California Beach Elopement in Half Moon Bay

This beach elopement with Charisse and Vince was so incredible! From planning to the day of, the way these two approached their elopement day was so laid-back and intentional. They focused on each other while including unique details making for such an amazing elopement day experience! 

How Charisse & Vince Decided on a Half Moon Bay Elopement in Northern California

Charisse and Vince are one of the sweetest couples I have ever met! The two had originally planned to have an international wedding in 2020, but when the world shut down, they started considering a completely different day altogether. Their focus was on having a private and intimate celebration; something meaningful but not over the top. A day that included unique locations and touches to make it completely their own. 

Want to learn more about what it means to elope? Find out more by visiting the blog below!

When Charisse and Vince first reached out, they were just looking around for what to do for their wedding day. They knew they wanted to get married, but they didn't know how or what was possible. We hopped on the phone and started connecting on what was important to them and how they wanted the day to feel. I asked them what they were looking forward to the most on their wedding day and these were their responses:

Charisse: “The experience of course! I'm a true believer of making lasting friendships with people I meet.”

Vincent: “I look forward to fulfilling the vows I had written down since I can remember. Looking forward to more laughs and adventure and just enjoying the day altogether.”

These two truly had the best intentions going into their elopement day which made the whole experience so fun and relaxed. We wrapped up the call settling on a Half Moon Bay elopement location with a forest ceremony and beach sunset photos.

Charisse & Vince’s Intentional Elopement in Half Moon Bay

This Half Moon Bay elopement started at the couple’s Airbnb. We took getting ready and detail photos before heading to their ceremony location which also happened to be their first look location as well. It took some planning to ensure the couple did not see each other before the big reveal, but everything went smoothly.  and they shared the sweetest first look overlooking the ocean. 

What started off as a shorter elopement ended up turning into a full day of photography coverage. Charisse and Vince loved the idea of capturing a memorable day together and celebrating with no limits so we kept going with what felt right in the moment. After their forest elopement ceremony at Half Moon Bay, we went to a nearby beach and set up a picnic with a charcuterie board, cake, and champagne while witnessing a perfect California coast sunset. 

After they finished their picnic, we continued taking photos while the fog rolled in all around us. Instead of heading back, we decided to stay a little longer after dark. We had so much fun creating photos together in the mist. These two were so easy-going and their go-with-the-flow approach to their wedding day made for an absolutely incredible day!

One of the most memorable things from Charisse and Vince’s Half Moon Bay elopement was how intentional everything was. Everything they did was because it felt right to them. Even during the early days of planning, their approach was to focus on the experience and creating memories and that’s exactly what happened!

For more beach elopement inspiration check out Amanda and Danny’s intimate vow exchange on the coast.

Kind Words from Charisse & Vince

Vincent and I were supposed to have our international wedding in March 2020. Unfortunately, COVID-19 happened and had to cancel those plans. We were debating if elopement was our way to go and with much deliberation, we decided, why not? Our biggest ask was to find a photographer that would capture every moment of us. That photographer is Will Khoury.

Vincent and I already loved Will's work from the beginning, that's why we hired him. But because our initial plans for our wedding didn't pan out, we were still in the phase of uncertainty but to have Will work with you so exclusively, gives you that much more confidence, that without even meeting, come the day of the elopement, everything was effortless, easy and made you feel taken care of.

The only challenge was location. Will worked with us extensively to understand where we wanted to have the ceremony weeks in advance and assured us the post ceremony photo spots would stay true to our big picture ideas: moody, forest and ocean cliffside vibes. Also, there was a park ranger that notified us that we couldn't have our photos taken in certain spots, but Will made sure to not disappoint and came prepared with many creative options on the spot to make everything work.

The coverage on the elopement day was flawless. Will knows how to keep the bride and groom in a good suspense; to keep us from seeing each other until we reach the location, managing the 3 guests we did have and seamlessly moving us to each location was effortless clockwork that allowed us to enjoy us as a couple without worrying about the extras.

Will's work speaks volumes. When we received our photos, we were in shock and awe! And still are. Our pictures came out phenomenal!! His photos not only captured the beauty of our elopement but everything we wanted and that much more. We also had amazing surprises, a sunset picnic and night photo session that was beyond anything we can ask for. Will is friendly, genuine, professional and he understands what the couple wants and needs on their special day.

Don't be on the fence hiring Will. If you had any thought to hire Will, DO IT. Will DOES NOT disappoint!! If you like what you see in his galleries, you can bet he will bring your ideas to reality. Will takes special care of his clients, going above and beyond not only to understand what the couple wants but to also get to know them and work with them through the entire wedding process. This makes all the difference because you don't just want a photographer that just points and shoots. You want a photographer that makes you feel comfortable and captures your every moment like he's not even there.

Will embodies true professionalism because at the end of the day, you would have made the best decision, selecting a genuine photographer who can bring your special day to life and capture every moment.

- Charisse & Vince

Are you ready to start planning your California elopement?

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For Photographers

Editing:

This elopement was edited using WKpresets from start to finish. WKpresets are designed to work in every lighting situation you can think of so that you don’t have to go back and forth between different looks, lots of options to edit from, and mainly, to finish your editing as quickly as possible.

If you enjoy the look of these photos and would like to have the same tones and editing style on your photos, check out WKpresets

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