Real Weddings, Advice, & Inspiration

Catalyst Wedding Company highlights weddings by and for game-changers. We seek to amplify and empower voices and viewpoints that are usually missing from the Wedding Industrial Complex. We're a community of badass wedding professionals who love all things funky, fresh, diverse, unique, and personality-driven; we convene twice yearly for (un)convention, a collaborative workshop, styled shoot, and dinner party. We're also the publishers of Catalyst Wedding Mag, a resource for couples looking for inspiration and affirmation that doing things differently in wedding-world is not only ok, it's wonderful!

Two newlyweds in floral wedding dresses at Dry Lake Beds Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photo

LGBTQ+ spouses kissing with bouquet at elopement in Dry Lake Beds Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photo

Newlyweds lean in for a kiss at Dry Lake Beds Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photo

LGBTQ Newlyweds walking hand in hand at Dry Lake Beds Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photo

LGBTQ+ newlyweds hand in hand at Dry Lake Beds Las Vegas by Dylan Crossley Photography

Queer spouses embrace at Dry Lake Beds elopement Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photography

Newlyweds cuddling at elopement in Dry Lake Beds Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photography

Intimate newlyweds with braids at Dry Lake Beds elopement Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photography

Bridal bouquet at LGBTQ+ elopement in Dry Lake Beds Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photography

Floral bridal hairpiece at Dry Lake Beds near Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photography

LGBTQ bride in the desert wind at Dry Lake Beds near Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photography

LGBTQ brides walking hand in hand at Dry Lake Beds elopement in Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photo

Spouses embracing during desert elopement at Dry Lake Beds near Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photo

Queer spouse with bouquet at Dry Lake Beds Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photography

Bride in a floral dress in desert elopement at Dry Lake Beds near Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photo

Spouse in leather jacket embracing bride at Dry Lake Beds Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photo

Newlyweds kissing with wedding ring at Dry Lake Beds elopement Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photo

Newlyweds with bouquet embracing at Dry Lake Beds elopement Las Vegas Dylan Crossley Photo

Words & Photos by Dylan Crossley Photo

How Did This Elopement Styled Shoot Come Together?

In February 2019, I was attending the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) Conference in Las Vegas. A fellow photographer (and now friend) Jennie Crate offered to team up with me to create a LGBTQ+ styled shoot while we were there.

Jennie usually attends the conference with her wife Heather but this year was different. She was flying solo for a shorter-than-usual trip, and she had some free time to help me set this up. Having her help was wonderful, and learning from her during this shoot was invaluable. We worked together to source a florist, hair stylist, and make-up artist.

Jennie found our gorgeous models — real life couple Jordan and Ashley — through social media. They would be in Las Vegas for a rugby tournament and agreed to model for us.

The whole team assembled in my hotel room at the MGM Grand at 6 a.m. to begin hair and make-up. The wake-up call was early, but everyone was already cheerful and so kind. I knew immediately that we had assembled the right team. All eight of us quickly felt at ease chatting away in the hotel while I served up mimosas to our models.

Christine of Shades of Beauty created a natural look that was meant to mimic the golden tones of the desert without making Jordan and Ashley feel overdone. I'm happy to report that they look just like themselves — albeit with slightly longer lashes.

Our hair artist Meg treated them both like gold, assembling a modern braided look for Jordan and weaving a floral hair piece into Ashley's light brown hair.

We arrived at the Dry Lake Beds just before 9 a.m. to bright sun and high winds. Jordan and Ashley were full of bubbly laughter and gave us the best genuine, affectionate cuddles to photograph — as well as some high-energy windy runs across the lake bed!

By the end of the session we were all thrilled with the images we had created. To me it felt like a wild success.

Why Do You Feel This Styled Shoot Is a Great Fit for Catalyst?

Post-COVID lockdown many couples are considering eloping, and it's important to normalize even more the idea that getting married doesn't have to include a 'traditional' wedding with a large guest count.

More than ever, couples are inspired to select the traditions that feel authentic to them and leave the rest behind. The more elopements real couples see, the more comfortable they will feel doing what's right for them.

We wanted to show a Las Vegas elopement that was anything but ordinary (with no slot machines). I hope this shoot can add to the ever-growing catalogue of inspiration that showcasing real same-sex couples who felt at ease celebrating their relationship in a beautiful location.