About us
Arizona Elopement Collective - Your Team For Adventurous Elopements
AS SEEN IN
Our vision
Ditch the Cookie-Cutter, Embrace the Extraordinary
We believe every love story deserves an elopement as unique and adventurous as you are. Forget the traditional wedding rulebook – we’re here to help you curate an Arizona experience that captures the heart and soul of your relationship.
Our mission
Your Authentic Elopement Adventure - Done for you
We are here to make your dream elopement a stress-free reality. Through personalized planning, top-notch vendors, and a focus on unforgettable moments, we’ll leave you free to soak in the magic of your day. This isn’t your mom and dad’s wedding – it’s a celebration designed just for you, filled with authentic joy and breathtaking beauty.
Epic Weddings for Epic Couples
We believe in creating an authentic wedding experience that is tailored to your personality, love story, and vision for your wedding day.
Our story pt. 1
How We Fell in Love With What We Do
We eloped in 2019, taking a $5k leap of faith that ended up surprisingly amazing. Yet, even amidst that joy, something nagged. I (Rich) was still searching for my path, feeling adrift. I tried lots of things, nothing really felt right.
Then, funny enough at our own ceremony, it hit me. After tying our knot Shelby looked at me and said “Rich, you should do this.. officiating and creating experiences like this!” It was one of these divine moments in life when everything felt right.
So I jumped in, put my name out there and finally felt seen and accepted for who I truly am. Shelby and I both realized that chasing this kind of joy was our calling.
Frustrated by impersonal vendors, we vowed to change the game – curating elopements filled with passion, not just paychecks. We sought vendors who match our clients’ unique spirits, believing experiences should be full of genuine connection.
Our story pt. 2
The Spark That Gave Life To Arizona Elopement Collective
Shortly after the pandemic began in 2020, many large, traditional weddings were stripped of their ‘production’-like feel and they were forced to be more intimate, held in backyards, mountains, beaches, etc. We started getting booked by couples to officiate and play music (Shelby is also a musician). We quickly realized later that year that even though these celebrations were small in nature, they still took a ton of time and effort to coordinate and a lot of couples didn’t really know how to bring everything together.
After seeing so many experiences that could have been better (not a fun feeling on a wedding day), we decided to create a package to do just that! Let’s Knot and Say We Did began offering all-inclusive elopement packages and we began booking out our services across the US!
After two years of living out of a suitcase and creating these epic experiences, we wanted to limit our travel to the summer months and be more Arizona based with our offerings. With two of the top ten wedding destinations being in Arizona, it felt like the perfect place to begin creating epic teams. There are also so many beautiful vendors who are passionate about the services they provide. And THESE are the vendors we choose to have at our Arizona elopements.
Now, we have an exceptional team of planners and vendors who believe, like we do, that your elopement should be an extraordinary expression of who you are.
That’s the spark behind Arizona Elopement Collective.
Where Elopement Dreams Become Breathtaking Realities
Hundreds of Arizona elopements transformed into breathtaking realities. Our experienced team crafts personalized, joy-filled experiences in stunning landscapes – from desert vistas to mountain views. Let us bring your elopement dream to life!
48 HOURS
RECORD
PLANNING
300+
ELOPEMENTS PLANNED
90,000+
HOURS SPENT PLANNING
150,000+
MAGIC MOMENTS CAPTURED
Love, Care & Passion
Meet our Team
Richard
Co-Founder, Planner + Logistics Guru
Rich is a connector and logistics king. With grace and joy, he has created a little black book of the best vendors in Arizona (double vibe checked by Shelby). He’s guided and planned over 300 wedding experiences and ceremonies for couples. And he will make sure everything within the vendor coordination process is FLAWLESS.
Rich is also a Master of Ceremony. He leads our officiant team in creating the most authentic ceremony experience that honors your love, your story, and your union. Our ceremonies are all about YOU + your love.
Shelby
Co-Founder ,Photo Editor, Designer + Queen of Vibes
Shelby is an intuitive, joyful, and creative soul who empowers couples to get exactly what they want out of their wedding day. She is a giant permission slip that you don’t have to do things the way other people have (or are pressuring you to do)! She has high standards, sleek boundaries, and helps make sure every vendor on your wedding day is the absolute best fit. Queen of Vibes is an understatement. She only works with the best, and is very particular about who is involved in your space. She’s mostly behind the scenes, making sure everything and everyone is set up for success on one of the most important and memorable days of your life.
