Cassandra and Ryan exchanged vows at their Southwest-Inspired Elopement at Saguaro National Park in June 2020. The air was thick and hot, as they got ready to say “I do” in a place that was very meaningful to them. Cassandra and Ryan have technically known each other since high school, but didn’t really start getting to know each other until their paths crossed again in college, when Ryan reached out to Cassandra via Facebook messenger. Little did they know that in a few years (and many coffee shop dates later), they would be husband and wife.
Their elopement was absolutely stunning! It was simplistic in the most magical way. Cassandra and Ryan wanted to honor their love for southwest style and really incorporated that from the location of the elopement (right in front of a big old cacti), down to Cassandra’s chunky wild west jewelry choices.
Before the elopement took place, we discussed details of how it would go. Getting together a timeline and plan ahead of time on the day of your elopement is crucial to ensure your day runs smoothly. This creates an outline for the event which helps determine a shot list resulting in lots of inspiration, mood boards, etc. It’s basically the fun visionary part! In this case, I was able to plan out the shoot into four segments – getting ready, first look, ceremony, and adventurous.
Cassandra and Ryan’s elopement session was such a blast. They got to take their “getting ready” photos which turned out to be so cute because their mom’s were both there. About 30 minutes later we were able to complete their “first look” which was such a special moment. During their ceremony, Cassandra and Ryan did a wine box ceremony where they put away their vows and a bottle of wine for them to open again on their first anniversary. We love that idea!
To include family and friends who couldn’t attend due to COVID, Cassandra and Ryan used a GoPro and tripod to video their ceremony. We thought it was such a special way to share their Southwest-Inspired Elopement at Saguaro National Park with those who couldn’t be there!
Thinking about an adventurous elopement? Check out this foggy elopement at Grandfather Mountain here!
