Sustainable, Desert Meets Coast Editorial Elopement in Joshua Tree National Park

Desert Meets Coastal Sustainable Joshua Tree Elopement Styled Shoot. Nordeen Bridal Wear Collection featuring elegant silhouettes, flowing materials, cape sleeves, and sweater cover ups. Unique and Contemporary Wedding Gowns for the modern bride. S…

We’ll be upfront - the wedding industry can be wasteful. We know this all too well.

When we were developing the ethos for this editorial with Cedar and Pines and Nordeen Bridal , we knew sustainability would take priority. On a personal level, all of us spend so much of our time exploring different landscapes of the earth through hiking, rock climbing and camping. We know the value the land brings us and we want to do our part in preserving it.

Desert Meets Coastal Sustainable Joshua Tree Elopement Styled Shoot. Stunning, warm and Journalistic Photography by Cedar and Pines Photography. Styled Shoot designed and styled by Wildly Collective.

On a business level, we also bring our couples into these spaces. We have audiences who value landscapes just as much as we do, but may not understand the footprint they leave behind when planning their weddings. As vendors, we know part of our role is educating our couples and audiences on sustainability in any way we can. This editorial does just that.

Alongside our collective value of sustainability, we also blended the seemingly opposite landscapes of the Joshua Tree desert and coastal northeast into a single design.

Desert Meets Coastal Sustainable Joshua Tree Elopement Styled Shoot.  Lunaria and dried floral bridal bouquet designed by Wildly Collective inspired by tumble weeds, desert landscape and opalescent textures reminiscent of the sea. Funky font elopement announcement stationery designed by Wildly Collective. Stunning, Warm and Journalistic Photography by Cedar and Pines Photography. Styled Shoot designed and styled by Wildly Collective.

The location for the editorial was set in Joshua Tree, CA at our photographer’s home, an obvious point of inspiration. The dresses featured in this editorial were handcrafted on the northeast coast of the US. Brenna Simmons, owner of Nordeen Bridal, grew up on the coast. We embedded elements of water, opalescent textures of the sea and underwater scenes into the design.

The getting ready portion of the editorial took place in Megan and Nate’s Airstream - which had been their home on wheels for several years!

Sustainable Elopement Inspiration | Joshua Tree Desert meets Coastal Main Editorial | Cedar and Pines Photography | Nordeen Bridal | Elopement Designer + Planner | Wildly Collective

The gowns featured in the editorial are made with mindfulness of the environment and with the intent of them being worn in natural, adventurous landscapes.

We placed the elopement announcement within a tumbleweed, to evoke the feeling of a pearl within an oyster.

Desert elements like Tumbleweed, Creosote Bush and Palm fronds were foraged from the yard of Megan and Nate’s (photographers) desert home. Items that weren’t foraged were repurposed from past events. We used lunaria to create an opalescent texture reminiscent of the sea.

Desert elopement tablescape, modern and boho design joshua tree

For the tablescape, we utilized rentals from our own inventory and from Megan and Nate’s home. We created a centerpiece reminiscent of a desert garden or an underwater reef scene: layers of dried elements, sand, wobbly tulips, open water in the centerpiece vessel, twisting candlesticks and ochre pillar candles. Oysters from Maine held the spoons at each place setting. A piece of dried cholla cactus sat on each plate.

For the ceremony backdrop, we utilized mirrors from local flea markets to create depth, layers and the illusion of water. Our aim was to create the feeling of elongated time and space, and also pair with the Airstream’s reflective material.

For portraits, we headed into Joshua Tree National Park, just 10 minutes from Megan and Nate’s home. Nordeen’s gowns came alive in the wind of the desert. Each gown features fabric elements that tell a story when they’re moving in the wind. The emotion of the gowns solidified the ethos of this editorial.

We hope that those experiencing this editorial feel more deeply connected to the earth and know that so much intention can be paired with sustainable practices.