palm springs wedding photographer

hi there, im catalina jean

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER serving Palm Springs, CA

For the non-traditional, the rule breakers, and the ones who plan to throw one hell of an amazing party.

Catalina Jean is a wedding and elopement photographer ready to champion couples designing a wedding that truly embodies the spirit of Palm Springs. Eloping in the desert blooms with just your closest friends? Absolutely. Arriving to your ceremony in a 50’s classic car? Yes, please. Gowns that flutter elegantly in the desert wind? Or, planning a posh event with a weekend of desert vaca wedding events? Ever thought of a synchronized swim show for your first dance? Or a drag brunch welcome party? An intimate ceremony in a historic Palm Springs estate? Eloping to that iconic Palm Springs landmark you've always adored, then spending a week exploring the desert's hidden gems, just the two of you? I’m so excited to hear about your unique vision for your day, and I would be thrilled to join you in Palm Springs. Your love, your community, and partying hard together - thats what matters.

Serving PNW + Palm Springs, CA

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I am most inspired by photos that are brimming with emotion. Photos that look like your favorite song lyric, reflecting the feeling on those perfectly imperfect days. Like when you both went to the beach and it was suppose to be sunny but it rained and you laughed together while snuggling into their jacket to keep warm, realizing that in their arms is where you feel most at home. There is so much deep beauty in the seemingly ordinary. But really, there is no ordinary. Because when you found him, when you found her, everything changed. Ordinary life transformed into an extraordinary adventure together.

I want to capture this very thing - this adventure you're on, this story you are creating together, hand in hand, side by side.

I'm Catalina and this is a little about me // My favorite moments of the day are making coffee in the morning and getting tackled by my Boston Terriers when I come home // Most days you can find me reading the New Yorker or crying looking through Nasa’s instagram because space is damn beautiful // I'm really kinda a goofball and make so, so many bad jokes (sorry in advance) // I'll take cool foggy weather over sun any day // IPAs and whiskey are my main drinks of choice // Nature, minimalism, dark shadows, real emotion all make my heart skip a beat // I photograph most often in the PNW and CA, but 100% down to travel anywhere and everywhere.

And given my love for nature and photography, it’ll probably come as no surprise to you that Palm Springs is one of my favorite places to photograph weddings. This desert location decorated with cacti and plant life, unique windmills, iconic venues, and rolling mountains make it a dream backdrop for wedding photography.

Honored to be featured as Rangefinder Magazine 30 Rising Stars and Best 100 Wedding Photographers in the World.

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“Catalina is an incredible artist & captured our special day beautifully! The photos really tell a story & capture the little moments, emotion, and love. Every time we look through these photos, we will be able to truly relive the day. We will cherish these forever! Catalina is not only an incredible one of a kind photographer, but also person. She is amazing & made us feel completely at ease & comfortable. It was so much fun taking all of photos after the ceremony and during our engagement photo shoot. Her passion and excitement were contagious! She understood us as couple & found places for our photos that fit us. We can’t wait to print these and cover our house with a zillion of these photos! Don’t hesitate to hire her, she is amazing!”

“We cannot say enough good things about Catalina. We hired Catalina to fly all the way to our Tulum wedding because we knew she was worth it! She captured our wedding and the emotions better than we could have imagined. We are in love with these photos and will cherish them forever! Catalina was easy to communicate with, always responsive, and brought such a warm, fun energy to the day of the wedding. Seriously, this was the single best investment of our wedding and I hope we get the chance to work with her again.”

THE HEART OF

WEDDINGS

When I say I am head over heels in love with Palm Springs, I mean it. I choose to get married there because it is such a special place. Max & I were married by our dear friend (ordained by the Church of the Dude, of course) during a week of festivities in Palm Springs. It is a core memory of my life to have all our loved family and rambunctious friends together with us for multiple days. It was deeply odd to be on the other side as I’m always the one behind the camera, but I can tell you now from personal experience of having a wedding just how deeply profound and effecting it is to come together as humans sharing stories and taking a day to celebrate two people intertwining their lives together. Oh, and it’s just one hell of a great time - having your wedding in Palm Springs is perfect vacation vibes.

