Love stories, desert light & a home made by hand
Jaz & Theo is a journal for couples and makers — wedding venue guides from El Paso to Lake Powell, portrait locations, planning tools, and home projects you can finish in a weekend.
Real places, honest advice, and the light that makes it all glow
Jaz & Theo started as a photographers’ blog about weddings in the desert Southwest and the house projects in between. The journal carries that on.
You’ll find guides to venues and photo locations across West Texas, Arizona and Austin, plain-spoken planning help — what photography really costs, how to build a wedding-day timeline, when golden hour starts — and home projects like the peg rail shelf readers still ask us about.
— Jaz & Theo
Where would you like to start?
Weddings
Venue guides, timelines, budgets and the photos that matter most.
Portraits
Engagement, senior and anniversary sessions — where to go and what to wear.
Home
Peg rails, shiplap, lighting and small changes with a big payoff.
Travel
Road trips across the Southwest and beyond, with a camera in hand.
New this season
Planning guides written for 2026 couples, with calculators built right in.
WeddingsHow Much Does Wedding Photography Cost in 2026?
Wedding photography prices vary widely. Here is what couples commonly see in 2026, what changes the number, and an estimator to plan your own budget.
WeddingsHow to Build a Wedding Photography Timeline That Actually Works
Most rushed wedding days are a scheduling problem, not a photography problem. Here is how to plan every block of the day, with buffers that keep it calm.
PhotographyGolden Hour Photography: When It Happens and How to Use It
Golden hour is not always an hour, and it is not always golden. Here is how to predict the light for your session and what to do when it does not cooperate.
PortraitsEl Paso Engagement Photo Locations: Mountains, Dunes and Downtown
El Paso gives you mountains, sand dunes, desert gardens and a historic downtown within a short drive. Here is how to choose, and when to go.
WeddingsThe Arizona Desert Elopement Guide: Locations, Permits and Timing
Saguaros, red rock and wide-open sky. Here is how to plan an Arizona desert elopement that is legal, permitted, safe in the heat and timed to the light.
Tonight’s golden hour
The warm, low light photographers chase every evening — calculated from the sun’s position for today. Planning a session in Tucson, Austin or Lake Powell? The full calculator covers a dozen places, or uses your location.
Open the calculatorThe stories people keep coming back to
WeddingsThe Gather Estate Wedding Guide: Mesa, Arizona
How to plan and photograph an estate wedding in Mesa, Arizona: seasons, sunset timing, layout planning and the questions worth asking on your venue tour.
PortraitsRed Sands El Paso: A Photo Session Guide to the Dunes
The dunes on El Paso's east side are one of the most dramatic backdrops in the region. How to plan an engagement or portrait session there, and what to bring.
HomeHow to Build a Peg Rail Shelf on a Shiplap Entry Wall
A peg rail shelf is one of the most useful things you can add to an entryway. Here is how to size it, make or buy the pegs, and mount it on shiplap.
PortraitsDowntown El Paso Christmas Lights: A Winter Photo Session Guide
Winter in El Paso is short, bright and surprisingly cold after dark. Here is how to plan engagement or senior photos around the downtown holiday lights.
WeddingsPlanning an Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Wedding (and a Cactus Theme That Works)
A desert-garden wedding west of Tucson, plus how to carry a cactus theme through invitations, florals and décor without tipping into kitsch.
WeddingsPlanning a Lake Powell Wedding or Elopement
Red rock, blue water and almost no one else around. Here is how to plan a Lake Powell wedding or elopement, from permits to boats to sunset timing.
From the Franklin Mountains to the Badlands
Tap a place to read the guide.
Plan it, size it, time it
Calculators for the wedding day and for the house — no sign-up, nothing to download.
Golden hour calculator
Golden hour, sunset and blue hour times for any date.
Wedding day timeline builder
Enter your ceremony time, get a photo-friendly schedule.
Wedding photography cost calculator
Typical price ranges by region, hours and add-ons.
Chandelier size & height calculator
Fixture diameter and hang height for any room.
Peg rail spacing calculator
Peg count, exact center marks and rail height.
Cloth napkin savings calculator
What switching from paper towels really saves.
Wedding exit style quiz
Five questions to your perfect send-off.
Engagement outfit palette picker
Coordinated outfit colors for your setting.
Planning something? Let’s talk.
Questions about a venue, a home project or a guide? Send a note to info@jazandtheo.com or use the contact form — we read everything.