Bride and groom beneath the sea stack at El Matador State Beach during a Malibu elopement
Elopements · Photography & Film

Los Angeles Elopement Photographer

Just the two of you, or the few people you love most. Courthouse steps, sea caves, desert light and Las Vegas chapels, photographed on film and digital.

Schedule a callPricing from $997See real elopements
Small day. Whole story.

Fewer guests, no less of a story

An elopement is still a wedding. The vows are the same, the nerves are the same, and so is the light you want to remember it in. We photograph and film elopements on a blend of 35mm and medium-format film and digital, from the steps of the Beverly Hills Courthouse and the sea caves at El Matador to neon nights on Fremont Street.

You get the same artist, the same hand edit and the same lifetime gallery as our full-day couples, sized for a day that might last one hour or four.

2016Photographing LA weddings since
2,300+Weddings documented
382Five-star reviews
35+Awards won
Elopement pricing

Start with one hour, add what your day needs

One hour covers the ceremony, the signing and portraits nearby. Add hours for a second location, getting ready or a small dinner. Three hours is typical for the elopements we photograph.

Elopement · Photography

Elopement Photography

One photographer, from the first nervous minute to the last portrait.

from$997

or $99.70 / month for 10 months — interest free

One photographer · 1 hour of coverage

Schedule a callSee every collection

What is included

  • 1 hour of continuous coverage more hours on request
  • One photographer start to finish
  • Ceremony, signing and portraits and a second stop with extra time
  • Roughly 100 finished frames for the hour, with no cap
  • Full color and black & white edits
  • Cinematic editing style
  • High-resolution images ready to download and share
  • Lifetime private gallery on any device
  • Personal print rights no watermarks
  • Travel included across Southern California
Elopement · Cinematography

Elopement Film

One videographer, and a short film of your vows and everything around them.

from$997

or $99.70 / month for 10 months — interest free

One videographer · 1 hour of coverage

Schedule a callSee every collection

What is included

  • 1 hour of continuous coverage more hours on request
  • One videographer start to finish
  • Audio recording of your vows
  • Cinematic highlight film
  • Raw footage provided for personal keepsakes
  • Your song choice integrated into the film
  • Lifetime access to your film download on any device
  • Travel included across Southern California
Elopement · Photo & Video

Photography & Film

Both artists there for the same hour, in stills and in motion.

from$1,997

or $199.70 / month for 10 months — interest free

One photographer and one videographer · 1 hour of coverage

Schedule a callSee every collection

Everything in both collections

  • 1 hour of continuous coverage more hours on request
  • One photographer and one videographer working the same hour
  • Ceremony, signing and portraits in stills and in motion
  • Fully edited gallery color and black & white
  • Cinematic highlight film with your vows and your song
  • Raw footage and high-resolution images
  • Lifetime access to both the gallery and the film
  • One team, one contact, one invoice
  • Personal print rights no watermarks
  • Travel included across Southern California

Eloping further away, in Las Vegas, Yosemite or abroad? Travel is quoted with your date. Schedule a call and tell us where.

In every elopement collection

What you get, whatever the hours

Elopement collections use the same edit, the same gallery and the same team as our full weddings. Only the hours are smaller.

A hand-edited, color-graded gallery

Every frame is edited by hand, in color and in black and white, the same way as a full wedding gallery.

A lifetime online gallery

Your images never expire. Download them at full resolution and share them from any device.

Four to eight week delivery

The same turnaround as every Lulan Studio wedding, however short the day.

Film as well as digital

Leica 35mm, Hasselblad and Mamiya 120 film alongside digital, if you want grain as well as pixels.

One team for photo and film

Add a videographer for the same hour, so the film and the photographs tell one story.

Flexible after you book

Coverage hours and team members can still change after you book, as your plans firm up.

See rates and collections

Groom dipping the bride in a fuchsia gown on the rocks at sunset on the Southern California coast
Planning your day

How an elopement day usually runs

One hour of coverage is where most elopements start, and many couples add a second hour for another location. These sample days are drawn from the elopements we photograph: a starting point to adapt to your place and your light.

