A Memorable Three Day Wedding Experience // Loloma Lodge, Oregon

An intimate weekend wedding in the Oregon mountains — create a memorable multi-day experience celebrating with your closest friends and family!

you won’t want to miss seeing ALL the moments from this three day wedding event — it is one of the most memorable experiences that I’ve had the honor of witnessing. Not only did each day have the most extravagant and stunning set up by the amazing Mae&Co, but the weekend was filled with intentional moments that will be memories savored for a lifetime — from the rehearsal dinner amongst the forest, to the dreamiest of wedding days, to hiking into the mountains and exploring an epic waterfall, each day was incredible in its own way.

Scroll through to see each unique day and get inspiration for your own intimate weekend experience! I’ve written a bit more at the bottom and included the vendors that made this weekend magic. Reach out about creating your own extended experience to celebrate!

ps. don’t miss each of the AMAZING uniquely designed and styled meal set ups —

DAY 1 // A rehearsal dinner with wine tasting at golden hour and playing games with the forest views. The joy and laughter was shared as loved ones from far away gathered and reconnected. A chic 70s bohemian dinner space was set for the evening of dining and dancing!

DAY 2 // The wedding day. The magic of this day is hard to describe, the warmth and the calm of the day was unmatched! The stories from this day are endless — from the first look amongst the tall forest trees, to saying their vows under a flower canopy, to an incredibly unique modern dinner setting, to speeches that brought me to tears, and of course dancing into the night!

DAY 3 // A farewell brunch, with yet again another gorgeous table design and set up! After a final goodbye to friends and family, we set out to explore a stunning Oregon waterfall. A day after adventure is a great way to have a bit of quiet time after busy celebrations, and get some time in an epic location.

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It’s hard to sum up how meaningful this weekend was, it reminded me how important setting a space and creating experiences are — to slow down in a celebration that most of the time moves so quickly, and create space to really BE with the people you love and experience the joy of the moment to its fullest. I cannot recommend a weekend wedding enough. Whether its a full venue space you use, or even just renting a big airbnb for a few days — invite your family and closest friends and take the time to truly revel in all the time together! You won’t regret it. It was an honor to join along in these days, and leave feeling like close friends is a gift I won’t ever take for granted.

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The incredible team that brought this weekend to life —

DESIGN & PLANNING& STYLING // Mae&Co Creative
VENUE // Loloma Lodge, Oregon
FLORALS // Color Theory Design Co.
RENTALS // The Party Place, Lily & Cane, RPS Events, Nuage Designs
PHOTO // Corrie Mahr Photo
VIDEO // Films by Stanton
PAPER GOODS & SIGNAGE // Wildhouse Ink
BAR // Public Provisions & The Swig Rig
CATERING & FOOD // Tournant & White Pepper PDX & S’mores 1927
DJ // Prestige Sounds / NW
HAIR & MAKEUP // @makemeupcyn

REHEARSAL DINNER DRESS // Christian Siriano
CEREMONY DRESS // Zuhair Murad
RECEPTION DRESS // Galia Lahav
RECEPTION JACKET // Fabrics Tattoo
GROOM OUTFIT // Bespoke & Co.

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Golden Hour on the Columbia Gorge // Delaney & Brenna

GOLDEN HOUR HANG OUTS AND CAPTURING PHOTOS ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE — PURE MAGIC.

THESE TWO. Joy joy joy.

Do you ever meet people and feel like you’ve been friends forever? Yep, that was Brenna and Delaney for me. 100%. They are pure joy and full of kindness, oh and also HILARIOUS. We all laughed… so. much. I’m grateful for people who meet me and trust me to see their true selves. It’s an honor to share in a piece of your stories.

Enjoy all the golden goodness that we got to experience on the Columbia River Gorge!

PS. Starting this blog with a little black and white series of images that, I feel like, gives the perfect glimpse into our whole evening together!

xx

Woodsy, Cabin Wedding // Wes Anderson Inspired

A magical cabin wedding in the Central Oregon Forest at Loloma Lodge WITH Wes Anderson Inspiration? Just A DREAM.

I hit it off with these two right from the start — their souls were so inviting and so open to the stories they’ve carried together; so when their woodsy wedding day arrived, documenting it all as each moment unfolded was effortless and magical.

I still feel the warmth and emotion through each and every photo, a joyous summer day with so much intention and love poured out into each and every minute!

You can also scroll to the bottom to check out all the vendors.

