Elopements used to get a bad rap… but oh, have they come a long way in the past decade. Sneak-away I dos have become micro celebrations where the focus can be placed on quality over quantity; making room for attention to detail in every area of your Big Day, from style to ceremony to the ‘reception’ (if you so choose to invite a few guests!). Today’s vendor team, including Marisa Belle and A Day to Cherish Weddings and Events, crafted a desert-style elopement that will brighten your Pinterest boards and have you seriously considering a more intimate gathering.
From Marisa Belle Photography… This inspiration shoot was a true collaboration between all vendors. When we first met to talk about the direction we wanted the shoot to take, everyone agreed that it should be something that was “out of the box” while still staying true to an intimate wedding vibe. We opted to stay away from a more traditional color pallet and introduce vibrant golds, mustards, and plum shades throughout. Our goal with this shoot was to inspire brides and let them know that beautiful elopements are attainable without having to climb to the top of a mountain on fly to Iceland. A stunning and traditional venue like El Chorro can be equally as beautiful for an elopement or intimate wedding!
As with any inspirational shoot so much of the feeling comes from the wardrobe. For this shoot our amazing wedding wardrobe stylist Risa of RiSTYLE Consulting designed and created the dress from scratch with her team. We went with a golden/mustard dress and although the color of the dress was unique we kept the lines and train of a traditional wedding dress. The silhouette of this custom gown is beautiful on our model and balances with her naturally curly hair. Just perfect! Our groom wore a plum blazer by Gant, tan pants, floral tie and pocket square all by Bonobos. The look is very fashion forward and goes perfectly with the brides dress!
Margo and Bees did a wonderful job with the invitation suite, incorporating the mustard color while playing off the desert sunset with their colorful overlay. Used both on the inside of the envelope and information card to tie it all together!
Ruze Cake House did a masterful job of creating a cake design that fit with the inspiration! The cake is hand painted and plays off the color of the wedding dress seamlessly. The favors are painted the same way and shaped to highlight Arizona and the desert. So perfect!
Randi owner of Carte Blanche Designs nailed the intimate, vibrant vibe of the shoot with her gorgeous bouquet. The bouquet was both perfectly structured while still giving a free-flowing elopement feel.
For our ceremony set up we wanted to maintain the subtle bohemian feel of an elopement while still keeping with some classic elements and making sure to highlight the beautiful desert El Chorro backdrop and Camelback Mountain in the background. We kept the seating interesting by incorporating gold chairs, paired with white leather chairs and cow hide benches all provided by Dang. Fine Rentals. The potted succulents and small floral arrangements by Randi at Carte Blanche Designs, dotted the ceremony space elevating the simple but stunning design.
Cara with A Day to Cherish Weddings really did an amazing job designing this space using items from Dang Fine Rentals! All the elements play beautifully off the El Chorro backdrop, bring in the desert and bohemian elements of an elopement but with a refined and classic twist. The La Tavola linens on the cocktail high boys work perfectly with in the space!
The reception was set in The Hampton Room at El Chorro, a location where they hold many intimate dinner parties. The room is inviting and romantic perfect for an elopement reception. For the design we decided on one long table provided by Dang Fine Rentals, adorned with a colorful runner, candle light and desert plants and flowers all put together by Randi of Carte Blanche Design. She also incorporated some terra cotta elements that again play off of our desert surroundings. Behind the table we used a rattan room divider that allowed us to bring in more candle light, so pretty!
There is no shortage of portrait spaces at El Chorro, every corner of the property is beautiful and highlights the desert backdrop. For this shoot we explored some of the lesser used corners of the property with allowed us to flex our creative muscles but also allowed us to capture one of the most stunning portraits with Camelback Mountain I’ve ever seen from the property!
Photography: Marisa Belle | Floral Design: Carte Blanche Design | Wedding Dress: Ristyle Consulting | Cake: Ruze Cake House | Invitations: Margo And Bees | Wedding Venue: El Chorro | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Make-up Artist: Makeup Artistry by Natalie | Models: Mykala Ballard | Models: Dameron Dashon | Planning: A Day to Cherish Weddings & Celebrations | Rentals: Dang fine Rentals