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I'm Kalena! A Kansas City based destination wedding & elopement photographer. I capture candid and emotional photos for adventurous, laid-back couples.
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ELOPEMENTS
Desert Elopement at Saguaro National Park East | Khamsin & Chesska
Jan 24, 2024
Kalena Mitchell
The Couple and Their Elopement at Saguaro National Park East
Picture this: a breathtakingly vast desert landscape, bathed in warm golden sunlight as far as the eye can see. A gentle breeze blows while towering saguaro cacti stand tall and proud against the expansive sky. It is in this awe-inspiring setting that Khamsin and Chess chose to celebrate their love and embark on a journey of a lifetime – their desert elopement at Saguaro National Park East.
Khamsin and Chess desired an southwestern elopement that felt adventurous and off-beat. They chose the only place in the world where saguaro cacti grow and made their elopement day all about their love. They invited only their closest family and friends to celebrate with them during the getting ready portion of the day and the ceremony. After the ceremony we drove along the Saguaro National Park East loop, stopping at some special places I picked out for photos.
How I Location Scouted For Their Desert Elopement
When Khamsin and Chess first reached out to me, they didn’t know exactly where they wanted to elope. In fact, they first thought they might want to elope in Sedona! Several emails and a consultation call later, Khamsin sent an inspiration photo with a saguaro cacti and I knew I could find the perfect spot in Tucson.
I spent a couple days driving around Saguaro National Park West and East to find the best spots for an elopement ceremony that fit their vision. The location also needed to accommodate the number of guests that they had and have enough parking for all the cars.
After compiling the top three locations into a custom elopement location guide, I sent it off to Khamsin and Chess for them review. They chose my personal favorite out of the three and we got to planning the rest of the elopement!
Part of my services as an elopement photographer include location scouting. I either do this in person or through a variety of online tools such as a sun position tracker, Google Earth Pro, and Google Maps. Researching the best location for the most amazing elopement photos is one of my favorite parts of the elopement planning process.
If you’re planning a desert elopement, send me a message and we’ll get started finding the perfect location!
