Desert Botanical Garden is a treasure for Arizona weddings, engagements, proposals & family time!
Treasures are meant to be shared, cherished, and celebrated!
Favorite Photo Moments
by David Orr Photography
We love the outdoors and exploring new places in and around the Phoenix area. There is one place in particular that we hold close to our hearts and visit as often as we can. Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden is 55 acres of beautiful, otherworldly, and exotic cactus, trees, and flowers, gathered from the surrounding Sonoran Desert as well as deserts around the world. Multiple winding trails meander through the garden, allowing you to explore an organ pipe cactus forest, desert wildflowers and plants, riparian habitat, and herb and vegetable garden beds. The lush landscape attracts an abundance of unique desert wildlife as well, and the garden has a 3,200 square-foot, open-air butterfly pavilion with thousands of live butterflies native to the Southwest. All of the life and beauty contained within Desert Botanical Garden make it one of our most treasured places to visit, explore, and help support as a welcoming place for events, weddings, engagements, proposals, and families.
And since the Desert Botanical Garden is open to the public, the admission and wedding event rental fees support its great cause:
The study, research, and education of sustaining diverse desert plant life, while discovering and sharing its many benefits for our planet.
Scroll below to read the stories of some of our favorite photo moments we have had in this special place!
*Click here to jump down to the contact info!
Witnessing a proposal while surrounded in the beauty of the desert is exciting!
When you first walk through the entry gates into Desert Botanical Garden, the beauty, number, and sheer variety of cactus that stand in the Ottosen Entry Garden is striking.
The towering green organ pipe cactus that line the hardscape pathways provide beautiful framing and even a bit of seclusion from the hundreds of guests walking by. Nestled within the comfort of the shade, this was the place that Connor chose to ask for his girlfriend Nadia’s hand in marriage.
Connor and Nadia had been to Phoenix twice before during the hotter summer months, so this time they decided to experience the mild and pleasant climate by visiting in December.
When they arrived, Connor led Nadia around the sandstone paths of the Ottosen Entry Garden, beneath sweeping cactus arms, patiently waiting as other guests passed by. I watched from the perimeter of the garden, changing my position each time Connor and Nadia moved. Finally the moment arrived and Connor took to one knee. I had a great vantage point of Connor’s face, but it was Nadia’s reaction that I wanted to capture, so I quickly jogged to get to the right spot. Nadia laughed in delight and cupped her hands to her face while Connor proposed. He slid the ring on her finger as tears of happiness streaked down her face.
After they shared a long and sweet embrace, I discreetly walked over to introduce myself. Nadia was still giddy and nearly speechless with excitement. We explored the garden together for the next hour, creating portraits to commemorate their engagement among the desert flora and beneath picture perfect blue skies.
Supporting a cause when budgeting for your wedding day is icing on the cake.
The Desert Discovery Loop and Steele Herb Garden are just one of many beautiful backdrops in the garden that wedding couples can enjoy when exchanging vows.
As you enter the Desert Discovery Loop, sweeping rusted metal arches propel you forward down a path flanked by fragrant rosemary, agave, and succulent beds. The path opens into a large open-air courtyard which serves as the ceremony site, surrounded by various herb and vegetable planting beds, and featuring a giant metal sundial planted with plump golden barrel cactus. The site backs up to more beautiful rusted metal trellises, and the red rocks of Papago Park to the west are visible in the background where the sun sets.
On her wedding day, Melissa walked down the aisle arm in arm with her father, while classical guitarist Eduardo Costa played a beautiful melody in the desert background. Aaron waited up front with their pastors, who traveled all the way from Colorado, along with just a handful of immediate family and close friends. Melissa’s father and Aaron shook hands and embraced. As the warm sun began to set and silhouette the palo verde and mesquite trees, Melissa and Aaron held hands to share their vows and declare their devotion to each other. After exchanging rings and a kiss, they walked down the aisle toward a secluded garden pathway, locked in each other’s gaze, wiping away tears of joy.
When it came time for the newlyweds’ portraits after the ceremony, it was just a short walk from the Steele Herb Garden to the Quail Run Path, a quiet and less frequented trail. In this calm and relaxing setting, they didn’t have to worry about anyone interrupting their time alone as they basked in the Arizona twilight, while I captured their tender moments on my camera.
An open-air reception and dinner under the stars followed. Melissa and Aaron were seated alongside their guests at long, rustic wooden tables draped in eucalyptus leaves and topped with white and peach rose floral arrangements. Family and friends shared heartfelt toasts to the newlyweds, followed by cutting the cake. For the remainder of the evening, Eduardo’s light acoustic guitar filled the air while Melissa and Aaron walked to each table to chat and catch up with their dear guests.
