It’s no secret that I’m madly in love with the redwoods. They’re one of my favorite places to spend time, and not only do I photograph many couples in that setting, but I got married under them! If you’re thinking about doing the same, here are my four favorite redwood elopement locations in Sonoma County to choose from. Armstrong Redwoods in Guerneville This is always my favorite location to recommend to couples looking to incorporate redwoods into their elopement. It’s just as beautiful as the nearby and famous Muir Woods, but far less populated. The park is situated just north of Guernevill ..read more

Take one look at a wedding board on Pinterest, and you’ll immediately be bombarded by stunning hairstyles. When I was planning my wedding, I worked my butt off to give my hair as much love as possible to achieve “mermaid hair” for the big day. I wanted long, beautiful, luscious locks to cascade down my back. So, I set about finding all the wedding hair care products I could test to set myself up for success chasing that goal.  If I just described you, this post is exactly what you need.  When I set out to write this article, I’d planned to include all of my Products and Practi ..read more

Take one look at a wedding board on Pinterest, and you’ll immediately be bombarded by stunning hairstyles. When I was planning my wedding, I worked my butt off to give my hair as much love as possible to achieve “mermaid hair” for the big day. I wanted long, beautiful, luscious locks to cascade down my back. So, I set about doing all the wedding hair care routines I could test to set myself up for success chasing that goal.  If I just described you, this post is exactly what you need.  When I set out to write this article, I’d planned to include all of my Products and Practice ..read more

Sarah and Joey’s surprise Mendocino proposal (and overall engagement day) was an absolute dream; these two are so real and fun and authentic. I guess that’s technically the same thing as ‘real’ but whatever, go with me here. Joey inquired with me about six weeks before their planned trip to Mendocino where he would propose to Sarah. This small town on the coast held special memories for them; one of their favorite trips together had been there, so he figured what better place to ask her to return with him many times in the future as his life partner? We talked on the phone about the couple o ..read more

Nestled in the heart of California’s wine country, Sonoma County’s State Parks offer a captivating backdrop for couples dreaming of an intimate elopement. Beyond the vineyards and wineries, these state parks showcase the diverse beauty of the region. Each park offers a unique backdrop for your elopement, surrounded by nature’s beauty and tranquility. Here are my six favorite state park elopement location options within this diverse county! Salt Point State Park Escape to the rugged charm of Salt Point State Park for a truly unique and intimate elopement experience. Located about 90 miles nort ..read more

Planning Your 2024 Elopement in Hendy Woods State Park Hendy Woods State Park is a stunning hidden gem in the hills of Northern California. This state park boasts 100 acres of old-growth redwood forest. Some of the trees are up to 300 feet tall, and a whopping 1,000 years old. If you’re wondering how to elope in Hendy Woods, when to do it, or what to do when you get there, I’ve got you covered in this guide! How to Get There & Where it’s Located Hendy Woods State Park is located in Philo, California, in Mendocino County — about a third of the way between San Francisco and the northern sta ..read more

“Still can’t believe how cool your work makes us look ” Ashley + Alex2022 MEG COOPER PHOTO COUPLE I’m gonna be honest: it’s highly likely that at some point, you’ve experienced at least one of the following thoughts about elopements. In fact, I’d put money down that there’s at least two that will resonate. Here are the most common elopement objections I’ve encountered from couples like you and my thoughts about them. Elopement Objection #1 “Why would I want the entire day photographed? What’s the point?” Your wedding day is full of excitement, adrenaline, nervousness — and it only happ ..read more

Khali and Andrew had such an incredible elopement day, and I’m so stoked to be sharing about it on the blog! These two booked me a couple months before their elopement; I was their dream photographer and they actually chose their wedding date around my availability. This is the absolute highest praise I can imagine, and months later I’m still completely humbled by that. Their Russian River elopement was dreamy AF and definitely one of my all-time favorites. When they inquired, Khali wrote: “We’re open to hiking somewhere, getting wet, or having dirt on us. A lot of our best memories involve t ..read more

So, you’ve heard about eloping. People are talking about this cool new trend where you get to get married however you want in a freeing, blank-slate way. But how do you know if that’s the route you should pursue? Today I’m going to be outlining how to decide if an elopement is right for you! Let’s dive in. To start, let’s focus on those feel-good things you probably want out of your wedding day. 1. If you want… more 1:1 time with your partner on your wedding day You’re pulled in what feels like a million directions on a traditional wedding day to try and spend time with every one of your gues ..read more

All too often, I see couples blindly swallow all of the cookie-cutter wedding pills, which ends up leaving their day looking and feeling a whole lot like everyone else’s. It’s my personal mission to help you design a wedding day that is as meaningful to you as possible, and sometimes that means bucking tradition and putting your own spin on things (said as a true 5w4 Iconoclast). To give you some inspiration, here are my 7 hot takes on wedding traditions! Wedding Tradition #1. A Father Walking The Bride Down The Aisle This is first on my list because I HAVE SOME FEELS ABOUT IT. This tradition ..read more