Super 8 by Our Ampersand

FAQ

I want to be a fly on the wall...
I strive to be completely unnoticed, in and out as moments are happening, waiting for your uncle to drop the punchline to a joke and everyone laughs (sincerely or just to be nice). I am always hunting for those in-between moments of belly laughs, tackle hugs, sweet hand holds, soft glances.
But I'll help you out...
I feel suuuuper awkward in front of a camera so I truly understand how weird it can feel. I've built my direction style around my own feeling of awkward. I'll give you lots of direction that isn't posey or stiff. Portrait time is some of the only alone time you both get together on a wedding day so I work to make it not just about photos, but about you two spending some time together. And if you got a bit of a wild family that may be a bit distracted, I got you. I completely lead family photos so they are done quickly and make it fun in the process. You won't have to worry about a thing.
Very, very willing to travel as far as needed for weddings. I most often shoot in Oregon, California, and Mexico and have also shot weddings in Europe. I have experience shooting weddings throughout the country as well as internationally and I love to travel.
There are no additional travel fees for Palm Springs weddings, and there is no sales tax due since I am an Oregon business. ☺︎
Check out my reviews on Google here.
Clean editing that emphasizes the style, color, and feel of the wedding day.
Clean editing that gives homage to a film process from back when. Bright skin tones, true colors - editing that focuses on bringing the feel of the day to life by giving a finishing touch that complements connective imagery.
And a few just for fun...
Some darker fine art-y style images that push creative bounds. Let's play and get weird and do something way outside the box. Because why not?
I’ve been photographing weddings full time for over 10 years. During that time I have photographed just over 400 weddings.
Fill out a contact form so I can get to know you both a bit and what you are planning for your wedding day. We will then schedule an initial consult to get to know each other and I can answer any questions you have. I will also create a sample photo timeline so you will know exactly how photos can be laid out based on your preferences. Once you are ready to book, let me know and I will send over a contract and the 30% retainer payment to book your date. The remaining two payments of 35% are split up between the booking date and the wedding date.
I’m so excited to hear from your and about everything you are planning.

READY TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL?

~ let’s chat ~

WHY YOU SHOULD get married in Palm Springs

I love how one can do a rustic / bohemian / glam / whatever vibe you fancy - but that is so chill and natural sans elaborate décor, or dress up the space with wooden accents and perhaps a floral arch. So much is possible in the desert sun, it’s just an all-round amazing place.

Aside from that, Palm Springs has some incredible places to see such as the historical desert landmark, Moorten’s Botanical Garden (do a tour, you’ll thank me later!), and Joshua Tree – a national park that brims with rugged rock formations and incredible desert landscapes. These are also stellar locations for wedding photography.

I also love Salvation Mountain for its creative and artistic feel as well as the history behind it, and the whimsical and infamous ‘colorful doors’ (my favorites are found at East Sierra Way, and Yosemite Drive), that are totally Instagram-inspired.

And an additional bonus of being in Palm Springs – it’s sunny almost all-year-round! That’s a win-win in my books!

What’s also amazing about Palm Springs, is that it has such a rich and interesting history that only adds to its charm. Found in the Southern California desert, this city is embraced with four different mountain ranges and golden desert sand.

The wedding scene in Palm Springs is absolutely thriving – and not only because of its natural feel, but also for its incredibly luxurious wedding venues and interesting spots for wedding photography.

For those who want to incorporate the hustle and bustle whilst keeping the small-town feel, downtown Palm Springs offers some breathtaking spots. Here, you’ll find some lively cafes and restaurants as well as buildings that have that amazing colorful yet muted desert palette.

Bridal Musings also has this amazing guide for Palm Springs weddings!