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THE VENDOR TEAM //

The Florals // Color Theory
The Venue // Loloma Lodge
The Dress // Emmy Mae Bridal
The Suit // Indochino
The DJ // Higher Ground Entertainment
Baked Goods // sweet life patisserie
Catering // Taco Pedaler PDX

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California Ranch Wedding // Modern & Dreamy

A dreamy, modern ranch wedding in the Northern California hills — the magic of this day speaks for itself!

When I Krysta and Anthony told me that their wedding was going to be on family property, one where childhood memories were made and the land felt like home, I could feel the the love beaming from them! Truly though, there is something special about wedding days being in a meaningful place, one that holds so many stories already.

Their special day was elegant, modern, and overall just felt like floating through a DREAM. The kindness, joy, laughter, and tears that were shared on this day are unmatched. I’ve never laughed SO hard with a group of people and felt so easily invited in and loved on!

I hope this day makes you feel something, as it does for me, and sparks some excitement for something you might even be planning for yourself!

Scroll to the bottom to meet the vendors who shared in putting together this wedding day!

VENDORS //

Venue // Family Ranch
Florals // Kimberly Gavett Fullers Flowers
Dress // Allure Bridals
Suit // Indochino
Bakery // Upper Crust Bakery
Caterer // Bacio Kitchen

Sunrise at the Sand Dunes // San Luis Obispo, California

Exploring the San Luis Obispo Sand Dunes at sunrise to catch that golden light for this couples shoot!

How to Elope in Joshua Tree National Park // Planning your tiny California Wedding

PLANNING TIPS FOR YOUR DREAM ELOPEMENT OR TINY WEDDING IN THE BEAUTIFUL DESERT OF JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK— let’s do this!

If you’re dreaming and planning your elopement or tiny wedding in Joshua Tree National Park, then I’m SO glad you’re here!! I’ve put together some of the important “need to knows” on getting married in this magical desert location! You’ve probably seen a MILLION pictures on the ‘gram of the quirky Joshua Trees, the stacking boulder sculptures, and the golden and pink sunsets! It’s a popular location for a reason — it’s STUNNING and truly one of a kind! So, how do you elope there? I got you. Let’s dive in!

1. CHOOSING YOUR DATE

Picking your date is important to think about when choosing Joshua Tree — we want to try and pick the best time to avoid crowds, crazy weather, and try and choose the best time of day! Let’s start with Time of Year: summer in Josiah tree can be wildly hot, so it might be best to avoid those months. The nicest times of year in the park are typically March-May and September-November, however, everyone else is also eyeing those dates. So, if you want to pick a date in there, I recommend choosing a weekend to do your best at avoiding crowds. Another tip: make sure not to pick a holiday week and check what schools’ spring / fall breaks are and avoid those too! Certain ceremony locations will also be unavailable during peak season. I’ve spent time in Joshua Tree National Park in February and have always had nice weather with warm days, so if you’re open to an “off-season” date, you might want to consider that as an option. Now, for Time of Day: I am always drawn to a sunrise or sunset, not only is this stunning lighting in the park, but it tends to be a bit emptier from park goers. However, your timeline can be creatively and uniquely designed to piece together all the moments you want to have!

2. GETTING A PERMIT

This is the “not so fun” part, but equally important. We don’t want your ceremony to get interrupted by a park ranger, so let’s get you a permit! To hold an elopement or wedding ceremony in Joshua Tree National Park, you must acquire a Special Use Permit — this costs $120 and allows for 25 guests or less. A larger wedding has a few more restrictions on locations and has an additional $200 fee.

Two other park related fees —

• Photography / Videography Permit: Costs $120 and you can apply HERE

• Park Entrance Fee: You can either pay the $30 per vehicle fee for 7 days, for $80 for an annual National Park pass. Each is valid for one car.

3. CEREMONY LOCATION IDEAS

Since Joshua Tree is a National Park, there are a handful of selected locations that a ceremony can be held (and this will be connected with the permit you apply for). These spots are slightly different, so you may want to look up some detailed images of each one, but they are full of panoramic views, desert rock formations, and wide open Joshua Tree cacti fields:

• CAP ROCK: Under a mile trail // super cool rock formations

• HIDDEN VALLEY PICNIC AREA: 1 mile trail // lots of rocks, beautiful at sunset

• SPLIT ROCK: 2 mile trail // a little bit higher views

• PORCUPINE WASH: 8 mile trail // a bit further out, wildflowers

• TURKEY FLATS: 2 mile trail // more wide open desert

• LIVE OAK: 1.5 trail loop // more greenery and desert plants

• INDIAN COVE AMPHITHEATER: For larger gatherings — 26-100 people

You can also check the NPS for more updated locations and info HERE.

