Honoring the Indigenous Tribes of Sedona

At Sedona Conscious Weddings, we believe that every sacred ceremony held on this land is not just a union between two people — it is also a moment of relationship with the Earth, the ancestors, and the unseen history that still lives in the red rocks.

As we offer elopements, healing rituals, and sacred ceremonies in Sedona, it’s essential that we pause to honor the Indigenous peoples who have called this land home for generations. To marry here is not only a blessing — it’s a responsibility to acknowledge and respect the original stewards of this powerful place.

The First People of Sedona

Long before Sedona became known as a spiritual destination or wedding paradise, this land was tended by the hands and prayers of its Indigenous tribes, who lived in deep reciprocity with the land and sky.

The region now known as Sedona is the ancestral homeland of several Indigenous peoples, including:

• The Yavapai-Apache Nation
• The Hopi Tribe
• The Diné (Navajo) Nation
• The Hohokam and Sinagua (ancestral cultures of the area)

These tribes have ancestral ties to the Verde Valley, Oak Creek Canyon, and the surrounding red rock region — places that we now walk, photograph, and gather in.

Land with a Living Memory

Many of Sedona’s most iconic formations — such as Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Courthouse Butte — hold sacred meaning in Indigenous cosmology. These places were not seen merely as “vortexes” or energy centers in the New Age sense, but as spiritual beings and ceremonial sites in themselves.

For the Hopi, for example, the entire Four Corners region — including Sedona — is part of their creation story and migratory path. The Yavapai-Apache tell stories of emergence, balance, and nature spirits that live in these very stones and waters.

As such, the land here is not just beautiful. It is alive. It remembers. And it deserves our humility.

Ceremony with Respect and Reverence

When we facilitate weddings, elopements, and spiritual experiences in Sedona, we do so with deep reverence for the land’s original caretakers. Here are a few ways we embed that respect into our practice:

🌿 Acknowledging the Land – Each ceremony includes a moment of spoken land acknowledgment, recognizing the tribes who came before us.

🔥 Ceremony in Right Relationship – We educate couples about the cultural history of sacred sites, and ensure that photography, ritual, and gatherings are done respectfully and mindfully.

🌺 Offering Practices – We guide couples in making symbolic offerings to the land—such as flowers, prayers, or quiet moments of stillness—to show appreciation and spiritual presence.

💞 Giving Back – We are committed to supporting Native-led organizations and encourage our couples to consider including donations or support in their wedding budget as an act of reciprocity.

Land Acknowledgment Example

Here is a version of the land acknowledgment we often share in our ceremonies:

“With humility, we honor the ancestral lands of the Yavapai and Apache peoples, who have lived in deep relationship with this land long before us. May we walk gently and offer our love with respect to the elders, ancestors, and spirits of this sacred place.”

Becoming an Ally in Ceremony

We invite every couple who marries in Sedona to become not just a guest of the land — but an ally of its people and spirit. This means:

• Learning the history of the Indigenous peoples who lived here
• Avoiding cultural appropriation in spiritual practices or attire
• Respecting sacred sites by following Leave No Trace principles
• Acknowledging that healing and sacredness did not begin with us — but that we are part of a much older lineage of reverence

Marriage as Sacred Responsibility

To marry in Sedona is to enter into sacred relationship — not just with your partner, but with the land, its memory, and its spirit. May your love be rooted in respect, your joy held in gratitude, and your presence offered as a prayer.

💌 Want to co-create a wedding ceremony that honors the Earth, its original stewards, and your sacred union? Reach out to us and let’s begin that journey together.

Let every vow spoken in Sedona be a whisper of thanks to the land and its ancestors.

OM & LOVE,
Kirti Wright Zhu
Founder & Ceremonialist at Sedona Conscious Weddings, LLC.