A Desert-Gothic Wedding in Terlingua, Texas, on Día de Los Muertos
From colleagues to coupled up… Brittany’s first day at a commercial real estate firm, on a winter’s day in 2019, proved to be memorable in more ways than one. She and her business partner met with Baxter and his uncle about converting office buildings into retail space, and Baxter’s lack of socks stood out to her, later calling it “charming.” She says, “Despite hitting it off professionally, Baxter initially kept things strictly business. That changed when his uncle orchestrated a ‘market research’ dinner for the two of us at a restaurant they were working with. From there, things naturally progressed.” Not long after, the two began dating “seriously,” as they put it.
Which meant Baxter was planning an unforgettable proposal that mixed their shared interests in immersive mystery games. More specifically, Hunt a Killer. One of the clues and challenges inside the game involved opening a small tin with a combination lock that had two sheets of paper and birthday candles inside. “Baxter insisted we were supposed to burn the paper,” Brittany recounts. “When we held the candle beneath the paper, the words ‘Marry Me?’ appeared. And still, I was so into the game that I actually stood there trying to figure out who in the story proposed to the victim. It took me a full minute to realize Baxter was on one knee.” This thoughtful proposal came about through careful planning, with Baxter playing the game himself at first so he could plant the clues and hide the secret message (which he made with lemon juice).
It’s this love of all things spooky and haunting that led the couple to a wedding on November 1st, the Day of the Dead. “We were deeply inspired by the idea of the ‘thin veil’ between worlds, and wanted our day to feel like it existed in that liminal space—witchy, sacred and just a little eerie. We chose to hold our ceremony in Big Bend/Terlingua, Texas, drawn to its wild, otherworldly beauty,” the bride adds. Incorporating elements of Día de los Muertos involved a moody fall color palette, personalized touches and a bit of desert Gothic vibes.
And they had the perfect on-site accommodations with Willow House, a retreat in the Texas desert, complete with custom welcome bags from the to-be-weds to greet their guests. Inside were Mexican worry dolls, a printed itinerary and local guide and many desert-friendly items like the uncle-of-the-bride’s beef jerky brand, sage smudge kits and personalized hangover kits. “Our goal was to create something deeply personal and powerful—not just for us, but for everyone present,” Brittany says of the intimate wedding weekend.
The night before the wedding, on Halloween, was a casual welcome dinner, and many took advantage of the nearby national park to enjoy the scenery while hiking. The bride adds, “Some of our favorite parts of the wedding actually happened in the days surrounding the ceremony, which made the whole experience feel like a beautiful, extended ritual. Spending time with family in Big Bend leading up to the wedding…made everything feel grounded and real, like a slow build toward something sacred.”
Their simple ceremony space had the mountains in the background, with a sculptural floral installation blending “ghostly black branches, dried grasses and a moody palette of florals — rich magentas, blood reds, shadowy plums and even touches of black” as their altar, according to the couple. The asymmetrical design was meant to evoke an organic feel, as if the structure had emerged from the ground, and guests sat in a formation of rustic chairs. The bride carried a bouquet in the same shades as the altar, with black calla lilies, deep red anthuriums, textural grasses and unique pods with a trailing black ribbon, a sneak peek into their handfasting ceremony.
Baxter and Brittany, despite the aesthetic of their desert Gothic wedding, wanted to keep their wedding day looks timeless and true to themselves. The bride found the perfect gown that spoke to her vision, an off-the-shoulder lace gown with a fitted bodice and a soft, flowing train designed by Flora. She says, “For my wedding look, I wanted something that felt ethereal, romantic and just a little witchy, and this dress was exactly that. The lace had a delicate floral pattern that added subtle texture without being overly ornate—perfect for the stark, natural beauty of the desert.” Many of her accessories were nods to her loved ones, like earrings borrowed from her sister, an earring on the inside of her dress from her late aunt and Bone Lightning boots inspired by an inside joke with her family over a lightning bolt tattoo her mother claims to have. Baxter, matching the ribbon on his soon-to-be wife’s bouquet, chose a classic black tux, paired with Tecovas boots for the Texan landscape, keeping it both thoughtful and understated.
Their first look, they described as “the most sentimental part of the day,” getting to finally see each other in their specially-chosen looks and about to make the ultimate commitment. “We weren’t sure how it would feel in the moment—sometimes the buildup outshines the reveal—but for us, it made everything real,” they say. Their officiant crafted a meaningful and emotional ceremony for the couple, with the handfasting ceremony becoming one of the highlights. “We literally and symbolically bound ourselves together with [a] cord. It felt ancient, intentional and perfect for the space we created,” Brittany adds.
And the party continued at their reception under the stars, the desert space decorated with long wooden tables, smoky gray table runners and black dinnerware and napkins. As centerpieces, their vendors utilized dark blooms with earthy ceramics and a mix of crystals, stones and vintage copper vessels. Lighting played a major role with tapered candles, string lights above and uplighting to give off purple and pink hues over dinner.
But the decor served a practical purpose as well. “For place settings, each guest had a black taper candle calligraphed with their name, placed in a carved stone holder. It was both their seating assignment and a keepsake—they were encouraged to take the candle and holder home with them,” the bride notes. Dinner featured local bites inspired by the venue itself, a curated menu by Easy Wind Catering that left a taste of the desert on each guest’s palate.
Perhaps one of the most memorable moments from the wedding? Well, it happened the night after, while the newlyweds took photos at Sotol Vista and later at the Terlingua cemetery, where the Día de los Muertos festival took place. “Wandering among the glowing ofrendas, under a sky bursting with stars, felt like we were walking between worlds,” says Brittany. And it’s taking this “road less traveled,” the couple explains as the reason their wedding was so perfect for them. “Give yourselves time to get organized, even if your wedding is small or non-traditional. Explore what feels right for you—not just what’s expected,” they suggest for future couples.