Tips for eloping in Santa Cruz California
If you're planning an elopement and have no idea what you're doing, we got you fam! As a photographer and videographer team based in Santa Cruz, we've put together a list of of tips for planning your elopement.
Scout out a dream location
Santa Cruz is a dream location when it comes to eloping. Not only do you have some of the most beautiful beaches in Bay Area hugged by stunning rocky cliffs, but it only takes a short car ride to find yourself surrounded by towering Redwood Giants. This means you can create the perfect day with however many locations as you want to fit in. If you need help finding a location, feel free to ask for our help! We love location scouting and have a whole blog post on the process of hiring us which lays out all of the assistance we give in helping you plan!
Be aware of laws and permits
Once you've got your elopement location(s) picked out, you can start planning out all of the logistics! Be sure to look into permits and the laws in the area. We can help in this process too (click on the box below!) and be sure to give yourself plenty of time to go through any legal work. A good rule of thumb is to over-prepare so there aren't any surprise tickets or anything putting a damper on the best day!
Make it your own
Guys, it's 2020. We're in a Global Pandemic. It seems like the whole world is falling apart.
You deserve to celebrate your love EXACTLY how you want to. There are no rules. (besides ya know, social distancing)
But the most important piece of advice we have is to make your day your own. Listen to your intuition. Make it the best day ever. If you want to hike to the top of a mountain, do it. If you want to hang out at the beach, do it! (We can let you know about some secret spots) You can invite your closest friends and family or have it be just you two. Whatever you do, don't let your decisions be made out of guilt or obligation. Tap into your core and make decisions from there.
You deserve to celebrate your love EXACTLY how you want to. There are no rules. (besides ya know, social distancing)
But the most important piece of advice we have is to make your day your own. Listen to your intuition. Make it the best day ever. If you want to hike to the top of a mountain, do it. If you want to hang out at the beach, do it! (We can let you know about some secret spots) You can invite your closest friends and family or have it be just you two. Whatever you do, don't let your decisions be made out of guilt or obligation. Tap into your core and make decisions from there.
Be present
Part of what makes location scouting and figuring out all of the logistics ahead of time so important is because it leaves so much more room for you to be present. This is one of the biggest days of your life and it might go by in a flash if you don't consciously make the decision to really soak it up. Make sure you plan your day in a way that's as stress-free as possible so that your mind has more room for presence. This is all about you and your love. Remember that. Take it all in.
Hire a rad photographer and videographer
I mean, if you want to hire us we won't stop you BUT let's talk for a second about how important it is to have a good photographer and videographer you vibe with. We always Facetime or meet our couples before they hire us to feel that connection and we recommend it 100%! Make sure you hire someone who you feel comfortable around and whose energy doesn't stress you out. We've got pretty chill energy so the couples we work with are usually the same. But if you've got more of an energetic and out there personality, make sure you hire someone who you feel matches that or makes you feel like you don't have to tone that back!
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