American Southwest Wedding
This wedding photo shoot is stunning. From the desert colours to the Southwestern prints and details, you’ll love it from beginning to end just like we do!
Turquoise, orange and yellow are lovely colors for a desert wedding, and they draw your attention to the subtle decor and the gorgeous bride. Take a look!
What to Look for in a Venue for an American Southwest Wedding
American Southwest weddings are moody and romantic, so look for a space that exudes that vibe. You’ll also want something rustic and versatile, allowing you to style it that matches the theme while adding your personal touch to the venue.
An epic desert venue will undoubtedly steal the spotlight on your wedding day. It may not seem to provide an ideal setting to tie the knot. Still, it’s an undeniably spectacular wedding venue with its landscape and inimitable appeal. Plus, it has the tone, textures, and Native American elements to highlight your wedding style. You don’t even have to work hard to create the look and feel you want because the area will speak for itself.
Colour Palettes for an American Southwest Wedding
Southwestern weddings often mimic the desert environment, so feel free to use desert-toned neutral hues. You can go for something warm and light, colourful and bold, or a mixture of these combos.
Hints of sky blue and turquoise complement a desert-neutral palette, while tans, muted oranges, and dusty rose will add warmth to your space. Consider burnt oranges, beiges, and the scenic sunset in a dramatic desert scene. How about the classic cactus greens, terracotta, and the shades of rust?
The best thing about choosing desert tones as your wedding colours is that they’re incredibly flexible and versatile. You can experiment with various hues and pair them with an endless combination.
Details for an American Southwest Wedding
The American Southwest is one of America's more interesting, picturesque, and diverse corners in terms of landscape and history. Think of the Arches National Park and Grand Canyon with their red rock landscapes. When using them as an inspiration for your wedding, incorporate the elements of Southwestern style to your tablescape, décor, invitations, and desserts while adding your personal touch to customise the venue.
Use the sunset-coloured mountains and uninterrupted desert views as your backdrop. Even if you’re far from a sunny and sandy area, there are plenty of ways to infuse Southwestern style into your wedding. Pick an open landscape and maximise natural materials for a one-of-a-kind experience.
Table Setting Style for an American Southwest Wedding
The tablescape for this American Southwest wedding is like no other. The centrepiece includes native plants like cacti as ornaments and natural elements like wood that looks like a long pot, holding everything together on the table. There are also fiery orange flowers that appear like a burning flame that stands out against a dusky desert setting and a white tablecloth.
But the most exciting parts of this wedding table are the long brown striped pheasant feathers and huge antlers that add layers, texture, and extra drama to the reception table. They surely make a statement and help you pull off a perfect Southwestern wedding theme.
Budget for an American Southwest Wedding
The truth is, you can easily nail an American Southwestern wedding even on a tight budget. Stay true to your theme but pick a venue that doesn’t require a major transformation to match your wedding style. For instance, instead of decorating an entire function hall or restaurant to look more rustic, choose a country setting with a more natural atmosphere.
Find something in your home you can use as ornament, like a patterned cloth, jute rugs, wooden furniture, or retro camping chairs. Check out your favourite home goods stores to find accent pieces and try incorporating blankets and woven textiles into the décor. Cut down on alcohol costs and offer a family-style service to save money.
Wedding Dresses & Accessories for an American Southwest Wedding
Many are so used to elegant white wedding dresses with long beautiful trains. But those styles don’t really suit an American Southwest Wedding. Instead, you’ll need a casual bridal gown for a relaxed desert-inspired theme. Even better, opt for an off-white minimalist wedding dress that matches your style and venue.
Tea-length dresses are another practical and versatile addition to your wardrobe you can wear even on special occasions besides your wedding. Create your own DIY bridal headdress for your accessory to highlight the Southwestern theme. Then complete the look with a pair of dress loafers for unparalleled comfort, perfect for summer and spring celebrations.
