CALIFORNIA ELOPEMENT & SMALL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

California Elopement Photographer
Destination elopement photographer

Queenie & Phillip
Mt. Rainier, WA

DOCUMENTING THE ADVENTURE OF YOUR LOVE STORY

Center your wedding day around the people you love, not just the favors or table settings. Embracing California's natural beauty, Meg's Marvels Photography captures small weddings and elopements that celebrate the authentic, adventurous, real moments. Walk away with beautiful, heartwarming photos you can revisit and share with loved ones over a lifetime.

Destination elopement photographer

Annie & Scott | Zion National Park, UT

Northern California engagement photographer

Dajah & Alex | San Francsico, CA

STEPS TO BRINGING YOUR DREAM PHOTOS TO LIFE

  • STEP 01

    INQUIRE

    1 | Reach out through my site and tell me the vision for your wedding day (it’s okay if you’re still figuring out the details!). Together, we’ll make sure we’re a great fit and then can work together to finalize the details.

    2 | Once availability is confirmed, we’ll set up a time to talk and make sure we connect. Comfort is key to good photos, and I’ll be by your side most of the wedding day, so my goal is to feel like just another friend on the day! :)

    California elopement photographer

  • STEP 02

    DREAMING UP THE PERFECT WEDDING DAY

    It’s time to start brainstorming your dream wedding day. I can help with locations and itineraries to start sorting through what would make for the best day for you! Plus, I’ll send over my planning guide to help you along the way.

    micro wedding photographer California

  • STEP 03

    PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN

    To ensure stunning photos and an amazing wedding day, we’ll put together a timeline. This can ensure we plan for the best light (aka the best photos) and to ensure the day doesn’t feel rushed. I’ll work with you on the small details to make sure you have a day that is low-stress and you’ll get all the photos you dreamed of.

    California small wedding photographer

  • STEP 04

    PREP FOR THE WEDDING

    With week-of packing lists and reminders to the day of the wedding, I’ll be here to make sure you’re set up and ready to enjoy your day.

    Yosemite national park elopement photographer

  • STEP 05

    YOUR WEDDING DAY

    Relax, enjoy, and trust that I’ll capture so many beautiful memories for you both.

    Elopement photographer California
California elopement photographer
California small wedding photographer

HEY, I’M MEG!

I’m an adventurous homebody who loves spending time outside exploring with my husband + our poodle. I’ve been photographing love stories since 2017 and have become obsessed with capturing small wedding days that are full of adventure, love, and as little stress as possible for my fellow outdoor enthusiasts, introverts, and fun-loving couples.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I always want to be transparent and aim to answer all your questions before you even book. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions I get asked as a California elopement photographer:

  • First, fill out my contact form so I can learn all about you two and your intimate wedding day. If you think we’d be a great fit, we can either set up a call to answer any lingering questions/brainstorm ideas OR jump in right away. As soon as you have a date & general idea for the location, I just need a signed contract and retainer to save your date and I’ll officially be yours to capture this awesome adventure.

  • I am currently based in Walnut Creek, CA which is the perfect central location to explore Northern California - including SF/Bay Area, Yosemite, Big Sur, Tahoe, and so on. I am always open to traveling outside of this area for small weddings + elopements, though most of my sessions take place either around my travel plans or within an hour of Walnut Creek, CA. For information on my travel pricing or travel plans, reach out!

  • Besides the fact that I am very goofy and loving and know more Office quotes than are good for me… as a photographer, I go beyond just showing up and taking photos on your wedding day. Not only do I want to create a space that feels comfortable and inviting since taking photos can be outside of most people’s comfort zones, but I’m here to help. I aim to make things easier for you by making suggestions, offering advice, answering questions, and providing recommendations where I can! While I’m not a full-service wedding planner, I’ve been doing this long enough that I want to share what I’ve learned and keep this process exciting and fun!

  • This varies from event to event, but for me, it’s often the intention of the day. The majority of small weddings/elopements I photograph have groups from around 0-60 guests and often focus on what’s important to the couple while skipping traditions that don’t fit.

  • While I’m not a full-service planner, I love getting to work with couples before the wedding day and help make the process easier when I can. Most often I help couples with finding locations, putting together timelines and shot lists, bouncing around ideas for itineraries, and answering any questions I can along the way. I also have a pretty in-depth welcome guide that should help out as a reference as you plan!

on the blog

GETTING READY FOR YOUR BIG DAY

blog
Dreamy Spring Yosemite Elopement
Dreamy Spring Yosemite Elopement
15 Small Wedding Venues in Northern California
15 Small Wedding Venues in Northern California
Picturesque Yosemite Elopement
Picturesque Yosemite Elopement
California Engagement With A Coastal Picnic
California Engagement With A Coastal Picnic
A China Cabin Wedding Story
A China Cabin Wedding Story
Elopement Along San Francisco's Northern Coast
Elopement Along San Francisco's Northern Coast
Stylish Conservatory of Flowers Wedding
Stylish Conservatory of Flowers Wedding
Dreamy Small Wedding on the Shores of Kauai
Dreamy Small Wedding on the Shores of Kauai

  • Her photos speak to the soul and she is beyond talented when it comes to all things eye catching.

