We love adventurous couples and we love inspiring couples, and Ace + Derek happen to be both! For their intimate elopement, they rented a Cruise America RV and took a road trip from San Francisco up to the Northern California Redwoods and the Southern Oregon coast for what became a stunning and unforgettable day. If their wanderlust isn’t enough to inspire you, Ace actually lives with a degenerative disease and must spend a lot of time in a wheelchair. Ace wanted the chair to be part of the wedding day to show other people with disabilities that they too can have the epic elopement they’re dreaming of. One word: incredible.
Here’s what A had to say about that special moment and about their inspiration for the day overall:
I’m a part-time wheelchair user due to a degenerative disease called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, so I wanted my wheelchair to be part of some of the photos. It felt really special to be able to reflect that part of myself in a way that felt beautiful and normal, which isn’t exactly how most people treat disability. I wanted this wedding to feel like it was only about us. We wanted to walk away from the day knowing we hadn’t compromised for anyone else, that every decision was for us and about us. We did that by turning it into a week-long vacation through California and Oregon in an RV with our dogs, Roland and Bash.
Absolutely amazing!! The Foxes Photography captured everything in stunning detail. Let’s have a look!
Forested First Look
We love the attire that D + A chose for their intimate elopement. A told us that a big color that ran through the entire wedding day was vibrant blue. This comes from A’s nickname for D which is “Blue” because of his blue eyes. D’s suit was blue, A’s handmade jewel crown was blue, Ace carried blue flowers and their cake was blue. A’s 1920’s wedding dress is from Lost Epoch Vintage, heels are from Modcloth, boots are from Palladium Boots and the jewelry comes from Mercurius Jewelry.
A Sweet Surprise
One of A’s favorite memories from the day is when D gifted Ace these stunning lapis lazuli earrings. Another touch of blue!!
Such a beautiful moment in the presence of such rad, awe-inspiring nature!
Intimate Elopement Vow Exchange
D + A’s officiant was Jimmie. One of the beautiful parts of the day was when Jimmie stepped aside and D + A were able to share their vows with no one around. What a sweet and intimate moment!
D: Sorry to be cliche, but there are so many. Of all the moments I will hold in my heart forever, it moves me to tears to think about the moment that Ace and I spoke our vows to each other with the waves crashing next to us, the sun setting behind us, the dogs running around the beach, and not another human in sight. It was only, and fully, our moment.
A: Oh boy, I have two answers here! The first is when Derek surprised me with a beautiful pair of lapis lazuli earrings to match my custom necklace. He and Gabi and Brandon coordinated Brandon sneaking off and putting the earrings on the ground. They were in a gorgeous container made out of wood, so when Derek pointed it out, I thought he was pointing out bark. It took me way too long to realize he was trying to surprise me! The second was the pod of orcas that showed up in the cove of the ocean! The Foxes got an amazing snap of us realizing there were orcas there. It felt like a blessing on our marriage.
Are you loving A’s jewel crown as much as we are?! Can you believe Ace made it?! If you love this look, check out these other Goddess-Worthy Headpieces that we can’t get enough of!
A kiss to seal the deal!
Toasting the Newlyweds
D + A did the sweetest thing to include their friends and family in their special day. A told us all about it:
We sent our friends and family letters with small bottles of champagne, matching bowties, and the same lipstick I wore. We asked them to write us a letter giving us love advice and send us video of them toasting at roughly the same time we did.
D + A’s friend Effie made this adorable cake with cranes that symbolize the couple. The cranes come from the shipping cranes that run along the Oakland port, which is the city D + A lived in when they got married.
Reception on the Beach
We don’t know who’s more ready to dig into that cake! Us, or that adorable doggie?!
D: Your wedding is yours. Include in it everything you want, don’t hesitate or feel guilty about excluding everything you don’t. It’s really, genuinely, sincerely okay.
A: My best advice is to make your wedding about YOU. At the end of the day, it’s not about the rest of your family or your friends. It’s a celebration of the two of you. Sometimes that might mean making decisions that not everyone in your family agrees with and that’s okay. It’s not their wedding. If they love you, they’ll figure out how to enjoy the celebration regardless.
Precious Pups
The puppy dog bow ties come from Kind Design. D + A included another sentimental and personal touch here. The bow ties feature topographical maps of where their first apartment was located. D wore one too! So sweet!
D + A broke records after their ceremony to celebrate their union. The records are by a band called Jukebox the Ghost which is the band they saw together on the night of their engagement!
Epic Views for an Intimate Elopement
SO STUNNING! A big congratulations from the GWS Team! Thank you guys so much for letting us peak into your intimate elopement. We are wishing you both the very best!
photography: The Foxes Photography // venue name: Redwoods and Coast, California, USA // wedding dress: Lost Epoch Vintage // hairpiece: jewel crown made by bride // bride's shoes: heels from Modcloth // groom attire: topographic bowties from Kind Design // officiant: Jimmie // bride's boots: Palladium Boots // rings, necklace + earrings: Mercurius Jewelry
