Most people will tell you that 1 week in Japan is not nearly enough. And even if you did 1 week in Japan, there's no way you would think of going anywhere outside of the main cities - possibly Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka and that's it. But for experience seekers like us, this might be the itinerary for you, or at the very least, inspiration to add to your longer trip! We had already been to Japan once before (you can check out our last Japan Travel Guide blog post!) This time we had a few goals in mind - eat all the good food, bring back a luggage full of souvenirs, and experience authentic Japanese ryokans (traditional Japanese inn) and onsens (hot springs) that we had loved so much from our last trip. Most of the places we visited were ones few travel guides had listed, so it took hours of deep dive Google searching to plan out this trip. If you're ready for some travel inspiration, check out this 2023 travel guide with a 1-week Japan itinerary below!

A + R met in high school, went to different colleges, and travelled the world as friends...until one day they realized that what they wanted all along was right in front of them. They loved to hike and camp, so Santa Cruz and Big Sur became places where they spent many weekends exploring and adventuring. When they started talking about where they wanted to get married, they knew they wanted an intimate elopement. Our original plan was to have the ceremony overlooking the coast, but as a last minute change to accomodate the grandparents, they switched their ceremony site to a beautiful little garden in Monterey. It ended up being the perfect backdrop for their wedding! Though the garden had been bare when they visited, there were blooms everywhere for their May wedding. After a short and sweet ceremony, we caravanned down to the beach for their portraits. Though it started raining pretty heavily when we arrived, we hid under the stairs to wait it out. Just 15 minutes later, the rains stopped, the clouds cleared, and then sun peaked out just in time. We had the entire beach to ourselves, and got to adventure to the coast to even see a few glimmers of sunset. Never doubt that Big Sur will showcase its wonder, no matter how unpredictable the weather can be! Check out the rest of A + R's Monterey and Big Sur elopement below.

A + R eloped at Olympic National Park in the Pacific Northwest before moving abroad together, but they knew they still wanted to celebrate with their family and friends. Their nature-centered elopement was everything they dreamed of, so they wanted their wedding day to reflect that very same feeling they had on their elopement day. Since A had a passion for coastal restoration, getting married by the ocean couldn't have been more perfect! Their boho, free-spirited wedding was brought together by incredible vendors all while they were living abroad. Check out the rest of their Sanctuary Beach Resort wedding below!

The moment I started talking to S + B, I felt like I had met the Keith and I's alternate selves. We had so many similarities - from growing up in the Bay Area, to following each other through grad school, to living in crummy apartments during our school days, to having a love for nerdy things like Lord of the Rings and Marvel movies, to sharing favorites memories of road tripping around Scotland. Even better was the Fault in Our Stars reference in S's vows - an ode to one of his favorite books (for those who don't know, Keith has a love for all things John Green, and we even went to the Hank and John Green show one year. Keith's goal is to visit the bench in the Fault in Our Stars movie one day). When these two started dreaming about their elopement, they knew they wanted something intimate. A day where they could honor the love they had for their family but also get to adventure with just the two of them. So as California natives, Big Sur became the perfect place for them, a place not too far for their family to travel but just magical enough to whisk everyone away to see the coast. Though they had originally thought about getting married on the coast, they fell in love with the garden venue of Loma Vista Gardens as an accessible place for their guests to gather. It had rained a little that morning and even hailed the day before for their spring wedding, but as luck would have it, the sun came out for one of the warmest Big Sur weddings I've ever captured. Their guests even came down to the beach with them after, which was such a fun way to show their family why they chose Big Sur in the first place. Check out the rest of S + B's intimate wedding at Loma Vista Gardens! 

A Local Big Sur Elopement Photographer's Guide to Eloping in Big Sur

When it comes to elopement locations in the US, Big Sur is one of the top places people come to get married. With its vast coastal views and redwood forests, it's a place full of wonder and natural beauty. As a local Big Sur elopement photographer who spends countless roadtrips exploring the endless trails in the area, I'm here to help you craft an epic day that feels genuine to your love story. Check out this guide for location recommendations, best months to elope, day-of timelines, and planning tips!

Distance was no stranger for T + D. For these two, they battled long distance as T went through medical school and D trained as an Olympic athlete, who literally ran the distance as a skeleton athlete, sprinter, and hurdler. Through the years of long distance, they leaned on each other and cheered each other on as they pursued their dreams. So when their wedding day finally came, it was a day they were beyond excited for. T's close friend played worship as they walked down the aisle - a beautiful coastal trail in Big Sur - and they shared communion together privately after the ceremony. We then adventured to the coast, where they changed into traditional Vietnamese outfits and watched the fog moved over the mountains. After it got dark, we all returned to their Airbnb in Pebble Beach and celebrated with a tea ceremony and dinner with their family and friends. It was the perfect way to spend quality time with everyone. Check out the rest of T + D's Big Sur elopement below!

If I could ask for perfect weather, it would most definitely be fog on the beach and sunset on the coast. Though typically I like to end at the beach in case the waves get a bit too close and we end up soaked at the end of the session, I decided to switch up the order of locations for A+D's session since I knew that they loved the coast more! It was misting just as we arrived, and we got to see the fog settle into the cliffs as we ran up and down the sandy beach. When we arrived to the coast, the sun peaked out just in time out of the clouds. Check out the rest of A+D's Big Sur engagement session below!

​What do you do when there’s an atmosphere river (aka a ton of wind and rain) forecasted for your Tuesday elopement, and you have friends already flying halfway across the world to celebrate with you in Big Sur? You make a last minute call on Sunday to move it a day early to Monday. We had been watching the weather for a while, and it had been forecasted to rain Monday through Wednesday. But when the forecast changed 2 days before the wedding - giving us a break in the rain on Monday - we decided to move the wedding up. Many phone calls later, J + Z packed up their car to head to Big Sur the next day. The redwoods ceremony venue didn’t work out, so we pivoted to a coastal ceremony and beach picnic. But it couldn’t have worked out for the better as we drove up Highway 1 in a VW bus, watching whale spouts pop out from the ocean waves, an otter hanging out by the coast, and even a little sun peaking out from the clouds. And sure, all the details had the wrong date, the stunning embroidered jacket the bride had made herself, their engraved rings, the camping mugs, and invitations but it didn’t matter. I watched these two have the best time with their closest friends and celebrate in a way that felt so authentic to them. And now they’ll always have an awesome story to tell! Check out the rest of J + Z's Big Sur elopement below.

When it came to grand gestures, P was both subtle and brilliant at the same time. Back when it was near impossible to get Hamilton tickets, P went out of his way to get tickets for M...and her friend. He hadn't even planned on accompanying her after going through all the effort, but that ended up becoming the start of their incredible love story. When they started planning their wedding, they knew they wanted a low-key, stress-free day. One thing that was important to them was starting the day privately - just the two of them, taking in the incredible scenery together and all the little moments in between. And it was those little moments that made their day so special, like the way that M twirled P, or how P would grin from ear to ear in a private moment between the two of them. As the day winded down, they got to sit down for dinner and watch the sunset together with their family and friends. No schedule of activities, just quality time with the people they loved the most. Check out the rest of their Big Sur wedding below!