Spring Wedding at The Paseo | Arizona Wedding Photographer
There is nothing more breathtaking that a spring wedding at The Paseo. The Paseo is breathtaking and a venue that couples come from all over the world to have their wedding day at. The large windows reflecting the superstitions, jaw dropping view of the Arizona desert and whimsical reception place is a show stopper for all guests.
For Bree and Brandon, being able to enjoy the outdoors and nature with their friends and family was a huge must for their wedding day – they chose a late spring wedding at The Paseo and it was the most incredible day surrounded by so much love. It was an absolute party!
Bree got ready for her big day with no other than her beautiful mother. It is so important to us as photographers to give some space to mothers and daughters on the wedding day to help each other get ready and really soak the moments in leading up to walking down the aisle. A first look with her father and then Brandon’s tearful first look was next. Doing a first look at your wedding is always a yes from us! First looks not only give us extra time for photos prior to your ceremony but also give our couples that private quiet time to just enjoy each other before all of the wedding day chaos!
When it came to decorating for their Wedding at the Paseo, Bree and Brandon went all out. The decor was modern bohemian with lots of burnt orange, dried florals and pampas for days. The hanging florals in the reception space, head table with neon sign and lit candles and cactus napkin holders were the stars of the show for us though. It’s hard to compete with The Paseo’s natural beauty but the thoughtful touches of every detail that went into this incredible day only enhanced that beauty and created an absolutely breathtaking wedding space for their big day!
When it came to bridal party, Bree and Brandon said the bigger the better! They are truly such big party people they wanted their bridal parties to really be there to hype them up and celebrate all day long – and they did just that! The bridal parties personalities really brought so much fun to the wedding day, especially “the flower boys”. This was such a fun part of the ceremony and had guests in tears!
Bree and Brandon’s spring wedding at the Paseo was everything you could dream of. Something about saying “I do” in front of Arizona’s incredible Superstition Mountains just can’t be beat. If you are looking for a venue that can completely captivate guests while portraying Arizona’s beauty, The Paseo is the venue for you! One of our favorite things about being Arizona Wedding Photographers is the fact that we get to shoot at this dream venue so often it is nearly a second home to us after all these years!
If you are getting married at The Paseo and are looking into how weddings can look in other seasons, check out our blog on a winter wedding at The Paseo here!
Superstition Mountain Wedding with Cloth and Flame | Arizona Elopement Photographer
Superstition Mountain Wedding with Cloth and Flame
This spring we photographed an incredible Superstition Mountain Wedding with Cloth and Flame and I am so stoked to share it with you. Cloth and Flame is well known around the valley for the immersive and out of this world experience they provide their couples by bringing their wedding dreams to life. If you can imagine it, they can do it. Cloth and Flame is known for their ability to transform any outdoor space into the wedding of your dreams and this Superstition Mountain Wedding was just that.
Krista and John’s relationship together began in the Superstitions, so naturally they longed for their dream wedding day to take place in the Superstition Mountains as well. Superstition Mountains was a destination for all of their family and friends and so worth the trip from Michigan! There is nothing quite like the desert in the spring, warm, crisp evenings and sunsets like no other. In some places in the Superstitions you can even find Spring flowers in full bloom. A personal favorite of ours was the glamping style tents Cloth and Flame provided for the couple to get ready, it really tied together the outdoor desert vibe of their wedding.
When it came to decorating their Superstition Mountain Wedding with Cloth and Flame, Krista and John kept it dreamy and bohemian. The blush dried florals, rattan furniture, winding tables cape and chandeliers were to die for. We loved how they worked their decor around the beauty that the desert offers. Their bar sign with their dogs as the signature cocktail was a huge hit with guests as well and such a fun way to incorporate their fur babies since they couldn’t be a part of the actual wedding day.
One of the things they looked forward to most was the beautiful stargazing opportunity they had with having an outdoor wedding in the desert. They had a jaw dropping view of the superstitions as the sun set with a beautiful view of the stars after the sun went down. The chandeliers lit their dance floor and gave their dinner a super intimate and cozy feel. The couple snuck away for a few star gazing photos before dancing the night away under the stars, it was the perfect end to their dream Superstition Mountains wedding.
Finding The Perfect Elopement Location | Arizona Elopement Photographer
Your Guide For Finding The Perfect Elopement Location
No matter where in the world you and your partner decide to elope, the fact that you are making the decision to pledge your lives to each other in such a brave, meaningful and intentional way already makes your wedding day pretty dang perfect. Finding the perfect elopement location is just the cherry on top of that.
When it comes to helping our couples find the perfect elopement location there are several factors that come into play. It is so important to us to find hidden gem locations that cater to the needs of our couples, every couple is different – so naturally, so are each of the location guides we create. When narrowing down your locations you will want to consider locations that speak to your couple, align with their vision, and most importantly fit in line with their beliefs, values and needs for their wedding day.
