Rainy and Emotional Montage Laguna Beach Wedding || Lucy + Chandler

Intimate Oceanfront Micro Wedding || Laguna Beach and Orange County Wedding Photographer

Lucy and Chandler had a thousand plans change due to Covid before they finally got to have a gorgeous little coastal elopement at the Montage Laguna Beach. To top it off, it truly never rains in Laguna, but the forecast called for all-day rain. I packed up my clear umbrellas, said a little prayer, and headed out the door to photograph a gorgeously intimate and emotional beachside wedding. The home-dotted cliffs of Laguna Beach reminded me so much of Italy’s Cinque Terre. Who knew you could find Italy in Orange County? 

They held their small ceremony on the romantic Oceanfront Lawn of the Montage. The lawn typically can hold up to 300 guests, but with cover restrictions, Chandler and Lucy decided to keep it much smaller, and it felt just right.

They followed their Montage Laguna Beach ceremony with a delicious reception at Mastro’s Ocean Club. The flower cloud installation are what floral dreams are made of. 

A few favorite highlights from this rainy wedding day at the Montage included:

Mimi and Papa. All frickin’ day, Chandler’s grandparents exemplified exactly what the wedding vows grow into. Peep their absolute loving sweetness below. Mimi’s reaction to seeing Lucy in her gown for the first time truly sent me.

Lucy’s gorgeous handwritten cards. Lucy is an artist of Greenwich Street Greetings (@greenwichstreetgreetings) so she hand-wrote the most beautiful place cards and personal letters to each and every one of her guests. 

Lucy’s gown by @allthatglittersonthegram (previously Miss Hayley Paige). The designer, Hayley, is going through legal hell and high water with the parent company JLM Couture, and the entire wedding industry is rallying behind her right now. Lucy had the coolest moment before walking down the aisle to Chandler–– Hayley’s sister happened to walk by at the Montage, congratulated Lucy, and asked if her gown was a Hayley Paige. The sister FaceTime called Hayley, and Lucy got to have a sweet chat with the kindest designer on planet earth as her processional music queued up. Photo of their FaceTime chat below!

Chandler’s reaction as Lucy walked down the aisle to him. While Lucy was still reeling from her chance encounter, Chandler was claiming title as the best response to seeing his bride for the first time. They skipped their first look for this moment, and it was perfect. Some of my absolutely favorite wedding photos are of Chandler crying when he saw Lucy.

The rain also miraculously let up for the ceremony overlooking the Pacific and then for another 15 minutes so we could run out and get some adventurous barefoot wedding portraits on the beach. I wouldn’t have changed a thing.


Photography: @safeenanoah
Videography: @_me2us
Dress: @allthatglittersonthegram (Hayley Paige)
Flowers: @chescamakesthings
Coordinator: @viancamcswain
Handmade paper: @farmette.co
Die cutting and printing: @czarpress
Paper good design: @greenwichstreetgreetings (Lucy) 

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