An Adventurous 2 Day Road Trip Engagement Session Through Arizona
Narrowing down the itinerary for this 2 day Adventure Session was an emotional rollercoaster for me. Arizona has so many beautiful landscapes that are each unique and breathtaking. We planned a two day road trip for Fortune and Liran’s engagement photos and brought along an incredible beauty team consisting of hair stylist Chaya Shasha and makeup artist Dolly Assis. As if being incredibly talented wasn't enough, these professionals (and working mamas!) are the most kind individuals and will make you feel on the inside as good as they make you look on the outside. Fortune’s outfits were styled by and sourced from Shelly Antebi , Gracy Accad, and Karen Sabag, and all of Liran’s looks were styled by and sourced from Ziani. They were both accessories with pieces from Ralph’s Jewelry and hats from Arizona Hatters. The session was scheduled for the end of January, winter and off season for Northern Arizona, so we took into account cold temperatures and early sunset while attempting to hit some unique and less touristy spots in our relatively short time. Our first stop was Sedona aka Red Rock Country (ok so this spot is a classic for tourists but who can pass on Sedona??). We chose to stay at the Hilton Sedona as the grounds itself are absolutely stunning and the staff and service is top notch! The rooms were really spacious and each had their own cozy fireplaces and balconies.
If you've made it out to Sedona in the winter you'll know that the early morning can get especially cold so these incredible fire pits had double the use during our shoot there, keeping Fortune and Liran nice and toasty and making for a gorgeous photo setting!
We took a quick coffee break in the hotel before heading out to Bell Rock (just a few minutes away) for a mini hike and breathtaking views. The drive was mesmerizing and once we arrived we were surrounded by the mesmerizing orange mountain formations.
Bell Rock is one of the 5 vortex sites in Sedona. Vortexes are natural sites where you can experience special spiritual and metaphysical energy. Surrounded by such overwhelming natural beauty its hard not to feel at peace and recharged while here.
We couldn’t resist adding a dreamy garden session at Tlaquepaque. We went for a pretty and elegant vibe here with this incredible outfit custom made by Gracy Accad. If you're planning a visit to Sedona make sure to add this little mini town to your trip. Modeled after a Mexican village, Tlaquepaque is full of beautiful architecture and the cutest shops!
We shot a second look at Tlaquepaque, bringing in some DRAMA with this one of a kind gown by Karen Sabag. We then spent the rest of the evening exploring the shops and souvenir hunting for our loved ones back home before heading to Flagstaff for the night. We had quite a few long scenic drives which were made even more enjoyable with a custom playlist by DJ Reload which you can snag here. When crafting this playlist I asked for a wide range of genres mixed in which keeps me from getting drowsy and on long rides and boy did they deliver.
In my opinion Flagstaff is the ideal resting place when traveling to multiple attractions in Arizona. It's central placement gives you easy access to all the most beautiful sights, from the famous Grand Canyon and memorizing Sedona to the lesser explored beauties like Petrified Forest. We chose to stay at The Little America Hotel located there. It had the coziest lobby I’ve ever seen and is just the most perfect setting to unwind after a long day of adventure, don't just take my word for it though come see for yourself (and call me)! We made sure to grab a few photos before heading out for our last day.
This specific spot has been on my bucket list of places to visit for the longest time. The Wigwam Motel is an iconic piece of American history and the famous Route 66, located in the town Holbrook which has many other nostalgia inducing route 66 moments. We spent a few moments taking photos outside with the classic cars and wigwams before continuing on our way.
Petrified Forest National Park is one of my all time favorite locations and I will forever be baffled as to why it is so underrated and not more publicized. There are literally PURPLE mountains (colorful mountains are my biggest weakness). We did not spend nearly enough time exploring out here as the cold was intense and bitter but we somehow managed to power through. The park itself has two different types of landscapes and we shot in both of them! Petrified Forest is known for its fossils, especially fallen trees that lived in the Late Triassic Epoch, about 225 million years ago.
The colorful Painted Desert badlands are composed of bentonite, a product of altered volcanic ash!
At this point it started snowing and was pretty cold so we snapped a few quick shots in this custom gown by Karen Sabag before changing out these looks for some much more cozy and comfy sweats.
We then made our way down to Cave Creek where we visited Cave Creek Trail Rides for a gorgeous sunset shoot. We contacted them in advance and their guides were super helpful in setting us up with an incredible sunset view and positioning the horses! If you’re in the Phoenix area I would highly recommend adding horseback rides here to your itinerary!
We ended the journey with a well earned and much needed feast in Phoenix before heading home. All our meals throughout the trip were catered by Jacqueline Elbaz and brought with us. We were also treated to some delicious roadside snacks in the form of delicious string cheese thanks to Grandma’s Cheese. This was especially helpful as our schedule was pretty packed and this way we knew everyone was well fed.
You can grab a copy of the entire detailed itinerary below!
If you’re ready for your own incredible adventure contact me and let’s bring your dreams to life!
A special shoutout and thank you to all the small business and collaborators who helped this project and experience come to life! I’ve linked all their Instagram pages below so you can follow each of their creative journeys.
Photographer: Jacqueline Soffer Studio
Hair Stylist: Chaya Shasha
Makeup Artist: Dolly Assis
Fortune’s Outfits: Shelly Antebi, Gracy Accad, Karen Sabag
Liran’s Outfits: Ziani
Jewelry: Ralph’s Jewelry
Hats: Arizona Hatters
Boots: Boot Barn
Sedona Hotel: Hilton Sedona
Flagstaff Hotel: Little America Flagstaff
Horses and Trail: Cave Creek Trail Rides
Meals throughout the trip: Jacqueline Elbaz
Snack throughout the trip: Grandma’s Cheese
On the Road Playlist: DJ Reload
Check out the Print Shop for the full collection of wall art from this Arizona adventure!