A Romantic Coastal Elopement Shoot on the Beach in Carlsbad


"Tucked at the bottom of a tiny staircase built into the edge of the cliffs lies Carlsbad's secret surf beach. We trekked down the stairs carrying arms full of flowers and cake while the locals zipped up their wetsuits and waxed their boards. You have to time it perfectly, to wait for the waves to crash against the rock cliff and dance back out to sea to make you move towards the private beach around the bend but when you get there it's the most romantic place you could imagine.

We wanted to keep everything very romantic, playing up the beach setting with tropical accents.  Love Anne Joy teamed up with Happily Ever Etched to style the shoot, keeping the natural color palette of the beach with shades of blue and gray.  It was important that we maintained a sophisticated and modern design as well, so we incorporated pops of amber, copper, and rose gold.  Love Anne Joy's floral design team combined tropical and traditional wedding flowers, mixing both peonies and proteas in the same bouquet to highlight the theme of the shoot.

There were plenty of opportunities to personalize the elopement, so Happily Ever Etched put their laser cutting skills to work and created pineapple cocktail stirrers, a fun pineapple cut out with a sweet quote, and a beautiful keepsake with the couple’s vows engraved into an acrylic mirror.  Cherished Rentals helped us deck out our table top with gorgeous dinnerware and Chasing Linen provided a hand lettered, water color menu to bring it all together. With the help of Sweet Salvage, we created an ultra-romantic setting with a low rustic table, a plush soft blue vintage chair, and a variety of pillows and rugs that we paired with Sweet Jelly Parties’ lace canopy.  And no celebration is complete without a gorgeous cake and an assortment of delicious desserts created by The French Confection Co.  Our stunning bride was styled in by the lovely Sweet Pea and adorned with accessories from the ladies of Styled by TC." -Jessica Rice


Wedding Vendors: Photography: Jessica Rice PhotographyEvent Design + Florals: Love Anne JoyLaser Cuts + Signage: Let's Tie The KnotRentals (vintage): Sweet Salvage RentalsRentals (decor): Sweet Jelly PartiesRentals (tableware): Cherished RentalsWedding Dress Designer: Sweet Pea Love | Bridal Accessories: Styled by TC | Desserts: The French Connection Co.Calligraphy: Chasing Linen