elopement Archives

Big Sur Bakery and Glen Oaks Wedding

October 4, 2019 by Amy Leyenaar Leave a Comment

A quintessential wedding in Big Sur

Rachel and Alex’s intimate ceremony at Glen Oaks and reception at Big Sur Bakery highlighted the best of Big Sur. This California-coast inspired wedding was incredibly romantic, with so many simple and sweet touches.

Rachel said Big Sur epitomizes everything her and Alex love most about California. Alex is from Sonoma county and Rachel lived in Southern California for 15 years. With a looming big move to the east coast, it felt fitting for them to plan their day in a place that means so much to them.

Rachel and Alex were even more excited to share Big Sur with their friends and family, most of whom live out of state and have never seen the gorgeous California coast. Together with 30 of their closest people, they celebrated their upcoming 10 year relationship milestone in the best kind of way.

Bridal Preparation at Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn

Rachel finished getting ready at the whimsical Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn with her mom, sister, and best friends. Her room, the Antique Apartment, operated as the Inn’s antique store in the 1950’s.

Deetjen’s is undeniably one of my favorite preparation locations for couples in Big Sur. Each room in the historic cabin hotel has its own personality, decorated with minimal, yet charming, antique furniture. The atmosphere feels straight out of a fairytale.

Intimate Redwood Ceremony at Glen Oaks

When Rachel was dressed, we headed to Glen Oaks for their private ceremony in the redwoods. Rachel and Alex opted to skip a first look to savor that sweet moment of seeing each other down the aisle for the first time.

Right before the ceremony, Rachel shared a moving first look with her father. It was touching to watch his joyful and tear-filled reaction to seeing her in her ethereal BHLDN dress.

We were graced with beautiful, warm light in the forest that afternoon. Aside from the rustic wooden chairs and a champagne station for guests, the backdrop didn’t need much else. Alex greeted Rachel with a smile and paused to help pick redwood bark out of her dress. Rachel’s brother-in-law officiated, making it all the more memorable.

Romantic Couple Portraits in the Redwoods

After a toast and family photos, guests were invited to make their way to cocktail hour at Big Sur Bakery.

Rachel, Alex, and I explored the beautiful grounds of Glen Oaks for their couple portraits. This is always the time when a true feeling of peace settles over my couples, after all the excitement and nerves have dissipated. You can simply just be in the moment together.

Golden Hour at Loma Vista Gardens

After soaking up all of the golden light at Glen Oaks, we made our way to Big Sur Bakery. While we waited for cocktail hour to wrap up, we wandered around Loma Vista Gardens to capture a few more portraits. The gardens offer a breathtaking view of Mt. Manuel, and are ripe with oversized cacti, native succulents, and unique flowers.

Intimate Reception at Big Sur Bakery

Rachel and Alex rented the entire Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant for their reception. The enclosed patio space with market lighting creates a wonderful, intimate atmosphere for smaller groups. Simple burlap runners and garlands of greenery from Big Sur Flowers complimented the long, rustic tables.

Rachel and Alex’s entrance led straight into their first dance. Afterward, everyone moved to the patio to enjoy a family-style dinner. This kind of meal always initiates the best kind of dinner conversations.

Once everyone took their seat, Rachel’s mom blessed the meal. After dinner, we played a game of “guess who” and witnessed Alex drop cake down Rachel’s dress. But my personal favorite part of the evening was when Rachel’s dad surprised us all by tossing his jacket and started to boogie in the middle of the father/daughter dance. 🙂

Their Vendor Team

Catering & Reception: Big Sur Bakery // Ceremony: Glen Oaks Big Sur // Dress: BHLDN // Florist: Kate Healey at Big Sur Flowers // Accommodations: Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn // Hair Stylist: Frenchie at Spa Bella Monterey // Photography: Paige Nelson Photography // Ring: The SlyFox // Suit: Ryan Seacrest Distinction

If you loved this wedding, I recommend checking out Hannah and Rocky’s intimate Henry Cowell wedding or Maria and Darren’s redwood engagement in Big Sur.

