Dreamy Arizona Desert Wedding With Tons of Meaningful Details

In my years as a wedding photographer, I’ve felt so lucky to capture some incredibly stunning interior spaces as well as breathtaking outdoor destinations. Bryan and Ashley’s Arizona desert wedding at The Paseo was an absolute dreamscape of both! Every detail of their desert day was a beautiful reflection of this wonderful, fun-loving couple.

Bryan and Ashley met at a UCLA fraternity-sorority mixer in the fall of 2010. These two college sweethearts each describe that night (and their first official date the next week) as the beginning of “a bond worth the cost of out-of-state tuition”! After spending nearly every day of the first year and a half of their relationship together, their individual career pursuits led them to separate states. Despite the distance, Bryan and Ashley continued to invest in their relationship, taking every opportunity to be with one another. Three years later they were so excited to be able to move to California, get a little apartment together, and adopt their puppy child Buster! They were engaged in 2019, and like many couples planning a wedding in the early part of 2020 navigated all kinds of wedding-planning obstacles. But in October 2022 the big day finally arrived!

The Paseo in Arizona was the first (and only!) location Bryan and Ashley looked at, and they immediately fell in love! Located at the foothills of the Superstition Mountains, The Paseo features a spacious, elegant, light-filled venue set against the backdrop of the stunning Sonoran Desert. Ashley and Bryan kept their desert color palette au naturale with lovely earth tones, allowing for a perfect blend of their beautiful decor and the show-stopping natural space.

Bryan and Ashley’s entire Arizona desert wedding day was full of unique details and meaningful moments. In honor of Ashley’s Mexican heritage, the couple performed a traditional Mexican Arras ceremony — exchanging coins that were family heirlooms, symbolizing shared wealth and community. With her skills in pottery, Ashley hand-made the couple’s cactus cake topper which was totally perfect! A tall Saguaro cactus for Bryan, and a short barrel cactus for Ashley. For the wedding favors, the guests received coffee grown and roasted from Bryan’s parent’s Hawaii home. I live for these kinds of gorgeous, personal touches!

More than anything, Bryan and Ashley expressed their excitement at just getting to be with everyone they love and celebrate together. I have to say, these two completely showcased their talent for hosting a reallllly fun party! The reception featured a traditional Mariachi band and a Beer Burro (which if you haven’t experienced… please enjoy the included photos!).

Bryan and Ashley, I am so happy to have gotten to photograph your Arizona wedding and experience all the beauty of your dreamy desert day! Congrats to you both! I’m so excited about all that the future holds for you!

For more delicious Arizona desert wedding inspiration check out this modern desert wedding!