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March 1, 2024

Abby & Joe’s San Diego Wedding

Couples, Destination Weddings, Weddings

So many good things about today’s post: it’s a Friday, it’s MARCH, and (most importantly!!) Abby and Joe’s San Diego wedding celebration is ON THE BLOG!

I just love these two so much and truly don’t know where to begin or how to set the tone of how special it was for me to be a part of their weekend. Joe is my (not so) little cousin…I grew up with him and his siblings and have always been so close with their family. My Aunt Bekah is like a second mom to me — in fact, I even lived with them in Virginia for a summer in elementary school and a summer in college!

Needless to say, when Joe reached out earlier in the year to ask if I’d fly out to capture their mini courthouse wedding before he deploys, I was so honored + excited — it was such an easy YES! I knew how much he adored Abby and was excited to get to know her more and have time with them — see where they’ve lived the last few years, explore San Diego, photograph at the beach (!!!!), and celebrate the start of their lives together! :)

I loved everything about their day. It was relaxing and joy-filled and sweet and just, so them. Abby got ready in their home while the ladies prepped flowers and helped her choose jewelry (and even her dress!! We had options, people!), and it was just such a cozy and natural flow to the day. Joe was with his dad and brothers, and after getting ready with them, eagerly came home to see his bride. I love the images we captured in their first home before heading to the courthouse!

The ceremony was simple + sweet — but so much joy filled the room. They chose to have their immediate family present, and I love that we were able to get sunshine-filled family portraits right after.

And then, we headed to the beach!!!

…which may or may not have been quite more of an adventure than any of us expected!! Haha! There was a semi-intense hike down to the shoreline (where I couldn’t contain my glee and acted like an actual 5 year old every time we rounded another bend). Parasailers launched off the cliffs as surfers scaled worn pathways cutting up to the top, and we even had a run-in with a *naked* man in flippers! In other words, really just a quintessential Californian experience. :) Haha!

Photographing these two at the beach was honestly a career highlight for me, guys. You’ll see when you get to the images….but they are just so wonderful + sweet + FUN together!! And even though heavy clouds came out of nowhere as we hiked down to the shoreline….I can’t imagine the images turning out any differently. What a gift to photograph these two!!

We ended the day all together at Torrey Pines Lodge for the most fantastic + intimate dinner — toasting the couple, sharing stories of their love, and really truly just enjoying time together.

Abby and Joe, thank you thank you so much for including me in your celebration! Joe – thanks for bringing such a wonderful person into our family. I love you guys so much and am excited + expectant for all the years of love and adventure you two will have together!