Non-Binary Elopement at the Santa Barbara Courthouse

Bryan + Skye

A gay ole elopment at the Santa Barbara Courthouse. <3

Non-Binary Elopement at the Santa Barbara Courthouse | Bryan + Skye

Bryan and Skye’s wedding day was centered on connection, intention, and doing things their own way. Their non-binary elopement began at the Santa Barbara Courthouse, followed by a laid-back celebration with friends and family at Brass Bear Brewing Uptown. It was meaningful, joyful, and grounded in the people they love most, exactly the kind of day we’re honored to document as Los Angeles wedding photographers serving couples across Southern California.

From Karaoke in Koreatown to “I Do”

Bryan and Skye met on an app, but their first date sealed the deal: karaoke in Koreatown. That mix of playfulness and sincerity carried all the way through their wedding day. They’re both big readers, comedy lovers, and board game enthusiasts, with Bryan balancing a Kindle habit alongside six full bookshelves. Their cats, Maren (named after Maren Morris) and Calcifer (a nod to Howl’s Moving Castle), are very much part of their shared world too.

A Courthouse Ceremony with Personal Meaning

Their ceremony took place at the iconic Santa Barbara Courthouse, a favorite spot for elopements thanks to its architecture, natural light, and intimate feel. They wore matching, beautifully tailored outfits made in the Philippines, adding another personal layer to the day. The courthouse setting felt calm and grounding.

Celebrating at Brass Bear Brewing Uptown

After the ceremony, everyone headed to Brass Bear Brewing Uptown to celebrate. Friends and family laughing, talking, reconnecting, and just enjoying being together.

Our Approach to Non-Binary and LGBTQ+ Weddings

As queer wedding photographers in LA County, we photograph weddings with the understanding that no two love stories look the same. Bryan and Skye’s day was a reminder that weddings do not need to follow a template to be meaningful. Our goal is always to create space where couples feel seen, accepted, and free to show up exactly as they are, especially for non-binary and LGBTQ+ couples navigating spaces that haven’t always been built with them in mind.

Planning a Courthouse or Elopement-Style Wedding?

We photograph elopements, courthouse weddings, and full wedding days throughout Southern California. If you’re looking for gay LA wedding photographers, LGBTQ+ wedding photography in Los Angeles, or a Los Angeles wedding photographer who values authenticity over trends, we’d love to connect.

Vendor & Location Notes

• Ceremony: Santa Barbara Courthouse

• Celebration: Brass Bear Brewing Uptown, Santa Barbara

• Coordinator: Lucky Penny Events

Sri Lanken Long Beach Wedding

Wedding at the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach!

Nimesh + Alex Wedding in Long Beach. <3

If you’re searching for a wedding photographer in Los Angeles,

check out more of our work below, or contact us here. <3

Millwick Gay Oasis

Desert Island Wedding

SmogShoppe Marriage Equality

DTLA engagement

Grassroom Wedding - Queer Non-Binary

Puppy Engagement Session

Jonathan Club Wedding

DTLA Millwick Wedding

Valentine DTLA Dinosaurs

LGBTQ Love + Dog

Catalina View Gardens - Non-Binary Wedding

RedBird Wedding

Ebell of Long Beach

Beach Lezbo Wedding

valentine dtla wedding

Vibrant Sri Lankan Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach

This wedding at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach was bold, colorful, and full of life from start to finish. The traditional Sri Lankan ceremony vibrantly started off the weekend of celebrations. As Los Angeles wedding photographers serving LA County and beyond.

A Traditional Sri Lankan Ceremony with Stunning Florals

The outdoor ceremony took place in the Hyatt Regency’s park setting, surrounded by a pond and greenery that made the space feel calm and expansive. The mandap was the heart of the ceremony, framed by truly massive florals designed by Florals by Inessa. The scale and color of the florals were incredible and perfectly matched the vibrancy of the Sri Lankan traditional attire worn during the ceremony.

The ceremony itself was long and deeply meaningful, filled with rituals, symbolism, and moments that unfolded slowly and intentionally.

Why the Hyatt Regency Long Beach Worked So Well

The couple loved the combination of the pond, the park-like outdoor ceremony space, and the open layout of the venue. The Hyatt Regency Long Beach offers a rare mix of natural elements and polished event spaces, making it an ideal venue for cultural weddings that need room, flexibility, and visual impact.

As LA County wedding photographers, we approach weddings like this with equal parts documentary awareness and intentional composition.

A Celebration That Kept the Energy High

The celebration was just as dynamic as the ceremony. Sharkpig captured the day on video, while music by Waveform kept the energy going. Coordination by Emilee Sutherland ensured everything flowed smoothly, and catering by Jay Bharat added another layer of cultural richness to the weekend.

