Unique Wedding at The Ruin Venue Joshua Tree

The Ruin Wedding

Maggie and Jason’s The Ruin Venue wedding in Joshua Tree, California, did not fit the mold for any one wedding style. The music-loving couple didn’t have a real vision for what their wedding would be until they found their venue. All they knew for sure was that they didn’t want a typical hotel or standard “wedding factory” venue. They wanted to be in nature and feel completely disconnected from reality. They visited Joshua Tree frequently, and loved the magical feel of the place. Once they found The Ruin Venue, their vision began to come to life.

In the end, they landed in the realm of if Alice in Wonderland took place in the Wild West. It was a 20’s art deco / desert boho mashup, with lots of geometric accents and various fabric pieces offsetting the soft tones of the natural stone and desert landscape of the outdoor, fully customizable The Ruin Venue.

A wedding all their own

“My advice for brides-to-be would be to make your wedding the way you want to make it,” Maggie says. “Don’t get caught up in trying to include everything you “should” have, or try and compete to make your wedding the coolest or most unique. Just make your wedding reflect who you and your partner are, and everyone will love it.” The details Maggie and Jason chose included nods to all of their favorite music festivals (a shared love, they’ve been to 14 together at the time of their wedding!) with a seating chart designed by a close friend made from a laser cut piece of wood with each guest’s name assigned to a different music festival. Dreamcatchers handmade by Maggie’s mom swayed in the breeze. An artist friend hand painted beautiful succulents that mirrored their save the dates on a cornhole game for the reception. A large geometric altar for the ceremony was made by Maggie’s stepfather. Macramé decorations across the fireplace and behind the couch added softness to the stone structure, helping fulfill their vision that their guests would feel both in another world, and also at home at their wedding.

Southwest desert colorscape

One of the most appealing things about The Ruin Venue is that while naturally beautiful in the Joshua Tree desert, it is also a blank canvas that can be customized to suit the vision of the couple. For Maggie and Jason, they opted to add lots of bright, rich colors to contrast with the muted desert tones. Jason wore a stand-out Sedona orange suit; plush vintage furniture in bright teals and pinks brought the space to life. There were lots of pillows and southwestern Pendleton-style blankets thrown over the furniture to make it feel even more welcoming. They had Moroccan rugs all around The Ruin Venue and down the aisle to give the ceremony an indoor/outdoor feel.

The perfect details

A mix of succulents, proteas and other desert flowers adorned the aisle, altar and centerpieces. The couple truly loved the work of their florist, Annabelle Haines. According to the bride, “She did such a good job making the floral arrangements match the color scheme and feel for the wedding.”

Maggie’s gown was a BHLDN “Deco Dreams” Gatsby style off-white beaded 20’s gown. The cake, a refreshing Meyer lemon and raspberry flavor, baked by Over The Rainbow Desserts, was a semi-naked design, rustic and simple with a few air plants as decoration.

A truly unique and memorable space

According to the couple, what makes The Ruin Venue unique is also what made it so amazing. “We made a really weird wedding, but somehow it worked! It was in the middle of nowhere with no electricity, cell phone reception or running water. And despite not knowing where the shuttle was taking them, all of our friends and family came to celebrate with us and had the best time!”

The Ruin Venue can accommodate 100-150 guests in an outdoor, uncovered setting.

And, of course, I can't forget to mention the afterparty at the Sound Stage in Pioneertown. Maggie DJ'ed and Jason's band, Heartour, played while their guests danced the night away.