Lance + Abi's Intimate Wedding | Long Beach Elopement Photographer | Los Angeles Elopement Photographer

Okay before we get started here, I gotta let y’all know in advance this might be a long blog post! I had so much trouble deciding on favorite images to post + little snippets to tell, so see if you can bare with me here!

On January 18th I had the infinite pleasure of documenting the wedding of Lance + Abi and ohmygosh it was so freaking sweet. About a year ago, I shot them up at Leo Carillo with their WOLFDOG and absolute sweetheart, Luna. Straight off the bat, the four of us (well, five of us - my husband, Krisz, came too!) got along so well. I loved capturing them during that insanely gorgeous golden hour, with the rolling hills behind them and their beautiful pup by their side.

Then in December, I had organized a styled shoot but every model couple I’d set up seemed to fall through! So I asked Lance + Abi to step in for me and they were amazing. They’d gotten engaged just a few days prior, and on the way there my uber driver jokingly said “maybe they’ll enjoy this so much they’ll decide to get married even sooner!” I laughed + went on to my shoot, only for a few days to pass and Abi text me saying over the holidays they’d decided to move to Texas and that they’d be getting married in January! She said they’d love for me to photograph it for them and of course, I was totally up for it!

Before their ceremony, we explored fun vignettes around City Hall (rooftop decks are a personal fave!) to get some variety in their couple portraits! I loved the motion of Abi’s dress, so I made sure to get shots of her playing with it and that breeze sweeping it up. It was uncharacteristically chilly that morning, so I told Lance to come in and warm up his bride with a few squeezes!

I loved the urban feel of this shot! Putting it in black + white gave it a very nostalgic feel, and I thought the perspective between the walls was an interesting + unique view.

I feel like I’ve done a disservice to this sweet Luna, Lance + Abi’s wolfdog/husky rescue by not showing her more here! She was a five-star bridesmaid and major comfort to the couple all day. She barely let them leave her sight! Documenting the prep/behind-the-scenes is something I love to do. These little moments, full of anticipation and emotions are so sweet and often overlooked. Showcasing these is just as important as the couple portraits for me!

The city clerk brought the family to a small ceremony room in the back, where Lance + Abi exchanged rings and OFFICIALLY became a married couple!

After their city hall ceremony, Lance + Abi brought their family back to L’Opera Ristorante in Long Beach, one of their favorite date night spots. As they were leaving for Texas just a few days after the ceremony, it was a great excuse to eat their favorite pasta one last time before their big move!

We snuck away from our killer pasta and the reception brunch for a few moments to take some portraits of them enjoying the small-town Long Beach feel one last time. I loved how even though these have more of an urban backdrop, they still feel intimate + so emotional. Wishing many many trips around the sun together for these two and I can’t wait to go visit them (and sweet Luna) in Texas sometime!