Dear Bride,
Congratualations on your upcoming wedding! I hope the planning of the details that reflect you and your soon-to-be-husband are a fun creative process that has taught you more about each other. The style shoot featured on this post is meant to show the creative aspects that make a wedding celebration unique.

The mission for this elopement style shoot was to inspire you on how to have an intimate artistic affordable wedding by incorporating handmade elements and local boutiques. This style shoot is perfect because the photos show you decor inspirations that break traditions. The venue took place at a residential ranch home. The owners are not currently marketing it as a venue but both their daughters were married on their ranch. This ranch venue can inspire you to think outside the box and ask local residential homes you admire if you can rent their home for the day or even rent from other services like Airbnb for your venue.

The veil instead of being white was bright blue and was created from a vintage scarf. It is quite simple on how to make a veil from a scarf.

DIY Creating a Veil out of a Scarf:

First, the hair stylist holds the scarf’s end at the top of the head and lets the longer part hang on the bride’s face. At the top of the head, secure the scarf with some bobby pins. Afterwards, flip the scarf over the bobby pins and then puff the veil.

The groom and bride’s wardrobe was styled from a local vintage boutique. Instead of brides looking for expensive traditional wedding gowns, they can find white dresses from vintage boutiques that are economical and one-of-a-kind.

The bouquet and boutonniere were bought from Trader Joe’s and handcrafted by me. Wedding flowers can quickly get expensive. Thanks to Pinterest and Youtube simple bouquets and boutonnieres are quick, inexpensive and easy to create.

DIY for the bride’s bouquet and boutonniere:

First: Hold near the top of the stems of the desired bunch of flowers and wrap the green floral tape tightly going down the stems. [Boutonniere TIP– Put a straight paperclip through the main flowers stem half-way and then bend downward to create a sturdy stem. With the stem and paperclip as the foundation, wrap the floral tape around a few times and then add the extra green leaves and baby blush one at a time while wrapping the floral tape.]
Second: Cut out a burlap cloth and wrap that around the floral tape.
Third: Insert three sewing pins going upward through the burlap to secure the fabric.
Fourth: Finish the bouquet by tying a hemp string into a bow and then trim the flower’s extra stems to be an inch under the burlap cloth.

Patrick and Becky have been married for over a year and a half but when they did their “first look” the feelings were genuine excitement.

This young couple, Patrick and Becky, love hanging out with one another. While I had Becky sitting on a wall Patrick without me asking went down on his knees and pretended to call Becky’s name out like Rapunzel.

Taking their pictures was easy. Patrick’s humor continuously made Becky smile and laugh. When we were taking the green hat pictures Patrick stole her hat and at another point Becky pulled on Patrick’s suspenders. The pictures reflect a raw youthful fun romance.
The picture below is an inside joke they have with one-another, “Your skin is so smooth.”

The couple met at a conference while they were doing missionary work in East Asia. While they lived in two difference cities they stayed in contact and developed a friendship. At the end of their mission they started to date. Patrick and Becky reflect themselves as a fun couple. Patrick’s proposal was a creative spontaneous gesture. Patrick had a lot of ideas on how to propose but for some reason or another they got spoiled. This happened over a span of time which made Becky anxious. Patrick revealed to her that the ring was being handmade so that is why it was taking so long. A few weeks later while they were on their way to a friend’s house a haboob was rolling in at sunset. Patrick pulled over at a local high school and asked for Becky to set the camera up on the bleachers with the desert haboob rolling in. They took a picture and then Patrick asked for another one just in case. While the camera took the second picture Patrick got down on his knee and asked Becky to be his wife.

Wardrobe: GROWop
Flowers bought from: Trader Joes
Hair & Makeup Stylist: Tracee Young Clemons [480] 276-8363
Models: Patrick and Becky P.
Elopement/Wedding Venue: Gilbert, Arizona
Photography: 10,000 Smiles