Wedding Day How-To's

5 reasons you should elope

San Diego, CA & Beyond

August 1, 2019 by Paige Nelson 2 Comments

Why you should consider an elopement

Hey stranger, fancy seeing you here. I know you found your way to this post because you were late night Googling “reasons we should just elope.” Well, luckily I’m here to feed them to you!

But first, I just want you to know I’ve been in your shoes before. I too went down that rabbit hole, fishing for confirmation bias on the internet. I’ve felt that same fear and weight of uncertainty in our wedding decisions.

Early on in our own plans, we also considered an elopement. (I’ve been an intimate wedding and elopement photographer for the past 4 years- it only made sense!) But even so, there’s still much to learn as a photographer-turned-bride. It doesn’t make decisions, like paring down a guest list, any less maddening. It’s freakin’ hard!

I know you’re ultimately going to make the decision that feels best for you and your partner, rambling blog posts or not. For now, I’m just your anonymous internet friend chanting “YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT” from the sidelines.

Without further ado, here are 5 good reasons you should just elope already!

1. Skip being the center of attention

Are you really not into the wedding day “production” of putting on a show for your guests? If you and your partner are more introverted by nature, the thought of being the center of attention on your wedding day might make you cringe. If you decide to elope, you get to dodge that bullet.

When you choose to elope, you are choosing to make your wedding solely about you and your partner. At most, an elopement will be the two of you, an officiant, and *maybe* even a photographer to document it. By default, this creates an incredibly romantic atmosphere and makes it even easier to infuse your wedding day with more meaning.

2. Eliminate the stress of paring down guests

This one goes without saying. One of the biggest reasons couples choose to elope is to escape the stress from planning. I can tell from experience, most of that stress comes from organizing the guest list. Specifically, paring it down to a manageable number of people without offending too many of them.

For couples with big families or friend groups, this is a daunting task. I think we all know too well how quickly the guest count can spiral. Eloping keeps the focus on the two of you, without worrying about hurting anyone’s feelings. Sometimes this all-or-nothing mindset is the only thing that will free you from guilt.

Elope in Joshua Tree, elopement photographer Paige Nelson

3. Elope to save money or spend on bigger priorities

I’m sure you’ve already googled the average cost of a wedding in the United States…every wedding blog ever will bore you to death with those statistics. Without a doubt, eloping is the most wallet-friendly way to get married. Without guests to worry about, you can choose to save big or splurge on your biggest wedding priorities.

You can take a trip down to your local courthouse, or even roll the wedding day and honeymoon into one big trip. If you’ve always envisioned wearing a designer dress, you can! If you want to stay in a ritzy hotel across the globe…you can do that too! Honestly, if you picked your top 3 priorities to splurge on, I’m sure you would still be spending significantly less on your elopement than a big wedding.

Elope in Davenport, elopement photographer Paige Nelson

4. Make it into an adventure-elope!

It’s no secret it’s tough to travel with bigger groups of people. You will probably get the inevitable guilt trip about making guests spend money. Blah, blah, blah. And if they’re spending money for you, there will be unsolicited opinions and expectations.

An elopement offers an opportunity to ditch all of that. You can check uncharted territory off of your bucket list. The best part? No one except your partner gets to weigh in. The only thing that matters is how much fun you two will have at said location, not what others make of it.

5. Avoid Family Dynamics & Drama

Most families aren’t perfect. You can bet we all have some kind of crazy family dynamics at play. Maybe your parents are remarried and not on speaking terms. Maybe your sister is dating your best friend’s ex-husband. Or maybe your grandma has a lot to say about your partner’s religion/ethnicity/sexual orientation/etc. Needless to say, this can amount to a whole lotta drama.

The mainstream wedding industry often manufactures a cookie-cutter family “ideal” that just doesn’t work for all of us. In the traditional sense of the word, eloping is an opportunity to run away from it all. Don’t let family drama get in the way of one of your most important milestones together. Celebrate on your own terms.

5 Reasons you should just elope- Paige Nelson Photography

I understand the question “should we elope?” will either be one of the easiest, or most challenging, wedding decisions you’ll make.

