Ashley + Brandon spent the day before their elopement walking through different sections of Joshua Tree National Park, hunting for the perfect spot—the place where they would say their “I do’s” surrounded by towering cactus plants under the setting desert sun.
These two love all things analog. Film photography. Record players. Vintage vinyl. Their whole elopement had an unplugged and romantic, retro spirit that totally captured their energy as a pair. Their color palette was an eclectic mix of deep and bright colors alike, and the western wear details of their wedding day looks were perfect for the wild and wonderful landscape of Joshua Tree.
Planners from Desert Rose Creative helped Ashley + Brandon carry off an elopement that felt peaceful, quirky, and quintessentially them. And photographer Allison from Uncharted Elopements took so many gorgeous photos of this dreamy day out in the desert!
The day’s flowers—including this absolutely iconic magenta floral headband—were created by florist Tiffany of The Sweetzer Life.
We can’t get enough the way The Sweetzer Life mixed bright pops of color with more muted desert tones.
Ashely knew heels wouldn’t be the move for an elopement that included some hiking out in the desert, and with a western wear flair running through the day’s design, floral cowboy boots were the perfect answer. Take a look at our collection of the coolest boots for your wedding day or elopement!
Whatever tunes you pick as the soundtrack for your big day will bring back wedding memories every time you listen later on! “We had The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds album playing on repeat,” say Ashley + Brandon.
Shop this similar bolo tie from Belts Buckles and Bolos to recreate Brandon’s super cool non-traditional neckwear look.
We are obsessed with Brandon’s embroidered three-piece burgundy suit from RangerStitch!! It reminds us of the marigold suit the groom wore in this Intimate 70’s-inspired wedding in Colorado with a very similar vibe!
The First Look
Ashley’s goal was to find a wedding dress that felt “ethereal” and “dreamy,” and she totally nailed it with this gorgeous off-the-shoulder full skirt gown from Breathless Bridal.
That sheer lace detail in the back of the bodice!! 😍
Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding Ashley: Walking through Joshua Tree National Park and having other visitors celebrate and cheer for us was something I didn’t anticipate. It was so heartwarming. We even had some onlookers posted up on some rocks watching us exchange vows.
Brandon: I would have to say my most memorable moment was the “first look” after Ashley was ready. Her wedding dress and flowers were kept secret until that moment. My vision faded into a vignette and all I could see was my beautiful wife and our life ahead of us, and it was so beautiful. I’m glad we had Allison capture that private moment.
Check out this pair of boots from Dolce Vita if the idea of a floral cowboy boot is speaking to you.
Desert “I Do’s”
The Fleetwood Burgundy Suit from Indochino is a great place to start if you’re feeling inspired by Brandon’s deep red look!
And if an adventurous, intimate elopement is sounding like a pretty good idea you should check out our tips on how to elope in a national park.
Desert Honey Artistry created Ashley’s shimmery, deep neutral makeup look and her cascading loose waves.
Explore our guide on how to write your own wedding vows if you want to personalize your ceremony like Ashley + Brandon but need some guidance or some help getting started.
Our Advice To Those Planning Now Take a deep breath and think about how you really want to celebrate your love. We thought and talked about the day for a long time before we were sure that was what we wanted to do. It was an incredible experience that felt like a dream for me. We were both able to really slow down and reflect on each other and our relationship (10 years!) leading us to that day.
How exciting are these pops of vibrant neons?! Especially surrounded by all the deep and sandy colors of the desert landscape.
“On the day of, I didn’t even bother bustling my dress,” says Ashley. “I knew my train would pick up the cacti, sand and debri but I was so excited to get a sort of ‘desert ombre’ coloring to my train.”
“I wanted to bring a little bit of the Nudie suit-slash-Gram Parsons vibe but did not want to overdo it and draw any attention away from Ashley’s dress and flowers,” Brandon says. “And I thought the warm color palette of my suit would look great against the backdrop of the desert.”
Time to Celebrate!!
Break out the bubbly!
If all the natural beauty of these gorgeous golden hour shots is making you jealous, look through our list of the most stunning national park weddings for an epic “I do”.
Who needs a big ol’ wedding cake when you can have wedding cupcakes!? Portable treats like small cakes and other deserts are easy to bring along for intimate celebrations out in the wilderness!
Congratulations, Ashley + Brandon! Your romantic, retro elopement was a total desert dream! All the best from GWS!!
photography: Uncharted Elopements // venue name: Joshua Tree National Park, 29 Palms, CA, USA // planning: Desert Rose Creative // florals: The Sweetzer Life // wedding dress: Breathless Bridal // hair stylist: Desert Honey Artistry // makeup artist: Desert Honey Artistry // groom attire: Ranger Stitch
