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Being a California wedding photographer is filled with perks. Like starting off 2023 with this romantic Hawaiian-vibe wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca in California with Kayla and Cameron!  

The couple met in 2021 at a brewery in Oahu and soon felt like they’d known each other for a lifetime. They eloped in 2022 privately but wanted a fun ceremony in California with their favorite people.

As Kayla put it, “We believe in the moments and memories of things; they make the largest impacts on life. We wanted our families to be at our public ceremony without sides or assigned seating. Just one big family to celebrate our new start in life!”

This couple had a beautiful wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca and had some incredible vendors that knocked it out of the park. I’ll share more about the venue and vendors below.

But first, let’s start with some photos from the beginning of their wedding day.

California wedding photos of bride and groom at sunset outside of Fairview Laguna Seca wedding venue

Getting Ready: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at this California Wedding

When I arrived to photograph Kayla and Cameron getting ready for their big day, I was excited to see traditional Hawaiian leis. They wanted to pay homage to their love story by incorporating leis and flowers from their Hawaii elopement into their California wedding. 

As someone who has lived in Hawaii and visits yearly, I know how deep Island living can stick with you. I feel a deep sense of connection every time I visit. So I was really happy these two pulled together a wedding ceremony that included elements from their elopement.

Check out Kayla’s sneakers (in the last photo below) as her wedding shoe of choice! I love when couples include personal touches like this. It makes their wedding day really feel unique and “them.”

collage of bride and groom at their california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca
collage of photos of bride getting dressed for her california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca wedding venue
collage of photos of bride getting dressed for her california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca wedding venue
collage of photos of bride getting dressed for her california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca wedding venue

First Looks with Kayla’s Dad

One of the most sentimental parts of being a California wedding photographer is capturing intimate moments. First looks are one of those moments I’m always so excited about. Whether the first look is between the bride and her partner or the bride and her dad, it’s such a fun moment to capture.

After Kayla had her first look with her dad, she adorned him with a lei, and they compared sneakers. Again – such a fun moment I was glad I caught it on film (well, digital – but you get it!) 

collage of bride and her dad at her california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca
collage of bride and her dad at her california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca
How cute is he?!
collage of bride and her parents at her california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca

Outdoor Wedding Ceremony at Fairview Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA

This was the first time I’d photographed a wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca, and I have to say, I was impressed! All I knew of the place before doing some research was that it was a golf course. But it’s so much more than that.

Fairview Laguna Seca is an all-inclusive wedding retreat (and country club venue) just a short drive from Carmel Valley, Big Sur, San Jose, and Santa Cruz. So if you’re planning a wedding in the area, I’d highly recommend checking this place out.

venue photos of California wedding venue Fairview Laguna Seca

The ceremony was held outdoors with a beautiful backdrop of mountains and valleys. The couple kept things short and sweet and included touches of their love for Hawaii.

collage of photos of California wedding ceremony showing guests having traditional Hawaiian leis put on as they arrived
One of the wedding attendees put leis on the wedding party and mothers as they walked in—such a cool touch.
photo of bride and groom mothers at California wedding ceremony
Mother of the Bride and Mother of the Groom – could these two be any cuter?
collage of photos from Hawaiian themed California wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca
photos from Hawaiian themed California wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca
bride and her father walking down the aisle at her California wedding
bride and groom exchanging vows at their destination California wedding
bride and groom exchanging vows at their destination California wedding
bride and groom exchanging vows at their destination California wedding
bride and groom exchanging vows at their destination California wedding
bride and groom kissing at their destination California wedding
bride and groom kissing at their destination California wedding
bride and groom at alter at their destination California wedding

After the ceremony, we took group photos of Kayla and Cameron’s family and friends since that was an important part of their California wedding in the first place.

group family and friends photos from california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca
group family and friends photos from california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca
group family and friends photos from california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca
group family and friends photos from california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca
group family and friends photos from california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca
group family and friends photos from california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca
group family and friends photos from california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca
group family and friends photos from california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca

Bride and Groom SOLO Wedding Portraits

If you’ve read any of my elopement or wedding blogs in the past, you’ll know that one of my favorite parts of a wedding day is to “sneak” off with the bride and groom for their solo wedding photos.

We waited until just before sunset and took off in a golf cart to find the perfect spots for photos. We had so much fun checking out the area together, and I’m OBSESSED with how these photos turned out!

photo of bride and groom on golf cart at their California wedding
collage of California wedding photos of bride and groom at Fairview Laguna Seca wedding venue
California wedding photos of bride and groom at sunset outside of Fairview Laguna Seca wedding venue
California wedding photos of bride and groom at sunset outside of Fairview Laguna Seca wedding venue
photo of bride and groom under arches outside at California wedding
collage of California wedding photos of bride and groom at Fairview Laguna Seca wedding venue
photo of bride and groom embracing wearing Hawaiian leis at their California wedding
sunset photo of bride and groom at their california wedding

The Fun and Festivities of the Couple’s California Wedding Reception

The wedding reception took place indoors, and it was pretty clear that everyone was ready to PAR-TAAAY!

From the grand entrance of the couple to the sparkler exit, their California wedding was buzzing with excitement!

bride and groom making their grand entrance to their wedding reception at Fairview Laguna Seca
bride and groom having first dance at their California wedding
bride and groom having first dance at their California wedding
I’m kinda loving the retro look of the dance floor area. It looks so modern-retro!
bride and groom cutting and eating cake at their wedding reception at Fairview Laguna Seca
table setup with polaroids and guest signing at California wedding
Again with the small touches. The couple had a Polaroid camera and Sharpies as part of their “guest book,” which is unconventional but a cool idea – a visual reminder of all of their loved ones.
collage of photos of wedding guests dancing and having a great time at California wedding reception at Fairview Laguna Seca wedding venue
The dance floor was NEVER empty! This is the kind of energy I love to see at weddings!
collage of photos of wedding guests dancing and having a great time at California wedding reception at Fairview Laguna Seca wedding venue
bride and groom under sparkler exit at their destination California wedding
Kayla and Cameron chose to have a sparkler exit, which was really fun for everyone to participate.

Vendor Shout Outs

This blog wouldn’t be complete without thanking the wonderful vendors who helped Kayla and Cameron’s Hawaiian vibe wedding come to life.

The couple really wanted florals to closely resemble the Hawaii bouquet Kayla had at their elopement, and Flore De Monterey killed it!

Kayla’s dress was by Vow’d Weddings, and it was perfect for the vibe of their wedding. And, of course, the venue, Fairview Laguna Seca, provided the most scenic backdrop for the entire day.

california wedding photographer photos of hawaiian bridal bouquet and close up of wedding rings
collage of photos of bride getting dressed for her california wedding at Fairview Laguna Seca wedding venue
close up detail photos of shoes, flowers, and rings from a california coastal wedding
collage of California wedding photos of bride and groom at Fairview Laguna Seca wedding venue

Looking for a California Wedding Photographer?

Planning a wedding takes a lot of work; I get it. If you’re hoping to check one of those to-do boxes off your list, I’d love to be considered as your California wedding photographer!

You can check out more of my wedding photography throughout my featured blog posts or visit my IG.

Ready to chat with me about your wedding or elopement?

Send me a note here, and I’ll be in touch!


Anastasia is the photographer and creative mind behind Gypsy Tales Photo. She’s a California wedding photographer, elopement photographer, and destination wedding photographer!

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