Extraordinary Multicultural Big Sur Coast Elopement
Two full days of celebrating your love on the epic coasts of Big Sur, becoming husband and wife with stunning turquoise waters as your backdrop. . . how much better can it get? Johnna + Shaan had an amazing two-day Big Sur elopement, using each day to celebrate the different cultural and religious backgrounds they share: one day for exploring + exchanging private vows in traditional wedding attire, and the next for their official Indian wedding ceremony. What an absolutely beautiful experience!
Johnna + Shaan’s Multicultural Big Sur Elopement
Day 1: Private Vows + Traditional Attire
Getting ready at La Playa Hotel
Coming from Iowa City, Johnna and Shaan knew they had to take advantage of their time in the beautiful Big Sur area—so they booked a room at La Playa, a gorgeous, historic hotel in Carmel. We made sure to include a little time to capture their final moments getting ready, and I’m SO glad we did because Johnna had the most gorgeous details for us to photograph! A personalized glass ring box and engraved ring dish, vibrant florals boasting bright shades of red, pink, and orange, and a collection of Polaroids from their life back home. . . they even had two little figurines of their adorable sphynx cats, Boba and Chai. The cutest!!
A gorgeous first look by the water
Shaan awaited Johnna on the rocky ocean shores, wearing a deep forest green suit that went perfectly with the earthy tones around them as they shared a sweet first look. Seeing couples’ eyes light up when they see each other in wedding attire for the first time is something that NEVER gets old, ugh. . . cue the tears every single time. Both of them looked absolutely killer in their traditional wedding attire, especially Johnna with her soft veil that blew in the breeze, as well as her long, sleek bridal gloves that made her bold bouquet stand out even more.
Oh, and did we mention the epic car these two rented for their photos?! Johnna and Shaan actually rented two different cars for photos and to drive around for both of their wedding days—SUCH a fun touch. The nostalgic vibes with the two of them all cozied up in the pale pink vintage car, cruising along the California coast?! Incredible 🔥
Private vows on the beach
After snapping about a billion photos of these stunners leaning up against the car flawlessly, as if it were something they casually did every day, we made our way down to the water for a private vow exchange. We passed a valley of calla lilies on the way to. the beach, so you know we had to stop for photos. We loooved their elopement timeline to include both a personal vow exchange for just the two of them, AND an official wedding ceremony the next day— the best of both worlds, honestly. Johnna and Shaan read from their customized vow books with their feet in the sand, nothing but the sounds of the seagulls and waves crashing around them. The way the sunlight made the beach + hills behind them look sooo soft and dreamy was unreal!
Day 2: Traditional Indian Wedding Ceremony
A breathtaking oceanfront ceremony
Why have one wedding day when you could have two?! The second day of Johnna and Shaan’s Big Sur elopement was focused around elements of a traditional Indian wedding. Johnna looked absolutely stunning in her gold bangles, glistening jewelry, and gorgeous henna designs up her arm—which she’d actually gotten done before the first day of the wedding, and covered up with those gloves! She made her way out to the cliffs for a second first look with Shaan, this time with both of them donning their breathtaking Indian attire for their officiated ceremony. The vibrant blue waters, rugged cliffs, and rolling green hills were the ultimate backdrop for this special moment—such a gift to have witnessed these two profess their love for each other yet again.
Walking around the redwoods
How could we visit the wild coasts of Big Sur without venturing inland to explore the redwoods?! After enjoying a few bites of cake, Johnna and Shaan walked hand-in-hand into the forest of towering trees, and I’ve gotta say: these might be some of our FAVORITE portraits of the entire celebration. The dappled light from the afternoon California sunshine, the massive trees and the lush greenery, the gorgeous couple in front of us. . . it was all simply incredible.
Golden hour portraits at Pfeiffer Beach
The day was almost over, buuut we had one more stop to make before we could call it quits. Pfeiffer Beach was the most incredible spot for golden hour portraits of Johnna and Shaan, and it helped that we had the most perfect sunset we could’ve ever asked for! Aside from the seagulls trying to steal our shoes and camera gear (lol!), we had an amazing time walking the beach.
The gentle glow of golden hour as the sun set beyond the horizon, paired with the deep blue tides and the breathtaking newlyweds—we truly couldn’t have asked for a more perfect way to end this two-day celebration. Forever grateful to Johnna and Shaan for letting us tag along and document this epic Big Sur adventure ☀️
Want to see this phenomenal elopement in action? Check out Johnna and Shaan’s Big Sur elopement highlight video below!
Big Sur Elopement Photo + Video Team
Dreamin’ of your own unforgettable elopement on the California coast? We don’t blame you—this celebration was EVERYTHING. We’d be thrilled to pack up our bags and head back to Big Sur to document your own elopement, be it a private, multi-day adventure like Johnna and Shaan’s, or a one-day wedding with an intimate group of your fave people. Reach out now to chat about the unique vision you have for your day—we can’t wait to hear it all 😎
Dive into all of our best elopement planning guides + resources below to continue the adventure ⬇️