If you’re still on the fence about eloping like we were, I wrote another post on 10 Reasons to Have an Intimate Wedding. (Intimate weddings can be the perfect happy medium for people like you and I).

And for even more elopement resources and inspiration, I highly recommend Intimateweddings.com!

Laura & Jeff

Intimate Joshua Tree Elopement

Joshua Tree National Park, CA

July 14, 2019 by Paige Nelson 2 Comments

An elopement with family in the high desert

Jeff and Laura chose Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California for the backdrop of their intimate and dreamy desert elopement.

Laura was kind enough to share some insight on what it was like to plan their elopement, so I’m going to let her tell most of this story. Read on for her beautiful words.

I am so grateful to be connected to these two and will always look back on their Joshua Tree elopement adventure fondly. I hope their story inspires anyone else out there who may be on the fence about eloping or deciding to go ahead and do things their own way.

Dreaming of a Desert Elopement

When Jeff and I got engaged and started imagining what our wedding day would look like, we knew it wouldn’t be average. Right away, we decided we wanted to be married outside, surrounded by the beauty of the earth.

We love the outdoors and envisioned tall trees, clean air, with only the sounds of birds and our footsteps. We looked at pictures of Yosemite, Tahoe, Mammoth, Arrowhead, etc, but always found a fault with each location.

And then we found ourselves looking at pictures of Joshua Tree. Still, for multiple reasons, we would always talk ourselves out of it. “It’’s too hot,” or “nobody is going to appreciate it like we do.”

A Joshua Tree Elopement

I have a large family, so no matter how we trimmed the list, we had close to 100 guests. I read a few photography blogs, featuring stunning photos of couples who were brave enough to elope.
But deep down, I was terrified to actually do it.

We tried so hard to make a decision on a location with a shorter guest list. It became stressful, difficult, and frustrating. Finally, after exploring what seemed like every possible “easy and affordable” idea, we reached our limit.

We got emotional and honest and made the decision that this is OUR life, OUR day, OUR decision. And we wanted to do it OUR way.

Family Wedding Weekend

Jeff and I rented an airbnb with two houses next to each other for our Joshua Tree elopement. We had our own space to keep the focus on our love and intimacy. The kids could still be close by and included in the process. We arrived the day before and had a BBQ, sat outside under the stars, enjoyed the view and had a fire. It was so calm and peaceful.

The morning of the wedding, Jeff and I took Cassidy out to explore the desert. We wanted to answer any new questions and make sure she understood the promise we were all making together.

Spending the Morning Together

We all got ready together. Jessica and I styled each other’s hair. Jeff sipped coffee on the sidelines and observed all the girls in their girliness. One of my favorite parts of the day was when Jeff helped me into my dress and made sure my jewelry was on straight.

We incorporated crystals throughout our day. Each one was chosen for its unique energetic qualities, colors, and strengths. Jessica got a necklace with emeralds, her birthstone. Cassidy got a bracelet with amber, carnelian, and aventurine.

I had a combination of quartz, aquamarine, and amethyst. Rose quartz, blue calcite, and raw diamond were also tied onto the ribbons of my bouquet.

An Intimate Ceremony in Joshua Tree

Jeff and I drove together to the ceremony site where we met Matt and the kids. Seeing everyone in the parking lot together was the perfect reminder of why we chose to elope. We all walked into the Joshua Trees, found our chosen spot, took some deep breaths and began.

The most important aspect of our wedding day was our children witnessing our unconditional love for each other. And also the kind of flowers and photos to provide us with memories to last a lifetime. Once we made this decision, it all fell into place. The universe worked with us to create the most perfect intimate wedding.

An unconventional wedding party

The commitment to share your lives together is truly sacred. We didn’t like the idea of a stranger marrying us. We wanted someone who would appreciate the intimacy of our choice to elope with our children.

So we asked Jeff’s best friend, Matt, to be our officiant. I now refer to him as “Brother Matt.” He truly made the day so special and there was such a level of comfort and ease with him being a part of our ceremony.

