Eloping isn’t usually the first plan — it’s the plan that shows up when the traditional version starts to feel heavier than it should.
For many couples, choosing to elope is less about making a statement and more about opting out of pageantry, expectations, and family obligations that quietly take over weddings. It’s a decision to simplify — not because the commitment is small, but because it’s deeply personal.
Doing less on purpose creates room for presence. It allows the day to be stripped down to what actually matters, without needing to justify it or turn it into something bigger than it needs to be.
Joshua Tree leaves room for doing less on purpose — whether that means a short, focused ceremony or a slower day that unfolds naturally, without pressure or performance.
Doing Less, Intentionally
Eloping in Joshua Tree without the performance
Your elopement day will feel calm, grounded, and intentional. It will be documented as it naturally unfolds, without pressure to perform or manufacture moments.
Some elopement days are layered and full. Some are quiet and minimal. However it unfolds, it deserves to be photographed with care.
Guidance will be offered when it’s helpful — around timing, logistics, or flow — and space will be protected when moments are moving on their own. The goal is steady support, allowing the experience to remain intact.
Your elopement isn't defined by how much happened, but by how it felt — honest, present, and fully lived. Your day is allowed to look however it needs to look. It only needs to feel like yours.
A Documentary Approach to Your Elopement Day
"Jaimie was wonderful to work with. She was knowledgeable of her craft, and her photos are incredible."
- COURTNEY + TIM
Your elopement doesn’t need to be big, busy, or impressive to anyone else. It only needs to feel right to you.
Wanting something smaller doesn’t make it insignificant. Stepping away from traditions that don’t fit doesn’t make it less real. Choosing to prioritize how the day feels over how it’s perceived is enough.
Some couples plan a short ceremony and a few photos, then head home. Others build in more time and space. Some wander. Some rest. Some keep it incredibly simple. All of it is valid.
There’s no expectation to turn your elopement into a production or fill every moment with activity. Doing less — intentionally — often creates more room for presence, connection, and a day that feels grounded and true to you.
You don't have to do the most.
Elopements can be simple and still be meaningful.
Choosing to elope doesn’t automatically make everything simple. It just changes what you’re navigating.
For many couples, the decision carries mixed emotions — especially when stepping away from expectations, traditions, or family dynamics that quietly shape a wedding day. Relief can sit alongside hesitation.
Confidence can exist next to doubt. That doesn’t mean you’re making the wrong choice. Uncertainty usually means you’re being thoughtful.
A documentary approach doesn’t mean you’re left to figure everything out alone. It means your elopement is documented with attention and care, without turning the day into a production.
Guidance is offered when it’s helpful — around timing, movement, light, or flow — and space is protected when things feel natural. If something feels awkward, you slow down. If you need a pause, you take one. If you’re unsure what comes next, direction is available without forcing moments or manufacturing emotion.
The structure stays steady, but flexible. You stay present. The day unfolds honestly, and it’s documented that way.
you're allowed to let the day be what it is
If You're Feeling Unsure, That's Normal
What matters isn’t how much you do. It’s how the day feels while you’re doing it.
The flow of your elopement can be shaped in a way that supports that feeling — whether you’re planning a couple of focused hours or something more open-ended. The structure exists to keep things steady and calm, not to over-direct or over-complicate the experience.
There isn’t one version of a Joshua Tree elopement — and there doesn’t need to be.
Some days are short and straightforward: a simple ceremony, a few photos with family, and then you’re done. Others move more slowly, with time to wander, sit on the rocks, talk, and let things unfold without a strict plan. Most fall somewhere in between.
A Joshua Tree elopement doesn’t have to be elaborate to be meaningful. It might include a permitted ceremony inside Joshua Tree National Park, a short walk nearby, a handful of group photos, and then time that’s just yours — quiet, unstructured, and unhurried. It might also be even simpler than that.
What a Joshua Tree Elopement Can Look Like
Elopements in Joshua Tree National Park require a permit, even for small, simple ceremonies. The process is fairly straightforward, but it’s something to account for early on; current requirements and application details live on the National Park Service website HERE.
Beyond the permit, Joshua Tree has a few practical realities — limited cell service, longer-than-expected drive times between locations (don't forget to download your maps ahead of time), and the need to plan for comfort in a desert environment — that are easy to navigate with a little foresight.
If you want a deeper breakdown of what’s allowed where, along with planning considerations specific to the park, I’ve laid that out in separate resources that get deeper into each topic.
👉 How to Elope in Joshua Tree
👉 California Elopement Laws
👉 Where to Elope in Joshua Tree
👉 Elopement Planning Resources
Those guides are there if you want them — not because you need to know everything before reaching out.
see the collections
Elopement coverage options are designed to support presence, pacing, and the way you actually want to spend your elopement — not a timeline built around photos.
There’s no pressure to book more time than you need. Some couples want a fuller arc of the day. Some want a few meaningful hours. Both are valid. The goal is simply to choose coverage that gives your day room to breathe.
Elopement coverage that fits your day
elopement coverage options
The amount of elopement coverage that makes sense depends on how you want to spend your time.
A short ceremony with a few photos feels very different from a slower, more open-ended day — and both are equally meaningful. Coverage should support the pace you want, not shape your day into something it isn’t.
Below, you’ll find elopement coverage options designed to document the experience you’re actually having — whether that’s a few intentional hours or a day that unfolds more gradually.
For couples who want space for their day to unfold naturally — without rushing or overfilling the timeline. Coverage is continuous, with flexibility for split coverage when it genuinely supports the flow of your day.
Starting at $5000
Full day elopement
Ideal for couples who want breathing room without committing to a full day — time for the ceremony, meaningful moments, and a relaxed pace. Coverage is designed to support flow and presence, not efficiency or over-structuring.
Starting at $3,400
half-day elopement
Designed for couples keeping things simple and grounded in one place — a focused ceremony and time to be present without moving all over the desert. Coverage is limited to one location and up to 3 hours, keeping the experience intentional and unhurried.
Starting at $1,800
Every elopement collection includes planning guidance and timeline support, an online gallery with full-resolution digital images, and personal-use download rights for the complete gallery.
Coverage is continuous, with split coverage available when it truly supports the rhythm of your day — not to overpack it.
Additional hours are available at $750/hour, and Digital Super 8 coverage can be added to any elopement for $350 or 35mm film photography coverage can be added for $250.
What's Included:
Experience
- JESS AND CHRISTINA
Jaimie should be at the top of your list! Not only is she extremely talented but she is also very warm and personable. She's creative, responsive, and dependable. Jaimie knows exactly how to get people to feel comfortable in front of a camera. Rather than cueing forced-looking poses, she truly captures the true essence of her clients and how they interact with each other."
"Jaimie knows exactly how to get people comfortable in front of the camera.
- meggie and luke
I love my wedding photos! Every reaction is genuine and real and makes me smile to just remember the moment. She perfectly captured my relationship with my husband. In regards to the actual posed photos, because everyone gets at least a few, she really knew how to get everyone's attention and efficiently get the families together, lined up, and smiling. It was very no nonsense which is exactly what you need when everyone's excited and distracted and in the way. I hate taking photos but this was just so easy and relaxed!"
"I absolutely love Jaimie's style; her photos artfully capture the light and shadow.
their
- Meg and Alex
"Jaimie made us feel confident and comfortable in her presence, capturing candid photos of genuine interactions.”
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I'd love to hear what that looks like for you.
If you're planning an elopement that prioritizes presence over production,
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You can trust that your elopement day will be documented empathetically and energetically for an authentic perspective. Because wedding days are not photoshoots.
