Alpine + Arches

Alpine + Arches Hey hey! I’m Mandie—Pittsburgh wedding + elopement photographer serving Utah & Wyoming.

I help couples skip the stress, focus on connection, and create a day that’s totally them—whether that’s hiking in, bringing your pup, or hitting your favorite brewery

09/02/2026

If you’re going to spend your wedding day with me as your Moab elopement photographer, I want you to actually enjoy it! I want you to have time after your first look to simply walk around together and take in where you are.

You don’t need to be checking the time or worrying about what’s coming next. You can just hold hands, explore, and enjoy the fact that it's your wedding day!

Moab elopements give you something traditional weddings often don’t: time.

It gives you room to really take in your vows. Time to explore the locations you came all this way to see. To laugh at something ridiculous your partner says. Enjoy the sunset without wondering what you’re supposed to be doing next. To have your first dance under the stars.

It also means your Moab elopement can include the things you actually love doing together. Maybe that’s hiking, biking, climbing, horseback riding, or something a little more wild like skydiving. Whatever makes you two excited to be alive!

You’re not spending the day following someone else’s timeline. You’re spending it YOUR way. In places you actually want to be, doing things you actually want to do, with the person you’re choosing to spend your life with.

When the day finally winds down, you can sit down for dinner tired from an incredible day instead of exhausted from trying to keep up with one.

That’s the kind of peace I want for you when you elope in Moab.

If that sounds a hell of a lot better than spending your wedding day glued to a timeline, come hang out with me!

Head to alpineandarchesphoto.com and let’s start planning a Moab elopement that actually feels like you!

It's like the rest of the world goes just a little quieter when J+M are completely focused on each other. No noise. No n...
09/01/2026

It's like the rest of the world goes just a little quieter when J+M are completely focused on each other. No noise. No nothing. Just them.

I think that’s one of my many favorite things about them. They both have some of the brightest personalities I’ve ever seen, and neither of them is afraid to be completely themselves. They’re silly, goofy, loud, playful, and just genuinely comfortable in their own little world together.

There’s no trying to act a certain way or be anything other than who they are. They just get each other.

The little looks. The laughing over things that probably make absolutely no sense to anyone else. The way they can go from being total goofballs to completely locked in on each other in a matter of seconds.

They’re just so in tune with each other.

I think we all hope to find that kind of partner. The person who matches your energy, lets you be completely yourself, and somehow feels like home and your safe space all at once.

That’s exactly what J+M have found in each other. I freaking love that for them.

Venue: Running Deer Golf Club
Florals: Fancy Fete Florals
DJ: Limitless Entertainment

08/26/2026

If you’re thinking about eloping in Moab, I’m probably not the person to come to if you want to be talked out of it.

There will always be someone ready to tell you why you shouldn’t have a Moab elopement.

“Why a desert?”
“You’ll regret not having the big day.”
“It’s too different.”
“It’s not even a real wedding.”

As if the amount you spend or the location you choose somehow determines whether your wedding is “real” or not.

If I can just be super cereal with you all for a second, I’m so sick and tired of weddings being about everything and everyone except the two people actually getting married.

If a Moab elopement is what you actually want, I think you should have one.

As your Moab elopement photographer, I’m not here to convince you to have the wedding someone else thinks you should have.

Your parents don't have to plan it.

Your friends don't have to pay for it.

Your extended family doesn't have to decide what it looks like.

You do.

So pick the place you’ve been dreaming about. Bring your dog. Wear the boots. Get some dirt on the dress. Spend the day actually doing things you love.

If that means eloping in Moab?

Go freaking elope in Moab.

You have my approval.😉

08/19/2026

I photographed your Moab elopement but the photos are really just one piece of the whole day. Your elopement isn't a photoshoot with a ceremony squeezed in the middle. I don't want that for you.

If you’re eloping in Moab, I want you to actually experience your wedding day.

I want you to take your time at the viewpoint instead of rushing because the timeline says you have 15 minutes.
I want you to stop for a milkshake because you’re craving one.

