more time to shoot. The sun tends to fall over the mountains which give more shade which is the perfect time for us photographers to shoot those crisp, golden hour photos!
THREE: SEDONA’S ADVENTURES
Think of your engagement session as an Adventure Date. You can have your engagement session in Sedona be like the perfect date-day trip to explore with your future partner and make a whole adventure out of it.
There are even some great breweries and wineries to visit in town. I mean WINE NOT (; choose Sedona?!
ARIZONA ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER’S FAVORITE FOR A SEDONA DESTINATION ENGAGEMENT SESSION
LOCATIONS IN SEDONA
- Cathedral Rock (my favorite location)
- Bell Rock
- Soldier’s Pass
- Lover’s Knoll
- Crescent Moon Ranch
PLACES TO STAY IN SEDONA
- Sedona Sunset Jewel Airbnb
- Sedona’s Tiny Glamping Cabin Airbnb
- Cathedral Rock Glamping Airbnb
- L’Auberge De Sedona
- Creekside Inn Sedona
- Enchantment Resort
- Amara Resort & Spa
- Hilton Sedona at Bell Rock
- Hyatt Residence Club Sedona, Piñon Pointe
RESTAURANTS IN SEDONA
- Hideaway
- Sedona Beer Company
- Oak Creek Brewery & Grill
- Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen Sedona
- 89 Agave Cantina
- Salt Rock Kitchen
- Sedona Pizza Company
WHAT MAKES ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS SUCH A BIG DEAL?
When it comes to planning an engagement session, I HIGHLY recommend an engagement session before your wedding day.
It is a time to get to know your wedding photographer, bond, and get to know each other before the big day. When you hire your photographer solely for your wedding day, it can take longer to get to know each other. It is better to see the photographer’s work style and get a feel for how they operate so you know if they are a good match.
Also, think of your engagement session as a photo warm-up for yourself.
See how you like your facial expressions, how you like certain angles of yourself, and how comfortable you will be in front of the camera.
Getting married is the best time of your life so why not start off the celebration with a Sedona Destination Engagement Session in an iconic location.
For more engagement location ideas in Arizona, check out “7 Engagement Locations in Phoenix”.
