OUR MALIBU ELOPEMENT
MALIBU, YOU’RE A DREAM.
Caleb and I have been to Malibu a few times, and it’s easily one of our favorite places. There’s something so appealing about driving down the Pacific Coast Highway, old vans lining the streets packed with surfboards and sun-kissed California locals. Every restaurant overlooking the water, every hike overlooking the most gorgeous views, and even though you see your fair share of Rolls Royces, Maybachs, and Hermes bags, everything about the town still feels so relaxed, so chic, so cool.
When we got engaged, I daydreamed of having our wedding at The Surfrider, one of our favorite boutique hotels. Though I knew it was unrealistic, I pictured it in my head over and over and over as I drove in my car. Eventually, I moved on from the thought and we planned our wedding to be held here in Minnesota.
Then, two months before our wedding, everything was turned upside down when our venue fell through. We had to take a serious pivot and re-plan everything that we had just spent two years envisioning. Our new plan consisted of two things — 1. A trip to Malibu, just us, to get away, relax, and have an elopement session with our photographer. And 2. A small ceremony back at home with our families, followed by a big party with all of our friends.
Through this process, we’ve gathered our tips for a successful Malibu elopement as well as our advice for going with the flow when it comes to your wedding that can be translated to the rest of life. Now, let’s get into it!
Since a lot of our wedding felt very synchronistic, I have to start with a story. When Caleb and I got to California, we first spent a few days in LA visiting friends. Then, we made the drive over to Malibu for the weekend. When we got to town, we stopped into Malibu Bungalows to order my bouquet. They were so sweet, and my bouquet was everything I could have dreamed of. Then, we went across the street for lunch at Duke’s Malibu. Duke’s is perched right above the ocean and serves the most delicious Hawaiin plates. Caleb and I got seated along the glass, waves crashing on the rocks beneath us, with a couple locals surfing just a few yards away. We quickly looked at each other with a smile as “Island In The Sun” by Weezer came on over the speakers.
This song brings back my first memory of Caleb. We met on a lake in his hometown and went boating with mutual friends. I couldn’t help but notice him in the back of the boat, singing every word as we drifted along the water on a picture-perfect summer day. As we heard this song come on here, almost as if Malibu was welcoming us in to a weekend we’ll never forget, we knew we were exactly where we were meant to be. Everything we had gone through, the changes we had to make, we knew it was all for a reason. It was a moment I’ll remember forever.
Now, let’s talk about the details!
First and foremost, hire a photographer that you trust that has an aesthetic you resonate with. We hired Ciara Grace Photography for both our engagement and wedding sessions. Once our venue fell through and we had the idea to go to Malibu, I instantly texted Ciara and she could not have been more accommodating. She is based in Arizona, so it ended up making more sense for her to drive to California than to fly to Minnesota and drive all the way to our hometowns, so it was a win-win. She made our day so easy and fun!
In addition to having a photographer, get a polaroid camera! We used ours in Malibu as well as at our Minnesota celebration, and the pictures are such good keepsakes. We have them in a little wooden bowl on display in our home. They bring me so much joy every time I look through them!
Stay somewhere you love. We stayed at our favorite — The Surfrider. This hotel provides the most high-quality experience and service ever. It’s a magical place, and we were fortunate enough to be there for our second time, back in the same room as before, The Pacific Room (#13). We were greeted with champagne when we arrived and enjoyed a complimentary happy hour on the rooftop. We woke up each morning to complimentary coffee served to our room with a weather and swell report for the day ahead. Not only does this hotel have incredible service, delicious food, and great amenities, its also in walking distance from two of our other favorite restaurants — Malibu Farm and Nobu. (We ate at both on this trip!) Sitting on the rooftop, sipping on an Iced Vanilla Latte with Oat Milk, watching the surfers across the street… it’s simply perfect.
When it comes to hair and makeup, do your research, come prepared with inspiration, and speak up if you don’t love the final result. Unfortunately, this is the one (and only) part of my experience that I wish I could re-do. I absolutely hated both my hair and makeup, but I was too nervous to say anything about it in the moment. So I left, had a small moment of panic, and ended up re-doing everything myself. I was able to salvage the actual bun in my hair as well as my lashes, so… that counts for something, right?
Prepare a general shot list. I had a Pinterest board of ideas and both Ciara and I had researched the best spots to take photos. We started at our hotel with some detail shots, us getting ready, and us having a little champagne to kick off the day. (Note: If you want to take photos on the rooftop at The Surfrider, you need to get prior approval and pay a fee. We did not decide to go this route as our room was beautiful enough and had a little sitting area outside the door where we popped the bubbly.) We then went to both El Matador Beach as well as Point Dume. I 10/10 recommend both spots, but be prepared to walk!
Lastly, HAVE FUN WITH IT. We had the best day ever. We were beaming ear to ear, we were laughing, and nothing else mattered. It was windy, my shoes and dress were soaked and covered in sand, and there were tons of people at the beach. We hardly even noticed them. The only thing we cared about was each other, and it was a gorgeous, perfect day. We read our vows in the sand as the waves crashed along the shore, and I felt so fulfilled, so loved, and so at peace. (It wasn’t the real deal, though. This was a good practice round. We made it official back at home, in front of our families, on September 16th, 2023.)
If you want to end your day with a romantic dinner, we recommend Nobu or Geoffrey’s. However, in very typical Jamie & Caleb fashion, we had spent the last few nights having nice dinners, and after the crazy day and riding an adrenaline high, we just wanted to chill. We put on comfy clothes, and we headed to Malibu Brewing Company for a beer and a bite! It was honestly perfect and felt so much like us. I guess you could say it was our version of hygge.
As I look back on how everything transpired, I can’t help but to think that the universe allows things to happen exactly as they should. Our elopement and wedding weekends both turned out to be better than we could have ever imaged. And, in a way, my initial daydream of spending our special day in Malibu came true. We could not have imagined either of these events to go any differently, and we are so grateful things happened as they did.
My advice for all brides would be to TRUST THE PROCESS. What feels like the biggest curveball or disappointment could turn into the biggest blessing! Just breathe, enjoy every step, try to stay flexible, and remember why you are here in the first place. Take moments to simply just BE with your partner. Laugh with them, dance with them, make memories along the way. The big day, or days, come and go so quickly. Savor in all that you can, invest in your photographer, pass out polaroid cameras to your friends, hug everyone who shows up for you, and LIVE IT UP. You will look back on these days for the rest of your life. Enjoy them!
ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
Dress: Jenny Yoo Blanca Gown from Anthropologie’s BHLDN
Shoes: Irenee Heels by Steve Madden
Earrings: Pearl Drop Earrings from Anthropolgie (Similar Option)
Photograher: Ciara Grace Photography
Florals: Malibu Bungalow
Hotel: The Surfrider
