What do you think of when you hear “Joshua Tree“? Desert? possibly. The weirdest, coolest looking trees? yeah. The infamous, beautifully produced album by U2? Hell yes. Most of all, a landscape with sweeping views and a warmth that kisses your face? Oh yes yes yes. I’m all about it, and that’s what I was expecting on my way out West. The beginning of March is always a tricky time of year – the weather is considerably more inconsistent than any other part. Technically Winter but you might as well call it Spring (especially in Texas!) As a Texan looking to flee the cold, I was looking forward to heading out to Joshua Tree for the first time to document a styled elopement with The Shootout Society.

I woke up in my cold hotel room in 29 Palms, California (about 30 minutes from the entrance of Joshua Tree National Park), peeled back the curtains to uncover a not-so-sunny, sleet filled parking lot. I couldn’t help but feel a little discouraged – the event I had been looking forward to and invested so much time and money into looked like it might get rained out. Still, I got ready, packed up my camera bag, and layered up for a day of uncertainty.

As I open the door to leave, it was…. snowing? In Southern California? In March? I knew at this point, the only thing I could do was hope and remain positive. So I snapped a quick photo of the snow outside my hotel and headed for my shoot.

Then, a miracle happened.

The sky cleared partially, enough that the snow stopped, and the mountains and sky appeared. The sky was the most pristine blue, I wanted to dive into it. It was the kind of ethereal beauty you only dream about. It was as far from normal weather conditions as possible for the terrain.

As Carrie Bradshaw would say: And just like that, the shoot began.

Cake break! LET THEM EAT CAKE!!! Brake for cake? I’m trying here, y’all.

(I should make that last one a bumper sticker)

Golden hour was really golden hour-ing – our amazing models were practically sparkling in the sunlight. The bridal gowns’ soft illumination paired with the rich color of the grooms’ suit is unmatched.

I really have to give so much credit to these two. Mind you, I was LAYERED. Two pairs of pants, two shirts, two jackets, ear muffs, even two pairs of socks!! These two – just the clothes on their backs. It was c o l d, and they handled it like troops.

The sun was quickly making its’ way below the horizon, but what good is a shoot without a little blue hour?

What I was expecting to be a canceled, delayed, rainy and windy shoot turned out to be one of the luckiest things I’ve ever experienced. There’s luck, magic, and straight up miracles, and if I had to take away one thing from this day, it’s to have faith that things are happening exactly the way they’re supposed to. Keep an open mind, the thing you’re worried about might turn out to be better than you ever imagined.