Southwestern Desert Wedding Ideas

Well, the secret’s out — not only is Clayton Austin a photographer extraordinaire; he also knows how to put together quite the styled shoot. Earlier this year, Clayton held a photography workshop in Marfa, TX that was nothing short of total beauty, and we’ve got the evidence to prove it!

From the photographer, Clayton Austin: Marfa is set in the middle of the west Texas desert and I really wanted to incorporate this vast beautiful landscape into the theme of the shoot. I imagined something organic and unique with accents of white, pops of rich colors, and touches of leather. For the bouquet I gathered simple green foliage and bound it with earthy jute twine pulling it all together with strips of leather belts purchased at my local thrift store. I found the stunning textile breast plate at a market days festival on Nantucket Island. Isobel and Cleo has some of the most amazing textile clothes in the entire world!

After seeing some vintage macrame hangers at an antique store in Santa Monica I was immediately inspired to incorporate them in a unique way. I found some smaller plates that fit my cakes perfectly and kept the sides of the hangers from digging into the cakes. I really loved how they turned out and had never seen such a unique cake display. I think an entire wall of macramé hanging deserts would be oh so stellar. Instead of more traditional tables and chairs I opted from something a tad more unexpected by removing the legs of a table I purchased from World Market and placing it on metal baskets. I then completed the arrangement with floor cushions and rawhide rugs.

After collecting a few antler sheds from a local shop I hand painted them using golds and pinks. This was such a simple project and am looking forward to displaying the antlers in my own home. The blue lab is my baby girl, Mattie. After a super successful career of modeling she has decided to retire. This was such a fun shoot to style and am always so inspired by the unexpected! Never be afraid to think outside the box and take risks!

View all images from this wedding in the gallery

Shoot Location: Marfa, TX / Photography, Floral Design, and Cakes: Clayton Austin / Venue: El Cosmico / Leather Riding Pants: Michael Kors / Textile Breast Plate Necklace: Isobel and Cleo / Pheasant Plates: Pottery Barn / Beaded Chargers: Target / Wooden Vase: Anthropologie / Cylinder Wooden Vases: West Elm / Table Number: Hobby Lobby / Table and Floor Cushions: World Market / Hanging pocket canvas satchel: Restoration Hardware