IF you want to do a wedding ceremony elsewhere and then just go into the park for photos, here are a few other ideas (some of these are also locations you can stay) —

// Your Airbnb — make it a weekend with your people // Tumbleweed Sanctuary // Desert Sage House // Sacred Sands House // Rimrock Ranch // Joshua Tree Spanish Estate // Villa Kuro // Mid Century Modern Ranch // White Cactus House //

4. PLACES TO STAY

I highly recommend making a whole trip out of this special event — bring your family and friends or just yourselves and enjoy a weekend or more in the beauty of Joshua Tree! There are plenty of locations to camp within and around the National Park, but I recommend getting a house through Airbnb or something similar — this way you’ll have a “hub” to get ready in before your elopement, host a dinner or small reception in afterwards, and just have a place that you can celebrate for a day or two! Here are a few favorites you can check out:

// The Joshua Tree House - my personal fave // Mojave Desert Cabin // Joshua Tree Tiny House // Desert Air Casita // Nature Lover’s House // Little Jo Cabin // Desert Wild + pool & hot tub // High Desert Paradise //

These book up fast! So, I recommend reaching out to them and getting your date on the calendar sooner than later!

5. FINDING VENDORS

Starting the search for the dream team to make the magic of your day in the desert come to life? I know Joshua Tree tends to be a destination for weddings, so you may not know where to begin in looking for vendors. Well, I am MORE than happy to help you connect with creatives who can help with each aspect of your elopement. Scroll down and message me below and we can chat through ALL those details! 👇 Whether you’re looking for a florist, caterer, planner & stylist, hair & makeup artist, or rentals - I gotchu.

6. THINGS TO BRING & TIPS FOR THE PARK

Here are just a few other things to consider when prepping for your elopement in Joshua Tree National Park —

• Marriage license: Be sure to either set up an appointment in CA locally or plan on having a ‘legal ceremony’ near you before traveling. This also determines IF you want an officiant or not.

• Wedding attire: Wear what feels most YOU for your special day — just remember that there will be lots of walking around (and may climbing on rocks). Bring something like a jacket or shawl incase it gets a bit windy or chilly (especially at sunrise and sunset).

• Visit the park before: I highly recommend spending a bit of time exploring the park the day before your elopement or wedding, this way you get to see it in a more relaxed state and also get a feeling for where you might want certain photos or backdrops to be.

• Bring water and snacks: It’s a desert, so stay hydrated and keep you energy full with water and snacks! There isn’t much once you get in the park, so be sure to bring what you need!

• No cell service: Prepare to have little to NO cell signal, aka download maps and know where you’re going and who you’re meeting up with where/when beforehand.

7. LEAVE NO TRACE

This is an important point, something we should all care about to take care of beautiful locations like Joshua Tree National Park. Let’s make sure that our celebrations are respectful to the land and keep it around for years and years to come and to enjoy. So, a few things to remember directly from the NPS website:

Items that ARE Permitted For a Wedding:

// Arch, must be free-standing // Small table for guest book // Cooler with water (it gets hot) // Live flowers // Battery-powered candles // Runner // Rug // Cake // Champagne //

Items NOT Permitted For a Wedding:

// Drones // Dried flowers // Non-battery powered candles // Bubbles // Any live animals, including doves, butterflies, etc // Confetti // Rice // Birdseed // Balloons // Smoke Bombs //

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A FEW OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES —

WHY I LOVE ELOPEMENTS & TINY WEDDINGS

TIPS FOR PLANNING A MICRO WEDDING DAY

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JOSHUA TREE ELOPEMENT PACKAGES —

Hi, I’m Corrie! I’m a traveling wedding and elopement photographer, and I’ve spent a good amount of time exploring Joshua Tree National Park! So, I’m glad you’re here and can’t wait to hear about YOUR special day ideas and help guide you through all the info of eloping in this beautiful location!

A peak at what you’ll get —

- Customizable hours based on what you need (I’ve never been a believer in one size fits all), I even have whole weekend package options

- A guide full of tips and ideas to help you through each step of the process

- Unlimited time in planning, dreaming, discussing your ideas together — I’m here for you through the WHOLE journey!

