Oh friends are y’all in for a treat, today!! We had been looking forward to Eli and Emma’s Surf and Sand Resort wedding in Laguna Beach for nearly a year now. I remember when we had our first Skype date with them, chatting about their plans and they told us about their venue, and we wanted to pinch ourselves because it sounded like an absolute dream come true! Plus, any opportunity to work with Sarah Bond of Grace and Gold Events and we KNOW it’s going to be a dream wedding.

Their wedding day was absolutely incredible – we loved absolutely every minute of their big day. In the days leading up to it, we all had some concerns about the weather because it was forecasting a wicked bad storm system to be rolling through Southern California (in May, so weird right?!) … but Emma and Eli did not panic. They did not freak out, get angry or get upset: on more than one occasion they both said that rain or shine, it did not matter; what truly mattered was that at the end of the day they would be husband and wife, surrounded by their closest family and friends.

I was a thousand percent sure all our beautiful beach portraits were going to be tossed out the window and we’d have to roll to Plan B … but miracle of miracles, right at the beginning of the ceremony the clouds parted, the sun came out, and the rain steered clear all throughout the day until the tail end of the reception. Even though it was the windiest wedding we’ve ever shot (you can see everyone’s hair blowing around in the photos), the rooftop beachfront ceremony at the Surf and Sand Resort was beyond incredible.

And once the party came inside? Pfffft. I don’t think there’s any wedding that could be more fun than a wedding infused with cultural traditions like the hora! The reception was one of the best we’ve ever been to, DJ Mike Rylander from VOX DJ’s did an incredible job keeping everyone on the dance floor!!

We’d love to say THANK YOU to Emma + Eli’s incredibly rad creative team, who came together to make their Surf and Sand Resort Wedding absolutely incredible!

venue Surf and Sand Resort

wedding planner Sarah Bond, Grace and Gold Events

beauty Swell Beauty floral My Wedding Blooms officiant Rabbi Eva Sax-Bolder dj Mike Rylander, VOX DJ’s wedding cake Cinderella Cakes invitations Seaside Papery wedding gown + bridesmaid’s gowns BHLDN groom + groomsmen’s suits Menguin wedding rings Newport Watch and Jewelry linens Luxe Linens signage Ollie and Elle

Are you looking for a wedding photographer in Laguna Beach?

Hey there, I am Ashley Durham, a western Arizona wedding photographer specializing in unposed, authentic and romantic intimate weddings that capture the love, fun and realness of couples and wedding days.

I am happy to serve couples from Lake Havasu, Bullhead City, Prescott, Kingman, Skull Valley all the way to Palm Springs, Southern California and anywhere I can drive or fly. Are you ready to have an incredible time together for your wedding?? DM me!!