Lena and Michael envisioned beginning their new life together with a spontaneous Joshua Tree wedding. To add a little adventure to their elopement experience, we trekked over to the Palm Springs Windmills (where ironically, there was no wind at all on this particular day!) But it worked out because Lena wore her hair down, and she brought so much vitality to the session all on her own!

I absolutely adore these two. Lena is free-spirited, spunky, and charismatic. As her complementary other half, Michael is calm, cool, collected, and head over heels for Lena. Their elopement was such a breath of fresh air—both literally and figuratively. They’re a perfect match, and I couldn’t wait to share a few (ok, a lot) of sneak peeks from their gorgeous Joshua Tree wedding weekend.

We actually photographed these couple’s portraits after their wedding. Their day-after adventure session perfectly highlights the benefits of booking an after session. Curious? Read on!

What is a day-after / post-wedding session?

A post-wedding session is a full session devoted just to couple’s portraits. A day-after session doesn’t have to take place the day after your wedding. You can wait until you return from your honeymoon, once you get settled into married life, or even your one-year anniversary! It’s up to you.

Many couples are excited to hear that opportunities for couple’s portraits extend beyond the wedding day. If you have a vision in mind for your wedding photos that’s not feasible to fit in the day of, I encourage you to add on a session!

Here are the most common reasons couples book an after session:

6 Reasons to Book an After Session

1. More Location Options & Flexibility

On your wedding day, you’re fairly limited to your wedding suite and wedding venues. We can get tons of fantastic wedding-day photos around the venue, but some couples want to venture out to change up the look. For example, Lena and Michael thought it would be fun to take photos at the Palm Springs Windmill Farm. The location offered unconventional elopement vibes with an editorial feel. Wow factor, yes please! I’m in love with their look!

If you desire an on-location couple’s session that isn’t near your venue, booking a separate photoshoot is the way to go.

2. Fewer Time Constraints

On the same note, your wedding day will be filled to the brim with fun festivities! Booking a separate couple’s session will ease the time constraints so you can enjoy your day to the fullest and get all the newlywed portraits you envision. For Joshua Tree weddings, commutes tend to be a bit longer given the terrain, so I recommend booking extra time for photos.

3. Laid-back Feel

Without the pressure to fit it all in and stay on schedule, after sessions tend to feel more relaxed. You can be yourselves—dance, laugh, play, explore—whatever you’re feeling in the moment! The carefree atmosphere lends itself to authentic, candid portraits that feature the real you. We’ll have time and space to get creative.

4. Opportunities for Portrait Variety

Bring out your wedding attire and let’s do something crazy! We can stray off the beaten path and try new things to diversify your photo albums. Wedding day photos are a must! But it doesn’t have to end there. Typically, couple’s portraits are the wedding day photos you’ll want to display. An extra session will give you more to work with, especially if we visit a new location. (And, since you already tied the knot, you don’t have to worry quite as much about getting your wedding attire dirty.)

5. Outfit Changes

You probably won’t be changing during your wedding day (unless you choose to change for the reception). An after session gives you free rein of the runway. Play up your look however you like. Lena wore a different dress for their actual elopement ceremony, but she wanted to slip into something more intimate for this colorful couple’s photo sesh. And she rocked it! I love the fringed short cut with red heels! Paired with her bright bouquet—pure perfection.

6. Hair & Makeup Re-dos

Unfortunately, there are some instances where couples weren’t a huge fan of their hair or makeup on wedding day. An after session gives you a chance to re-do those, especially for portraits you want to display.

Or, maybe you loved your hair and makeup and simply want to change it up in a few photos. You can’t really do multiple styles on your wedding day, so an add-on session allows you to change your look.

Joshua Tree Weddings & Elopements with Hanna

Palm Springs is an excellent elopement destination if you want a stunning landscape. Joshua Tree weddings lend themselves well to day-after sessions because of the unique location. If we’re already out there, why not take full advantage of the scenery?!

For couples booking destination weddings with me, I highly recommend an add-on session to fully document your experience and make the most of our time together.

Need more info? Connect with me here to start planning!