Joshua Tree Wedding at The Ruin Venue

Sometimes the start of a great love story simply comes down to timing. Lindsay and Sam officially met in high school, but it wasn’t until they were “reintroduced” at 19 by one of Lindsay’s friends that the couple reconnected and started to form a relationship. They quickly became inseparable and, in fact, just a day after they “re-met”, Sam left flowers on Lindsay’s doorstep as a surprise (seriously, how cute is that?!).

One of the things that became really important to Lindsay and Sam during their relationship was traveling. They’ve made it a goal to try to visit one or two new countries every year, and so far they've been to eight countries together! It was on one of these trips together that Sam surprised Lindsay with a marriage proposal in Nice, France. The couple was taking a walk along the coast heading to the morning market, when Sam asked if they should take a picture. Lindsay said “Yes”, so they asked a stranger to take their photo and that’s when Sam got down on one knee! Lindsay was so shocked and the stranger taking the photo seemed equally surprised. The couple got to spend the next five weeks traveling around Europe celebrating their new engagement - an epic way to celebrate if you ask me.

When it came to planning their Joshua Tree wedding, Lindsay and Sam’s main goal was for their guests to have a good time. They love to laugh and be silly and they wanted their wedding day to represent this part of their personalities. Because they also love to travel, they opted for a destination wedding in California where many of their guests got to experience a new destination for the first time!

Want to learn how to plan your own destination wedding? Click on the link below!

How to Plan a Destination Wedding in 5 Easy Steps

Lindsay and Sam’s wedding took place at The Ruin Venue, a bohemian-style desert wedding venue in the heart of Joshua Tree, California. To complement the natural beauty of the desert, Lindsay and Sam chose a neutral color palette, adding pops of terracotta for a classic boho wedding theme.

I absolutely LOVED how unique this Joshua Tree wedding was. The venue was off the beaten path giving the feeling of being tucked away and out in the middle of nowhere among the Joshua Trees. Lindsay and Sam invited only their closest friends and family making it feel like one intimate, laidback party where everyone was just enjoying each other's company and celebrating the happy couple! The whole environment and setting felt out of this world, not to mention the Joshua Trees are so funky and weird but cool at the same time!

Lindsay and Sam (and all their guests) were all so happy and present with each other on their day, making for truly one of the most epic and unique weddings I’ve ever witnessed (keep scrolling to see their photos and see just what I mean).

Lindsay and Sam’s Advice to Other Couples Planning a Wedding:

Stay true to what feels right, and don't be afraid to ask for help and support--especially if you're doing most of the planning and designing yourself. While there is pressure to make it a memorable experience for everyone attending, your wedding is about you and your life partner. Center your wedding around your vision for your marriage, and the rest will fall into place. Things probably won't go according to plan, but embrace it! If you can take some time off before your wedding to focus on finalizing details and de-stressing, try to do that. I wasn't able to, but I really wish that I would have.

Lindsay and Sam, congratulations again on your beautiful marriage!

For more California wedding inspiration, check out this Southern California wedding at the Griffith House!