A Spring Elopement in Joshua Tree
Sunrise to sunset in the deserts of California
When you think desert you’re probably thinking scorching hot temperatures, cacti, and buzzards circling overhead. But that’s not always the case. Joshua Tree is certainly no stranger to sizzling temps but its stunning landscape can be a magical elopement destination in the spring. Come springtime you’ll find an average daily temperate of 85 degrees, with April averaging 78. For me that’s the perfect outdoor hiking temp and a delightful change if you live in colder climes. Eloping couples can enjoy the rock formations, sprawling deserts, and the area’s unique Joshua Trees all without breaking much of a sweat. And it’s one of the easiest national parks to visit in California. Located three hours from LAX and just one hour from Palm Springs it’s an easy outdoor escape. So when Cecilia and Arthur contacted me about doing their wedding in Joshua tree, I was stoked.
These two love birds wanted to take advantage of the best that Joshua Tree offers, which is without a doubt its sunrises and sunsets. I’ve seen a lot of golden hours in a lot of different national parks over the years but few can compare to the magic of one in Joshua Tree. So we planned our day to take advantage of both the sunrise and sunset. We kicked off the day’s adventures with a little shoot at the crack of dawn at Cap Rock. Climbing some boulders for a little height gave us great views of the sprawling fields of Joshua Trees in the area and that golden light cutting across the landscape really made for some unforgettable photos. After our shoot there we made our way over to one of my favorite areas of the park, Hidden Valley, to do the trail around the loop there. Here we climbed one of the larger rock formations to get to my favorite spot in Joshua Tree. High up on this mammoth rock you get a killer vista looking out over boulder piles and massive rocks that just can’t be beat. With our shoot here finished, we parted ways for a bit to meet back up later for their ceremony and a sunset shoot.
After quick lunch in town (and a little nap) I met back up with Arthur and Cecilia at Hidden Valley Trailhead for the ceremony with a few close family members. We found some Joshua Trees to act as their wedding altar and after a tender exchange of vows they said “I do”. Simple, beautiful, and sweet; the spring elopement ceremony. After some happy tears and hugs with their family we set off for our last location of the day. Stopping near Barker Dam, we took advantage of the excellent lighting and created some spectacular photos ending the day with some of my favorite shots of the two of them walking down the road with the sun setting behind them in a brilliant glow of golden light. Road shots can be a little tricky as safety always has to be a priority but this location is perfect for it as the flat landscape allows you to see oncoming cars from quite a ways away. And it is so quiet out there, you can hear one coming from even further. As the sun set on our adventure the cool spring air rushed in to remind us it wasn’t summertime and after congratulating my happy couple, we parted ways and I couldn’t wait to get their wedding photos edited.
Joshua Tree National Park never disappoints and every wedding I shoot here is better than the last. It makes such a great destination for spring elopements in Southern California, I’m always surprised I don’t do more here every year. Hopefully the photos below convince you that this would be the perfect spot for your next adventure together and we can create some memories and photos you’ll treasure forever.
