Desert Haze- Queer Focused Styled Shoot & Retreat

A screening questionnaire and vetting process will be required of every attendee to guarantee the safety of vendors and attendees.

Phoenix Arizona

2 Day W/ Lodging

  • $2,000

Day 1 (Monday) highlights include:
• A dreamy engagement session with a bright and unique vibe at Cham Pang Lanes in PHX AZ
• A cinematic, adventure-inspired elopement concept
• Multiple rotating stations getting ready, personality-focused activity, ceremony, portraits & ring exchange
• Lunch + education sessions to deepen your creative and business approach to inclusivity
• Group dinner with fellow attendees

Day 2 (Tuesday) highlights include:
• A luxury, queer-focused wedding concept
• Two couples (lesbian & gay) styled in different, dramatic moods
• Flat lays, ceremony scenes, cocktail/lounge spaces, reception energy & portrait setups
• Hands-on workshops + working lunch with speakers
• Group rotations through multiple stations
• Golden hour + low-light / flash photography opportunities
• Optional celebratory dinner + drinks alongside vendors

Grab Your Two Day Ticket With Lodging
Grab Your Two Day Ticket With Lodging

2 Day No Lodging

  • $1,600

You’ll join us for both full days of styled shooting and education, diving into the same concepts, rotations, stations, and learning experiences as full retreat attendees.

You’ll experience:
• The styled engagement shoot (Day 1)
• The adventure-inspired elopement concept
• The queer-focused wedding (Day 2)
• Multiple styled stations (flat lays, ceremonies, portraits, reception spaces, activity-based scenes)
• Lunch both days + educational programming
• Hands-on workshops & speaker sessions
• Golden hour shooting opportunities

All the content. All the connection. Your own space to recharge at night, Dinners & Lodging not included.

Grab Your Two Day Ticket
Grab Your Two Day Ticket

Day 1 Only

$750

Day 1 is centered around a bright and fun engagement session and an adventurous, story-driven elopement concept.

  • You’ll rotate through stations, including:

    • An adventure-based activity

    • A desert ceremony set up

    • Portraits with MLM couple

    • Portraits with WLW couple

    • With key points including a floral crown and a black wedding dress

    You’ll also join for:

    • Expense paid lunch and drinks + education at Cham Pang Lanes in Phoenix, Arizona

    • Engagement Photoshoot at the venue Cham Pang Lanes

    • Conversation + creative direction guidance

    This is a single-day ticket

    Dinners & Lodging not included.

Day 1 Ticket
Day 1 Ticket

Day 2 Only

  • $1,200

Couple One — WLW Wedding

  • Flat lays & detail styling

  • Portraits

  • Reception setup

  • Ceremony space

  • Flash/dance imagery

Candid “after the ceremony” moments

Couple Two: Gay Wedding

  • All above

  • Separate Ceremony setup

  • Late-night editorial detail

    This is a single-day ticket

    Dinners & Lodging not included

Day 2 Ticket
Day 2 Ticket

Shoot Mood Boards

A mood board for a desert-themed wedding includes photographs of a bouquet, a black wedding dress, a couple walking in a desert landscape, an ancient stone structure, and two men in suits. The background of the mood board is beige, with color swatches in yellow, sage green, rust orange, pink, light olive, and dark green.
A collage of five photos showcasing the interior of a vibrant bowling alley with colorful lighting, a bar area, lounge seating, and a hallway entrance with greenery and red lighting.
Collage of photos showcasing a bohemian Airbnb rental with vibrant murals, cozy furniture, decorative mirrors, neon signs, and swing chairs, tailored for queer couples, small groups, and hair and makeup artists.
A wedding mood board featuring photos of two queer models, a floral cake, desert landscape with cactus, bride holding colorful flowers, outdoor wedding setup, and a woman with colorful rollers in her hair in a white dress. The board includes text about wedding details at The Paseo, with color swatches in orange, pink, brown, green, yellow, and blue.

The Educators

A young woman with long wavy hair in a beige top and jeans, sitting on the floor next to a camera, leaning against a black chair in a room with light-colored walls and wooden flooring.

Featuring Alexis Pollard — Utah Elopement Photographer
Meet Alexis, a storyteller and adventurous elopement photographer whose work centers on presence over performance, helping couples slow down and feel deeply in their moments rather than checking off rigid shot lists. She’s passionate about intentional connection, intuitive timelines, and crafting imagery that feels like memory rather than a set of poses.

Talk Topic: How to Run a Shoot That Works for Every Body & Every Identity
In her session, Alexis is breaking down how to create inclusive shoots that elevate experience and accessibility for everyone involved. She’ll cover thoughtful location selection with terrain and sensory needs in mind, using inclusive language from prep to capture, planning safety for couples in rural/outdoor settings, and communicating around comfort levels with PDA or public spaces, especially in conservative areas.

Woman with purple curly hair and glasses, wearing a pink blazer over a colorful graphic T-shirt, holding a glass bowl filled with small silver disco balls.

Featuring Sara Bishop — Arizona Wedding Photographer

With over 21 years in the wedding industry, Sara brings deep, lived experience in building photography businesses that are not only successful, but intentionally safe and affirming. Her work goes beyond surface-level inclusion, focusing on how systems, communication, and process shape trust long before a camera ever comes out. Sara is especially passionate about helping photographers support LGBTQ+ couples through thoughtful, values-driven client experiences that honor agency and safety at every stage.

Talk Topic: Beyond Representation — Building Safety, Agency, & Trust for LGBTQ+ Couples
In this session, Sara will walk through how systems and processes across the entire client experience directly impact how safe, seen, and supported couples feel, and ultimately, how their photos turn out. She’ll cover practical ways to move beyond performative inclusion, including how your workflows, onboarding, communication, and policies can actively support LGBTQ+ clients. Attendees will leave with concrete, immediately actionable changes they can implement to build more affirming, trust-centered client experiences.

Check Out Where We’re Staying

Check Out The Full Gallery

A row of illuminated round mirrors on a wall in a room with clear acrylic chairs in front, and floral wallpaper on the lower part of the wall.
A backyard pool with a colorful mural wall in the background, featuring the words 'Jungalow' and 'House of Vibes'.
Interior of a colorful cafe with a floral mural on the wall, a neon sign that says 'ALCOHOL,' and a partially visible Swing with ropes hanging from the ceiling. The cafe has a cozy atmosphere with a white sofa and round pillows, and a counter with a sign that says 'But First, COFFEE'.
A colorful, modern lounge area with neon signs, eclectic furniture including a yellow couch, a green circular sofa, and a hanging chair. Neon signs read "VIBE CHECK" and other symbols adorn the walls, with colorful vertical light strips enhancing the vibrant atmosphere.

Vendors:

Planner: Joyful Engagements

Host: Lillians Lenss

Florals: Fern Floral Studio

Engagement Venue: Cham Pang Lanes

Elopement Venue: Dobbins Lookout

Wedding Venue: The Paseo

Educator: Alexis Pollard

Educator: Sara Bishop

Get away Car: Dreamy Dubs

AND MORE!!!!!!!