Jillian and Kyle eloped from their cold Chicago home to the warmth of Big Sur, California. They chose a simple day, with just their parents and for them a stress-free, small wedding was the perfect choice. Both grew up in Florida and when they first got engaged thought they would certainly have a southern wedding in Charleston, SC. But after spending over two years starting and stopping the planning process they decided an intimate wedding in the outdoors would better suit their personalities. “Breaking the news to close family and friends was difficult but we just didn’t want the stress of planning a big wedding,” says Jillian. Sometimes less is more and as these photos captured by Laura Hernandez Photography show, their day was brimming with love and beauty.

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“We’re very simple outdoorsy people and spend just about all of our free time hunting so a beautiful natural setting was really the only must have on our list,” says Jillian. “California came to mind since we’ve never had the opportunity to explore it together and we knew it would be a wonderful escape from the never ending hustle of Chicago, where we live now. After searching around, we stumbled across some gorgeous photos of Big Sur and basically just went for it figuring that we might as well choose a once in a lifetime destination that we may never have the chance to experience again. After visiting we threw that thought right out the window because we were already chomping at the bit to plan our next trip to the Pacific Coast. Big Sur’s serene landscape absolutely exceeded our expectations and Sarah made the day stress free and easy breezy which is exactly what we had hoped for. Having our parents there to share the peaceful experience and stunning views with us made it even more unforgettable.”

Photographer: Laura Hernandez Photography / Floral Designer: Connie J Moore Floral Design / Officiant: Denise Adkins / Makeup Artist: Esthetics & Makeup Artistry by Savannah / Pre Ceremony Location: Hyatt Carmel Highlands / Reception Venue: Hyatt Carmel Highlands / Event Planner: Sarah Ward Events / Submitted via Two Bright Lights