Best Wedding Dresses for a Desert Elopement
When planning your desert elopement, one key item you have to purchase is your wedding outfit. Outfits play a huge role in the overall emotion and feel of your photos – not only do they reflect your personality, but they can also provide context for details and convey different feelings and emotions.
For example, if you have a billowy chiffon gown that catches the wind as you stand on top of a vista– that’s going to convey playfulness, openness, and elegance. If you opt for a midlength, fitted satin gown, that’s going to lean more sophisticated and sharp.
These nuanced features impact the feel of your wedding photos (and even your wedding day) which is why being intentional about your wedding outfit can be so rewarding.
While most traditional bridal shops may focus on the silhouette and fit of the gown to steer you towards your dream wedding dress, there are a few other details that can be helpful to consider if you’re buying a dress to elope in the desert!
And I’ll let you in on a little secret – ALL wedding dresses get dirty, whether or not the wedding is an indoor party or an adventurous elopement. The benefit of getting married in the desert? Instead of spilled alcohol or grass stains, your dress will be covered in gorgeous desert dust!
↓ Scroll down to see my 2022 Desert Wedding Dress Recommendations ↓
Three Key Elements to Consider When Wedding Dress Shopping
Fabric
In the desert especially, breathable fabrics can make the heat so much more bearable. Stiff, thick fabrics limit your movement and can become hot and stuffy, which then becomes uncomfortable to wear for extended hours. Aside from breathability and comfort, another consideration when picking your wedding dress fabric is a little more artistic; Certain fabrics have different textures or may either contrast or blend in better or worse with the desert landscape of your wedding day. Deciding whether you want to “pop” or stand out from the background or mimic the natural landscape can be helpful in steering you towards a specific fabric for your outfit.
Style
The style of your gown is more than just the silhouette and fit! It’s also the way the dress is designed, the way the wedding dress moves, and also how you can move while you wear it! If you are hiking a bunch or spending a lot of time running around the desert, you may not want a super heavy or structured style of wedding dress. Having something a little more playful, soft, or flowy might be better so you can move with less hassle. High wind is common in desert environments, so picking a dress with flowy sleeves or a long train, veil, or cape can be a fun way to utilize and capture that wind in your photos.
Comfort
Who said wedding dresses had to be uncomfortable? If you are planning on having an adventurous elopement, having a wedding dress you feel comfortable in can make the entire experience even more enjoyable. For many of the weddings and elopements I photograph, we spend hours in the car driving between locations. Sitting in a dress you can barely breathe in can make that experience not just uncomfortable, but even painful! Thinking through the activities you want to do on the day of your desert elopement and choosing a dress that will allow you to do those activities comfortably can be a game changer.
Fabrics to Avoid Wearing During Your Wedding in the Desert
While they are gorgeous and whimsical, two fabrics I’d recommend avoiding during your desert elopement are tulle and lace. Of course, this isn’t a hard and fast rule, but there are a few key reasons why I’d recommend steering clear of these options.
You’re going to be outside most of the day. These fabrics don’t breathe super well, and often aren’t comfortable in the heat. While a traditional wedding day and an elopement day may be the same in terms of hours spent in your outfit, one key difference is that you will likely be outside for more hours than you are during a traditional wedding.
Bugs love tulle. It’s ridiculous but true. Almost every time tulle has been involved in a desert wedding I’ve photographed, bugs have climbed up and clung to the dress. This can get particularly annoying if little gnats start clinging to the fabric.
Cacti, mesquite brush–and basically all desert flora–love lace. Desert plants take a more aggressive approach to lace than bugs do to tulle. Even if you don’t have a long train on your dress, you’ll find your skirt catching on nearby plants as you walk. This can get tiresome after a few hours of running around the desert.
My Favorite Outfits for 2022 Desert Elopements
Now that we’ve talked about fabrics to avoid wearing and explained some of the ways your wedding outfit can affect the overall feel of your wedding experience, here are my top recommendations for outfits for your 2022 desert elopement or wedding.
Every single one of the gowns from this atelier would look incredible in the desert. My favorite of their current collection is this playful, billowy gown. It’s begging to be worn atop a vista overlooking the Rio Grande.
If you’re looking for boutique designer luxury, look no further. Leanne Marshall has been a long time favorite designer of mine, and her Luxurious silhouettes with intentional details are unmatched. I especially love her bridal dresses that have a pop of color like this one. Or, opt to look like a Greek goddess with this overlay gown that would be so comfortable to wear all day in the desert in the spring or summer.
Frankly any of these gowns would be a stunning addition to a desert wedding, but this Simple off-white elegance is something special. I’d recommend pairing it with a chiffon cape to create a desert showstopper.
Mixing whimsy, drama, and a modern-edge, Daughters of Simone creates capsule collections that are perfect for anyone with more of an alternative style. This dramatic and edgy dress would be perfect for a winter wedding in the desert.
Instead of organic or landscape inspired sillouttes and textures, go against the grain with a sharp and timeless suit. This satin bridal suit by ASOS would contrast so nicely against a desert landscape and be perfect for an adventurous elopement.
Unique and untraditional - this jumper by Flora Bridal is classy and sexy. Against the pink sunset hues of the desert and the warm tones of the landscape, this suit would be unmatched in its unique color and gorgeous style.
Final Thoughts on Picking the Best Desert Wedding Dress
At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you wear what you feel comfortable and happy in. When you look back on your wedding photos–whether it’s a “just us” elopement or a 300-person celebration– you’re going to want to see your personality come through. While colors, style, textures, fabrics, and fit are all things that will impact your wedding day experience and photos, the most important one to remember is simple: wear what feels like you.
