When Caitlyn and Aaron told me of their plans for an elopement, I was SO excited to be a part of it! Caitlyn is an integral part of the Serendipity Events team, and helps make so many other brides dreams come true each year. She is one of the hardest working people I know, and is always constantly one step ahead when coordinating day of. Being in the wedding industry, it makes it even harder when it comes to getting married yourself! Which vendors, and venues to use, whether or not to do it up big, or keep it small; how to have the day of your dreams, without it feeling too much like work.
Caitlyn and Aaron decided on eloping for a handful of reasons, and I couldn’t have been more excited. This was the first TRUE elopement I had ever captured, in the sense that literally NO ONE knew they were doing it! Family lives across the country, and the couple actually face timed them after the ceremony to surprise them! They wanted to keep the day intimate, and special just for themselves, and it wasn’t even until the week before the big day that they finally decided to add in a photographer at all!
Aaron actually got scheduled for a shift they day they were going to elope but they didn’t let that stop them! They changed up all of their plans last minute, and did it all the following day!
The Elopement Ceremony:
Their day began at the courthouse in San Marcos, CA, where the couple had an incredibly romantic ceremony right outside, in the prettiest courthouse courtyard I have ever seen! The love between the two of them was SO tangible, and Aaron just gazed at his bride with the widest smile as he listened to Caitlyn’s vows. The two exchanged giggles and gazes as they held hands, and soaked in the fact that they were in finally becoming husband and wife.
After the ceremony, we drove just down the road, through a winding residential area, to the cutest little boutique hotel nestled in amongst the houses, right on a lake. The Lakehouse Resort is such a hidden gem, and was just bursting with amazing photo opportunities!
The “Reception”
Caitlyn, being the incredibly talented lady that she is, made her bouquet, flower crown, boutonniere, and center pieces all herself. She also made her cake, as she originally went to culinary school, before moving in to the wedding planning business. She brought decorations from her own house, and a few odds and ends that she found, and created the beautiful sweetheart table where the couple shared their first meal. She even hand appliquéd two lace lovebirds onto the bottom of her dress, which she took from one of her grandmothers slips. It was such a meaningful “something old”, and was perfectly hidden by the lace of her own dress.
Laura Schwandt, the owner of Serendipity Events showed up at the hotel to help set everything up, and provide Caitlyn with the kind of stress free wedding day that she herself has helped provide to so many brides before her.
I was in photographer heaven, as literally everywhere I turned, there was another amazing opportunity for a photo! I ran around like a kid in a candy store and captured all the detail shots, as the couple enjoyed a little A/C in their hotel room, while they face-timed their families to give them the good news.
After the couple shared their first meal together as husband and wife amongst the desert weeds and the cutest sweetheart table, we migrated to the dock to cut the cake! It was just picture perfect, as the sun was setting, and giving me all of the best golden light the day had to offer.
The sweetest young man who was in charge of boat rentals for the resort, set up this amazing boat for the couple, and was MORE than accommodating for us. He sped that thing around the lake anywhere we wanted it to go, and on his own accord, would leap to the floor every time I took a photo (as to not “ruin” any wedding photos). It was such a light hearted and hilarious ending to such a perfect wedding day!
This is the absolute PERFECT example of a DIY elopement gone RIGHT. There was everything you need to make a perfect wedding day: two people in love, an adorable honeymoon getaway location, and a bride who went with the flow with all of her DIY projects. She didn’t get too attached to any one idea, and kind of let her “mistakes” lead her to the final products. This real elopement proves that you don’t need much in order to have that “picture perfect” wedding that every bride strives for! Just a little imagination, flexibility, and someone there to capture it!
Wedding Coordination: Serendipity Events
Makeup: A Toast To Beauty
Rentals: Platinum Event Rentals
Venue: Lakehouse Resort and Hotel
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