Mariah and Chris’s Los Angeles + Joshua Tree Elopement
Southern California Elopement Photographer | Summit and Sur Photography
Griffith Observatory + Downtown Los Angeles + Joshua Tree
Mariah and Chris first reached out to me in the winter of 2021 looking for an elopement photographer for their big day in Lake Tahoe. We planned that day, pulled permits, and booked lodging only for that to be completely derailed due to the fires that summer that threatened much of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding areas. Thankfully, this awesome couple was super flexible and after some consideration of their backup options, they decided to have their elopement day down in Southern California. After making that decision, their new vision was to have a private, sunrise, first look at Griffith Observatory, their ceremony at Otium (Mariah’s uncle, Tim, is the owner and chef), and then sunset photos in Joshua Tree later in the day. It would be a long day but totally worth it because they would get the best of both worlds: downtown city vibes and the incredible Joshua Tree landscape.
First Look
I met up with Chris and Mariah at Griffith Observatory right as the sun was starting to rise on that late September morning. It was a gorgeous day, no fog, just lots of pretty sun starting to make its way around us. I walked Chris over to the front of the observatory where I handed him my bandana because he needed Mariah to put on his bowtie for him but didn’t want to see her. After that, Mariah walked over and we were all laughing at how hysterical it was that he was standing there blindfolded in the middle of Griffith Observatory! Once his bowtie was on, I had him turn towards the doors of the observatory and had Mariah approach him for their first look. It was so sweet when he finally got to see her gorgeous wedding dress and they were able to really take in each other’s wedding day looks.
After their first look, they spent some time exploring Griffith Observatory and some of its amazing architecture and views. They both also got to show off their individual outfits and accessories, with Mariah’s awesome custom denim jacket she brought along to keep her warm throughout the day. Once we had gotten lots of great photos, we all went to our cars to head over to their ceremony location!
Ceremony
After we arrived at Otium for their ceremony, I made sure to find the perfect spot for them to say “I do” and let everyone take a beat before we got started. Another thing that Mariah wanted to include was a first look with her father, which they did right before the ceremony. Her dad definitely shed some tears upon seeing her wedding dress and after some hugs and twirls, we were off to start the ceremony!
Chris and Mariah wanted to keep things simple so they had me do basic officiating for them but they still wanted to read their own vows to each other. They both soaked in the moment and each other’s promised to one another for the new life they were about to begin. After a kiss to seal the deal and some dances, we celebrated with cake and champagne before squeezing in a few family photos. To make everything official, they had Mariah’s parents sign their marriage license as witnesses and then made sure to grab some photos in the restaurant’s gorgeous bar once everything was signed.
At this point, we all started to get hungry for a real breakfast so we found a little cafe to get some food before we headed out on our long drive to Joshua Tree, where we would meet up again in the evening for sunset photos!
Sunset in Joshua Tree National Park
After the long trek from busy Los Angeles to relaxed Joshua Tree, we met up in the park at the Hidden Valley picnic area. Mariah and Chris still looked awesome from the morning and were ready to get some of that golden Joshua Tree light in their wedding attire. We started our walk down a little path, admiring the Joshua Trees and taking time to get photos of the two of them and also a few more individual shots. After climbing up a boulder and then needing to fix Chris’s bowtie again, they both climbed down and we headed a little further into the small canyon, where we were surrounded by amazing rock formations! It was such a cool place to grab photos and really take in the scenery of something fairly unique to Joshua Tree.
As the sun began to creep down into the horizon, we made our way out of the canyon and onto a different portion of the trail where we were surrounded by even more Joshua Trees and incredible mountains in the background. Really taking advantage of the stunning light, Mariah and Chris spun around, danced, ran, cuddled, and played, soaking in every last bit of light the day had to offer them. It was the perfect way to end their incredible SoCal elopement day.
Be on the lookout for Mariah and Chris’s cozy day-after session, coming soon. And of course, if you are interested in eloping in Southern California, reach out today to get started!