“Forget the traditional ‘first comes love, then comes marriage’ storyline — we wrote our own version,” say Lily Chapman and her husband Scott who were proud parents to one kiddo with another (secretly!) on the way when they eloped.
Scott first fell for Lily on social media—she has 6-digit followings on her Insta and her TikTok—and won her heart by asking her out with a Cameo from RiFF RAFF. Time really does fly when you’re falling in love: about a year after their first date the couple was welcoming their adorable daughter, Ruby. And when Lily was about 4 months along with baby #2, the couple decided to skip the big traditional wedding vibes and run off to tie the knot in California, surrounded by “just the people who matter most.”
Between pregnancy and running her brand new business, Elizabeth Bay, eloping just made sense!
With the outrageously gorgeous SoCal city of Santa Barbara as their backdrop, the Denver-based couple said “I do” at the Santa Barbara Courthouse, spent the afternoon adventuring around all the cutest places in town, had dinner at San Ysidro Ranch, and then had a relaxing mini-moon at Palihouse Santa Barbara.
Things from this enchanting elopement we can’t stop thinking about? The vintage romance of their baby blue convertible Mustang. Lily’s amazing “custom-reworked gown.” And the gorgeous documentary-style way that Carianne Older captured the day with mix of stunning candid shots and retro polaroids.
“Our wedding is a love letter to doing things your own way,” Lily + Scott say, “nostalgic, elegant, and just the right amount of rebellious.”
First of all, how cute are those wedding heels from Dolce Vita! So into The Narda Sandal and its funky flared heel.
“This is one of those times where having an audience/follower saves the day,” Lily says of her wedding dress journey to this gorgeously retro custom look. “I had NO idea what I wanted to wear. I tried on my Grandma‘s dress and it fit beautifully, but because I was pregnant and had yet to reveal that to the internet, I knew I would have a bump in photos.”
“I posted some of my inspiration to my TikTok to see if anyone had any ideas on dresses, and London Musgrave volunteered to custom make me a dress. It ended up being perfect and exactly what I’d always envisioned.”
“Plus, it was repurposed from a vintage dress, which in addition to being sustainable really ties into my true love for vintage.”
Totally loving Lily’s almond shaped french mani wedding nails! So subtle + bridal 🤍
Searching for the right set for your own wedding day (or just want to try something new + on-trend at your next nail appointment)? Check out our carefully curated nail guides!
Everyone’s elopement style is different, and we are so in love with Lily’s. Those sheer shoulders and the delicately lacy neckline 😍 We’ve rounded up all of our favorite courthouse wedding dresses for you to explore if a romantic trip to City Hall like this one sounds like your bridal vibe.
Pro tip: use a Polaroid camera like Carianne Older did to give your wedding photos a built-in nostalgia. It’s a sure-fire way to make your wedding memories feels totally timeless.
An Afternoon Around Town
Okay, we would like to write an official love letter to Lily’s long + lacy wedding veil. It’s not every day that you see a veil that’s longer than the dress itself and we are SO into the look.
To all our short hair brides out there: immediately pin this pic of Lily’s lovely bob for future inspo. And definitely check out our collection of beautiful bridal hairstyle for short hair.
There’s just something so sweet about spending your elopement day exploring a city you love like Lily + Scott did. This romantic Chicago elopement and this “retro-modern” City Hall wedding in NYC are two of our other fave examples.
Dropping By The Diner
Lily’s wedding makeup was the perfect balance of bold and naturally beautiful. That cherry-red lip!
The beauty of elopements? You can make them literally anything you want. A private ceremony? Yes. Poolside photos? Yes. Pancakes? YES. The possibilities are endless.
Speeding Off in Something Blue
Our Favorite Memory
Forgetting the marriage certificate and having to drive back for it hours later!
You can’t tie the knot in sunny Southern California without a pair of iconic bridal sunglasses! Especially if there’s a convertible involved.
Into Lily’s oval frames? Check out this Dior pair for a designer vibe or this Princess Polly pair for a more doable price point.
Our Advice
You will have an endless opportunity of time in your married life together with people you love and celebrate so don’t get tied down to making the perfect decision. Just do what you like and know that you’ll have more opportunities to curate experiences in the future. I know it’s easier said than done but planning a wedding should be fun so don’t overthink it… or do what I did and simply don’t, and elope instead!
Congratulations, Lily + Scott, on your sweet + nostalgic Santa Barbara elopement!! And congrats to Ruby on becoming a Big Sister soon! GWS wishes the whole fam nothing but the best!
Wedding Vendors
Photography: Carianne Older // Venue: Santa Barbara Courhouse // Wedding Dress: London Musgrave