I want you to grab a beer, sit down somewhere beautiful, and just hang out together.

I want you to laugh when something inevitably goes a little sideways.

If your idea of a perfect wedding day involves skydiving or launching yourselves off one of Moab’s rope swings, then hell yeah, let’s figure out how to make that happen too!

You’re not eloping in Moab so you can recreate somebody else’s wedding day in a prettier location.

You’re doing this because you want something that feels like the two of you instead of something designed to keep everyone else happy.

So yes, I’m going to photograph it. But I’m also going to help you build a day where you can actually be in it.

The kind of Moab elopement where you’re laughing so hard you forget I’m taking pictures.

The kind where you look at each other at the end of it all and think:

Holy s**t. We actually did this.

Come say hi at alpineandarchesphoto.com


08/19/2026

As a Moab elopement photographer, I’m here to tell you that you do NOT have to choose between the quiet, meaningful wedding moments and letting your inner adrenaline ju**ie have a little fun.

You can have both.

You can jump out of a plane.
Launch yourself off one of Moab's rope swings.
Go BASE jumping.
Then put on your wedding clothes, slow things down, and have those quiet moments with the person you're marrying.

M + I literally did this.

They jumped out of a plane in the morning, complete with bride and groom sweatsuits. Yes, M had her hair and makeup done, and somehow both held up through all that wind!

Once their heart rates came back down, they changed outfits, changed the vibe, and ended the day saying their vows at sunset.

This is exactly why I love a Moab elopement. Moab is basically a giant playground for adults, and I think we should take advantage of that

If you're going to ditch the traditional wedding, why stop halfway? Go do the thing you've always wanted to do.

If you're eloping in Moab and you're already thinking of ways to make your day a little more you, come find me at alpineandarchesphoto.com. I want to hear what you're dreaming up.

08/19/2026

5 reasons I think you should elope in Moab, from a Moab elopement photographer who has fallen hard for this little desert town.

1. Your wedding can actually be an adventure.

You can build an entire day around exploring Moab. Hike, take a scenic drive, go off-roading, explore the parks, grab a drink, watch the sunset, or hell, go skydiving.

2. The scenery is ridiculously varied.

Yes, you’re going to get the arches you came here for. But you also have canyons, the Colorado River, overlooks, desert landscapes, and the La Sal Mountains.

3. You don’t have to hike your ass off for an epic day.

I love hiking but you don’t have to.

There are incredible views you can drive to, easier trails you can explore, and plenty of ways to have an epic Moab elopement without turning your wedding day into an endurance event.

4. Your dog can actually be part of the adventure.

If your dog is your adventure buddy for everything else, why would your wedding be the one thing they miss? A dog-friendly Moab elopement is 100% doable. There are plenty of dog-friendly trails around Moab outside of the national parks.

We just plan differently by choosing locations they can enjoy, building in extra time for sniffing and breaks, and figuring out the logistics so they can actually be part of the day.

5. Moab is more than just arches.

Okay, obviously the arches are a huge reason to come here. As a girl who loves her space and also loves small towns, Moab checks both boxes.

I love my space and being somewhere quiet where you can drink your coffee in peace.

But I also want to be able to head into town when I'm ready. Grab dinner. Get a drink. Find a coffee shop. Wander around the shops. Moab lets you do both.

That’s one of my favorite things about a Moab elopement. You don't have to choose between feeling completely removed from everything and having a fun little town nearby.

You get both.

If your ideal wedding involves arches, a good cup of coffee, dogs, some exploring, and ending the day with a drink in town, we should probably talk. Find me at alpineandarchesphoto.com.


08/14/2026

Here's what I think about eloping in Moab: you should be able to make a decision about your wedding without being threatened into choosing something you don't want.

A Moab elopement doesn't mean running away, so why are we threatening grown adults with being disowned because they want to make their own decision about their wedding?

I've been on the receiving end of statements very similar to that, and trust me when I say they don't feel good. It's not funny. It's not harmless. And it shouldn't be something casually thrown around because someone doesn't agree with your choices.

