Janelle and Steven are originally from Southern California, but now live in the pacific northwest, so they knew that Malibu would be the perfect spot for them to get married! Not only that but, Janelle loved the sunset photos Ive taken here in Malibu as well as my editing style so she knew she wanted to hire me to photograph her special day!
Small Intimate Wedding Location
Right from the start, Janelle and Steven were set on having a small intimate wedding with just family! The original vision was to have the ceremony on the beach, and then have dinner at one of the upscale restaurants in Malibu. But as things developed, Janelle and Steven decided on getting married at Malibu Solstice Vineyards.
Malibu Solstice Vineyards is one of my favorite venues here in Malibu! It’s so magical with beautiful grounds and breathtaking panoramic views of the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean! I recommend it for any couple that’s wanting an intimate wedding!
Wedding Itinerary
We started the day off with getting ready photos and the first look with Janelle and her father. Father and daughter first looks are always such a special moment to capture. You just never know how they’re going to react.
After their intimate ceremony high above the clouds and overlooking all of Malibu, everyone enjoyed cocktail hour and music. The family gathered for a romantic dinner overlooking the ocean and we of course took some romantic sunset portraits!
If you decide to get married at Malibu Solstice Vineyards you cant miss out on taking sunset portraits as the sunsets here have the most amazing glow! Along the horizon line, the sky turns a soft pink, yellow, and blue! It is absolutely stunning!
Small Intimate Weddings are more than just DIY!
I loved capturing Janelle and Stevens’s small intimate wedding! Many people picture “small intimate weddings” as cheap DIY backyard weddings where you give each family member a job to make the wedding vision happen, but that’s not always the case!
For Janelle and Steven’s wedding, they still invested in professional wedding vendors all to make their vision come true, including catering staff, hair and make-up, florist, a wedding photographer (AKA me), a wedding coordinator, and more! As an elopement photographer and guide, I sometimes am involved in wedding planning but Janelle and Steven hired their own wedding coordinator for most of their planning.
Just because you are wanting a small intimate wedding does not mean you have to skip out on vendors! Janelle and Steven’s wedding is the perfect example of this!
Photographing Janelle and Steven’s special day was an honor as they were the kindest people! When people are kind, it brings out the kindness in others too, and that’s exactly what Janelle did! While capturing their wedding day I got a genuine sense that Janelle and her family are truly accepting people. The bride and groom have been together for a long time since they met in their youth, and I could tell the groom felt truly accepted and there was a lot of family unity already there. It was beautiful.
Not only that but, Janelle and Steven handled their wedding plans changing with ease! Sometimes the vision changes throughout the wedding planning to accommodate certain people’s needs but it did not phase them.
Are you thinking about having a small intimate wedding and looking for a photographer? Check out my wedding packages to see what fits your wedding vision best!
Need more inspiration for your upcoming small intimate wedding? Check out Christie and Ramsey’s Estate elopement with family for more inspo!
If you are wanting an intimate wedding with family that looks similar to Janelle and Steven’s wedding, I have the perfect list of vendors to make it happen!
