When you think of beaches in Southern California, you probably picture sunshine, blue skies, and surfers catching waves, right? And while that is the scene here for most of the year, we sometimes experience “inclement weather” in the form of fog. (I joke with friends back home by saying, “Please pray for SoCal. Everything is fine, it’s just gloomy. ❤️”) But I have learned to love a foggy beach day. It practically guarantees an empty beach and creates a cozy, intimate vibe that feels like your own little world on the shore. Everyone dreams of perfect weather on their wedding day. But let me tell you, this foggy SoCal beach elopement flips the script in the dreamiest way possible!
I always encourage my couples to embrace the weather as it’s part of their wedding day story. Kinzy and Joseph knew Mother Nature would be doing her thing. So, it took very little convincing for these two to enjoy the weather. And by “very little convincing,” I mean we got a bit giddy about the empty beach and how the fog added an element of ✨drama✨ to the photos! And Laguna Beach was the perfect location to tell their story. They had their first date near this beach and got engaged just down the road. They spent the day visiting all of their favorite places and ended it by celebrating their elopement with photos. What’s not to be giddy about?
When you plan an elopement in Southern California, chances are you’ll be treated to that classic “perfect” weather. But sometimes, Mother Nature has her own plans. My advice when planning a beach elopement anywhere is to be ready to embrace whatever happens and make sure you have a photographer who does the same. Because you can plan for just about anything, but sometimes the unexpected is even better!
Chelsea Stratso is an elopement photographer based in Laguna Beach. While she has photographed sunny, rainy, and even snowy elopements, she loves a good foggy SoCal beach elopement. Click here to book.
