Mesilla New Mexico Mountain Wedding

Boy, do we have a story for you today! We can’t promise that we’ll blog often, but we can promise that when we do, it will be worth your time. Leah & Eric’s perfect, tiny wedding took place in both the quaint, historic town of Mesilla and the Organ Mountains near Las Cruces, New Mexico. But First, let’s tell the story of how these two met and then we’ll get to the crazy turn of events that lead to us shooting their wedding.

Leah and Eric originally met while he was stationed in Alabama with the Air Force. A chance meeting that would change their lives forever. A long distance relationship ensued as Eric was stationed abroad not long after they made their relationship official. A lot of FaceTime and a few trips over the ocean(s) to Italy and South Korea and their commitment to one another only grew stronger. 2020 arrived and, with it, the global pandemic. Eric was due back in Europe, after a brief stint in Asia. There was a sliver of a chance he would be able to stop in the U.S. for about a month in-between. This is when the wedding plan began to brew. He was given two weeks notice of his travel plans and Leah went to work planning the most epic, last-minute wedding of a lifetime. Did we mention they weren’t engaged yet? More on that later…

We met Leah years ago when she first moved to Birmingham. She was a transplant from New Mexico looking to connect with other photographers in our area. Fast forward to September 2020 – Leah contacted us 3 weeks before her nuptials about a possible post-wedding session. She told us the aforementioned story and we were blown away. Leah and Eric share such a beautiful story of God’s perfect timing. Although, we have to admit, the most shocking part was learning she didn’t have a photographer for her wedding. While we were excited at the potential of a photo session with them, we just couldn’t shake that she wasn’t going to have her wedding photographed. We were already going to be in Colorado days before, so we tossed out the idea of her hiring us for the wedding. It was as simple as adding another leg to our trip out West. As you already know, we shot the wedding and a session in White Sands National Park too!

A most photogenic adobe hacienda in historic Mesilla was the backdrop for most of the wedding day. Leah’s wedding dress has it’s own little fun story as well. Back in April, during lockdown, Leah showed Eric a dress she had been eyeing. Eric immediately purchased it, without her knowledge, and it showed up on her doorstep just days later. Once the wedding plans began to solidify in the Fall, Leah had the grand idea to surprise Eric with the dress he’d purchased months ago, as her wedding gown! It doesn’t get much more special, folks.

After getting ready at Quinta Bermudez, we hopped over to Soledad Canyon for the sweet and intimate vow exchange. This particular canyon is a spot Leah has frequented for runs with her dog, Rex. It’s also where Eric proposed 2 days before their ceremony. Oh, yes, we forgot to mention that Eric landed in the U.S., met Leah’s family for the first time, proposed the next day and tied the knot with Leah two days later. The best part is that this plan was never a rash decision – Eric started saving for Leah’s ring just after their first date. When you know, you know. If you’ve made it this far, you’ll agree with us that this should be made into a movie, right? It was pure joy to document this wedding day and this couple.

Wesley & Emma Photography | Desert Jules Events | M. Harris Design | Hair by Britt Evans

Make Up by Lala Juarez | Quinta Bermudez | Silk and Willow | Reformation | Simple and Dainty

Bonobos | Hello Cakery and Macarons | Michelle Arterburn Studio | A Basic Shop