One hour: the ceremony and portraits

A courthouse, a chapel, a bluff or a backyard. One photographer or one videographer, start to finish.
  • 3:00 PMCoverage begins. Arrival, check-in if it is a courthouse, and a few frames of the two of you before.
  • 3:15 PMCeremony, usually ten to twenty minutes. Vows, rings, the first kiss.
  • 3:30 PMSigning the license, a photo with the officiant, then a few family or witness groupings.
  • 3:45 PMPortraits of the two of you nearby: the steps, a lawn or garden, a corridor with good light.
  • 4:00 PMCoverage concludes.

Two hours: a second location

The same ceremony, then a short drive to a beach, park or garden for portraits.
  • 3:00 PMCoverage begins. Guests arriving, final details and a few quiet portraits before the ceremony.
  • 3:15 PMCeremony, ten to thirty minutes.
  • 3:45 PMFamily and group portraits at the ceremony site, kept short.
  • 4:00 PMCouple portraits around the ceremony location.
  • 4:15 PMShort drive to a second location: a beach, a park, a garden or a landmark.
  • 4:30 PMPortraits at the second location, timed as close to golden hour as the season allows.
  • 5:00 PMCoverage concludes.

Three to four hours: through to dinner

Getting ready at home or a hotel, the ceremony, portraits, and the start of a small dinner.
  • 1:30 PMCoverage begins at home or the hotel. Final touches, details, and a first look for couples who want one.
  • 2:00 PMTravel to the courthouse or ceremony location, with arrival shots.
  • 2:30 PMCheck-in and ceremony.
  • 3:00 PMFamily photos and couple portraits nearby, such as Beverly Hills City Hall.
  • 3:45 PMCouple portraits at a garden or landmark, such as Greystone Mansion.
  • 4:30 PMArrival at dinner. The table, a toast and the first few candids.
  • 5:15 PMCoverage concludes as dinner settles in.
Good to know

What shapes an elopement timeline

About 90% of the elopements we photograph book less than five hours of coverage, and three hours is typical. These are the details that most often decide how those hours are spent.

GuestsMost elopements we photograph have somewhere between twelve and twenty guests. Plenty have none at all beyond a witness, which keeps family photos to a few minutes.
First lookAbout 20% of the elopements we photograph include a first look. It works well when the ceremony is short and you want portraits before guests arrive.
LightAbout 30% plan portraits for golden hour or sunset. A ceremony an hour or two before sunset puts the second location in the best light.
Courthouse timingCourthouses ask couples to check in shortly before the ceremony time, and appointment times can be confirmed only a few weeks ahead. We build the plan around the check-in, not the ceremony.
Permits and closing timesPortraits at places such as Beverly Hills City Hall, Greystone Mansion or The Huntington can need a permit, and some close at a set hour or at sunset. Apply early and plan the portrait stop before closing.
Las VegasLas Vegas elopements often pair an evening chapel ceremony with portraits on the Strip or downtown, with desert locations such as Red Rock Canyon earlier in the day.
WeekdaysWeekday elopements are common, especially Thursdays and Fridays. Courthouses and public gardens are often quieter then.
Where we elope

Courthouses, coastlines and a few flights away

Each of these has its own guide, with the permits, the light and the spots we come back to.

