Joshua Tree Wedding & Elopement Photographer

Updated for 2024

About Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is a protected area in Southern California that is known for its unique desert landscape and rock formations. It is located about two hours east of Los Angeles and covers more than 790,000 acres. The park gets its name from the distinctive Joshua trees that are native to the area.

The park is home to a variety of plant and animal life, including cacti, yucca plants, and desert tortoises. It is also a popular destination for rock climbing, with hundreds of climbing routes of varying difficulty.

In addition to its natural attractions, Joshua Tree National Park has a rich cultural history. The park is located on the traditional lands of the Cahuilla and Serrano people and has many ancient petroglyphs and rock art sites.

The park is open year-round. During the summer, temperatures can reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit so the shoulder months are the best time to visit the park. There are several campgrounds in the park, as well as a few lodges and cabins. The surrounding towns are known for beautiful, quirky, desert, boho homes to enjoy your time in the area.

Over the past 5 years I’ve shot countless elopements, engagement sessions, and maternity shoots in this gorgeous place. So you can trust me to help you pick the best locations, vendors, and more!

There’s a couple different ways you could go about incorporating the park in your wedding day:

01) Get a permit to get married in one of the designated locations of the park

02) Rent out one of the houses/venues listed below and get married there, and explore the National Park the day before with your family/friends

03) Get married elsewhere, then rent out a big airbnb right outside the park to celebrate afterwards with your loved ones

04) Do your engagement session or bridals in the park (which you also need a permit for, but I can help with that!)

Joshua Tree Wedding Venues

The Ruin Venue: an eclectic desert paradise for engaged couples to host their wedding day! This property boasts unique architecture, a pool, epic outdoor wedding space, modern interior design, and more!

Joshua Tree Acres: the boho lovers’ dream venue in the desert, featuring 5 vintage airstreams (with access to the most rad clubhouse), a hot tub, outdoor dining under twinkly lights, and only 10 minutes outside Joshua Tree National Park. Rent out the entire property to host your family and friends to celebrate!

The Joshua Tree House: one of my favorite airbnbs! They offer 3 different houses (which can sleep up to 14 total) if you wanted to have an intimate elopement on the property or inside the park, but to have a great space for your family & friends to come back to or to spend the weekend together here. Their homes boast incredible boho and desert inspired features.

Sacred Sands: located just outside of the west entrance, this is an awesome option for larger weddings! Accommodating up to 100 guests, this venue has amazing backdrops all the way around and plenty of outdoor space to host your party.

Tumbleweed Sanctuary: a restored historic property in Yucca Valley on 8 acres of land. This venue is an inspiring place for people to come together and celebrate the occasion! You’ll feel like you’re INSIDE the national park with the amount of Joshua Trees on this gorgeous property.

Joshua Tree National Park Sites

Here are a few of the most popular and iconic attractions:

Arch Rock: an easy 1.3 mile loop with only 100ft elevation change (takes about 30 minutes)
Cholla Cactus Garden: The Cholla Cactus Garden is a dense stand of cholla cacti located near the park's west entrance. It is a popular spot for photography and offers a unique desert landscape.
Skull Rock: the whole trail is an easy 1.7 mile loop with 160ft elevation gain, a pretty crowded touristy area though.
Hidden Valley: Hidden Valley is a small, secluded valley located in the park's Wonderland of Rocks area. It is a popular spot for rock climbing and offers a beautiful setting for hiking and picnicking.
Cap Rock: one of the main permitted areas to have your ceremony or photos done in the park.
Key’s View: Key's View is a lookout point located on the park's highest peak, with panoramic views of the Coachella Valley and the surrounding mountains.

These are just a few of the many sites to see in Joshua Tree National Park. No matter what you choose to do, be sure to follow Leave No Trace principles to help preserve the park's natural beauty.

How to get married in the park

To get married in Joshua Tree National Park, you will need to obtain a special use permit from the park. The park offers a variety of locations for weddings, including outdoor settings such as picnic areas, overlooks, and natural amphitheaters.

Here is a general overview of the steps you'll need to take to get married in Joshua Tree National Park:

Contact the park to check on availability and to request a permit application. You can do this by calling the park or emailing the park's Special Use Permit Coordinator.
Complete the special use permit application and submit it to the park along with a non-refundable processing fee. Be sure to include details about your wedding plans, including the date, time, location, and number of guests.
Wait for the park to review your application and issue a permit. This process can take several weeks, so be sure to apply well in advance of your desired wedding date.
Obtain a marriage license from the county clerk's office in the county where you plan to get married. In California, you will need to present identification, pay a fee, and wait for a waiting period before you can obtain a marriage license.
Have your wedding ceremony in the park according to the terms of your special use permit. Be sure to have a witness present to make it official.
After the wedding, return the signed marriage license to the county clerk's office to have it recorded.

Permits & Parks Pass

There is a $120 cost to get married in the park for your permit. There is a separate $120 cost for the photography permit - click here to read about how to apply for your permit and to find out more information on getting married in the park. The citation fee for not obtaining a permit for your activity is $500 so please follow the rules and pay to get married here legally. It cost $30 for a 7 day pass to enter the national park for the week. Or you can pay $80 for an annual interagency pass, which gives you access to all U.S. National Parks for the year.

Designated Ceremony Sites

Indian Cove Amphitheater; No more than 100 people total and only 1 vehicle. You must shuttle your guest in and out of this location.
Hidden Valley Picnic Area; No more than 35 people total and up to 8 vehicles.
Turkey Flats; No more than 35 people total and up to 8 vehicles.
Cap Rock; No more than 25 people total and up to 8 vehicles.
Rattlesnake Picnic Area; No more than 20 people and 8 vehicles.
Quail Springs Picnic Area; No more than 15 people and 8 vehicles.
Split Rock; No more than 15 people and 5 vehicles.
Porcupine Wash; No more than 12 people and 4 vehicles.
Queen Valley Mine Intersection; No more than 10 people and 5 vehicles.
Lost Horse Parking Lot; No more than 10 people and 5 vehicles.
Live Oak Picnic Area; No more than 5 people and 3 vehicles.

Leave No Trace

Do not attach anything to any cacti, if you bring it in with you, pack it out, no confetti or leaving non-native flowers behind

Timing Tips

Sunrise or sunset will have the best lighting & weather in the park & week days will be less crowded than weekends

Vendor Referrals

Florals: Foxtail Florals, Cultivated by Faith

Styling & planning: Wild Heart Events , Wilder Events Co, Plan Prep Party, After the Engagement, Love & Luxury Events

Officiant: Desert Rose

Full Day $8,000

7 hours of coverage, up to 5 locations, split coverage throughout the day to cover all of your activities and plans, includes any necessary photography permits and travel fees, and comes with help planning your timeline, locations, vendors, and more.

Wedding & Elopement Packages

Half Day $6,500

4 hours of coverage, up to 3 locations, consecutive coverage or pay $250 extra for split coverage, includes any necessary photography permits and travel fees, and comes with help planning your timeline, locations, vendors, and more.

Golden Hour $5,000

2.5 hours of coverage, 1-2 locations, consecutive coverage only, includes any necessary photography permits and travel fees, and comes with help planning your timeline, locations, vendors, and more.