The Arboretum at Flagstaff Elopement // Tim + Rachel
Rachel and Tim originally had their venue set for a low-key backyard wedding on a family members property in New Mexico with stunning mountain views but, unfortunately lost it to a wild fire. With last minute research and planning, they stumbled across Simply Eloped: a company who plans and coordinates your entire elopement day for you, so you don’t have to. Rachel and Tim shared with their elopement coordinator what they were searching for in a venue. Only living a short two and a half hours away, Rachel and Tim decided on The Arboretum at Flagstaff — where they could still get those beautiful mountain views, green pines, and the opportunity to escape the heat for their August elopement. If you’re also planning an elopement for Arizona, check out my Arizona Elopement Guide to learn how to legally elope in Arizona, the best locations + time of year to elope, and how to plan an elopement.
The Arboretum at Flagstaff, or the “Arb,” is the perfect venue for your elopement (or even large wedding) they can accommodate up to 250 guests. The Arb is located on 200 acres where you and your guests can enjoy meadows, tall green pines, over 750 species of plants in their gardens and the natural habitat, and the stunning San Francisco peaks. The gardens and mountains were the top reason why Tim and Rachel found the Arb as the perfect fit for their elopement day.
On their elopement day Rachel and Tim had the opportunity to say their vows with twenty of their family members present. Tim’s nana even flew for the very first time to be there! You can learn more about eloping with family here.
Rachel, Tim, and their family members arrived at the Arb approximately 30 minutes prior to their ceremony. Rachel and her sister put together Rachel’s final touches in the back area of the welcome center at the Arb and helped Rachel into her dress before heading out to do a quick first look with Tim out front. After spending a moment with Tim and showing him the details of her dress they grabbed hands and started for the aisle, where they walked down together.
Rachel and Tim had a short, but very sweet, ceremony on the stage at the Arboretum where they exchanged vows, rings, and of course — a first kiss! Rachel and Tim’s mothers came up onto the stage to sign as their two witnesses required by the state of Arizona. Following their mother’s signatures, Rachel and Tim signed, completing the marriage license and then smiling for the camera.
We spent some more time on the stage with family and captured portraits with everyone in attendance, even Betty the fern — a fern that Rachel’s grandmother had always owned (even though the fern had died a few times and mysteriously come back to life 😉).
Once we completed family portraits, all of the family members headed back to their cabin to start making the meatballs for their ‘meatball world tour.’ Rachel’s brother-in-law was cooking meatballs 5 different ways from across the globe for their post-elopement munchies. Rachel, Tim, and I headed out past the gardens at the Arb and straight to the meadows and the stunning blue of the San Francisco peaks in the distance for their bride and groom portraits together. We strolled through the meadow together until it was time for Rachel and Tim to head back and munch on some meatballs.
You can check out some of the Best Airbnb Stays for Your Elopement and stay in a super cute cabin in the woods and use it as your reception location for dinner and celebration like Rachel and Tim did for their own elopement!