We didn’t have wedding parties. Cassidy, our youngest, was the flower girl. Jessica was my Maid of Honor, our wedding planner, and my hair dresser. And Ralis was the Best Man. During the ceremony, the girls wrote poems to read to us. It was so touching and meant so much to us.

Staying true to themselves

Jeff and I are both far from “traditional” in most aspects of our life. Both us and our kids have been through so much. When our families came together, we were all able to start healing and growing together. Every decision we made in regards to our ceremony, the morning of and night before was based off one simple question. “What would mean the most to us?”

Our inspiration was natural beauty, earth elements, simplicity, pure love and a little of my bohemian roots. We both have a love for the earth, for our family, and for the energy that connects us all. We wanted ourselves and our children to feel our strength together and know that this is eternal.

Inspired by the Joshua Tree Desert

It was important to us to use small business or local vendors where we could. There was not a lot of florists to choose from in Joshua Tree but when we found Amber at Oak and Amble, it felt like the stars aligned for us.

I sent her a few pictures and told her I wanted to incorporate crystals, lots of texture, and soft desert colors. Her excitement and passion was palpable. We never actually spoke on the phone. Our first meeting was a few hours before our ceremony when she delivered the flowers. And I don’t believe I will ever see such a beautiful bouquet again.

The Perfect Joshua Tree Elopement Dress

I wanted a dress that was bohemian, effortless and comfortable. I searched all over San Diego, Riverside, the internet, Pinterest and a dozen wedding dress stores. I went with my sister and my mom a few times, but I couldn’t find anything.

I also struggled knowing my vision of a dress was completely opposite to what my families thought. After talking to Jeff, he of course offered to come with me.

I know there are all kinds of superstitions to Jeff seeing my dress before the wedding, but I decided I didn’t care. He is my best friend and he knows me better than anyone. He knows my style, our wedding vision and he is honest to his core.

The Toyota Landcruiser

Jeff didn’t have much for accessories, but he did get to show off his 1987 Toyota Landcruiser. It’s been in his life a long time and is sentimental to him. He has taken impeccable care of it and appreciates the simplicity of the truck.

It’s not easy to drive and it doesn’t have electronic gadgets. It can’t speed up hills and it’s a bitch to keep smogged. But it’s strong, reliable, and can get you through the worst of weather. It also looks really good in the desert. 🙂

Falling in love in the desert

Jeff proposed to me under a moonless night in the Anza Borrego desert by the glow of a silicone ring and a campfire. No one was around for miles. Before meeting Jeff, I didn’t spend a lot of time in the desert and didn’t appreciate what it had to offer.

In my few years of knowing Jeff and seeing the desert through his eyes, I too fell in love with the raw, unforgiving, open space. He has a way of making me feel safe with his knowledge of the outdoors and his capability as a man. I can experience the peacefulness of just the two of us in the middle of nowhere, rather than fearing isolation.

We didn’t have a wedding reception or a big dinner. Instead, we ate cake, popped some bubbly and enjoyed the moment. It was such a neat ending to the day.

You, Paige, were there with us, tired and hungry too. It felt like you were a part of the family.

Last Piece of Wedding Advice

Be true to yourselves. No really, be TRUE to the core. With each decision, ask yourself, “Is this really what we want?” You will often find you’re actually making decisions based off of what others want or you think they want.

The truth is, whether you are planning an intimate wedding or a block party, you will never please everyone. YOU are the most important. It’s so important to start your marriage off with honesty. Put your own desires first and you will create an unbreakable foundation.

Their Vendor Team

Dress: Yanique, Dreamers and Lovers // Girl’s dresses: Tea Princess, Australia & Anthropologie // Florals: Oak and Amble // Engagement Ring: Harold Stevens Jeweler // Shoes (Bride): Free Bird by Steve Madden // Photo: Paige Nelson Photography // Wedding Bands: Ken and Dana Design // Venue: Joshua Tree National Park, CA

If you love this Joshua Tree Elopement, check out Haley and Andy’s Big Bear elopement.

