Vow Renewal in the Alvord Desert
Digging the resources? You ain’t seen nothing yet…
Let’s create a day for you that’s wild, bold, and full of fun in a dramatic landscape!
sam@samstarns.com @samstarns
It’s not often you’re asked to photograph the vow renewal or elopement of a fellow elopement industry colleague. But when our friends Meaghan and Pete asked us to mob the Alvord Desert with them, soak in the nearby hot springs, and capture/officiate their vow renewal, we were massively stoked at the chance to adventure together.
The Pampas Grass Moon Wedding “Arch”
Meaghan and I foraged for the pampas grass and used Oasis (a type of water-retaining foam used with bouquets/arrangements) attached to the crescent moon stand to create the “arch”. We spray painted the grass we wanted to be black, only after attempting to RiT Dye them and finding it took forever to dry. The arrangement was somewhat delicate but came apart to travel relatively well. The main thing we had to worry about was shedding pampas grass. It took about 20ish minutes to set up and 5-10 minutes to take down!
Alvord Weather in November
The weather on the playa is cold (freezing or below at night) but is mitigated by the hot springs access. The biggest concern we had was getting there from Western Oregon. Snow had come early so crossing the Cascades near Crater Lake was snowy and icy. The best three months in my experience to visit the Alvord are May, September and October.
The Vow Renewal
After 10 years together, through various tough times cross-country moves, and new jobs, Meaghan and Pete decided to renew their vows in their new “backyard” of Oregon. Meaghan is an adventure elopement hair and makeup artist and is who I refer to essentially all of my couples. She specializes in that makeup that will stay through the entire adventure, she travels, and has one of the best client experiences I’ve seen. It makes sense why people book her globally.
Wondering how you elope in the Alvord Desert?
