Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our full disclaimer to learn more.

Their Story

This Valley of Fire wedding was a long time coming for Amanda and Byron. The two first met back in June 2012 when Byron was stationed in Florida with the Marines for training. Amanda was working for the summer in the restaurant next to Byron’s hotel and one fateful night she wound up being his waitress. Byron made sure to come back the next night and the two hit it off. Unfortunately he was leaving the next day to go back to North Carolina so the couple dated for 3 years long distance. After life and careers took them away from each other for two years, they found their way back to one another in 2017 after Amanda reached out to wish him a happy birthday. The couple moved to Michigan together and on June 21, 2018, which was the 6 year anniversary since the day they met, Byron popped the question during a gorgeous hike in British Columbia!

Choosing Cactus Collective for their big day was an easy decision as they love anything outdoors (hence the hiking proposal!)  When they found out they had to move up their wedding day by a few months because of work reasons, they couldn’t think of a better place to elope!

Amanda wore a gorgeous ivory all lace dress and Byron donned a light navy suit with burgundy accents. They wanted a desert boho vibe with lots of romance so they also added lovely pops of burgundy throughout the florals and decor. They were joined by both sets of parents so it was a great family affair. We wish this couple a lifetime of happiness together!

Explore Valley of Fire Wedding Packages

McKenzi Taylor
McKenzi Taylor

McKenzi Taylor is America’s go-to elopement and micro wedding expert, often featured in small and major media outlets, such as the New York Times. With over 15 years of wedding photography experience, it was after planning her own Las Vegas elopement in 2016 that McKenzi felt her purpose shift into elopement coordination. She started Cactus Collective Weddings soon after in 2017. Since then, she’s become a WIPA board member, and has helped well over 1000 couples get hitched in style around Las Vegas, San Diego and Black Hills.