Emma + Tanner
An epic Wedding Anniversary in Sedona, AZ
When I say that Dom and I really do become true friends with some of our wedding couples, we really mean it! From the very beginning, Emma and Tanner have been the kind of couple that really clicked with us, they are so easy-going, quite adventurous, quick to laugh and just a blast to be around. For their engagement session Dom and I headed down to Bend, OR where we snapped gorgeous engagement photos of these two beautiful people all over Smith Rock and afterward enjoyed some food at a local pub.
We were next to them every step of the way as they felt the pains of wedding planning in 2020 and truthfully had to plan 4 different weddings, the last of which was literally put together in a single day when a last-minute decision to re-lock the state down would have prevented them from getting married at all!
In two years since their wedding, Tanner has permanently moved up to Oregon from Medras, and Emma is just about to transition to a new school system for the first time in 4 years.
We hadn’t seen too much of these guys in 2021 as life got busy for both of us, but when an unexpected opportunity popped up for a spontaneous trip to Arizona, these adventurous duo were quick to jump on a plane and meet up with Dom and I for some epic desert hiking and of course, some stellar photo opportunities!
Having first visited Sedona this past February for a Skydving trip with a friend, Dom was stoked to revisit the beauty of the Red Rocks National Park and after pouring through miles of the most stunning Instagram content I’ve ever seen I made a plan on how to hit all the highlights!
Meeting up with Emma and Tanner, we started off with a morning of coffee and then hiked Bell and Cathedral Rock back-to-back. After a delicious lunch of Mexican we cooled off in the frigid waters of Slide Rock before freshening up and taking a LONG and BUMPY 4X4 road out to Merry Go Round Rock trailhead.
Dom and I had been up here the night prior for an engagement session, and we were so excited to show Emma and Tanner the absolutely unreal view of Merry Go Round Rock. After a short hike, you come to this ring of white stone that is lined with beautiful green trees and from the center of the ring launches a huge red spire that with a little scrambling, can be submitted for a breathtaking view of the Sedona Valley below.
Dom and I absolutely geeked out as we revisited Emma and Tanner’s wedding day by posing them all over Merry Go Round Rock and celebrated their 544th day of marriage in epic style!
The next morning it was early to rise as we hit the trail leading to the famous Devil’s Bridge by 4:59am. The early morning proved 100% worth it as we submitted the trail and took in the stunning natural red rock bridge that spans two edges of a cliff face, the green forest falling steeply below.
Devil’s Bridge is one of those insta-famous spots in Sedona, so getting there before sunrise proved absolutely key to getting “the shot” of Emma and Tanner strolling along the bridge as the sun created the hill behind them, shedding golden light on Emma’s stunning yellow sun dress and glistening blonde hair.
Just as we wrapped up our sunrise photos, the hordes of Devil’s Bridge visitors began to arrive by the dozens, proving that in this case at least, the early bird really does get the worm! ;)
Enjoy this little selection of images from Emma and Tanner’s adventure sessions in Sedona below, and if this inspires you to want to hop on a plane and check these amazing places out for yourself, don’t forget to invite Dom and I along to document it!