This desert garden is not all cactus, folks.
A quick detour off the western edge of the Desert Discovery Loop Trail brings you into the Center for Desert Living Trail, which features fragrant herbs, vegetable beds, and vibrant flowers.
The Center for Desert Living Trail has the advantage of feeling lusher and greener (think less cactus) than the rest of the garden, but is still designed to conserve and use water wisely. Taylor and Remy were looking for a garden environment where they could capture fun, relaxing photo moments together as a way to share their engagement with their friends and family.
After some portraits framed by Texas Mountain Laurel, honeysuckle, lavender, and roses, we made our way onto Quail Run Path, which was perfectly shaded from the afternoon sun by huge mesquite trees.
Exploring the many unpaved trails kept us respectfully out of the way of other garden visitors, and allowed Taylor and Remy to let out their true personalities for some playful and fun portraits in this serene outdoor location. We finished up back on the Desert Discovery Loop Trail, dwarfed beneath the garden’s towering Cardon cactus, which were some of the first plants brought to the garden in 1939.
A place where plants, trees and little humans can grow!
The Ottosen Entry Garden welcomed Tom and Tracey, plus their 2-year-old toddler and precious newborn son.
We first met Tom and Tracey a few years ago to photograph their wedding at Gainey Ranch Golf Club, and it’s really been special to connect with them every year since as their family grows. This was their third portrait session with us at Desert Botanical Garden, and each time we’ve been able to explore and try out new locations within the vast expanse of the garden’s trails. This time their 2-year-old toddler son was joined by the cutest newborn baby brother!
The raised, terraced planting beds of the entry garden provided adventure for the toddler, with its multi-level maze design amongst aloe, agave, and barrel cactus. He ran from corner to corner like a dynamo, taking in the garden not just with his eyes but also with his hands! The garden offered an entirely different experience for the newborn, his eyes and ears opened to a world of new sights and sounds within this wonderful naturescape: the dancing yellows and greens of swaying mesquite trees, the curious calls of Gambel’s quail, and the chattering of cactus wrens.
We wrapped up our early morning photo session in the swirling circular water feature and labyrinth design of the Fine Family Contemplation Garden, holiday photos now complete, hearts full, and curiosity kindled.
There is always something new to discover.
Following the main pathway from the entry garden brings you to the garden’s Desert Discovery Loop Trail.
The garden opens up into broad pathways lined with massive mesquite trees, succulents, and cactus. This is where we met up with Trisha, Andrew, and their curious and adorable daughter. Trisha and Andrew hadn’t had any professional portraits since their wedding day, so once their family grew with the addition of their daughter–and with the holidays approaching–they decided it was a great time to get outside to a new, fresh outdoor location for their daughter to explore. I was thrilled that they invited me along to capture all the memories through my lens!
One great area to explore at Desert Botanical Garden is the Ullman Terrace, which offers elevated views of the surrounding Papago Buttes, and a comfy place to relax at tables and enjoy some treats from the patio cafe. It was here that Trisha and Andrew’s daughter was happy to demonstrate her awesome stair-climbing abilities on the amphitheater steps. She was even eager to help clean up after a previous event, picking up fall leaves and gifting them to her parents. After some relaxed portraits on the steps, our garden adventure concluded and we headed back down the trail, spirits lifted by happy moments spent together in the sun.
All growing things are welcome here!
All the new life and growth contained in the garden makes it the ideal place to celebrate maternity and parenthood.
We had previously photographed Tacey and Mike with their first daughter at Desert Botanical Garden, so it was really fun to reunite and come back almost a year later to celebrate with casual and cuddly maternity photos prior to the arrival of their second daughter. We found a cozy alcove just off the Quail Run Path, where their daughter could ham it up in her ballet tutu away from the many exciting distractions out in the busier areas of the garden.
Once their daughter was settled in, we were also able to create some nice portrait moments for just mom and dad—not an easy feat with a very active 2-year-old. But the longer we roamed, the more she found herself immersed in the magic of the garden atmosphere!
As the garden grows, so do our favorite families, and we cherish the opportunity to return here every year for these special milestones.
Exploring new places is the best!
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Thanks for reading!
- Amanda and David Orr
To learn more about The Desert Botanical Garden, explore here!
We pride ourselves in putting our hearts and souls into creating beautiful photography for you.
David Orr is the main photographer behind the camera, and Amanda Orr is the photo editor and album designer.
Together, we strive to make heartfelt, artistic imagery that not only sparks joy for you, but for all of your loved ones – today and for years to come!