This trip was a few years in the making - our original destination had actually been Morocco. Since it was too expensive to fly straight into Marrakech from San Francisco, we booked flights to Lisbon instead, with smaller flights in between the two cities. Just as we were getting closer to our trip date, Morocco closed its borders. Scrambling to figure out a backup plan, we weren't sure if we wanted to go or postpone for another time given all the travel restrictions. After a few days and nights of nonstop research, I stumbled upon the island of Madeira. It had a variety of landscapes that got us excited for our trip again - epic mountain views, beautiful coastlines, and lush waterfalls. We decided to still go on the trip and spent most of our time on the island of Madeira, while still hitting up the iconic sights of the Algarve Coast and Sintra castles on mainland Portugal. Check out our 8-day itinerary in Portugal!
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The Dolomites had always been at the top of our bucket list - we had seen countless photos from fellow elopement photographers of the epic mountain views and famous Lago di Braies with its crystal clear bluewaters. We had planned a summer trip to Iceland, but were unable to go to our second destination (Norway) because it was closed to tourists. So I hopped onto the Google Flights Explore page to see where we could fly to from Reykjavik. (Pro travel tip: Just put in your starting location and you'll be able to find out where you can fly to and even put filters like budget or non-stop only!) Just 16 days before we were leaving for Iceland, we decided to book a flight to Milan and rushed to plan the second half of our trip in just a few weeks. Luckily I had already mapped out most of the spots I wanted to go to on a Google Map, but it definitely wasn't without a few hiccups along the way. Check out our 5-day campervan itinerary in the Dolomites!
Iceland, the land of fire and ice. For years, we were skeptical about Iceland because of how popular it had gotten. Could it really be that magical with hundreds of tourists crowding to get that one Instagram shot? Anyone and everyone seemed to be going to Iceland, not just the avid adventure seekers. But maybe because we had gone just at the right time (COVID restrictions had just lifted), on top of going to all the famous sights at 4 AM when the midnight sun rose - it ended up being one of our favorite trips. Check out our itinerary for 1 week in Iceland!
Some couples worry that their wedding day won't feel like a wedding day if they choose to elope, but I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that this is just a myth. You only need to look at J + J's elopement to see how emotional, momentous, and special their wedding day was. They chose to spend their day with just their parents to witness the day. It allowed them to take in each and every moment, and there wasn't a single person who didn't cry on their wedding day. It started with J's dad saying in tears, "I can't give you away" as he saw her in her white dress for the first time. Then it was time for J + J's first look, where they were both filled with such joy. The ceremony and the parent dances were full of so much laughter (and of course many tears) - even the groom's dad who had a military background couldn't hold it in. It was so sweet getting to see them all gathered around the dining table, eating sandwiches after and just enjoying each other's company. We then headed out to the coast for sunset, where we saw the most insane waves. I let them just sit and watch the sunset together, making for the perfect end of the day. Check out the rest of J + J's redwood cabin elopement in Big Sur, California below!
 When C + N first reached out to me, they had been dreaming of an intimate wedding with family in the Big Sur redwoods. They had known each other for 10 years, but school and finances kept getting in the way of their marriage plans. After looking at a few different redwood venues, they fell in love with the fairytale setting of Nestldown and decided to increase their guest list to celebrate with their family and friends. They chose to keep some traditions - like her walking down the staircase where he saw her for the first time, and skipped others like vows and toasts. It didn't make it any less emotional as she teared up as they were pronounced husband and wife. Check out the rest of their redwoods wedding at Nestldown!
When I heard G + K's story, I felt like we had shared parallel lives! These two grew up just living down the block from one another and started dating right after graduating high school (just like my husband and I!) They shared many memories exploring the redwoods on the coast of Santa Cruz, and so when they had a family wedding in the area, G reached out to me to plan a surprise proposal for his girlfriend of 7 years. It was the weekend of the Big Sur Marathon, so we planned for a sunset proposal after all the runners had gone. It couldn't have been more perfect - she was certainly surprised, and happily said yes! Check out the rest of G + K's Big Sur proposal below.
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!
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 When K + T reached out to me saying they wanted to get married in a month, I said let's do it!! Though they had never been to the California redwoods before, I knew that we could put together an incredible day celebrating their 10 years together. They rented a beautiful redwoods cabin, where they got ready with just their parents and had an intimate ceremony on a deck under the towering redwood trees. It was everything they imagined - surrounded by the beauty of nature, in a place that they had only seen in pictures and now got to experience in person. Though the groom had thrown out his back that morning playing golf, he was such a trooper as we made our way to the coast. We adventured on the cliffside and climbed down rocks, exploring the epic views that left them in awe and wonder. To end the night, they hosted a dinner reception at a friend's house, where they shared moments of tears and laughter with their parents and enjoyed a beautiful night under the stars. Check out the rest of K + T's Big Sur redwoods cabin elopement below!
 It was a week before their elopement, and I checked the weather forecast - sunny every day until Saturday...and then an all-day rain forecast. So they made a last-minute purchase for clear umbrellas, and we got ready for their day just as planned. Together with their family, they started their wedding day in a beautiful home just off the coast of Highway 1. We then all drove over to the Big Sur coast, where they had their ceremony overlooking the ocean, listening to the sounds of the raindrops on their umbrellas. Just as they started their vows, we noticed the rain stopped. As luck would have it, we got to spend the rest of the day completely dry - and even saw a bit of sun! Check out the rest of their Big Sur elopement below!
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