Desert Airbnb Elopement | Cave Creek, AZ
An Airbnb commercial, but make it a wedding—
This is how I felt the entire time I was capturing Brenna and Wouter’s elopement at a modern southwestern style Airbnb in the hills just outside Cave Creek, Arizona. Specifically, I felt as if I was living one of those now iconic commercials featuring audio of a story laced behind very candid film snapshots of a trip to a vacation rental full of unique personality. This rocked me to my very core, this is how every elopement and intimate wedding should feel.
Rather than invest in a big white wedding, Brenna and Wouter decided it would be most special to gather their closest friends and family at a big Airbnb for a weekend and simply spend it relaxing. They found the perfect location, this rental housed everyone they love, complete with a pool overlooking the hills below and a large open gathering space to spend their days truly relaxed and in community.
This decision was especially important, because Brenna and Wouter don’t live near any of their loved ones. Brenna is American, and Wouter Dutch, but they live in Albania. Brenna joined the Peace Corps after she graduated from college, and was sent to Albania, where Wouter had recently opened a hostel. As fate would have it, the two met and fell madly in love. Once Brenna was finished with her Peace Corps service, she chose to stay in Albania and help Wouter run the hostel. Years later, they chose to come back to the United States to get married, and, for the first time, introduce their families to one another.
They chose this Airbnb and hoped for a warm, golden weekend, and boy did they get it. November in Phoenix is, in my opinion, perfect. The setting was ideal to blend their families into one.
Brenna and Wouter chose a golden hour ceremony on the Airbnb’s patio overlooking the rolling hills, and lit by the setting sun. Brenna surprised Wouter by learning her vows in his native Dutch, drawing tears from quite literally everyone in attendance (myself included!). Brenna’s dad, a pastor, officiated, really making this ceremony so personal to the couple.
After the ceremony, Brenna and Wouter and I adventured around the property and took golden hour photos to commemorate the day. The architecture of this Airbnb is so unique, and the grounds around it so lush. I tried to incorporate as much of it as I could into their wedding photos to truly capture the entire experience.
After photos, we headed inside to the great gathering space for celebrations! Toasts, cake cutting, and dances were heartfelt and relaxed— Brenna and Wouter didn’t have a stiff timeline to follow, a big reason why they chose an intimate elopement! My favorite part of the evening was when Brenna walked out in her mother’s wedding dress for her father daughter dance. No one (but me, hehe) knew this was happening, and it drew a beautiful reaction from everyone in the room.
I love elopements for their relaxed nature and their focus on the couple and the people they choose to include. There are no rushed timelines or the feeling of a need to put on a show. Our couples can spend as much time together as they want, and get adequate face time with their loved ones. Nothing is rehearsed or overly formal. It is the most beautiful way to begin a marriage.
Brenna and Wouter had an incredible experience, too! Here is what they said about it—
“I have no words to describe how happy we are with our wedding photos. Katie and Joseph made the whole experience feel fun and natural and in the end delivered exactly what we hoped for. They also clearly communicate and walk you through the whole process very well. As a result, when you finally get to the big day it doesn’t feel overwhelming. I’m so grateful to their hard work and easy going personalities. If you want to have fun on your wedding day and get photos that reflect who you are as a couple, go with Katie and Joseph.”
I am so grateful to have been the photographer present for this special day in Brenna and Wouter’s life, and we are only counting down the days until we get to travel to Albania to visit them and their beautiful hostel!
Now, enjoy their Cave Creek Airbnb elopement photos—
Hey y’all! We’re Katie & Joseph, a husband & wife team, and Arizona elopement photographers.
We are big fans of documenting wedding days in an unposed, raw, genuine, and honest way that allows our couples to maximize their experience on their day while also receiving a gallery full of stunning images that communicate how it felt to be there.
Though we’re based in Phoenix, we’ll travel anywhere for a good love story (and dance party). We invite you to follow the links below to learn more about us and our services, and to get in contact with us!
