Adventurous Elopement in Big Bend National Park | Texas Elopement | Mia & Joe
“Mia, Big Bend is vast.
And it’s so beautiful.
But my love for you would easily
engulf a million Big Bends.”
If there was a blueprint for the perfect intimate wedding day, Mia & Joe’s Big Bend elopement would be it.
These two are the epitome of adventure. Kayaking the Rio Grande, a 12-mile hike through Big Bend National Park, and taking an impromptu air tour are just a few of the things they incorporated into their wedding week.
Prior to the wedding day, Mia & I chatted to nail down the perfect ceremony spot, with a sweeping view of the Rio Grande being the most important criteria. Mia sent me some inspiration pictures and I deep-dived on blogs, utilizing Google Maps and cross-referencing images to narrow in on the exact spot she saw in the photos. We drove out the day before to determine the perfect lighting and time for them to exchange their wedding vows, and stopped off at an additional location on the way that brought us down to the water and some amazing adobe structures surrounded by red rocks. It’s incredible all the variety Big Bend has to offer in terms of location, textures and natural beauty! Simply the perfect backdrop for an adventure elopement.
Here are some of the phone photos from that location scout:
While building the timeline for an elopement or intimate wedding day, it’s important to think outside of the box and remember to add personal touches that feel meaningful to you and your partner. Mia was all over this and had many unique touches & surprises prepared for her elopement day in Big bend National Park.
Mia & Joe love to walk their dogs to Summer Moon Coffee near their Austin, Texas home & get coffee with moon milk, so Mia brought along all the fixings for their favorite morning ritual and they sat in their pajamas on the bed and sipped their brews. Shortly after, they read each other’s letters out loud, and boy were the tears flowing. It grounded them and was the perfect way to set the tone for their intimate wedding day.
After some caffeine, they decided to go on a “leisurely” 4.2 mile hike at Lost Mine Trail that brought us to the most stunning views of Big Bend National Park. It was a walk in the park for them, while we almost bailed halfway up. They encouraged us the whole way and it was more than worth it to reach the top.
Once back at Basecamp Terlingua, it was time to freshen up, eat a good lunch and start getting ready for the ceremony! Katy Reddell Beauty started on Mia’s hair and makeup in the Tipi, while Joe got ready in a nearby Yurt. Mia brought many sweet mementos of her family & friends with her, including framed photos, her grandmother’s jewelry, and pumpkin muffins made by her mom, whom she FaceTimed with throughout the day, WiFi providing.
After their first looks, we drove out to the ceremony site in Big Bend Ranch State Park, where we met up with Jeff Haislip, a local officiant and musician who came ready to set the mood with his guitar & get them hitched!
You can’t have a wedding without a good champagne! Mia decided to surprise Joe with a customized bottle of Dom Périgon, painted by Pens and Needles Co. and they toasted to their life long happiness under the Texas sky.
One of the most special moments was when Mia & Joe had their first dance down by the rushing waters of the Rio Grande. Yes, you can and you should have a fist dance if you elope. We brought along a bluetooth speaker to play their favorite David Gray song “This Years Love” as the sun dipped behind the mountains.
While all of this makes the day sound like a breeze, there are still sacrifices Mia & Joe had to make. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they had to cancel their original plans to be wed in their parent’s backyard and un-invite their friends and loved ones, who they so wished could have been present for their ceremony. In the end, they knew it was the safest thing to move forward with an elopement and invest in high-quality photography & videography to share with everyone they love most afterwards. We edited their film, unlike anything we've edited before, incorporating in their own phone footage (thanks Joe!) and breaking up the video into sections to allow their friends and family to truly feel like they were reliving the day and all the different emotions with Mia and Joe.
We were absolutely honored that Mia & Joe collaborated with us and trusted us to capture their adventure elopement. We hope to be able to use all our expertise for like-minded couples!
If you’re dreaming up an elopement or adventure wedding, reach out to us to film it!
Vendors: Jesse Kay Photography | Katy Reddell Beauty | The Farmer & I Flower Co | Jeff Haislip | Reformation | Stetson | The Black Tux | Basecamp Terlingua | Summer Moon Coffee | Pens and Needles Co.
Music: “He Knows How” by Cultus | “Right Next To You” by Layup | “Open Air (with Dillian Witherow & Horace Bray) by Kyle McEvoy | Mood Ring (with Ezzy) by Kyle McEvoy | Great Plains (feat. Matt Huber) by Josh Hoover