A Winter Joshua Tree Elopement

“...And the sunlight clasps the earth,

And the moonbeams kiss the sea:-

What are all these kissing's worth,

If thou kiss not me?”

Excerpt from “Love's Philosophy” by Percy Bysshe Shelley

I woke up at about 6 a.m. on Sunday. The desert air was cold and dry. My husband snuggled in bed while I quickly got ready—hair, makeup, clothes—in our DIY camper van. I was equal parts eager and anxious to photograph Janee and Ryan’s wedding day. Eager because Joshua Tree National Park is one of my favorite places to photograph, and anxious because that’s just the kind of person I am.

We rolled up to the Airbnb at about 8 a.m. where the bride and groom were getting ready. Ryan greeted us at the door. As per tradition, he has not seen Janee who was getting ready in the next room. Ryan was adorably anxious. Janee was super excited for her wedding day—glowing even. It’s always so electrifying to see how couples react on their special day. There’s always a lot going on, so I can absolutely empathize with a mix of emotions.

My husband, Isiah—who was the officiant for the day—made small talk with Ryan while I took photos of the soon-to-be-weds getting ready separately. The Airbnb struck the perfect vibe: desert rustic, artsy, comforting. This location really meant something to Janee and Ryan. It was an Airbnb that they had stayed at before and that they absolutely adored. Our couple even brought a few of their favorite records to the location—along with a couple of choice bottles. Whiskey and mezcal to be exact.

The sun was up, casting a pleasant glow in the backyard. I decided this was the ideal spot for a first-look photo for our couple. Ryan adjusted his tie and turned his back. Our blushing bride Janee came out of the house in a beautiful white wedding dress and the craziest sparkly boots I’d ever seen.

What’s fun about first-look photos is that you can’t really script it. It has to be raw. When Ryan saw Janee, I could tell he was stunned.

We headed into the park where Isiah and I got the ceremony area prepped. A group of rock climbers was tying in right where we had planned on having the wedding. This made me a little anxious, but I chatted with them about our plans and they were super friendly about pausing their music. Part of eloping is going with the flow and working with other park enthusiasts.

Our couple arrived with their family. Originally, we expected just Janee and Ryan for this winter elopement in Joshua Tree. But all in all, we had about 20 attendees. When you’re in the outdoor wedding and elopement business, flexibility is essential. Elopements are messy and imperfect, just like real life. But it's exactly that realness that makes them so near and dear to my heart. Isiah adjusted his wedding script on the fly—something I only found out after the ceremony.

Janee and Ryan’s wedding took place on their dating anniversary—how perfect is that! Isiah opened the ceremony by reading Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Love's Philosophy” and shared a little bit about the couple. There was a brief pause in the ceremony as Ryan and Janee pulled out their own vows. “Hey, there’s a wedding down there,” said one of the rock climbers. The wedding party looked up and waved. “Oh, you can hear me? Oops. Congratulations!” Everyone laughed.

I’m always super nervous about moments like this. But the whole situation was so endearing, that it put me—and everyone else I hope—at ease. Ryan and Janee shared their vows which were touching, beautiful, and too personal to share here.

After the “I do”s, the family was elated! We commandeered a picnic table, popped some bottles, and snacked on some donuts—yum! It was the first time to Joshua Tree for most of the wedding party. Truly one of my favorite things is showing people to new and beautiful places I love. I rapidly snapped photos of family members exploring the rocks and hugging each other. It was too cute!

I stole away our newlyweds for a few photos among the Joshua Trees. I noticed a mood change for our couple. All that nervous excitement settled into a deep joy that was simply contagious.

Our couple booked an eight-hour wedding and decided to split the day into two four-hour sessions. The first part was all getting dolled-up, the ceremony, and family pictures; while the second part was evening photos of just the couple themselves. To me, this is the perfect way to do things. It gives you plenty of time to let the moment sink in.

I posed our couple for some photos. But honestly, they were so damn cute that I spent most of the time pulled back, just letting them have their space while I snapped some pics from afar. As background, we played a playlist of their favorite music on a Bluetooth speaker.

Music has always been a shared passion for Janee and Ryan. And when they say they love a little bit of everything, they mean it! My husband and I spent hours listening to their playlist and downloading songs before the wedding day—hearing things I recognized and plenty that I hadn’t. Hikers jogged by, stealing glances of our happy couple and wishing them a polite “congrats!”

It was dusk and I knew this was the moment Janee had been waiting for. During our initial conversations, she mentioned she loves nighttime photography. So with the stars overhead, I snapped some long exposures of our couple, snuggled together in the cold winter air. When I showed Ryan and Janee a photo in real-time, I think I saw Janee just about cry. And let me tell you, I’m here for the tears!

After we wrapped up the day, we spent a lovely few hours chatting with our couple before calling it a night. I hope we gave this couple the perfect wedding day—because, for us, it was an absolute delight.

Looking to book your wedding photographer? Contact Love & Latitudes Elopement Photographer, and we’ll help you book the perfect wedding day.