Sedona Hot Air Balloon Proposal

Get ready for a wild ride. This proposal story deserves to be told! Proposals are one of my absolute favorite things to photograph. The emotions are already high so add a hot air balloon and we are soaring, literally! I know what you are thinking. Give this man a TROPHY for this proposal. How did he logistically pull off the coolest sunrise Sedona hot air balloon proposal? Don’t worry, I’ll cover everything. That’s right ladies, you might want to bookmark this one and send it over to your honey 😉 Who doesn’t dream of a sunrise Sedona hot air balloon proposal?

Bri + Hung’s Sedona Sunrise Proposal Story

Hung contacted me months ahead with the plan to get down on one knee. However, the year was 2020! Our plans got flipped and flopped and we might as well of ran them through the wash a few times before hanging dry on the other side with a solid perfect proposal idea. 

Alas, it was set. I  would meet at 5:30 am in Sedona a random parking lot disguised in a hat, sunglasses, and mask. I had the pleasure of knowing Bri and Hung before their proposal which meant I had to go incognito. The darkness of dawn kept me discreet as I entered the tour company van and swiftly sat in the very back seat, head down, camera tucked by my side. I was the first one there.

I had butterflies flying in my stomach when I heard Bri’s familiar voice as she entered the van. Hung followed her in and I could not stop thinking about the ring in his pocket! Red Rock Balloons was aware of the plan and I had gone over it several times with Hung in the past week. Everything was set. He just needed to pop the question.

When we got to the hot air balloon site, I made sure to wait a few beats before stepping out of the van into the crisp morning air. The first light of Sedona was pouring in as the air balloon operators were busy at work firing up the balloon. I kept my eyes on the soon-to-be fiances and my hand on my camera as I played random tourist, strolling around the balloons.

The balloons acted as a timer, growing bigger and bigger. Once fully inflated, Hung got down on one knee. He took Bri by the hand and asked her to marry him amid the popping colors of the hot air balloons. They boarded the basket and celebrated above the red rocks. 

Her ring sparkled in the morning sky! Bri was so shocked to see me and was grateful Hung thought of absolutely everything including having the magnificent moment captured to remember forever. 

Tips to Plan your Sedona Hot Air Balloon Proposal

Choose a Sedona Hot Air Balloon Company

We used Red Rock Balloons because of their iconic colorful look but there are other options as well such as Northern Light Balloons . As of right now, July 2024, the cost per passenger is $350.

What to Expect for your Hot Air Balloon Experience

All hot air balloons take off in Sedona right after sunrise and the tour companies arrange transportation to and from a central point in Sedona. Balloon rides are for the adventurous! You never know where you will land and it is possible to crash land! We were lucky and had a rather smooth landing. Once we landed, the guides popped champagne for everyone and provided a light breakfast. The entire experience lasted around 3 hours with one hour of flight time and the rest including the post-landing picnic and transit.

IMPORTANT: They have to deflate the balloons immediately after landing. If you want a balloon backdrop you need to grab those photos before liftoff!