- A gallery full of high resolution hand edited photos (with printing and sharing rights)

CONTACT & LEARN MORE

Tiny Airbnb Coastal Wedding // Neskowin, Oregon

The most beautiful small wedding on the Oregon coast — it was a sweet, intimate day for these two, with friends and family gathered they said their vows along the waves, frolicked up and down the beach, and made a feast together before dancing the evening away!

TIP: If you want a dreamy, memorable wedding day that’s intimate, find an Airbnb on the coast (or wherever else makes you happy) and invite your closest people to come celebrate. Spend the weekend exploring, drinking wine with the views, and making meals together. There is something SO special about these kinds of days.

Ellie and Scotty created an experience for their small wedding day, full of precious moments — they walked down to the coastline for their vows, where there were both tears and laughter (from the sweet words AND the waves sweeping up around their feet). The celebration moved up to the wrap around deck where they all made a homemade feast together and mixed cocktails. After dinner, we sprinted (literally) beside the waves to catch the golden sunset!

These are just a FEW of the images that make of the story of their special day! I hope these two can be an inspiration for your intimate day!

VENDORS //

FLORIST // Corvus Landing Farm
DRESS // BHLDN
SUIT // John Varvatos Suit
VENUE // Airbnb

TWO IDEAS FOR ALTERNATIVE WEDDING ‘VENUES’ —

check out Airbnb & Peerspace

Evening Surf Couple Photos // San Luis Obispo Beach, California

Catching that California golden sunset for this evening surf session in San Luis Obispo (plus the pups of course), and making all the magic happen for these adventurous couple photos!

San Luis Obispo didn’t disappoint — especially when we rolled up on the beach for this gorgeous sunset! These two rolled up with the coolest van, the sweetest dogs, and surfboards strapped in for some fun photos in the waves!

If you’re looking for a day to play in the sun, HIT ME UP — there are so many incredible places to go and explore in San Luis Obispo — so let’s go adventure in SLO together! ;)

So excited to share these fun photos with you, hope you enjoy and can feel the warmth and smell the ocean!

MAKE A DAY IN SAN LUIS OBISPO — a few of the bests:

COFFEE // Scout Coffee
DRINKS // SLO cider bar & Central Coast Brewing
FOOD // Bliss Cafe (delicious vegan food)
BEACH // Pismo State Beach - Grover Beach
CHECK OUT // Things to do around Pismo Beach

Palm Springs Windmill Couple Photos // Some Desert Gems in California

Hanging out in Palm Springs California? You don’t want to miss out seeing these views — desert plateau meets industrial windmills.

We met just before dusk to make this golden magic come true! After winding down some dirt roads, we walked out into otherworldly windmill field up against the desert mountains. I love finding the beauty in obscure places!

So, if you’re in the Palm Springs area, the windmills are a MUST see! And, here area few other gems to make the road trip complete —

I. COFFEE STOP // Ernest Coffee

II. SMOOTHIE BOWL // Fresh Juice Bar

III. BRUNCH // Farm & Cheeky’s

IV. GRAB A DRINK // The High Bar & Truss & Twine

V. COOL OFF // check out these ideas for some pool hopping!

Enjoy all these sweet moments, and then let’s plan your own adventure!! Scroll to the bottom to check out all the amazing people involved in creating this magic!

ALL THE CREATIVES INVOLVED —

DRESS // The Kindred Soul
MUA // Breezo
EARRINGS // Meesha Farzaneh

The Griffin House, In Home Cozy Session // Columbia River Gorge

A cozy in home couples photo session at the Griffin House overlooking the Columbia River Gorge — just about as dreamy as it gets!

WHAT. A. DREAMY. MORNING.

I was so grateful to finally get a chance to hang out with these two lovely humans — out time together was long overdue! After having to cancel their wedding due to COVID, we still wanted to get together and do a fun, cozy shoot! When Hana texted me pics of this beautiful home she found, I think I sent her more heart eye emojis than I can count! It was such a gorgeous house on the clifftops over looking the Columbia River Gorge! The whole house was basically a dream — a mix of boho modern decor, so many fun rugs, big windows, stunning natural light, and overall just the most perfect aesthetic.

ALSO… we found out it’s a WEDDING VENUE. What?!?! Check it out if you’re on the search for a cool Oregon wedding venue with indoor & outdoor options!

We had such a great morning together! We also probably spent the first 30 mins just running around the house exploring and gushing over all the fun rooms and spaces! Then, we had a blast getting creative (and eating cinnamon roles too, duh). Grateful for these two and the way they immediately felt like close friends!

CHECK OUT THE GRIFFIN HOUSE!