A NYE Elopement

I’ve always loved New Year’s Eve. While I never quite make it to midnight..especially in the years since we’ve had kids, I have always loved the excitement of new beginnings. And what better way to celebrate a new beginning than with an elopement?!

A few months ago I got a message on Facebook from someone I was friends with in high school. She asked if I would be interested in doing an elopement for her brother and future sister-in-law. I said yes without a second of hesitation and was a little giddy getting her message. When I started out as a photographer, I had dreamt of doing elopements and still do. I couldn’t believe it was actually happening! I’ve always been attracted to the intimacy of smaller weddings. How it’s just two people vowing to each other without all of the extras. Don’t get me wrong, big weddings are beautiful and so much fun - they are just A LOT of work and aren’t my vibe.

The first time I met Shelby was at a coffee shop on a rainy Monday during thanksgiving break. We spent an hour getting to know each other a little better and going over what her and her fiancé had envisioned for their day. Over the following weeks we picked out a location and finalized all the little details.

And then the big day arrived!!!

While there was a brisk December chill in the air, the day couldn’t have been more beautiful with the sun shining! We met at the Stanford Mansion in downtown Sacramento. It’s this beautiful state park just a few blocks from the State Capitol. The architecture of the building was filled with so much warmth and character and the grounds were landscaped with lemon trees and junipers - making it feel like we were somewhere in Italy. It was quiet that day and we had the outside grounds all to ourselves.

After getting some portraits of just the two of them together, we headed to the riverside to get some of them with their closest family. While they plan on having a bigger celebration in the future, it was important to them to get some photos with their family on this day as well. The trees were bare but the beautiful golden hour light illuminated the river with a soft glow that made you almost forget it was winter. Family moments were captured as the birds, elegantly danced in the sky behind them before making their descent into the water. At the very end, they brought out these beautiful handmade leis that Shelby and Ryan wore for their family in Hawaii. It was such a special moment and made it unique to who they are.

Once we got all of the photos they wanted to get with family, we made our way over to the clerks office. While it wasn’t planned, I ended up being a witness for them and it was such an honor. Once they crossed their t’s and dotted their I’s on the paperwork, we made our way into this small room where they were officiated. There were tears and laughter between the two of them and I couldn't help but feel emotional. What a special thing to get to be a part of. After the officiation, they were met in the lobby by their family where hugs and congratulations were shared…and maybe some chicken nuggets haha. They popped a celebratory bottle of champagne out front and it felt iconic with Shelby’s heart shaped glasses and faux fur jacket.

This day was filled with so much love, laughter, and beauty. It was such an honor to document these memories for them to look back on and cherish for years to come. As the sun was setting down, I hugged them all goodbye and wished them one more congratulations. I drove home that night with a smile on my face - the day feeling completely surreal, but a knowing that this is where I am meant to be.