What do you get when you combine a luxe, refined black-tie celebration with a remote desert venue? The answer is an occasion unlike any other. With a “desert meets the Met” theme, Ciara + Gage wanted the whole day to feel like a mirage: something you’d never expect to come to life, let alone in the middle of the desert. And even their guests played the part, encouraged to take risks and have fun with their style. Designer Michelle Garibay Events and florist Luna Design Studios helped the couple make their ethereal Joshua Tree wedding a reality at Morada. Thanks to the talented Hannah Greenwood Photo for sharing the photos below!
Amsale’s Rosemary gown is a hand draped bias ball gown with a rosette bodice and tulle skirt. Being hand draped, no two of these gowns are the same!
How cute is this newspaper shot that gives a shoutout to each of the bridesmaids, bridesman, and maid of honor?!
A Black-Tie Wedding in Joshua Tree
Their refined yet organic wedding theme really took off when Ciara happened upon a photo of DJ Tiësto’s wedding to model Annika Backes in the Utah desert, which featured a fully mirrored ceremony arch that reflected the beauty of the surrounding landscape. She says, “We built out this idea of a mirage in the desert since we had to essentially build this event from the ground up being in such a remote area like Joshua Tree. I wanted something that felt very refined, but organic, and my husband is more rugged so I spent a lot of time trying to find a venue that felt like the both of us. I loved the idea of having a black-tie event in an environment that doesn’t necessarily seem to fit that aesthetic. The juxtaposition of an upscale event in the dirt felt fun and unexpected.”
How chic are Ciara’s chartreuse bridesmaids alongside the groomsmen clad in all-black tuxes? The bright green moss sprinkled throughout the desert rocks actually inspired them to incorporate this hue; they chose to feature chartreuse within the floral design as well.
The Juxtaposition of Elegant and Earthy
“Similar to choosing the theme, we wanted the florals to be unexpected for the area as well. Joshua Tree typically sees a more bohemian style, so we wanted to go a completely different direction. Michelle and I spent a lot of time with Luna, our floral and design team, to come up with the right style and she absolutely delivered exactly what I dreamed of. The pops of color set against the neutral tones of the desert combined with chandeliers and candlelight really led to such a romantic dreamy vibe.”
Their Joshua Tree Wedding Venue: Morada
Off the beaten path, Morada is an artists escape in Joshua Tree. The property is a custom-built luxury Spanish estate located on miles of isolated desert land. The redesigned 1958 pueblo style home is right outside of Joshua Tree National Park and was built by artists for artists, as a secluded escape and creative oasis.
We’ve seen (and loved) our share of bohemian weddings in the desert, but seeing a refined black-tie affair is a truly spectacular surprise!
The couple and their friends actually made their own bar signs and table numbers out of stone and tile. So cool!
Gage and Ciara’s dad actually hand-built their seating chart wall, which was finished by Luna and her team. They originally chose to DIY it as a way to save money, but it turned out to be such a showstopper and a special part of the wedding!
This custom pink and coral draping served as an “entrance” to the reception, where guests felt like they walked into a whole new world.
What a beautiful wedding cake inspired by their palette!
On What Made The Biggest Impact
“I wanted to splurge on the things that I knew would be the most impactful and meant the most to us: food, DJ, chairs, floral/design, photography/videography. My husband and I are big foodies in general so we knew we ideally did not just want good wedding food, we wanted good food in general. I feel like a good meal can be such a make or break at a wedding and is something that guests really do remember. Having little intentional details like that throughout the night made it feel special and customized to us. 24 Carrots not only delivered an incredible culinary experience, but to be able to do all of it in a built out kitchen in the middle of the desert was exceptional.
It was also really important that we found a DJ that would be able to keep the dance floor packed—there is nothing worse than looking around and seeing people sitting all night. Our DJ team met with us multiple times to review the overall vibe, must play songs, do not play songs, as well as emcee duties, which made the reception flow smoothly.”
Lastly, our bride shares their challenges in planning and a bit of advice for those in the process..
“Money is such a taboo subject, but obviously weddings are not inexpensive. I was very fortunate to have a lot of financial help from my parents, but there was guilt and anxiety about whether I was using their money as well as my own in the best way. I kept having this questioning thought if I should be getting this or that for something that is just one day. It wasn’t until my best friend told me that it isn’t just one day though, this is my wedding and it is something that I, my parents, and all of our guests would remember forever and that it will live on far longer than just one day in our memories. That realization took away a lot of those negative feelings that surround the financial side of wedding planning. And she was right! It’s only been about a month, but the amount of joy I have and I see other people have when talking about it or looking at photos made it all worth it! So my biggest tip is to remember that your wedding is special, it is not just a day. It is easy to lose sight of the meaning behind it all when you are in the thick of planning, but I promise that the amount of happiness and love you feel on your wedding day is worth every stressful night and every difficult decision.”
Congratulations to Ciara on Gage! If you’re planning a wedding yourself, be sure to check out the talented team below for more inspiration:
Photography: Hannah Greenwood Photo | Venue: Morada Joshua Tree | Planning & Design: Michelle Garibay Events | Video: Ashley & Jay Films | Floral Design, Rentals, Tabletop & Linens: Luna Design Studios | Catering: 24 Carrots | Mixology: Mixology by Melissa | Rentals: Signature Party Rentals | Reception Chairs: Found Rental Co | Stationery: Twinkle & Toast | DJ/MC: Bass & Bliss | String Quartet: Ocdamia Music Group, LLC | Cake & Desserts: Laura Marie Cakes | Custom Seating Wall: Groom | Hair: California Bridal Stylist | Makeup: Cristina Braun MUA | Dance Floor: Bright Event Rentals | Restrooms: Ethereal Luxury Restrooms | Wedding Dress: Amsale Rosemary Dress | Veil: Rita Vinieris and Custom Liz Martinez Blusher | Shoes: Gucci | Earrings: Adorn Pili | Engagement Ring: Golden String | Wedding Band: Kasia | Groom’s Tux: The Black Tux | Bowtie: Gucci | Ring: Staghead Designs
