We traveled to Marfa, Texas this weekend to see two amazing people get hitched.

Where is Marfa, you ask? Nowhere. No…literally…it is in the middle of nowhere. Like 200 miles in the middle of nowhere.

This amazing artist community contains a population barely over 2,000 and pops up out of nowhere.  It is in the high desert of far West Texas near Big Bend National Park and 200 miles from either the Midland or El Paso airports.

This little secret town is well worth the travel. It is full of surprises…with a fake Prada store on an empty road, amazing restaurants, interesting places to stay, world-renowned art sculptures, and access to amazing landscapes.

We flew into El Paso (after 6 hours of horrible flight delays) and drove 3.5 hours to Marfa….well 2.5 to 3 hours….Kiley decided to take advantage of the west Texas desert roads and rented a new Camaro. Boys.

We stayed in the renovated Thunderbird Hotel which I highly recommend.  Others wedding travelers stayed in the renovated airstream RV park called El Cosmico which are fun, but have outdoor showers which could be a turnoff for some (me!).  I was glad to not have an outdoor shower.  The historic El Paisano hotel was beautiful too and it is where the cast of The Giant (James Dean, Rock Hudson, and Elizabeth Taylor) stayed during filming.

I have never been to this region of Texas. There is something haunting and beautiful about the desert.  The empty vastness that just goes on and on and on. I fell in love with the rugged, dusty landscape. It is a survivor. The weather changed in a split second going from hot and dry to a growling thunderstorm that brought two tornadoes, hail, and gusty thunderstorm! Then, just as it rushed in, it rushed back out, leaving behind sun and wet earth.

The lifestyle in these tiny desert communities is slower. The sign on the door of the Marfa lawyer’s office sums it up…”Call me if you need me.”

I needed this slow down.

I needed to be able to sit and listen to the desert rainstorm.

I needed to just drive with my husband through miles and miles and miles of vastness with no agenda.

I needed friends that I hadn’t seen in years.

I needed the glow of a neon wedding in Marfa, TX.

Call me if you need me.