Montage Laguna Beach Wedding

Elopements, Weddings

September 22, 2020

This intimate Montage Laguna Beach wedding was the perfect celebration for Kat + Brendan and their family!

Montage Laguna Beach wedding outdoor garden reception

In the midst of an extremely crazy year, Brendan asked Kat to marry him. Rather than waiting for an indefinite period to get married, they quickly planned a gorgeous celebration at the Montage. With only four other guests in attendance, K+B honored their commitment to life together despite challenging circumstances.

For Brendan and his family, the Montage holds many dear family memories. Before the hotel was built in Laguna Beach, it used to be a mobile home park just steps from the sand. Brendan’s grandparents owned a home on the property, so he grew up swimming and snorkeling at Treasure Island Beach. They celebrated holidays, enjoyed family dinners, and watched countless sunsets together. The location was an obvious choice for him and Kat to tie the knot – creating their first family memory together at a place full of history.

bride and groom spinning and laughing for a photo

Opting for a zoom wedding ceremony with the Orange County clerk-recorder’s office (can it get any more 2020 than that?) in their hotel room that morning, Kat and Brendan created plenty of time on their wedding day to enjoy the property, eat a multi-course farm-to-table meal, and take portraits with me!

bride and groom portrait at the Montage Laguna Beach

With such an intimate affair, it only made sense for the pair to get ready together in the comfort of their clean, modern room at the hotel. Rather than staying separate or having a “first look” that wasn’t right for them, they broke tradition and enjoyed even more time together in a relaxed fashion.

rings on polaroid camera for detail photo

In addition to plenty of time spent with our toes in the sand, Kat and Brendan reserved the garden space with an ocean view for their cocktail hour, dinner, and cake cutting. They sat next to planters growing the very same herbs and veggies sprinkled into their meal!

bride and groom kiss under the string lights during reception

palm trees and string lights for outdoor wedding ambience

A few simple words of advice to share from Kat and Brendan’s wedding:

Do what you want. Celebrate with a few guests if you want. Go on the sand in your wedding clothes. Splurge on an incredible meal with a private chef. Break tradition, or keep it! The options for your wedding day are endless, and you have permission to celebrate your marriage however feels right.