Weddings

Permits

Gatherings and commercial activities in national parks often require a special use permit. The purpose of these permits is to ensure the protection of the park's natural and cultural resources, as well as to minimize conflicts between park visitors and your guests.

This page is for you if you are interested in holding a wedding ceremony in the park. There are certain requirements that apply to all wedding permits. Read below for information on regulations, fees, and how to apply.

Planning

• Weddings may be scheduled up to one year in advance.

• Special Use Authorization Permits must be requested by the individuals getting married and not by a third party (e.g. wedding planners).

• The park requires a minimum of four weeks to fully process a basic permit request. Do not wait until the last minute to apply for your permit. Complex special events may require more than four weeks to process.

• Holiday weddings are not allowed.

Be aware of busy weekends and holidays when choosing dates. You can find more information on traffic congestion and the best times to visit at our Traffic & Travel Tips page. We also recommend checking our Alerts & Conditions page for current need-to-know information.

 

Locations

We permit weddings at the following locations:

Location	Group Size Limit
La Sal Mountains Viewpoint	50
The Windows Section (North Window, South Window, Turret Arch, or Double Arch)	25
Sand Dune Arch	25
Pine Tree Arch	25
Park Avenue	15
Devils Garden Campground Amphitheater	80
Panorama Point	50

 

Regulations

• Ceremonies are limited to 10 minutes in length.
• We will evaluate use of folding chairs on a case by case basis.
• You are responsible for site clean up.
• You must restrict wedding activities to slick rock, dry washes, or maintained areas of the park, and you must be in compliance with all park rules and regulations.
• You may not occupy more than half of a parking lot or pull-out. You must allow for free traffic flow for visitors.
• Your event must comply with all other park regulations.

The following activities are prohibited:

• Use of rice, birdseed, or any non-native plant seed.
• Releasing butterflies, doves, or any other wildlife.
• Conducting a wedding within any cultural resource site.
• Establishing tents, caterers, sound systems, tables, etc.
• Use of alcohol
• Playing musical instruments
• Amplified sound

 

How to Apply

Please submit a completed Form 10-930s (116k fillable, accesible PDF document) along with Pay.gov payment confirmation to: [e-mail].

 

Fee Increase for 2023 Weddings

All applications for 2023 weddings are subject to the increased fee of $385. 

 

Permit Fees

Total cost for a wedding permit is $385. Please pay via Pay.gov (instructions below) the full permit amount.

Non-refundable Application Fee. This fee is based on an average time it takes to provide initial contact and consultation with permittees and initial review of a standard application or project ($150).

Administrative & Management Fee. These fees cover the costs associated with issuing a standard permit, which includes, but is not limited to, the average time it takes for processing fees, permit development, consultations with the permittee, managerial consultations and billing ($235).

Administrative fees also include a minimum two-hour monitoring charge. If additional monitoring is required, a charge of $75 per hour per employee will be assessed.

Applicants should submit payments via Pay.gov. To make a payment:

• Enter "ARCH" in the Pay.gov search window.
• Payment will be made at: Canyonlands and Arches NP & Natural Bridges and Hovenweep NM Special Use Permit – click on “Continue."
• Check which park your Special Use Permit is for. Under Permit Fee click on Permit and select Wedding.
• Enter a total dollar amount of $385 for the type of Special Use Permit you are requesting.
• Follow the instructions and fill out the forms.
• Save your payment confirmation; you will submit this with your application.

Entrance Fees

The standard park entrance fee also applies. We encourage wedding attendees to carpool; space is limited in some places.

 

Questions

Call the special use permit coordinator at 435-719-2123 or email us.