Sometimes you find a $5 blue suede jacket at Goodwill that fits one of your bffs perfectly, so you bedazzle it and head out to the desert to fight some dragons. When you think of Southern California Desert, most folks immediately bring up Joshua Tree. Joshua Tree truly is magical (you can check out a dreamy elopement I shot in Joshua Tree HERE), but definitely casts a lot of shade on Anza Borrego!! I would totally say that Anza is underrated. It is a chiller desert compared to JT, but offers a lot of amazing canyons and washes. The drive is obviously a bit shorter for us San Diegans, but it also hosts the incredible Galleta Meadows! These amazing statues transform Anza into some kind of fantasy land. The first time we explored them, I instantly thought that it would be an incredible spot to elope! The life size statues go from elephants to wild mustangs to dinosaurs and a huge dragon.

It’s def the wild west out here, so I thought that a cowboy wedding would be a lot of fun. The blue suede jacket was a totally lucky find and super easy to bedazzle. I think about this jacket  A LOT and wish more grooms these days were opting for sparkle. Emily is the perfect cowgirl bride and I love the boots she added to the look.

I can not thank everyone who contributed to this shoot enough. Getting to make magic with some of your best friends is honestly the greatest feeling in the world and I don’t know how I got so lucky.

Dress: The Dress Theory

Bride’s Boots: Born a Bad Seed

Flowers: With Flourish

Video: Dustin Sheffield

Hats: Haberdash Hats

Assistance: Britt Hayes

Want to check out another incredible spot in southern california for desert elopements? Check out this dreamy shoot at the Imperial Sand Dunes!