High-school sweethearts Erika and Garrett couldn’t let 2020 (and their 10-year anniversary) pass without at least one good thing happening, so when it got to December they decided to plan their elopement in just one week.

With a budget of $1,000, they just wanted to present their authentic selves on the day. They were originally due to get married at Seymour Marine Discovery Center in Santa Cruz, so as they loved their venue so much, decided to hold their elopement ceremony as close to it as they could.

Together with their ten guests, they walked to the ocean front bluff, for a simple ceremony performed by a mutual friend. Erika wore a dress from ASOS with a floral headband from Kochetova via Etsy, and her trusty Doc Martens. Garrett wore a Kenneth Cole suit from Macy’s. 

Erika’s bouquet ended up being completely free! “I’d attempted to get flowers from a local shop, but due to COVID they were all closed. I was left with little option than putting together my own bouquet with flowers from Whole Foods, and when I told them what it was for, the store gave them to me for free!”