Panther Beach Spring Elopement / Davenport, California Elopement

Katie and Tim road tripped from Arizona to Santa Cruz to elope on the beach. Panther Beach is one of our most gorgeous coastal areas just north of Santa Cruz and I had a feeling they would love it. I knocked on the door of their room at the Dream Inn and felt as though I already knew this sweet couple. Katie already her hair and makeup looking glamorous (thanks to Aime of Glamology Beauty Lounge) so all that was left to do was slip into her dress! Tim waited outside the door while I helped Katie get zipped up. She twirled around in her amazing bridal cape a few times before the big reveal. Tim was absolutely elated to see his gorgeous bride, so I had a feeling they would both be very emotional and expressive the rest of the day!

We stopped for some soda at 7-Eleven on our way to the beach and sped away to take advantage of the temporarily clear skies. What happened next really blew me away. Katie and Tim spent around 10 minutes each reading their heartfelt vows to each other in the sand. I stood back with my long lens to give them privacy as they laughed, cried, and embraced during this beautiful time. They each recounted beautiful memories, inside jokes, and a deep sense of love and commitment that they were vowing to each other that day.

Katie and Tim shared their first dance as husband and wife after exchanging vows and a kiss. Tim is a DJ back home so he came prepared with a tiny but powerful speaker to blast their first dance song. He even pulled out some sick air-piano moves at the end, making Katie crack up with laughter in the way only he can. They spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the beaches and bluffs of Davenport with me. They didn’t even mind the wind and rain, which made for some fun photos!

I felt incredibly honored to be witnessing and documenting these important moments on Katie and Tim’s elopement day.