Especially when there are so many completely valid reasons to choose a Moab elopement.

-not going into debt over one day

-you want a wedding day you actually get to enjoy instead of managing everyone else's expectations. 

-you want to hike, explore, bring your dog, and have the focus be on the two of you for one day. ONE DAY!

This is where I really wish elopements could be approached with curiosity instead of criticism.

If you don't understand why someone wants to elope, ask them why.

If you think eloping means running away, learn what modern elopements actually look like.

If you're worried that you're being left out, talk to the couple instead of assuming what their plans mean.

I think a lot of the criticism comes from an outdated idea of what eloping actually is. The thing is that elopements have changed so much!

Eloping in moab doesn't automatically mean running away or leaving your family out. Couples invite their families to elopements all the time. They include their parents and siblings. They have celebrations afterward. They build their Moab elopement around the people who matter to them.

Or they choose to make it just the two of them.

Either way, it's their marriage. 

So if you're sitting here wondering if you're being selfish because your family doesn't understand why you want to elope, I hope you know you're not.

You don't need to choose a wedding you don't want just because someone else has decided their opinion matters more than your happiness.

You aren't doing something wrong by wanting something different. And different doesn't mean wrong.

08/14/2026

Okay, I know I spend a LOT of time talking about desert adventures, but I have to say I loved this change of scenery. 

A + M's engagement session was such a fun reminder that your photos don't have to happen somewhere epic just for them to mean something.

We went to where they had their first date and stopped at some of their favorite spots around the city. We basically took a little tour through the places that already meant something to them.

That's what made this session so good!

We weren't chasing a pretty backdrop. We were documenting places that already mattered to them.

This is something I will always encourage you to do, whether we're planning your engagement session, your wedding, or your Moab elopement.

Don't pick a place just because it looks good in photos. Pick the place that makes you think, “Yep. This is us.”

I'm not here to tell you what your photos are supposed to look like.

I want them to feel like you.



08/12/2026

Here’s what I believe as a Moab elopement photographer: I see no reason your dog should suddenly get kicked off the guest list when they're basically your third wheel on every adventure.

A dog-friendly Moab elopement can be so much more than bringing your dog along for a few photos.

L + H started their day slow at their stay in the Moab backcountry, where their pup could nap in the desert sunshine and just hang out with his people. No rushing. No crowds. Just them, their space, and their dog.

He was there while they got ready, joined them for their first look, rode along for some Jeep photos, and came with us as we headed off-road toward their ceremony location.

When it was time for the ceremony, he got to be right there with them. He didn't need to sit perfectly or pose for every photo. He got to be a dog.

That's one of my favorite things about eloping in Moab: you get to build the day around the things, and the people (or pups), that actually matter to you.

Your Moab elopement doesn't have to look like anyone else's.

If you're dreaming about a dog-friendly Moab elopement and want a photographer who is just as excited about including your pup as you are, come say hi at alpineandarchesphoto.com.

08/12/2026

As a Moab elopement photographer who travels to Moab with my own pups, I KNOW the second your dog realizes they're coming on the adventure, it's game over. I'm actually working out the final details for a trip to Moab with my two right now, and trust me, they KNOW they're going somewhere. 

Which is exactly why I don't think your dog should be left out of your Moab elopement.

And no, a dog-friendly Moab elopement does NOT automatically mean more stress. It just means we plan with your dog in mind.

Since my two pups have some very serious opinions about trails, adventures, and things to do in Moab, I've learned a thing or two about what works and what doesn't when you're bringing your dog along.

I can help you figure out dog-friendly things to do in Moab, build your day around your pup's needs, and even connect you with some pretty awesome dog wedding attendants who will love your dog as much as you do.

Eloping in Moab should be about bringing the things you love into your day. Not leaving them behind because you're worried they'll make things harder.

So stop putting up with those sad puppy dog eyes and just pack their bags already. 

If you're dreaming about a dog-friendly Moab elopement, come say hi at alpineandarchesphoto.com.

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Hopewell, PA
15001

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(412) 519-2960

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