Photographing Weddings Across Los Angeles County

We photograph weddings throughout Long Beach, Los Angeles County, and Southern California. If you’re looking for gay LA wedding photographers, LGBTQ+ wedding photography in Los Angeles, or a Los Angeles wedding photographer who values candid moments, bold color, and documentary storytelling, we’d love to connect.

Vendor Team

• Venue: Hyatt Regency Long Beach

• Florals: Florals by Inessa

• Videography: Sharkpig

• DJ: Waveform

• Coordinator: Emilee Sutherland

• Catering: Jay Bharat (Friday)

Gay LA Wedding

Grassroom Lesbian Wedding for Sara + Emily!!

We loved being the photographers for this gay DTLA wedding. <3

Joyful Lesbian Wedding in Downtown Los Angeles | Sara + Emily

Sara and Emily’s wedding day was joyful, vibrant, and completely centered on love and community. Their celebration took place in Downtown Los Angeles at Grass Room, with getting ready just down the street at Flora Chang. From start to finish, this was the kind of wedding that reminds us why we love photographing LGBTQ+ weddings in Los Angeles.

From College Move-In Day to Wedding Day

Sara and Emily first met while moving into their freshman-year dorms. They didn’t start dating until years later, when a mutual friend reconnected them in New York, a friend who would eventually officiate their wedding. After more than six years together, their day felt less like a formal production and more like a celebration that had been building for a long time.

They share their life with a very cute and very chaotic orange cat named Duck Duck, love rewatching favorite TV shows, spending time with friends, and exploring cocktail bars around the city. That energy showed up everywhere on their wedding day.

Sara and Emily chose to get ready together at Flora Chang, with about 15 people sharing the space. Hair and makeup happened side by side, followed by getting dressed separately and then a first look. The decision to share the morning set the tone for the day. Calm, connected, and full of anticipation rather than nerves.

A Festive Ceremony and Celebration at Grass Room

The ceremony and reception took place at Grass Room in Downtown Los Angeles, a venue known for its bold colors, plants, greenery, and relaxed, non-stuffy feel. With around 130 guests and a wedding party of 14, the space felt alive.

Sara and Emily loved the vibrancy of the venue. The ceremony was emotional and joyful, and their first dance to Dreams by The Cranberries started with just the two of them before family and friends joined in, one of those moments that perfectly reflected their priorities.

What They Wanted Most in Their Photos

If Sara and Emily could walk away with just a handful of images, they wanted:

• The two of them, simply being in love

• Family photos that feel natural and meaningful

• Candids full of joy and movement

• Ceremony moments that reflect how it felt to be there

They were clear about one thing they didn’t want: anything that required being overly serious or posed. That clarity made it easy to photograph the day in a way that felt honest and relaxed.

Photographing Lesbian Weddings in Los Angeles

As gay LA wedding photographers and queer wedding photographers in LA County, we approach weddings like this with a documentary mindset. Our focus is always on capturing real connection, not forcing moments that don’t feel natural. Sara and Emily’s wedding was a perfect example of how vibrant, joyful, and intimate a Los Angeles wedding can be when it’s built around the people and the energy that matter most.

Vendors

• Venue: Grass Room, Downtown Los Angeles

• Getting Ready Location: Flora Chang

• Bar: Pop the Champagne

• Bar: Little Branch

• Beauty: Angeleno Beauty

• Music: DK Keelez

• Rentals: Fundamentals

Planning a Wedding in Los Angeles?

We photograph weddings throughout Downtown LA, Los Angeles County, and Southern California. If you’re looking for gay LA wedding photographers, LGBTQ LA wedding photography, or a Los Angeles wedding photographer who prioritizes candid moments, joy, and real connection, we’d love to chat.

Gay LA SmogShoppe Wedding

Cliff + Warin

Sneak Peeks from this gay SmogShoppe wedding. <3

SmogShoppe Wedding in Los Angeles | Casual, Joyful, and Unapologetically Themselves

There’s something grounding about a wedding that doesn’t try to perform. No pressure to follow tradition, no need to impress, just people showing up and being present. That’s exactly what Cliff and Warin’s wedding at SmogShoppe felt like: relaxed, joyful, and deeply personal.

Set in the heart of Culver City, SmogShoppe offered the perfect backdrop. Lush greenery climbing every wall, warm textures throughout the space, and an atmosphere that feels private and inviting despite being right in Los Angeles. As gay LA wedding photographers, this is the kind of venue and energy we’re always excited to document.

Why We Love Photographing Weddings at SmogShoppe

SmogShoppe is one of those Los Angeles venues that feels effortlessly cool. Part urban garden, part art space, part hidden oasis. Cliff and Warin were drawn to the plant walls, the natural courtyard light, and the sense of calm the space creates.

They spent the morning getting ready together upstairs, side by side, easing into the day at their own pace. Right before the ceremony, a barber came through to give them fresh haircuts, one of those small, thoughtful moments that perfectly reflected their approach to the day.