Bride and groom on the rocky Palos Verdes shoreline in black and white, the sun low over the ocean
Groom in black holding a pink bouquet under the Fremont Street canopy while the bride in a red ruffled gown dances behind him during a downtown Las Vegas elopement
Los Angeles courthousesBeverly Hills · LA CountyA short civil ceremony at the Beverly Hills Courthouse or a county office, then portraits at Beverly Hills City Hall.Pasadena City HallPasadena · LA CountyA 1927 courtyard, Baroque fountain and 200ft of arcade — and we already hold the city photo permit.Santa Barbara County CourthouseSanta BarbaraSpanish Colonial arches, hand-painted tile and the Sunken Garden, ninety minutes up the coast.Old Orange County CourthouseSanta Ana · Orange CountyThe county’s most photographed historic ceremony site — 1901 sandstone, marble stairs and the second-floor courtroom.MalibuLA County coastBeach and bluff ceremony spots, permits and the light at each one.Laguna BeachOrange County coastHow the city’s beach ceremony permits work, and where we take portraits after.Greystone MansionBeverly HillsFormal gardens, stone courtyards and terraces, a short drive from the Beverly Hills Courthouse.Griffith ObservatoryGriffith Park · Los AngelesArt Deco domes with the whole city below, at its best around blue hour.Downtown Las VegasFremont StreetNeon, the canopy and the old casinos, for a night-time elopement.Little White Wedding ChapelLas VegasThe classic Las Vegas chapel ceremony, then portraits on the Strip.Red Rock CanyonLas VegasRed sandstone and open desert, a short drive west of the Strip.IdyllwildSan Jacinto MountainsPines, granite and cooler air, about two hours from Los Angeles.
Recognition

Trusted by couples since 2016

382 five-star reviews, and the same awards year after year. Read the reviews

The KnotHall of Fame Photographer, 2018–2026
WeddingWireBest of Weddings, 2018–2026
ExpertiseBest LA Wedding Photographer, 2019
WezoreeTop 5 LA Photographer & Videographer, 2025
Good to know

Elopement photography FAQ

How much does an elopement photographer cost?

Our elopement collections start at $997 for one hour of photography or one hour of film, and $1,997 for both. Each can be paid over 10 months, interest free. Extra hours are quoted on your call; three hours is typical for the elopements we photograph.

How many hours should we book for an elopement?

One hour covers the ceremony, the signing and portraits nearby. Two hours adds a second location, such as a beach, a park or a garden. Three to four hours runs from getting ready through the start of a small dinner. About 90% of the elopements we photograph book less than five hours.

Do we need a permit to elope on a beach or in a park?

Often, yes. Many beaches, parks and landmarks, including Greystone Mansion and Beverly Hills City Hall, need a permit for a ceremony or for professional photographs, and some close at a set hour or at sunset. We tell you what your location needs while we plan the day, and our Malibu and Laguna Beach guides cover the permits there.

Do we need a marriage license to elope in California?

Yes. In California the marriage license is issued by a County Clerk before the ceremony, is valid for 90 days, and can be obtained in any California county regardless of where you marry. Requirements change, so confirm the current details with the county clerk before you set your date.

Can you photograph and film our elopement?

Yes. We are one team for photo and film. Photography or film each starts at $997 for one hour, or $1,997 for a photographer and a videographer working the same hour, and the film includes the audio of your vows.

Do you travel outside Los Angeles for elopements?

Yes. Travel across Southern California is included in every elopement collection. We also photograph elopements in Las Vegas, in national parks such as Yosemite and further away, and quote travel with your date.

When will we get our elopement photos?

Four to eight weeks, the same turnaround as every Lulan Studio wedding. Your gallery is edited by hand, delivered online at full resolution, and never expires.

Can we elope on a weekday?

Yes, and many couples do, especially on Thursdays and Fridays. Courthouses and public gardens are often quieter then, and weekday dates are easier to book at short notice.

Where to go next

If your plans are smaller — or bigger

Micro weddingsA longer day for a small guest list, with the same intimate feel.Vow renewalsThe same intimate coverage, for couples marking the years since.Destination weddingsWhen the place you are marrying is a flight away.How to get married in CaliforniaLicense, witnesses, timing and what the county clerk actually requires.Los Angeles wedding videographerShort films and same-day edits, shot on RED and Super 8mm.35mm film wedding photographyLeica and Hasselblad film, if you want grain rather than pixels.

Rates and collections · Questions and answers · Reviews

Planning to elope?

Elopement dates book on short timelines

Tell us where and when. We’ll check the date and talk through the plan on a short call.

Schedule a call