Finding The Perfect Elopement Location : Choose A Meaningful Place
The first thing you will want to consider when finding the perfect elopement location is a location that is meaningful to both you and your partner. This location can be somewhere you have experienced already together and have memories that you love here or even an incredible new destination that you have always dreamed of seeing. There is something magical in watching a couple experience an epic location for the first time especially on their wedding day. It is also so incredible to see a couple elope in a hometown they grew up in, a family home or their favorite national park hiking trail. There are so many heightened emotions in saying I do in a location meaningful to you as a couple, it only makes sense to make this a big factor in finding the perfect elopement location for your special day.
Finding The Perfect Elopement Location : Consider Seasons
Seasons play a huge part in finding a perfect elopement location. Different locations throughout the world will have peek and off seasons during the year. For example, where I live in Arizona, it is common for our couples to elope in Arizona in the spring or fall. Summer season in Arizona is extremely hot and unsafe to be outdoors and hiking in these higher temps. When researching different elopement locations you will want to consider the best time of year to elope here. What will the weather look like? Will you need rain boots or an umbrella? Or will you need extra water, cool clothes and a way to cool down? Will this location be busier during peek season? Are there road closures during this time of year? These are all important things to consider when eloping during different seasons of the year. Road closures during winter may prevent easy access to popular locations or you may require snowshoes to hike a snow packed trail – which is absolutely okay, but it is something you will need to consider! During peek season you may need to plan further out to secure permits in time for your elopement along with accommodations since it will be a busier time of year. For popular locations you may need to consider a sunrise ceremony or a remote location to keep things intimate and avoid bigger crowds.
Finding The Perfect Elopement Location :Let An Activity Guide You
The possibilities are endless when it comes to incorporating activities into your elopement day. Whether you are an avid hiker or just love the idea of saying your vows at the top of a beautiful mountain peak, letting an activity guide you to finding the perfect elopement location is key. If your dream has always been to elope in Alaska with glaciers, you know immediately that one of your activities could look like a helicopter tour to the glacier, personal vows and if you are feeling extra brave, even taking a polar plunge. Or your vision for ending the day could look like a sunrise hot air balloon ride, a helicopter tour over the state, horseback riding, kayaking, rock climbing at your favorite trail, a sunset hike, the list goes on and on. Sometimes our couples come to us ready to go and already have a plan for the day for what they would like to do and some have an idea but need help with the logistics, that is where we come in. Your elopement photographer and guide can help you find a location suitable for the activity you want, the best time of year and other experiences that will give you the wedding experience of a lifetime.
Finding The Perfect Elopement Location : Research Research Research
We can say with confidence that some of the most incredible places to elope in the United States are on the roads less traveled, but that does not mean you can’t get a little inspiration from researching through social media platforms. Google, Instagram and Pinterest are all really helpful in the early stages of planning to help give you an idea on what locations pull at your heart strings. Once you have an idea of what you like it will be so much easier finding the perfect elopement location for you and your partner.
This is where we would come in – as your elopement photographer and guide we love helping our couples see these less popular locations because they are less crowded, more intimate and insanely beautiful. The popular places on social media are easier to envision, sure. That is because there are thousands of photos that help make the idea seem more real, but with that also comes crowds and a less intimate setting. When you are willing to step outside of the trendy locations on Instagram there is a world of opportunity in dreamy off the beaten path locations. Wandering Weddings has a great blog about different locations to elope if you need any inspiration to kick start your location planning!
Accessibility
A big factor to consider when finding the perfect elopement location is accessibility. Accessibility is important for a few reasons, whether you are making the decision to elope just the two of you or to include close family or friends, considering how accessible locations are will help to narrow it down to a location that checks all of your boxes. In cases where couples decide to elope just the two of them, it is easier to pick an off road epic adventure location because you are able to make the hike or pay for an off-road vehicle tour or if you are feeling especially adventurous renting a 4×4 yourself and making an off-road activity part of your elopement plans. With guests into consideration, it is typically more difficult to coordinate getting several other guests off-road up to an epic location. Or maybe you have family who are older and have a harder time walking longer distances. In these instances it is best to have a location that has an accessible trail for ease to all members attending and then after ceremony you and your partner can escape for your adventure and some time alone for experiences just the two of you.
At The End Of The Day
Eloping is intentional. Eloping is making the decision to make your day about you instead of social media, instead of family or any one else’s needs or wants. It is making the brave decision to not only do something different but to have an experience true to you as a couple. When finding the perfect elopement location absolutely allow yourself to search all outlets but give yourself the space to be creative and think outside of the box. You never know what trail you might end up on. After all is said and done, what matters most is YOU ARE MARRYING YOUR PERSON. Your dream elopement location will help create an unforgettable experience and memories that will last you a lifetime. But this is only the start of your adventure!
Need help planning? Reach out to us here! Let us help plan your dream elopement experience!
Charlotte Francis | Arizona Intimate Wedding + Elopement Photographer
LGBTQ-friendly | All skin colors & body sizes are loved here
Phoenix, Arizona based but fly us anywhere to document your love story
