Love & Adventure: Moody Valentine’s Wedding Inspiration
Love and adventure come together for this Valentine’s day elopement, set against the rocky desert landscape of Leslie Gulch in Oregon. SS Photography & Design envisioned a romantic desert elopement for Valentine's without all the typical red and pink decor. Instead, they chose a moody color palette, faux blooms from Blooms U Rent (yes, they’re fake!) and a strong bohemian vibe.
From the gorgeous ceremony backdrop to the romantic campfire for two, this shoot strikes the perfect balance between romance and adventure for the outgoing couple. Catch all the highlights below (including the film from Watson Cinema) and don’t miss the full gallery for a closer look.
moody Valentines day
From SS Photography & Design: Leslie Gulch was the perfect backdrop for this Valentine’s elopement with a darker twist. We wanted to stray away from the traditional red and pink associated with Valentine’s Day, and instead focus on a moodier color palette wrapped around an epic adventure. The bride’s accessories — some simple heart earrings, hiking boots, and rancher hat — nodded to this theme without taking away from the overall feel of the breathtaking Oregon landscape.
What?! Fake blooms!
Blooms U Rent was an obvious and exciting choice for an elopement like this since her beautiful faux wedding flowers are affordable, durable, and stunning. It was much easier to make the two hour trip from Boise to the gulch with the durable boutonnière, hat pin, arch swag, and bouquet than it would have been with real flowers. She even worked in some extra stems of dried pompous grass and real feathers to the arch swag, adding the perfect natural elements to the already beautiful piece.
steal this look
The bride’s beautiful dress came from Kate’s Bridal Cottage in Meridian, Idaho. The lace detail, low back, and sleeves was the perfect balance of romantic and sexy, while the gorgeous train wasn’t so long that the bride couldn’t hike up the rocky mountain.
Kylee Delle did a beautiful job of creating a simple hairstyle to complement the Gigi Pip hat that the bride was wearing, and the added braid was the perfect amount of texture. Sarah from SD Artistry created the perfect look for the bride — the subtle purple hues of the bride’s eyeshadow matched the florals perfectly.
yes, you can shoot after the sun goes down
Also wanting to stay with the darker feel of this elopement, we started shooting their first look right before dusk, giving us a grittier, moodier feel to the whole set. (and, answering the question, “can you shoot after the sun goes down?” Yes. yes you can.) We finished the night with a campfire, complete with marshmallows and, staying true to Valentine’s theme, chocolate-dipped strawberries. It was the perfect dessert for this desert elopement.
To get a closer look at this Moody Valentine's Elopement, check out the wedding film Watson Cinema created below!
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- Bride: Nikki Kurisu
- Flowers: Blooms U Rent
- Groom: Frankie Hinderer
- Hair: Kylee Delle (from Madrid Hair Design)
- Hats: Gigi Pip
- Makeup: Sarah DeCamp Makeup Artistry
- Paper Goods: SS Photography & Design
- Photographers: SS Photography & Design
- Wedding Dresses: Kate’s Bridal Cottage
- Wedding Films: Watson Cinema