When Kira and McKinna set their sights on Joshua Tree for their wedding, they knew they wanted something as eclectic and dynamic as their relationship. “Joshua Tree is a gorgeous place, and it’s also very eclectic,” Kira says. “We wanted our guests to experience both sides of this, so we selected Indian Cove Amphitheater for our ceremony and a private music and art venue called FurstWurld for the reception. Both places are special to us as climbers, music lovers, and seasonal high desert dwellers.”

The ceremony was led by a family friend and as well as writing their own vows, they invited some of their loved ones to share vows too. They explained, “We not only shared our own vows, but we also asked our family and friends to share vows of lifelong support. It was a fun surprise for them and we loved having the chance to look into the crowd at everyone’s loving faces! A huge reason we had a wedding and not an elopement was that every new family/married couple needs community and support. We wanted to bring everyone together to share our love!”

When the sun dipped below the mountains, the celebration continued at FurstWurld, a quirky venue full of character that required minimal decoration. The couple brought in just enough to add a personal touch—a few DIY signs, centrepieces with succulents and disco balls, and a disco tile ‘M&K’ that reflected their desert western disco theme. “We didn’t want to overdo it,” McKinna said. “We picked venues that didn’t need a ton of decor because they were already so cool. The national park is naturally beautiful, there was no need to add loads of flowers, podiums, extra furniture, etc. It saved us money and helped us cut down on waste. We did however have fun DIY-ing a full length mirror with our couple nickname (McKira) and a wedding timeline that we placed at the venue entry way.”

Perhaps one of the most personal touches came during their reception speech when they announced their new shared last name. “As a lesbian couple, the tradition of taking the man’s last name doesn’t quite apply” they explained. “We tried many options, hyphenated, combined, choosing one over the other. After thinking it through for many many months, we decided to choose our own last name with something that resonated with us and our original Germanic last names: the Wolffs!”

Their wedding experience was everything they’d hoped for, even if planning was stressful at times. “The wedding industry is INTENSE”, the brides concluded. “It is so hard not to get swept up with what you should/shouldn’t have or what it ‘should’ look like. You don’t have to do all the traditional things. Just stay true to your vision and do what makes sense for you. Like we hated the idea of a father ‘giving’ us away. So we had our dads walk down the aisle together, followed by our mums together, then our siblings, then we walked down together! Do what is right for you, and it will be so amazing!”