An Intimate Joshua Tree Elopement on a Private Airbnb Deck with Stunning Desert Views

Emma and Ben chose to celebrate their love with a small, intimate wedding in Joshua Tree, surrounded by their closest family, friends, and two pups. Their elopement took place at a stunning Airbnb, where they exchanged vows on the back deck before heading out for portraits in the desert. The night ended with toasts by the fire, a private chef-prepared taco dinner, and dreamy star-lit photos—creating a wedding experience that was both meaningful and unforgettable. Get all the details below.

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About This Elopement

Photography by Lauren Rae Photography

“Emma and Ben had an intimate wedding with a handful of their closest family and friends (and their two pups!) in Joshua Tree, California, in April. They hosted everyone at a gorgeous rental home, where they held their ceremony on the back deck. After a beautiful ceremony (officiated by one of Emma’s best friends) and a few hors d’oeuvres, we headed out to a little spot closer into town for portraits. Then, we met everyone back at the house for toasts by the fire pit and an elevated taco bar dinner made by their private chef. We wrapped up the evening with cake cutting and some starry shots.

Fun fact: Emma and Ben are van lifers, and you can find them here on Instagram.” [Lauren, the photographer]

Deciding to Elope

“We wanted our ceremony to be private with only our immediate family and closest friends. We did ultimately celebrate with a larger reception in August, but we will always have the special memories and many intimate moments from our actual wedding.

We really didn’t want our wedding day to be about running from group to group saying hello’s and thank you’s, and not spending any quality time together on our special day. Having the elopement-style wedding ceremony allowed us to actually celebrate our wedding together.” [The Couple]

Check out these reasons to elope. 

Deciding Where to Elope

“We were doing a cross-country road trip the year we got married, and California is about as far across the country as you can get from New England. We also spent A LOT of time on Airbnb and Vrbo looking for unique stays.

We decided to go with the place in Joshua Tree because it allowed all of our family to stay together the week leading up to the wedding. It gave us opportunities to make countless memories before and after the ceremony.

We also liked the place we chose because Ben and I had been to Joshua Tree on our first cross-country adventure, but none of our other guests had been there before.” [The Couple]

Check out the best places to elope!

Planning Process

“We knew right away we wanted to do a small ceremony. It was hard to limit who would be invited because we knew both of our extended family and friends would have really wanted to be there so we stuck with just parents, siblings, and our friend/officiant.

We knew we had to pick a week that would allow for flexibility in everyone’s schedules, so we picked a school vacation week, so our officiant could attend the whole week of celebration.

We also decided to hire a private chef for the week to eliminate the issue of meal preparations and food shopping, this was money well spent! We ordered our outfits, and I went dress shopping with my mom, best friend/maid of honor, and mother-in-law. We ordered the suits for the men separately. We did not have a florist, instead, the chef picked up flowers the day before our wedding at Trader Joe’s and we assembled the flower arrangments the morning of the ceremony.

We also did some research into photographers and videographers to capture our wedding and were happy with the people we chose. I also booked a joint hair and makeup team for the women, but because it was an elopement we did not get to do a trial. Overall, we started planning in the end of August/early September of 2023 for an April 2024 wedding, but we did have all of our vendors confirmed by October.

I believe the total cost, including my dress, was around 30k. This included all the vendors, Airbnb for the week, and chef and food costs.” [The couple]

Learn how to elope here. 

Memorable Moments During This Elopement

From the couple:

“I really appreciated the week leading up to the ceremony. It allowed our families to get closer and bond over our love. It also provided us with memories and laughs beyond our actual wedding.

At our actual wedding, we had each person who attended share a toast and ultimately write their speech in our wedding book so we will be forever able to look back at their loving and thoughtful words. But most memorable was sharing the day together and really getting to appreciate and be in the moment.”

Final Words of Advice

“It was the best wedding experience. I would do it over again in a heartbeat! We both agreed also that doing the reception after was more to please the people who didn’t get to attend the ceremony, and if we had to do it again we would probably forgo that experience.” [The couple]

Learn how to plan a post-elopement celebration. 

Vendors

Photography | Lauren Rae Photography

Hair & Makeup | Bridal Saenz & L&L Beauty Co.

Bridal boutique | Seaside Bridal Couture, Cape Cod MA

Rental home | Casa Blanca 

Photos From This Elopement