Photographer: Kristen Winkler Photography

Session: Styled Elopement

Location: Ocean Beach in San Diego, CA

From the Photographer:

“While many couples dream of a large wedding, there is something so special and magical about an elopement or micro-wedding. An elopement allows for intimacy and highlights the love between the two people involved without the stress of a huge ceremony.

Couples who elope tend to laugh a lot, sneak in tons of kisses, and are willing to do things like scale a cliff wall to hang out on the beach and play in the water. It’s in this spirit that we designed our bohemian beachfront elopement and reception for two by the cliffs.”

“As a photographer in the Midwest, I have to get pretty creative with locations. I’m surrounded by cornfields and flat ground, often relying on the same types of landscapes for my shoots. I’ve longed to be able to find a beautiful couple, a jaw-dropping location, and create the styled shoot of my dreams. When I found out I would be heading to San Diego for a conference for my day-job, I decided that this was my chance to create some magic!”

[Kristen Winkler, Photographer]

“Like many couples planning elopements, I didn’t know what to expect and I couldn’t imagine doing this alone from Illinois. On a whim, I posted in an online community for local San Diego creatives and connected with a local event coordinator, Andrea Abel of Events by Abel. I told her my vision – a boho elopement on top of Sunset Cliffs, a macrame backdrop, and beautiful florals. She took that vision and ran with it, bringing together an amazing group of local vendors and making magic happen!”

[Kristen Winkler]

“The Ocean Beach neighborhood in San Diego has a classic California vibe: breathtaking views atop the cliffs, picture-perfect beachfronts, surfers walking down the streets, even classic vintage cars and VW buses. The scenery is nothing short of amazing and offered the perfect backdrop… The day was full of laughter and evoked the same energy that inspires couples to elope in the first place… From the handmade macrame backdrops and arbor florals for our ceremony on the cliffs, to the sweet handmade reception table for two, the vignettes were everything I’d dreamed of for this shoot.”

[Kristen Winkler]

Design & Coordination | Events by Abel
Florals | Sage Sisters
Bridal Boutique | D’Angelo Couture
Groomswear | Friar Tux
Hair Styling | Bows and Arrow Hair
Makeup | Rachel Marie Makeup Artistry
Cake | Riot Cake Co.
Venues | Sunset Cliffs & Cliffside Auto
Wedding Rings | Staghead Designs
Furniture | AKT Party Rentals and Custom Furniture
Rentals | Anar Party Rentals
Invitations | Your Paper Stylist
Macramé | Uttu Design
Wedding Favors | Gourmet Wedding Gifts
Carved Skull | Divine Bovine
Sign | Birch Marie Designworks
Models | Jordan Carter & Cameron Badders

Thank you to Kristen Winkler for sharing this session!

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