SEDONA: THE PERFECT LOCATION FOR YOUR DESTINATION WEDDING

Hello there! Welcome to my Dream Weddings of Sedona blog.. This is the first installment and I appreciate that you showed up. You will get a free dip in Oak Creek just for reading if you come to one of my Red Rock Crossing ceremonies any time soon.

Since this is the first installment, this seemed like a good time to talk about all the unique things to do and see in Sedona, the perfect place for a destination wedding. As a long-time resident, I can tell you where the best hiking is, suggest hotels for any budget, help you select a restaurant for the rehearsal dinner or give you information about any other activities you may want to plan for your guests. For personalized info, please call or email me.

You can make things very easy and streamlined by planning your Sedona Wedding and arranging to have your honeymoon here too. This is a wonderful place for a surprise engagement also since there are so many romantic and scenic areas, both with and without vortexes (or vortices if we’re being technically correct.)

In Sedona, Oak Creek runs through town and helps to keep us cool during our warm summers. We say it is a lot like the Ganges in India because it will wash away all your troubles. That is even more true if you go to Slide Rock because you can’t stop smiling when you see all those people having so much fun. It is a great place to start your honeymoon or your engagement weekend. The combination of beautiful red rock scenery and Mother Nature’s natural water slide is a memory that will last a long, long time. Wear cut off jeans because those rocks will wear out the seat of your best swimsuit very quickly. I’ve seen older couples sitting in the creek with their arms around each other as they slide in the cool water and it always makes my heart happy to know their love is still enjoying adventure.

There are so many luxury bed and breakfasts, budget motels and extravagant resorts here that you will have no problem finding the perfect place to stay after your beautiful Sedona wedding. If you need help choosing a B & B or hotel that fits your personality, preferences and budget, call or email me and I can give you some good ideas. From the friendly and sweet little hometown Star Motel to upscale resorts such as Enchantment or The Rouge, you easily will find one that fits your style and personal expectations. If you want nothing but the very best, you will pay more, of course. There are some lovely and hidden spots here in Red Rock Country that are marvelous places to combine your wedding and the honeymoon. Some of them have spas so you can pamper yourself after a full day of hiking, sightseeing or shopping.

Remember though, that if you want privacy and quiet time together after your engagement or wedding, it is a good idea to stay in a separate location from family and friends. You may have fun things to do that don’t include Great Uncle Harold.

Speaking of fun things to do, two of my favorite people are massage therapists here in Sedona and really amazing ones too: Sue Allison 928-204-2095 and Divyo Kuhlmann 928-204-2489. They both do other therapies and private couples work as well, so if you are interested in growth and awareness, talk to them about what they might provide for a true love experience .

From jeep tours to balloon rides, from hiking to shopping in Uptown, Sedona is full of fun things to do. Make your Sedona wedding a fun time as well as a very romantic experience. You can find information about all the activities at the Chamber of Commerce website: http://sedonachamber.com/ or at their office on corner of Forest Rd and Hwy 89A in Uptown.

If you are a hiker, be sure to purchase a Red Rock Pass at the Chamber office so you can stay out of trouble parking at the trail heads. You can also get maps there showing trail difficulty and where to park. My personal favorite hike is West Fork, which is 9.5 miles up Oak Creek Canyon and includes an easy path through steep red rock vistas, tall vanilla-scented Ponderosa Pines with a gentle trail meandering back and forth over the West Fork of Oak Creek. Take your camera and go early to perhaps see ducks, coyotes and a variety of wild birds. It is particularly cool on a hot day, so pick your weather for this one. In the winter, you may find ice on the canyon walls and snow near the creek which makes for incredibly beautiful photos. This area has been on the front of local phone books several times so you might win prizes for these shots. Another short hike that is very scenic and fun is Chimney Rock Loop at the end of Andante. Go all the way to the end of the street and park near the water tower. The path begins there - go left all the way around Chimney Rock and through the saddle past Thunder Mountain. It only takes about an hour but gives you a good view of much of the town and the incredible scenery that our little town anchors. I hike this one often, so if you see me there be sure to say hello.

The jeep tours will usually pick you up at your hotel and return you there after the tour, as will balloon tour operators and most of the air tours. They are very knowledgeable about local folklore, geology, fauna and flora so you will learn a lot, besides enjoying the entertaining rides. Some of the tours include visits to native ruins if you are interested in our former residents and historical facts. For jeep tours, my favorite companies are Earth Wisdom Tours, Pink Jeeps and Red Rock Jeeps.

Be sure to take the trolley and get a great overview of Sedona. It is about $12 pp and they say is ‘the best first thing to do in Sedona.’ The Chapel of the Holy Cross, Tlaquepaque and Red Rock Crossing off Upper Red Rock Loop Rd. are other ‘don’t miss’ places to see. Our small local historical museum is near the end of Jordan Rd. on the left and is open 11-3 weekdays with an entrance fee of $3 for adults and free for children under 12, believe it or not. The docents there will inform you about all the old movies that were filmed in the red rocks during the early days of color film. You will also learn how Sedona got its name and became a wedding hot spot in the Southwest.

We have some of the loveliest galleries in the country here, so be sure to stop in at some of our favorites – Lanning Gallery at Hozho, Modern Masters at Hillside and Joe Wilcox in Uptown. We have cowboy art but that isn’t all. Everything from metal sculpture to exquisite jewelry made locally is here and all kinds of paintings, pottery and art glass too. You can also stop at Sedona Art Center where they have not only art but classes year round as well. Remember, you need a piece of art to have in your home as a reminder of the great love you share and the beautiful place where you made it official.

This should get you started on your Sedona engagement, wedding or honeymoon trip. Let us know if we can help you with places to stay and great restaurants – the perfect gourmet locations for the rehearsal dinner, your wedding reception or a candlelight dinner for two. Restaurants, hmmmm… that might be a great future blog, since I love to ‘speak food.’

And speaking of food, our favorite Sedona Wedding planning tools are now posted on our Resources page. They will help you plan that wonderful food, the budget, the decor and all the details of your Sedona Wedding. Click here and get started designing the most romantic day of your life….