There is something deeply powerful about couples who choose to do things their own way. Andrea and Ingrid are exactly that kind of couple.
When they first reached out, they told me about their plan for a split wedding celebration. First, a quiet civil elopement, just the two of them, his parents and the most important people to them, focused entirely on what mattered most. Then, a month later, a vow renewal surrounded by the people they love, and those that they love to party with, at one of our favourite venues, Chateau Wyuna. Intimate, intentional, and beautifully them.
I adored the idea from the very beginning. A wedding doesn’t have to fit into one neat box to be meaningful. Sometimes, giving yourself permission to slow down, separate the moments, and truly be present makes the experience even richer.
Because their approach felt so joyful and so aligned with how I believe weddings should feel, I offered Andrea and Ingrid a complimentary engagement session. These are usually reserved for our larger packages, but honestly? They’re too good not to share. Engagement sessions aren’t about posing or perfection. They’re about connection, comfort, and learning how it feels to be photographed together before the wedding day arrives.
Half Moon Bay is my favourite beach, and luckily, it’s one Andrea and Ingrid love just as much. We planned their session for mid-afternoon, catching that golden end-of-summer light while avoiding most of the crowds. The result was calm, spacious, and unrushed. Exactly how it should be.
Watching them walk together along the shoreline, it was impossible not to smile. The way they looked at each other. The way they finished each other’s sentences. The easy laughter that kept bubbling up between quiet, affectionate moments. This is what real connection looks like, and it photographs beautifully without needing to be forced or staged.
There’s a kind of confidence that comes from being truly comfortable with your person. Andrea and Ingrid have that in abundance. Ingrid’s smile alone could light up an entire beach, and if it’s any indication of what their future holds, their life together will be filled with constant laughter, deep love, and the kind of joy that only grows with time.
While the summer colours of Half Moon Bay were vibrant and joyful, perfectly reflecting Andrea and Ingrid’s bright personalities, there is something quietly powerful about their story in black and white.
Stripped back from colour, the focus shifts to connection, expression, and emotion. Every glance, every laugh, every gentle touch becomes more pronounced, more intimate. These images feel timeless in a way that transcends seasons and trends, capturing the kind of love that doesn’t need embellishment to be felt. Just like Andrea and Ingrid themselves, the emotion in black and white lingers long after the moment has passed.
Stories like this are why we love elopements, registry office weddings, and split celebrations so much. They create space. Space to breathe, to feel, to be present. Space to celebrate your love in a way that reflects who you actually are, not what tradition says you should do.
Andrea and Ingrid’s journey is a reminder that your wedding journey can be quiet and bold, simple and layered, intimate and celebratory, all at once. You don’t have to choose just one version of your love story.
And if that story includes a beach you adore, a venue that feels just right, and moments where you can’t stop smiling at each other? Even better.
