Bryn and Taylor travelled from Texas to California for a two-day elopement split between the pink interiors of the Madonna Inn and the cliffs of Big Sur. They wanted the day to have a 1960s meets Americana feel, with a road trip vibe and classic Hollywood glamour.

Bryn’s dream wedding started when she saw the Madonna Inn’s Steakhouse on Pinterest. It reminded her of the interior of Howl’s Moving Castle, only bright pink! She wanted the outside shots to look like the scene when Howl ate the star, and the inside shots to look like Howl’s bedroom… but girly pop.

The couple skipped the conventional wedding structure and planned the weekend around dressing up, exploring and having their photographs taken. Bryn also wore rings inherited from several generations of women in her family.

“I felt my witchiest woo-woo self wearing all the rings from the women of my family line”, she said. “I inherited and brought my grandmother’s, two of my great-grandmother’s, and even one of my great-great-grandmother’s rings with me that day. Wearing their jewellery was like having all their strength combined. It made me feel very connected to the feminine divine, and it reminded me that I come from a long line of fierce women. Hell yeah.”

Bryn wore three vintage dresses, two of which were less than $100, and the third was under $200! She bought two custom veils on Etsy and one long red one from Amazon which looked amazing blowing around on the cliffs.

“Buying vintage pieces was not only more cost effective, but also allowed for greater individuality”, she said. “What are the chances of someone else having the same 60 year old dress as you? It was also fun to breathe new life into quality pieces that have been sitting in storage or in the back of a grandmother’s closet for decades.”

Taylor wore a vintage blue tuxedo, also bought secondhand and tailored to fit. They both did their own hair and makeup after turning to online tutorials for guidance. “Remember: you can teach yourself any skill if you are delusional enough and watch enough YouTube tutorials!” Bryn laughed.

Their photographer, Julia Goldburg, took the largest share of the budget. Bryn had found her work on Instagram three years earlier and immediately told Taylor she wanted Julia to photograph their eventual elopement. With no large ceremony or reception to fund, photography became one of the few elements they wanted to invest in. “If you can take away one piece of advice, let it be this: if the photographer can’t photograph every kind of person well, that is not a good photographer.” Julia was so much more than just a photographer. She helped them created the schedule, scouted locations and acted as the officiant.

The decision to elope suited them perfectly. They wanted privacy and time together without managing a guest list other people’s expectations. Their wedding became an adventure shared with the person documenting and officiating it. “You do not owe anyone a special day. If they want a big, expensive party and meal, nothing is stopping them from throwing a celebration for themselves. Anyone who makes you feel uncomfortable should not be there with you. Please prioritise your joy over the perceived societal pressures or knee-jerk reflex to people please.”

That same thinking ran through her approach to her sense of self throughout this process. She explained, “I am 34, weigh over 170lbs and have scars on my face. As a millennial, I remember women being torn to shreds for being anything over 130 pounds. I honestly can’t say I can remember ever seeing anyone over 30 depicted as the quintessential bride. I CERTAINLY have never seen a woman with facial scars in really any media. My hope is that someone who needs it will see themselves in these, and that we will all stop feeling like we all need to look the same in order to be considered beautiful.”