Haley & Andy

Intimate Lakeside Elopement in Big Bear

Big Bear Lake, CA

September 2, 2017 by Paige Nelson Leave a Comment

Haley and Andy reached out to me a few weeks before their lakeside elopement in Big Bear. These two crazy kids met on a motorcycle ride with friends. Everyone except Haley had a fast bike and she struggled to keep up with the pack. Andy hung back to make sure she didn’t get lost…the rest is history. Instead of spending their money on a big wedding, they opted to buy new motorcycles instead. A few days after the elopement, they rode their bikes up the coast to Vancouver to celebrate their honeymoon.

Elopement in the Mountains of Big Bear

It drizzled in the mountains that afternoon during my drive. Haley prepped for the day with help from her mom and aunt in the Enchanted Forest suite of Castle Wood Cottages. This quirky room is complete with an indoor oak tree, twinkle lights, a grotto, and an elves’ house; a nod to Haley and Andy’s shared sense of humor. All jokes aside, this room is beautiful in its own unique way.

Haley’s monarch butterfly crown was one of the most unique accessories I’ve ever seen a bride wear. The structured bodice and floral lace of her bohemian Rue de Seine gown tied her look together. She fit right in with the Enchanted Forest and played the role of princess bride perfectly.

Lakeside Elopement Ceremony

Andy caught his first glimpse of Haley in a secluded meadow by the lake. They shared a private moment together before Heidi, their officiant, met us in the clearing. She started their ceremony with the Celtic hand fasting tradition. With arms extended, Heidi led them through the steps of tying the ribbon without letting go. Tears flowed freely when they exchanged vows. A few onlookers watched from a distance, but Haley and Andy were in their own bubble.

Epic sunset over Big Bear lake

When the light left the meadow, we all hopped in the car to scout a new photo location. We stopped when we came across a rocky outcrop that partially extended into the lake. The lake reflected every color of the vibrant sunset that evening and the moon danced across the water. To wrap up a perfect lakeside elopement, Haley and Andy shared a private meal under the twinkle lights at Evergreen.

Last month they hosted a small reception for their family and friends at Booze Brothers in San Diego. They are such a fun couple and I know we will remain good friends.

Thanks again for allowing me to be a part of your special day and congrats again!

Their Vendor Team

Accommodations: Enchanted Forest Suite, Castle Wood Cottages (Bride), The Lodge at Big Bear Lake (Groom) // Butterfly Crown: Wild & Free Jewelry // Dress Boutique: The Dress Theory, San Diego // Dress Designer: Fox Gown by Rue De Seine //Florist: The Little Green House, Big Bear // Make Up Artist: Ariana Beagle // Officiant: Heidi Merrigan, Love Story Vows // Photography: Paige Nelson // Rings (Wedding Bands): Lawson // Restaurant: Evergreen, Big Bear // Groom’s Suite: Top Man, Top Shop (San Diego)

If you love this lakeside elopement, I recommend checking out Brenda & Krista’s Big Sur elopement or this bohemian styled elopement in Red Rock Canyon.

Kiara & David

Red Rock Canyon Styled Elopement

Las Vegas, NV

April 29, 2017 by Paige Nelson 4 Comments

This styled Red Rock Canyon Elopement and the people involved with this shoot mean so much to me. Human connection is the underlying theme of my work. Meeting new people and becoming a part of their story is what keeps this creative fire burning for me.

But I’m guilty of hiding behind my camera. I wanted to make a video to show my purpose is more than just “clicking a button.” In June, I wrestled my fear of being on camera and reached out to Andrew Abajian to bring my vision to life.

We planned together for months and eventually settled on the Las Vegas in December. I tracked down a beautiful bohemian gown by Rue de Seine, courtesy of the Dress Theory. Wild Orchid Florist made us a unique desert bouquet.

All that was missing was a couple to model for us. I waited less than a month before our shoot date to find someone (oops)! Kiara was the first one to respond to a model call shared on Facebook.

A real, but extended, Vegas Elopement

David and Kiara really eloped in Joshua Tree a week before our film date and were already planning to honeymoon in Palm Springs. I didn’t want to impose work on newlyweds on their frickin’ HONEYMOON, but Kiara insisted they would rather do something creative together. Honestly, everything works out the way it’s supposed to because I couldn’t have asked for a better couple to photograph. They were high on post-nuptial feels already.