Bouquets & Boutonnieres for an American Southwest Wedding
Elevate the bridal energy with pops of orange and yellow florals for a fiery wedding bouquet that fits a Southwest-inspired wedding. Chrysanthemums, cosmos, and gerbera daisies are incredible wedding flowers to choose from, combined with greenery and rusty-hued petals.
Succulents are also an incredible alternative to traditional flowers due to their versatility. They’re sturdy, long-lasting, and won’t dry out quickly. You don’t have to worry about carrying your bouquet out in the sun for a long time because these colourful cacti will remain fresh throughout the ceremony and reception. For cool wedding boutonnieres, incorporate feathers into your arrangement for a vintage and rustic look.
Wedding Cake Ideas for an American Southwest Wedding
Make your wedding cake as unique as you are and your celebration. Step out of the traditional multi-tiered buttercream cake adorned with sparkles and floral decorations. Impress your guests with a personalised cake that has a design you can proudly say your own.
For this American Southwest wedding, the cake is truly unique and full of character. The Native American elements in the wedding cake don’t seem random at all, but they perfectly blend with the overall look of the dessert. Talk to your baker or pastry chef to discuss the flavour of your reception dessert and what you want it to look like.
Ceremony Decor for an American Southwest Wedding
Once you’ve chosen a suitable outdoor venue, decorating your ceremony space for your American Southwest wedding shouldn’t be too tricky. All you need to do here is enhance the natural beauty of the surroundings and make sure it reflects the couple’s personality.
Consider what matters most for the bride and groom and their vision for their dream day. Do you want to add some modern details for a more dynamic feel, make it a bit boho, or go for the classic Southwestern style? You may also include tribal touches with longhorn skulls, leather accents, and eclectic textiles. There are endless decor possibilities for an American Southwest party!
Outdoor Wedding Ideas for an American Southwest Wedding
American Southwestern weddings are more suitable for outdoor settings. That’s why it makes sense to hold these celebrations in spaces like farms, pasture fields, and desert paradise. Focus on nature, foraged greenery, and dried décor elements.
To remain consistent with the theme, pick desert-inspired hues, like orange and gold combination and brown. Then highlight an earthy colour scheme with more vibrant accents. You can also add some bohemian elements to the décor, like dream catchers and feathers, as well as colourful geometric rugs and table runners. Don’t forget to wear your sunscreen or bring a parasol since Southwest weddings are often held outdoors in the sunshine.
American Southwest Wedding Inspiration
I fell in love with this Southwestern style wedding inspiration shoot, designed by Primary Petals and photographed by Lukas & Suzy VanDyke Photography a while ago when I created this Free People inspiration board so I was thrilled when they submitted it to me! I love the desert vibe, the pop of turquoise and all of the respectfully incorporated Native American elements. Prints are going to be a major trend for weddings in 2013 and these Southwestern prints and bold colours just can’t be beat. And I love that the model in this shoot is Native American – it shows a huge respect for the culture that they did this!
Samantha of Primary Petals who conceived and styled this amazing shoot said: “The desert is such a beautiful landscape that I feel is under used wedding wise. Southern Californian brides should consider drawing inspiration from a landscape and culture that is so native and natural to our state. I decided to create a modern take using the desert landscape with more current furniture and fashion,Lots of Navajo and chevron print (who doesn’t love that?), and hand painted details that are DIY friendly, such as the patterned antlers and a handmade headdress. This shoot is very simple, taking advantage of the beauty of the Joshua tree grove we shot in. I think the shoot is best summed up by the handmade dream catcher, which says ‘woven spirits.’ Just as the print is woven together, so is the couple getting married.”
Be sure to catch the behind the scenes video at the end of this shoot!
Credits: Photography: Lukas & Suzy VanDyke // Floral & Event Design: Primary Petals // Invitations: One Handspun Day // Cinema & Videography: The Yodsukars // Dress: TheGownSwap.com // Cake: The Scootabaker // Rentals: Yeah! Rentals // Makeup: Elegance by Alex // Jewelry: Mae Lo Antler Designs & Stay in the Light // Paper Props: Tussk.