    I CANNOT form enough words to articulate how absolutely amazing Meg is. The moment I came across her website and saw her awe-inspiring photos, I just knew she was the one for our wedding. Her photos speak to the soul and she is beyond talented when it comes to all things eye catching. Meg runs a well oiled machine with her business. She's on top of things at all times, always in contact when needed and ahead of the ball.. something that is helpful during the stressful and chaotic time of wedding planning. Beyond her limitless photography talent, Meg herself is a genuine soul. We absolutely LOVE her and our family continues to talk about how great she was on our big day. I would get married all over again just to have Meg by our side, we miss her! So, if you're looking for an engagement/couples/wedding photographer, look no further! Meg's Marvels is superior when it comes to photography. Remember, you get what you pay for!

    - Jen & Andy

  • If you are considering hiring Meg, stop thinking about it and hire her now!!

    My husband and I hired Meg for our engagement and small wedding photos. From start to finish, we had an incredible experience and we have gorgeous images to treasure forever. Meg has an incredible eye for composing a photograph and is a joy to work with. If you are considering hiring Meg, stop thinking about it and hire her now!! Meg made every single part of the planning process fun and easy. We honestly were never once stressed about anything photo related, from the engagement session to the wedding- and that speaks for itself! Meg’s detailed timeline and pre-planning questionnaire were above and beyond. From the moment we first spoke to Meg on the phone, we connected with her. She was a calming, reassuring presence to us throughout the wedding and our friends and family are still raving about her and her photos. The only hard part of this experience is choosing which of the many images we will print!

    - Kellen & Alonzo

  • Meg is incredible! From the moment we reached out, she was easy to communicate with, flexible, knowledgeable and a joy to work with. Her knowledge of elopements/small weddings made the whole day stress-free.

    Meg is incredible! From the moment we reached out, she was easy to communicate with, flexible, knowledgeable and a joy to work with. Her knowledge of elopements/small weddings made the whole day stress-free. She provided a comprehensive wedding guide beforehand that was so informative and gave details and suggestions for so many parts of the wedding that made the entire preparation process easier for us. The pictures turned out gorgeous! She was able to capture so many moments with viewpoints throughout the afternoon that left us and our families in awe. Meg has a welcoming and personable aura to her that made the day intimate yet fun! We feel so lucky to have been able to have Meg be part of our special day! Cannot recommend her enough!! Reach out early because she books out fast!

    - Vicki & Michael

  • Meg really listened to our wants and desires for our wedding and planned different options for locations...

    Where to start! Meg is a phenomenal and very talented photographer and person. Her pictures speak for themselves, no words needed! We found her on Instagram and were blown away, had a phone consultation and knew that we wanted to work with Meg.

    We got married halfway across the country in a place we had never been to. Meg really listened to our wants and desires for our wedding and planned different options for locations and timelines that matched with what we wanted. We truly could not have done it without her.

    We were very nervous about getting pictures done and Meg made us comfortable and laugh the whole time. We had a small intimate wedding and she made everyone else feel comfortable as well.

    Our wedding day was everything we wanted and more. We will cherish the memories and pictures forever. Plus, everyone we show our pictures to are blown away as well.

    - Anna & Ryan

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Let’s Dream Up Your Perfect California Elopement Day Planning Guide

Sign up below for weekly elopement planning tips & inspiration and get access to my guide planning checklist on turning your dream elopement into a reality.

 Follow along on more adventures

Every love story is unique. To tag along on some of my past photo work, join me on Instagram. @megs_marvels

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It’s just now nearing the end of the season for Yosemite, and I’m already trying to figure out how I can get out to this beautiful place more in 2025. I mean, look at these photos of Krista & Andrew’s September wedding
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Quick Tip for Small Weddings - If there are things you love to do together on your weekends off or when you travel, include those things in your wedding day!! Even better if you are including your loved ones in the experience. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ One
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ These photos feel like a movie to me. I can’t explain better than that, but I’m very excited to share them anyhow. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ with @_diana_eira & Chris + + #sfengagement #sfcouple #sfphotographer #bayareaengagement
THIS MORNING WAS SO MUCH FUN ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I get to revisit a lot of locations which I do love - no sunset is ever exactly the same - but I always get SO excited to check out places that I haven’t photographed yet. So when I found out Deena & G
Not only was there adorable dogs, skateboard/scooter adventure, + lots of laughs - but these two sent me home with the yummiest home-made jam. I will probably be sharing photos from this session for a while to come :D with Jess + Shawn
From their elopement, wedding, gender reveal, newborn, to family photos, I’ve been photographing Maureen & Marcus since 2021. While I love specializing in small wedding and elopement photography, nothing beats celebrating life’s bigge