Sydney
Elopement Photographer
Sydney is the long lost best friend you didn’t know you were missing. Her light is golden and she draws you in with joy. Birds sing to her. Butterflies land on her. She’s April 25th. She’s pancakes on a Sunday. She’s the bee’s knees and the cat’s meow. And she will guide you along your wedding day with grace, ease, and the utmost joy. Sydney will lead you into the ultimate expression of authentic joy making sure you’re taken care of the entire way. She helps coordinate your day, and takes breathtaking photos that capture who you are as a couple.
Paige
Elopement Photographer
Paige is not only talented at taking beautiful photos; she is the epitome of calm, cool, and collected (even in the most dramatic of circumstances). She’s made of moon beams and peppermint tea. She’s a fresh breeze on a spring day. She’s a banana pineapple smoothie. She’s the pearl you find after searching for hours, days, weeks. And she’s who you want by your side if there was an alien invasion. With a background in ER trauma care, and a lifetime of being true to herself, she’s a real one. She will capture your love in an authentic way that rings true to who you both are and will bring out the absolute best in you on your wedding day.
Kenzie
Elopement Photographer
Kenzie is a talented photographer who loves creating memories alongside each couple she works with. She not only creates fun moments throughout each session, she also makes you feel safe, secure, and loved. She’s your favorite yellow crayon. She’s a basket full of daisies. She’s an afternoon picnic in the park. She’s a warm slice of apple pie. She’s the campfire that you sing songs around while roasting marshmallows. She IS a marshmallow! She’s fun, sweet, and a joyful presence on your wedding day. Her goal is to make each person in front of her feel loved and accepted, and that is exactly what she does. I mean who doesn’t like marshmallows?
Lexi
Elopement Photographer
Lexi is the fun sis you didn’t even know you were missing in your life! The kind who always has your back and is your absolute hype girl. She’s a midwest summer evening sipping on iced tea on the front porch. She’s the girl in the romantic comedy you’re rooting for. She’s a honey vanilla latte. She’s your mother’s favorite flower. She is someone you want by your side on your best and worst days. She’s an open book that you can’t put down. She’s made an art out of loving people throughout one of the most important days in their relationship, and makes a habit out of becoming bffs with every couple she works with. Her divine light and confidence is contagious.
Ryan
Officiant
Dr. Ryan Lambros is the creative ceremony master you’ve always dreamed of. He is fun, sarcastic, and brilliant. He will make you laugh like you’ve never laughed before; bring out all your healthy emotions; and have your ceremony flow with style and ease. His unique skill for holding space for everything, while blending together every aspect of your story, is seen in how he personalizes and customizes each ceremony to fit every couple’s specific style, vibe, and needs. Every ceremony he officiates will reflect who and how you are.
Jen
Officiant
Jen’s a real one who brings peace and playfulness to your ceremony. She breathes life and authenticity into the words with her soulful presence. Down to earth, empathic, wise and intuitive, Jen’s a natural connector and you will feel completely at ease in her poised delivery. Poetic and compelling words straight from the heart. A hopeless romantic who adores her family, quiet walks in the woods, adventure, celebrations and intimate connections, just to name a few. Jen cheers for every single couple who takes the leap into marriage and skillfully crafts a ceremony that creates connection and leaves you feeling seen, held and celebrated!
Mario
Officiant
Mario is your charismatic wedding officiant ready to sprinkle some magic on your big day! Originally from California, Mario has called the beautiful landscapes of Arizona home for many years. Overflowing with energy, warmth, kindness, and a genuine passion for people, he is fluent in Spanish and enjoys immersing himself in the culture of diverse communities. Mario’s love for people and authenticity shine as he carefully crafts each ceremony to uniquely tell your love story. With a beautiful wife and four amazing kids by his side, Mario treasures the importance of family. He brings energy, passion, connection, and a touch of humor to every ceremony. When he’s not officiating weddings, you may catch him relaxing with a cigar and good bourbon in hand.
The Arizona Elopement Collective Experience
Creating beautiful art out of regular people
Your wedding day is not a photo shoot. The beautiful photos you see on our website are a byproduct of creating moments alongside you and documenting the day as it unfolds. No awkward posing. No staring at the camera for hours. We’re here to capture the connection and love you already have for one another.
