A Bonneville Salt Flats Elopement

bonneville salt flats sunset elopement portraits

The Bonneville Salt Flats, in Wendover, Utah is an area of mystery, majesty, and record holdings. While the Salt Flats is the ancient remnants of a once giant lake that has evaporated over the millennia, leaving the Bonneville Salt Flats. The Bonneville Salt Flats is the perfect place for a magical elopement and for making some epic and once-in-a-lifetime memories.

How it all began!

Emily and Adam met through their family and their jobs a few years back and have since become each other’s best friends and companions. After their engagement and initial wedding planning, they were met with the same issue that so many couples faced last year. The pandemic and and a wedding rescheduling. Unfortunately, they not only had to reschedule once or twice, but three different times, all of which had failed due to shutdowns and restrictions.

salt flats elopement portraits bride and groom

Emily reached out via Instagram after seeing my work in The Bonneville Salt Flats last year (you can see that here!). She said, “I love the work and I want to elope in the Salt Flats.” I said, okay, let’s do it!

Since I had some connections to some amazing wedding vendors in Salt Lake City, I was able to get them an approximate estimate of just how much their entire elopement at the Bonneville Salt Flats would cost. They reviewed the numbers with refunds and changes and booked their flights into Salt Lake City!

Emily, Adam, Felicity (Emily’s daughter), and their besties Maggie and Jesse joined them at a gorgeous downtown SLC AirBnB complete with an inground pool and lots of space to stretch out.

The day before their elopement, Jesse had plans to propose to his girlfriend, Maggie, and I had offered to photograph the initial proposal. We set things up and before dinner, we took them to City Creek Center in downtown SLC because Jesse and Maggie have a thing for fountains. He proposed and she said yes!

Later, we had a tasty dinner and then hiked up to this gorgeous spot in Provo, Utah for some surprise engagement portraits with everyone. It was such a blast and the hike was certainly a healthy one.

An intimate elopement at the Bonneville Salt Flats

The next day I rolled up and photographed details. Of course, since elopements are literally the coolest things ever, Adam and Felicity were spending a little father/daughter time in the pool before they went to get ready. LIKE, WHAT? Imagine doing that on a traditional wedding day! I just loved the chill vibes and lack of stress that an elopement at The Bonneville Salt Flats has.

Everyone was ready to rock and I was joined with my friend, Kheo, a fellow photographer in SLC that just moved there from Ohio.

The Bonneville Salt Flats are the perfect place to elope.

We met with our décor designer and rental gal, Trish, who had a gorgeous arbor set up for us along with seats, a beautiful table, and lots of ornate rugs to break the space up. You can see more of her work at her website!

Upon the arrival of the officiant, we began their ceremony and soon after, they walked down the aisle together toward their new adventure as husband and wife. Afterward, we all toasted them with drinks, hosted a first dance for them, and ended the evening with In-N-Out Burger because what elopement would be complete without it?!

I had the BEST BEST BEST time with Emily and Adam and their crew out in Salt Lake City and look forward to going back again soon to see all the beauty of the space.

Congratulations, you two. I’m so happy you’ve found one another amidst all the noise. And congratulations to Maggie and Jesse on your amazing new start together as well!

A special thank you to these outstanding vendors who made this Salt Flats elopement perfection!

Hair: Styld’ Blow Dry Bar
Dress: David’s Bridal
Makeup: Em’s Beauty Bar
Suit: Jos. A Banks
Officiant: Ash!
Decor: Rustic Urban Goods

Learn how to elope in the Salt Flats!

Learn about our elopement options!