This San Diego elopement at Sunset Cliffs with Zeylanica and Steve was absolutely beautiful. While some things didn’t go quite as planned on their wedding day, these two just embraced every moment of it! As a California wedding and elopement photographer, one of the biggest parts of my job is to make sure you truly enjoy your day. Sometimes the things you planned don’t fall in line, but I want to make sure you have someone there to help you figure out a solution. This elopement in San Diego definitely didn’t go as expected, but in this blog I discuss how everything worked out in the end!
Sunset Cliffs Elopement Ceremony
This amazing couple had so much love between them and they were so excited to finally be getting married. They planned their dream elopement at Sunset Cliffs and definitely did not expect the set backs they faced. The first delay in their elopement day was that when Steve went to pick up the wedding cake, they bakery was running 30 minutes behind. On top of that, the makeup artist was also running late so we ended up having to skip the first look.
Then there was problem #2… When we arrived at Sunset Cliffs, the original ceremony location they had chosen was much busier than anticipated. With Zeylanica still not yet at Sunset Cliffs, I jumped in to help these two find a new location for their ceremony. Within 15 minutes of arriving at the location, we managed to completely reschedule everything and relocate further down the cliffs.
What started off as a major problem actually ended up working out better than any of us could have expected. Not only did the new ceremony spot have more privacy but due to all of the recent rain, all of the plants and succulents were bright and healthy. It was still easily accessible for family members who had mobility issues and Ze now had an absolutely perfect isle to walk down provided by mother nature. It was truly meant to be!
A Memorable Reception at Bali Hai for this San Diego Elopement
This intimate San Diego wedding started at Sunset Cliffs for the ceremony and ended at the Bali Hai for the reception. This elopement was so special because almost all of Zeylanica’s very large and close knit Filipino family attended and made up 95% of their 20 guests. With so many of their family members in attendance, Zeylanica and Steve decided it was the perfect day to make a big announcement!
Zeylanica and Steve are also getting ready to welcome their first baby into this world. They wanted their wedding day to reflect them in every aspect possible so they decided to do a gender reveal at their reception – it’s a boy! AHHH it was truly the perfect wedding day to unite their families in addition to including their baby boy in the celebration.
California Elopement Photographer
As a California Elopement Photographer, I have been apart of so many elopements that don’t fully go to plan. As someone who is super passionate about my job, I don’t want to just be your photographer. I want to help you with the planning process, finding locations, and most of all help you figure out solutions when things derail. It’s your wedding day and the last thing you should be doing is stressing out. I want ensure that my couples have the best day possible and that means being a shoulder for them to lean on when problems arise! So, yes this elopement in San Diego at Sunset Cliffs didn’t go exactly how it was supposed to, but with a little bit of problem solving we ended up at a ceremony location that couldn’t have been more beautiful!
Get to Know me!
Hey, I’m Gabbi!
I’m a wedding & elopement photographer based in Northern California. I’m a lover of the outdoors and spend most of my time with my husband and our 4 dogs camping, rock climbing, hiking, and enjoying nature!
Elopements hold a special place in my heart. They throw out the rule book on tradition and allow you the complete freedom to do what you really want to do on the biggest day of your lives!
Whatever your elopement day looks like, I can’t wait to help create the most intentional and authentic day that is perfectly and uniquely you.
I’m here to help you through the entire process of planning your elopement from start to finish. I’ll help you with everything from choosing a perfect location to creating your Day Of schedule to officiating and of course, photography!
Additional Resources
- The Ultimate Guide to Eloping in Brookings
- A & Z’s S Redwood National Park and Oregon Coast Elopement
- How to keep costs low without sacrificing your wedding experience.
- Best Redwood National Park Elopement Locations | Redwoods Elopement Photographer
- California Redwoods and Oregon Coast Elopement | M + B
