Cameron & Rick say “I Do” in an Enchanting Ceremony in the Desert Southwest

Swell & Stone / Utah/Arizona Elopement Photographer

I can honestly say that in terms of weather for Cam & Rick's adventure elopement in the backcountry of Southern Utah, or Northern Arizona- the exact location is undisclosed- we got about as lucky as we possibly could have.
I drove in the day before and it literally rained the entire length of Arizona- I drove from Phoenix. It NEVER rains the ENTIRE length of Arizona! But the morning of their wedding day it was clear and beautiful. Cam was a flurry of calls and texts in the days leading up to the day, but ultimately she and Rick made the best call- to GO FOR IT!
Four 4x4 vehicles met me at the access road. We figured with enough wo(man) power and tow straps we would be fine even if the roads weren't passable. And hell, it'd make for a great wedding day story either way. And make for a great wedding day story it did! We all made the 1.5 hr drive safely, but we all had to navigate frozen puddles that covered entire sections of road! As soon as we arrived we went to hike around the area. We were able to see it in a completely unique way, reflecting pools of water dotted the whole desert, a rare sight!
Cam & Rick had known each other for a while before they started dating. They are both part of the canyoneering community, which happens to be fairly tight knit. Rick had a crush on Cam, and one of her friends asked if she liked him back. She responded, "I wish I liked Rick!" But as she spent more time with him and their mutual friend group she realized that she did, in fact, like Rick. Fast forward to their beautiful, love filled wedding day.
The day was spent hiking, marveling at nature, spending time with family and friends in on of their favorite places. Cam was walked down the aisle by her soon-to-be step son Gavin, and her good friend, Everett. Rick's daughter Hannah looked adorable in her lavender dress and Vans.
After the ceremony, and some group photos the group enjoyed some food and watched the sun get low on the horizon before heading out. Cam & Rick stayed back with me and venturing back out to a spot when the stars came out. There had been scattered clouds all day, but they cleared to the north just after sunset. Even in very cold temps Cam & Rick were stoked to help create the star photo you see above. A perfect ending to an absolutely perfect day with one some of the best people I've ever had the pleasure of spending time with.