A Moab Styled Shoot That Became Their Wedding Photos

Shelby (she/her) and Courtney (she/her) never expected a styled shoot in Moab to become a chance to reclaim such an important part of their story. Captured by Colleen Elise Photography against the red rocks and earthy tones of Arches National Park, this shoot was rooted in individuality, connection, and creating something that was totally them. From bold pops of colour against the desert landscape to outfits chosen simply because they felt good to wear, every detail embraced a nontraditional approach to queer wedding inspiration.

What inspired this shoot in Moab?

The overall inspiration for this shoot was leaning into the nontraditional and embracing uniqueness. The shoot came to fruition when the planner (and my friend), El Events, was taking a multi-day National Parks trip across Nevada and Utah and wanted to plan a shoot in Moab. We knew we wanted to work with a madly in love queer couple and capture the feeling of an outdoor elopement vibe without having to hike 1000 miles.

It just happened to work out perfectly that I knew a couple living in Utah, as Shelby and I had met years earlier in a college psychology class. The couple chose attire that THEY liked and felt good in, which was really important to the vision. Shelby wore a dress from Roaming Dress Rentals paired with her Doc Martens, while Courtney’s blue suit was from Amazon. We also wanted bold pops of contrasting colour against the orange, earthy tones of Arches National Park.

What styling details brought the vision to life?

Earthy, locally farm-grown florals by Farm Yard Moab brought texture and warmth to the landscape.

Hair and makeup by Janelle Ingram completed the overall look, while stationery by Crofted Creations and accessories from Cozy Crafter added thoughtful finishing touches.

A Moab Styled Shoot That Became Their Wedding Photos – photo 1

A Moab Styled Shoot That Became Their Wedding Photos – photo 2

What words best capture the feel of this shoot?

Nontraditional, earthy, bold, fun, and unique!

This day was special for Courtney and Shelby. Tell us why.

Shelby and Courtney actually met on a dating app while living in different states. They matched, things fizzled out, but one day, they happened to reconnect – and it was love from there on out. Courtney eventually moved from the northern US to the southern US to be with Shelby.

They knew they wanted to be together forever and made the difficult decision to get married on Christmas Day in 2024 due to fears around their right to marry being taken away. They only have one photo from that day, so even though this was technically a styled shoot, these are very much their wedding photos.