And there’s more of a backstory with these two. I’m lucky to call these amazing humans my friends…and we can all thank Flickr for that. Six years ago, Kiara and David inspired me to start my own 365 day self-portrait project on Flickr. It was a challenge, but I wouldn’t be the photographer I am today if I didn’t get through the project. Their love story is one for the books- you can read all about it on David’s blog here. Seriously, if you’ve ever doubted if true love is really out there, go read it right now.

Red Rock Canyon Elopement

Andrew and I invited them to stay with us at our cozy Airbnb. We stayed up late the night before to catch up on life, then woke up at the crack of dawn to start hair and make up.

Just after sunrise, we made our way to Red Rock Canyon. We spent the morning exploring the nooks and crannies of the canyon until the light became too harsh.

El Dorado Dry Lake Bed: Boulder

We took a midday siesta to drink David’s delicious coffee, record my voiceover, and eat pizza.

To make this styled Red Rock Canyon elopement even more epic, we added another backdrop for sunset. El Dorado dry lake bed in Boulder is definitely a must for any couples thinking about eloping in Vegas!

This is a day I’ll never forget and I can’t thank this talented team of people enough. I hope one I can photograph a real Red Rock Canyon elopement someday! You know where to find me. 😉

If you haven’t already, make sure to go watch the final film on my about page. Enjoy!

The Vendor Team

Hair & Make up: Mariah, Mobile Beauty Team Las Vegas // Bridal Shop: The Dress Theory, San Diego // Dress Designer: Raven Gown, Rue de Seine: 2017 Love Spell Collection // Florals: Wild Orchid Florist // Videography: Andrew Abajian

Brenda & Krista

Big Sur Elopement in the Redwoods

Big Sur, CA

August 19, 2016 by Paige Nelson Leave a Comment

Brenda reached out to me at the beginning of this year, excited to share the details of her intimate wedding day in Big Sur. The way she spoke about her love and admiration for her fiance, Krista, melted my heart. We connected right away after that first Skype meeting.

I didn’t have the chance to meet Krista right away, as she was still serving in the military at the time. She was due to be released in early March and the two of them were eager to make it official as soon as possible. Brenda took care of the planning- booking me, mailing out invitations, and sealing the ceremony site… all set for their first of July date.

In April, Brenda emailed me exclaiming how they couldn’t wait any longer and had eloped to the courthouse. They were still planning a celebration up north with their close friends and family, but were soon overwhelmed by it all. They opted to keep it more laid back and hosted a reception party for everyone at the beach instead.

Brenda is a photographer and artist at heart. She still dreamed of romantic images with Krista along the coast and among the woods…and there were still two wedding dresses tucked away in the closet. So we kept our booking and turned the day into a grand road trip adventure.

Morning Preparation in Pacific Grove

We met that overcast afternoon at their little blue Airbnb in Pacific Grove. Brenda and Krista had a make up artist come to the house, who prepped them both individually for their first look. I arrived just after they had been made up and donned their wedding dresses for the first time. We took a few quiet images around the house before hitting the road.

Big Sur elopement in the redwoods

No trip down Highway 1 is complete without a pit stop at Bixby. All eyes were on these two as we waited patiently for the best vantage point of the bridge to open up. The fog blowing over the cliffs in the distance and the rolling ocean below set the scene. Then we were off again.

Portraits in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

We arrived at Julia Pfeiffer around the golden hour. We were grabbing equipment and bouquets out of the back when a ranger walked over to us. My heart sunk a little as I thought she came to turn us away from the park, but instead recommended the best trees to check out and insisted the girls keep their gowns clean. Wow.

The next hour was spent galavanting around the moody forest and staring up in awe at these giants. Cool Ranch Doritos and Cheetos greeted us in the car for the ride home- Krista’s favorite.

These images make me smile so much as I remember this day spent with two of the most gorgeous brides I have ever laid eyes on, both radiating pure happiness.

Congrats Brenda & Krista. Your love conquers all.