Morgan + James // Joshua Tree

when james and morgan asked me to photograph their wedding, i could not say yes fast enough. they are two of the most uniquely talented individuals i've ever had the pleasure of knowing (both are fantastic musicians and composers - james plays upright bass for the dustbowl revival, morgan plays and teaches viola and violin - and they do quite a bit of work in the experimental music scene) and i was certain that their wedding would be infused with original touches, authentic to their deep, quirky, creative brand of love.

upon arriving at the joshua tree venue, wedding guests were given a kazoo, a bell wand and a piece of paper on which to write a message. the papers were tied to a tree with string, a la yoko ono's wish tree project, and set the tone for a day filled with gratitude, appreciation and art. kazoos, bells and whistling wind created music for the couple as they walked down the aisle and back again. at the reception, in lieu of an immediate first dance, james and morgan performed a first duet - two original pieces of music, both written by friends in attendance. the first told the story of how they met, the second came with instructions to extend the song by two seconds on every anniversary. tears were shed and laughs were had and we got stuck on a lot of cacti. (the struggle is real.)

....and then, several hours later, after my cozy clothes were on and my equipment was packed away, a friend ran into our airbnb and told me to grab my camera. i walked into the yard to witness the full moon shining through a hazy black fog, projecting a giant ring across the desert sky. a fitting end to an incredibly special day.