Adventure Elopement at Bonneville Salt Flats

Wedding Styles: Modern, Neutral & Earthy

Wedding Season: Summer

Submitted By: Stephanie Marie Photography

To say we’re excited about this week’s editorial would be an understatement! Set in a location that feels out of this world, it's the perfect destination for this adventure elopement. We’re referring to the picturesque Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah’s northwest. There’s no surprise this destination makes the bucket list of so many travelers and photographers worldwide with its attractive white textured surface and mountainous backdrop.

Fun Fact: It is estimated the salt flats contain 99 million cubic yards of salt spanning 46 square miles and of which, 90 percent is actual table salt. The flats are used for many events including motorcar racing and have become a popular choice for adventurous elopements and filming projects. Source: Visit Utah

Hosted by Evolve Workshops in the summer of 2020, a team of photographers including our featured elopement photographer, Stephanie Marie came together to create an intimate styled shoot in this serene setting. The collaboration of wedding vendors have nailed a modern, neutral wedding style that complements the surrounding landscape and proves you don't need a big team of wedding professionals to create magic!

Styling Shoot Tip: Where possible use a real couple for your styled shoots. While it’s not always possible, we love it when we see a real couple photographed just like this one. It completely enhances the overall result, and you can feel the emotion pulling you in. This couple fits this adventure elopement perfectly and Stephanie has captured their love so beautifully.

Utilizing the natural beauty of the Salt Flats, the creative vendors didn’t need to go overboard with aesthetic inclusions. Instead, they paired it back and chose certain features to stylize like the white timber tabletop. It showcases a full floral runner that packs a punch for anyone who loves clean, neutral styling with a touch of luxury. The wedding flowers includes toffee roses, blush and grey roses, rust dahlias, with olive leaf and white carnations. The fine stemware sits beautifully in front of the modern gold cutlery giving it that modern earthy edge.

The wedding styling is fluent across each component of this shoot and it’s clear that wedding planner Indie and Ivory and floral designer The Foxy Flora have worked harmoniously alongside Kyla from Evolve Workshops (now Kyla & Co Styled Retreats) to achieve this aesthetic.

The natural bridal makeup by Artistry by Lexi Higgs complements the brides natural beauty and ties in perfectly with her hand tied bouquet and both wedding dresses.

We Love: Well, everything! The white lace mermaid wedding dress and the ruffled blush full skirt wedding dresses are like a vertical extension from the salt flats themselves. Both wedding dresses are by Ava Laurenne Bride in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The floral arrangements and organically styled wedding stationery by Oh Eleven Studio tie it all together so well.

Stephanie has authentically captured the love and emotion of this couple on their adventurous elopement and has us still lingering for more! She describes her photography style as emotive, playful and moody and said: "I definitely lean towards the moodier side if you were to put my work on an editing scale. I love to show emotion in my work and let the image talk for itself.”

Here are Stephanie's top 3 tips for planning an elopement in the picturesque Salt Flats:

1. Plan the time of year you’d like to elope. The Salt Flats transform during different times of the year – from textured salt flats to completely under water. We photographed this elopement shoot in the summer.
2. You don’t need a permit to photograph or elope to the Salt Flats so if you’re after an adventurous location, this is a wonderful spot. It makes for the best photos with the sleek, white background.
3. Bring food and water. The Bonneville Salt Flats is in the middle of nowhere. You are driving for quite some time and then all of a sudden you are driving onto the flats so just be prepared with all necessities.

Thank you Stephanie for submitting your beautiful photography at the Salt Flats - and to the whole team and models that made it happen. It's a truly beautiful shoot that we can forever enjoy through your images.

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