Married in Marrakesh
Alli & Ryan
Marrakesh, Morocco
As a destination wedding photographer, there are some gigs that stand out as career highlights. I traveled and documented love all over the world, including in Japan, France, Costa Rica, Bangladesh, all over the USA, even at Burning Man! But my story with Alli and Ryan goes beyond just a wedding day…
Alli contacted me back in 2021 to document their destination wedding in Morocco. They rented a private Riad where their guests would stay and celebrate together, including taking camels out into the Sahara desert and sleep under the stars. An absolute dream, right?
After capturing their engagement photos in Austin, TX, we got ready for the trip of a lifetime together. Unfortunately, shortly before leaving, everything had to be canceled due to some emergency health complications… C’est la vie.
We were devastated, but decided to make the best of it and celebrate their union in Austin instead (check out their wedding day here). We became good friends in the process, so despite the loss of a dream destination for Travel Weddings I was glad to have at least shared a chapter of their love with them.
That is, until they contacted me several months later saying “Let’s still go to Morocco”.
Streets of Marrakesh
Although Alli and Ryan were already married, they still wanted to manifest their dream of celebrating their love in Morocco. I was beyond excited to travel and continue working with my clients-turned-friends, so we agreed to make the updated Moroccan plan be multiple portrait sessions throughout our adventures.
Touch down in the bustling city of Marrakesh.
Marrakesh is a crowded and busy atmosphere, but we managed to capture some fun shots of the two of them while exploring the vast Souk market, the Jemma el-Fnaa (main square of the Medina), and the windy streets one could easily get lost in.
Private Riad
Alli and Ryan wanted to honor their initial vision as much as possible, so they still rented a private villa for us to stay in (the three of us and a couple other friends).
The place was STUNNING! Every corner of this building was a perfect photoshoot backdrop. We were so blessed to call this beautiful gem home for a few days.
Menara Gardens
After a couple of days, we decided to venture out of our immediate surroundings and explore the city on a horse carriage!
Our destination was the Menara Gardens, a 12th century botanical garden we jokingly nicknamed “Olive Garden” due to its massive olive groves. We enjoyed the ride there and back, while stopping ever so often upon finding other cute backdrops for photos.
Le Jardin Secret
Le Jardin Secret (the Secret Garden), was the exact vibe we had been searching Marrakesh for. These traditional islamic gardens were beautifully manicured against soft tones and intricate geometry, an absolute treat to photograph!
The multiple portrait sessions around the city of Marrakesh gave Alli and Ryan an exciting collection of memories they could fondly look back on. However, as their initial wedding dream involved riding camels out into the Sahara, this trip would incomplete without that experience. For our last days in Morocco, we set off for the desert and the adventure of a lifetime.
The story and images will be shared soon, stay tuned…
If you’re looking for someone with cameras to join you on your love adventures, do not hesitate to reach out! We will go from strangers to friends through an unforgettable journey together.