Dana and Nelson fell in love with Joshua Tree when they first visited, so they wanted to share it with their loved ones for their wedding. “Shortly after moving to Los Angeles in 2012 we went camping in Joshua Tree and loved it,” Dana began. “The incredible desert landscape has provided us with many new adventures and offered peaceful relief in times when we’ve needed it most. We wanted to share this breathtaking experience with those closest to us.”
“Most of our wedding was DIY. We dyed over 10,000 coffee filters to fill the dance floor. We collected bottles and jars for the flower arrangements on the tables, as well as made all the bouquets, boutonnières and centrepieces from flowers that we bought at LA Flower Market the day before. We made the signs leading guests to the venue. On the day of the wedding, with the help of our wedding party, we hung the decorations for both the ceremony and reception, as well as set all the tables.”
The budget for the wedding was $10,000. “We really didn’t go over budget”, she explained. “My dear friend did the stationery, we didn’t have a band, I did my own hair and a friend did my make up… The only thing I wish we’d splashed on is a videographer and a better PA system for the DJ.”
“My advice to other couples is to try to not get overwhelmed. Of course you want your wedding day to be perfect, but be realistic of what you’re able to get done while staying within your budget. It helped a great deal to keep a wedding binder with a list of our vendors, tasks we needed to get done, who was helping with what, etc. Since our wedding was very DIY, being organised went a long way on the day. Also, remember to have fun and to be present. There’s so much planning to do and so much happening the day of your wedding that it can be easy to lose site of this sometimes.”