Ceremony Highlights

Their celebration included both a Western ceremony and a Thai water ceremony, where each guest poured water over their hands and offered a blessing. It was emotional, community-centered, and quietly powerful. The kind of ritual that makes everyone in the room feel connected.

They skipped a traditional first dance and grand entrances entirely. Instead, the evening unfolded naturally with cocktails, laughter, and easy conversations that carried on well into the night.

With just 75 guests, no wedding party, and a clear focus on candid moments, it was exactly the type of wedding we love to photograph, one that feels like a true reflection of the couple.

Cliff + Warin

Cliff and Warin have a way of making everyone around them feel comfortable. Their humor, warmth, and ease with each other translated into photos that feel natural and unforced. No stiff posing, no over-directing. Just real smiles, real connection, and real joy.

Vendor Team

• Coordinator: The Love Riot (Trista Bloom)

• Catering + Bar: Guelaguetza

• Florals: Designed by a close friend

• Most details: Thoughtfully DIY

Inclusive Wedding Photography in Los Angeles

As queer, LGBTQ wedding photographers based in Los Angeles, days like this are exactly why we do what we do. SmogShoppe attracts couples who care more about connection than perfection, and that energy comes through in every part of the celebration.

If you’re planning a SmogShoppe wedding or searching for gay LA wedding photographers, LGBTQ wedding photography in Los Angeles, or a Los Angeles wedding photographer who prioritizes candid, joy-filled storytelling, we’d love to document your day exactly as it is.

We’re always excited to tell love stories that feel honest, relaxed, and entirely your own.

Hummingbird Ranch Wedding

Jess + John

A Fall wedding at the Hummingbird Ranch. <3

Just sneak peeks for now. <3

Hummingbird Nest Ranch Wedding in Los Angeles | Romantic, Vibrant, and Inviting

Just outside of Los Angeles, tucked into the mountains, Hummingbird Nest Ranch feels like stepping into another world. With its Mediterranean architecture, sprawling gardens, mountain views, and fountains echoing through the courtyards, it’s a venue that feels cinematic and peaceful all at once. For Jess and John, it was the perfect setting for a romantic, vibrant, and inviting fall wedding surrounded by nearly 200 of their favorite people.

As Los Angeles wedding photographers, we love venues that offer both beauty and breathing room, places where a wedding can feel expansive while still deeply personal. This day was exactly that.

A Venue That Feels Like a Dream

Hummingbird Nest Ranch offers endless spaces for photographs, each with its own distinct energy. Throughout the day, we moved through:

• Mountain views glowing during golden hour

• Cascading bougainvillea framing archways and walkways

• Iron gates and colorful tiled steps where Jess and John shared their first portraits together

• The villa courtyard fountain, which naturally became a gathering point as the evening settled in

From the grand villa steps to the open lawns beyond, every corner of the venue is designed for connection and celebration. It’s the kind of place where moments unfold naturally and linger long after the music ends.

Jess + John

From the moment guests began arriving, the day felt warm and full. Friends and family greeting each other with hugs, laughter floating through the gardens, and that unmistakable feeling that something special was about to happen.

Jess and John shared an emotional first look before the ceremony, a quiet pause together in the middle of a full, joyful day. Their first dance to Can’t Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli captured the heart of their relationship perfectly, classic, joyful, and completely sincere.

Photographing Weddings at Hummingbird Nest Ranch

With a guest count of around 200, the celebration felt lively and expansive, yet still intimate in all the right ways. Hummingbird Nest Ranch is especially well-suited for weddings like this, where guests can move, mingle, and experience the day across multiple spaces without anything feeling rushed or crowded.

Our approach focused on candid moments, movement, and the natural rhythm of the day, letting the environment and the people shape the story rather than forcing anything into place.

Vendor Team

• Coordinator: Thread

• Florals: The Little Branch

• Makeup: Kelly Zhang Studio

• DJ: Dart Collective

• Video: Art of You

• Catering: Tres LA

• Attire: Dresses by Sarah Seven (Sept) and Vivienne Westwood from Loho Bride, suit by The Black Tux, rings by Brilliant Earth

Inclusive Wedding Photography in Los Angeles

As queer, LGBTQ wedding photographers based in Los Angeles, we’re drawn to venues like Hummingbird Nest Ranch, spaces that celebrate warmth, color, and connection. Whether we’re photographing a fall wedding surrounded by bougainvillea or a downtown LA celebration, our goal is always the same: to document the day honestly, with care, and with an eye for the moments that actually matter.

If you’re planning a wedding at Hummingbird Nest Ranch or searching for gay LA wedding photographers, LGBTQ wedding photography in Los Angeles, or a Los Angeles wedding photographer who prioritizes candid, joy-filled storytelling, we’d love to connect.

We’re always excited to tell love stories, wherever they unfold.

✨ Ready to plan your Hummingbird Nest Ranch wedding or searching for Los Angeles LGBTQ wedding photographers? Contact us. <3

We’d love to tell your story, wherever it unfolds.