Simple Sunrise San Clemente Elopement

This was my first ever elopement and it lit a fire under my booty. I loved everything about it. I learned a ton as well! Brooke found me on instagram and came to me with her idea of getting married at a spot on the beach that her and her family go to regularly on the weekend when they are visiting from their Mendocino home. A secluded and private beach in southern California was the perfect backdrop to this simple sunrise wedding.

Intimate & Intentional.
I think when Covid hit, people started realizing what truly matters to them and began to she what doesn’t provide value to their lives. I know I did. I began to truly value spending time doing things that bring me joy, connecting with my family and friends more and my circle has become smaller but more intimate because of it.
I have shot large weddings and one thing I notice is that it’s hard to connect with everyone and even each other simply because of the fact that there are so many people there! Not my jam. A lot of times, was a guest of a large wedding, I find myself on the sidelines watching, and maybe get a chance to congratulate the Bride & Groom once and maybe dance on the dance floor a bit. Don’t get me wrong, some couples find that a big traditional wedding speaks to who they are and what they want..which is perfectly ok!
Some people also don’t love/need to be in front of a huge crowd and it actually makes them want to barf thinking about it.
- TO EACH THEIR OWN -

2. Less Stress & More Joy

A direct quote from a bride who had a large wedding that I had the privilege of photographing:

Wedding days are wild - the day goes by so quickly and is such a blur, so having these photos to cherish for the rest of our lives was the best thing we did aside from saying “I do”.

And she is right. It is a wild time. Brides feel like they ar being pulled in so many directions from vendors, family, friends…it’s a lot to tend to. There’s photos, first dance, cake cutting, saying hi to people you care about. And this is just the day of. Less we forget about the actual planning part of the gig. Too often I see brides overwhelmed and bogged down by planning a wedding and not to mention the opinions of family members (we can talk about the later) and that really bums me out!
My goal for an elopement is that Brides and Grooms feel relaxed, present, and totally into each other.

3. Dolla Dolla Bills, Y’all.

“The average cost of a wedding in the US was $28,000 in 2019, according to data from The Knot. The venue is the single most expensive part, at an average of $10,000 alone.” - Business Insider
I’m Sorry, but not on my watch!

The venue you see here cost a $15 entrance fee. That’s it! And look at all that beauty! Personally, I would rather spend my money on my honeymoon or a down payment for a home. To me, I don’t see the value in spending money on things like table settings getting thrown out or creating clutter on an event that will last one day and will feel like a blur.
I crave nature and connection. Blending these two together into my wedding day would be incredible.

The only thing this bride brought with her was her flowers.

Less Waste=More Freedom.