I knew from the second Khadeejah and Jabraan reached out that their day was going to be special. Not just because of the location (although Big Sur always delivers), but because of them. Because of their vision and willingness to ditch the rulebook and craft a day that felt entirely their own!

Even though they live in Georgia, Khadeejah had always dreamed of eloping somewhere on the West Coast with huge epic cliffs overlooking the ocean. Big Sur turned out to be the perfect place to bring that dream to life! What unfolded was a non-traditional Indian elopement full of adventure, cinematic vibes, and pure joy.

Khadeejah shared with me early on that what they were planning was not traditional in her culture. Indian weddings are often multi-day events, filled with family, tradition, and large ceremonies. But this was just the two of them, a vintage car, some cigars, and the California coastline!

We started their shoot at Garrapata State Park, my go-to favorite elopement spot in Big Sur.  It's incredibly diverse and has countless vista points that overlook the beautiful Pacific Ocean. You can really spend hours here, capturing amazing shots and enjoying the beautiful scenery. The weather is typically beautiful all year around as well, which makes it so much fun to be in no matter what month of the year you are in.

Some of my favorite shots from the day are at Bixby Bridge and on the beach. They came out so beautiful and captured so much emotion! Honestly, I have a lot of favorites from this day… how can I not?!

Let’s talk about this awesome vintage car for a second. Khadeejah and Jabraan rented the most amazing classic car, and it added such a fun element to the day. We pulled over on the side of the highway, lit some cigars, and went full cinematic mode. There’s one shot where Jabraan is blowing smoke across Khadeejah’s face and they look like they belong on a movie poster!

Khadeejah and Jabraan’s non-traditional Indian elopement was one of those days that makes me feel like the luckiest Big Sur wedding photographer.

Not only were these two lovebirds so much fun, but the whole day went incredibly smooth and exactly as planned. We couldn't have asked for better weather, or a better day. It was all perfect!

If you’re dreaming up your own non-traditional Indian elopement or just looking for a way to make your wedding day reflect you, let this be your sign: you can do it differently. You don’t need a ballroom or a crowd. You just need a vision, a beautiful place, and a photographer who’s down to chase golden light with you.

Khadeejah and Jabraan’s day was elegant, adventurous, full of love and laughter, and it was everything an elopement should be!