Photographing elopements is one of my favorites! Don’t get me wrong, I adore a traditional wedding day, and engagement sessions are so sweet. Still, you can’t deny the romantic, exciting energy surrounding an elopement. I love a classic beachy SoCal elopement—but this Beverly Hills Courthouse Wedding was one for the books!

Destination Wedding Reimagined

Ali and Destina traveled all the way from Turkey to LA for their elopement. When Destina initially reached out to me, I was stoked not only because I’m a sucker for a Beverly Hills elopement but because her Instagram was epic. These two love traveling the world and documenting their incredible experiences. I knew that with a couple as adventurous and fun as Destina and Ali, their destination elopement here in the States–Hollywood style–would be nothing short of spectacular! I wanted to deliver everything they imagined and more.

These newlyweds wanted to stay in LA for their session and envisioned an editorial shoot with a quintessential California aesthetic. They had a private ceremony in the Beverly Hills Courthouse, and then we met up for photos. To make the most of our time together, I opted to stay close to the Beverly Hills area. You don’t want to spend most of your session traveling to different locations (especially if it involves traffic—usually the case if you’re an Angeleno). 

Not Your Average Beverly Hills Courthouse Wedding

Naturally, we started outside the Beverly Hills Courthouse on a palm-lined street that is SO California. We had a blast creating these insanely gorgeous movie star portraits, but in true LA fashion, the streets were BUSY; yet, Destina and Ali were such good sports running in and out of the street—safely, of course. When taking photos anywhere in a big city like LA, it’s important to have extra time to account for traffic, whether moving to a new spot or using the streets for pictures. Patience is also vital because sometimes the only thing to do is wait it out! Next, we stopped at the Beverly Hills Hotel—an iconic spot. 

*Note: the Beverly Hills Hotel requires a permit to shoot (submit an inquiry). When choosing different locations for your photography session (especially in the LA area), permits and fees are important to consider! I highly recommend acquiring those at the earliest date they’ll allow, and I’m more than happy to help facilitate the process. (You can also find my Malibu Beach Elopement Permit Guide.)

A California Sunset to Remember

To finish, we headed to the beach to catch the sunset. We chose Santa Monica due to its aesthetic and geographical proximity. Plus, the iconic pier featured in many films was perfect for their vision. (They traveled all this way, and I wanted them to have the full LA experience.) Thankfully the weather cooperated with us, and we ended our shoot with some gorgeous golden hour shots.

The Perfect Match

We can’t let Destina’s outfit go unmentioned—she looked so stylish and nailed the Old Hollywood glam vibes. I also loved that they brought along flowers and sunglasses to play with! Infusing these elements is a perfect way to have diversity in your gallery. However, I don’t want you to stress over photo props and researching photoshoot locations amid wedding or elopement planning. That’s why you have me!

From a Beverly Hills Courthouse Wedding like this one to stunning Malibu beach elopements, I’m here to carry out your vision. I can work with anything from a simple idea or an extensive mood board (I love these!) to scout location options and help you develop your vision. As a photographer, I am very hands-on and will be there as you need me through every step of the planning and creation process—I’m here for you! Ready to make it happen? Let’s get in touch!