A Marfa Engagement Session Shot Entirely on Film | Willow House Terlingua Couple
A cinematic, all-film engagement session in the heart of West Texas
Photography & Super 8 Film | Anna Claire Beasley
A cinematic, all-film engagement session in the heart of West Texas
Marfa, Texas feels like it exists outside of time—and it was the perfect backdrop for this all-film engagement session. Shot entirely on 35mm, medium format, Polaroid, and Super 8, this session leaned into nostalgia, texture, and the quiet magic of West Texas. With a spring wedding planned at Willow House in Terlingua, Maddie & Larry wanted their engagement photos to feel cinematic and deeply personal—less like a photoshoot, and more like a memory preserved.
Engagement Photos in Marfa, Texas
Marfa is known for its vast desert landscapes, minimal architecture, and unmistakable golden light. It’s a place that invites you to slow down, observe, and wander—and it’s a place M & L love dearly and visit often.
From quiet walks through town to open stretches of desert road, this Marfa engagement session was about letting the environment guide the story. We spent the afternoon chasing light through town until last light bathed the mountains in purple and pink.
An All-Film Engagement Session on 35mm, Medium Format, Polaroid & Super 8
When Maddie & Larry asked about doing an all-film engagement session this winter preceding their spring West Texas wedding, it was an easy yes. I love engagement sessions because they offer the perfect opportunity for us to get to know each other better and for my couple to get more comfy in front of the camera, which means extra ease and comfort on the wedding day. All to say, when they asked about shooting this session entirely on 35mm film and super 8, it was an easy and emphatic yes.
35mm allowed for movement and spontaneity. Medium format brought depth and detail, and an editorial feel. Polaroids added an immediate, gritty quality. And Super 8 film tied it all together, bottling up the emotion and motion of our time together.
From Marfa to Willow House Terlingua
Maddie & Larry will be getting married this spring at Willow House in Terlingua, a venue that reminds me in some ways of the iconic concrete designs of the late New York artist, Donald Judd, showcased at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa. The transition from engagement photos in Marfa to a wedding weekend in Terlingua feels seamless—both locations with stark beauty, each in their own ways.
Their engagement session was photographed with their wedding day in mind, creating visual continuity between this season and what’s to come.
Screening Their Super 8 Film at Willow House
One of the most meaningful parts of this engagement session is how it will live beyond this moment. M & L plan to screen their Super 8 engagement film on the walls of Willow House during their wedding celebration—inviting their guests into the story that led them there.
A Retro, Editorial Engagement Session in West Texas
This session was inspired by classic cinema, vintage love stories, and the idea that engagement photos can be more than a checkbox on a wedding to-do list.
For couples drawn to nostalgia, texture, and storytelling, a film engagement session offers something truly lasting. These images aren’t just about how things looked—they’re about how this season felt. With the timelessness of film helping to carry the feelings of this sweet season into the years to come.
Planning a Film Engagement Session in Marfa or Terlingua
If you’re planning an engagement session in Marfa, Texas or a wedding at Willow House Terlingua and are drawn to film photography, Super 8, and an editorial, story-driven approach, I’d love to connect.
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I do include film in all of my engagement session collections. Shooting film is a key part of my process, both during sunset portrait shoots as well as weddings! If you are interested in having me shoot your engagement session entirely on film like I did with this gallery, reach out via email at hello@annaclairebeasley.com.
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Including Super 8 in your engagement session is perfect for adding an extra special (and nostalgic) quality to your gallery. Super 8 is great not only for the sake of home-video-style memories, but also for sharing as part of your overall wedding experience. Super 8 film clips are great for social media, for use on your custom wedding websites, and for displaying artistically during your wedding weekend.
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Prada Marfa, the iconic Stardust Motel sign on the edge of town, and the Presidio County courthouse are all incredible spots for engagement sessions in Marfa.
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As a local Terlingua photographer, I love photographing weddings at the Willow House. I am deeply familiar with the venue and surrounding area and love sharing my expertise with clients who are working to craft a dream wedding week for themselves and their guests. The more unique, the more you, the better!
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Yes! I am available to photograph weddings in Marfa, Texas, as well as other Texas cities like Austin and San Antonio. I take on a limited number of destination weddings each year, so whether you are planning a dreamy week in San Miguel or a West Coast celebration, I’ll meet you there.
Let’s document This Season and craft your next best adventure, together.
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An all-film engagement session in Marfa, Texas shot on 35mm, medium format, Polaroid, and Super 8 for a Willow House Terlingua wedding.