Jeanée and Danny once lived in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a mountain range which sits to the south of San Francisco, and is full of California’s rich ecological diversity. Though the pair had since moved away, they fondly remembered exploring the lush coastal forests and open meadows, and itched to return for their elopement. Though lesser-known outside of the region, the Santa Cruz Mountains are the kind of local treasure where you can stop by a sandy beach, a rugged ocean bluff, a deep green redwood forest, and an open golden grassland (the state’s iconic “golden hills”) all within a single day - and without having to roam any more than a half hour or so in each direction.
The couple chose a special spot in El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve, one of several parks and preserves that form a chain of wild open spaces along the crest of the mountain range. With just a short, mild walk along a trail to reach it, the location featured a quiet clearing in the trees, a lush assortment of native California plants including madrone, tanoak, and manzanita, a picnic table where they could toast with champagne, and an open view that would have stretched through the mountains to the ocean on a clearer day.
This fall evening was shrouded in mist, lending drama to the environment and softening the light into subtly dreamy haze. The ceremony was punctuated by bursts of sprinkling rain, ending unforgettably with a rain-drenched kiss under the dripping trees.
They popped open a bottle of celebratory champagne and roamed the area surrounding the clearing as we took a few portraits, focusing on each other and basking in the moment and the experience they were having. When the sun sank low behind the mist, the clearing was illuminated with a soft pink light and the pair packed up their things to head back to the trailhead, stopping mid-hike for an impromptu first dance under the trees.
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