Matt and Jolie Say: "Thanks Christine and Steve"

our website: ElopeSanDiego.com

Jolie and Matt were married on Coronado Beach in December, we just received a really nice note from them! We were excited to share their note and darling pics :

Thank you guys so much for everything! The wedding was great and it was all we could have ever hoped for. We got the pics and they are fantastic! We would be honored if you used our wedding photos for your blog or website! We will definitely recommend you guys to

any of our friends that plan on getting married. Thank you again, so much!

Matt and Jolie Olson's Wedding Day on Coronado Beach

December 2009

Coronado, California

lots more RAVE REVIEWS for Christine&Steve@ Elope San Diego

photography by Christine Haslet

ceremony officiated by Steve Haslet

bridal bouquet/petals by Christine Haslet

Yet another reason to Elope.......

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We interrupt our normally sane blog (if you overlook the dog in a bridal veil) to bring you this insane story about a couple who need to look at eloping as a very serious option!

Andrea and Peter are in love and want to get married. However, they are having a bit of trouble financing the wedding of their dreams, when it hits them like ton of bricks.... well, more like a ton of tin cans.

Believe it or not, they are collecting cans, beer cans and pop cans to pay for their wedding. I'm not even joking. They have gone as far to promote their project on YouTube and Yahoo and Flickr. They are even taking donations on Paypal.

We say, have a little dignity and just ELOPE!

Here's the deal: for under a grand, we can fix you up on the most amazing beach with four of your closest friends, gorgeous photos with Christine , a fancy CD of those gorgeous photos, the marryin' guy (he's one of San Diego's top wedding officiants, Steve), rose petals in the sand, valet parking at the Hotel Del Coronado and a beautiful fresh flower bouquet... because here in San Diego, California that's just what we do!

We have the perfect weather and the most amazing beach you've ever seen right behind the beautiful Hotel Del Coronado. You could have the most wonderful simple, elegant, affordable romantic ceremony and honeymoon you could ever dream of..... and the only tin cans you would have to deal with are the dozen or so tied to the back of your car as you pull away from the beach.... Andrea, Peter...

... please, at least, just think about it...

Wedding advice for the confused amongst us.....from Daphne

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Don't let those sticky wedding situations get the best of you! We are happy to present a new feature on our blog...... we fancy it to be along the lines of Miss Manners...but we're calling it....... "What would Daphne do?" giving you some answers to those tricky questions regarding the right thing to do or to say in those awkward situations. Why is it these things seem to pop up when you're just trying to do the right thing and blend in?

www.aceremonytoremember.net
 

Lookie who is planning to Elope!

and for some very fluffy news about eloping...read on!

Eloping isn't just for us regular folks, we just heard that one of our very favorites, Amy Adams is planning to elope!

Check out what she has to say here about starring in Disney's "Enchanted" and her plans to marry Darren Le Gallo, Elope style.

Kate Moss too, has joined the ranks of those of us think it's smart and super sexy to elope

kiss and blog

Love this, you might too....
Kiss and Blog: Good Morning Kiss

Rain, Rain Go Away.... Come Again Some Other Day..not MY Wedding Day !

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It's true! We've been hit by some pretty wet and dreary storms here in San Diego and all over Southern California over the last few weeks.

But after living in Seattle for the last 25 years, we're prepared! And we're prepared to help you have the elopement ceremony you've been planning for.

For us, the rain is nothing new, we've been working in the elements with couples for over 20 years. You might even say it's rather comforting and nostalgic on some weird level. Funny, because we had both just noticed that our umbrellas were getting a bit lonely hanging out in our trunk for months on end.

Couples who enjoyed plan "B" on their wedding day on Coronado Beach with us !

Hats off to those brave couples we married on our wet Coronado beach! We wanted to share a few wedding photographs of two of our couples, Sandy and Victor and Rachel and Emmet who were great sports about getting married on the beach over the last few weeks. They braved the elements in great style to have their

romantic beach elopements and we all managed to have a fantastic time in the process. Isn't that what it's all about? Isn't there a bit of excitement choosing an adventure over the boring traditional sure thing? What's a bit of rain in the scheme of things? Rumor has it that a little rain is suppose to bring good luck to your marriage, right? We think so and happen to know first hand. Steve and I had a very typical Seattle down pour

for our June wedding in 1987. And just look at us... we're still happy, married, and actually love working together!

Raining on the day you are planning to

Elope with us on Coronado Beach?

If it should rain on the day you've planned your Beach Elopement package with us on Coronado, never fear....we do have several options available. Look on the bright side....

1. If it's a quiet day for scheduling, we have been known to wait out a shower or two. Hold your ceremony a couple of hours earlier or a couple of hours later.

2. We have a wonderful park, Spreckles Park on Orange Avenue in Coronado. It's just about 6 blocks before the Hotel Del Coronado where we can meet for your elopement ceremony. It's on the other side of the street before you arrive at the hotel. It has a most beautiful gazebo that is covered and dry.

3. We can bring beautiful multicolored umbrellas and just go for it !

4. If you decide to go for it on the beach... the plus side is that you'll have even more choices for places to have your ceremony, since the beach will no doubt be much less crowded.

We hope that as stressful as this may seem at the time.... it's just a part of the excitement and romance of eloping. If you are flexible about your expectations, you can still have a fabulous time no matter the circumstances. Remember, at the end of the day you'll be happily married and everything that happens along the way is just part of the adventure. Hey...and on the bright side, don't forget that you've managed to save a small fortune choosing a gorgeous, free place to hold your wedding!

If you're not already on our schedule, and you've got a small wedding in your near future.....Give us call, or shoot us an email: info@elopesandiego.com.

Especially if you've got that spirit of adventure burning and you'd like to share it with us!

Know that we're in the habit of making great memories for our couples. Think low stress, fun, romantic, affordable wedding planning and elopements. We're Christine and Steve at ElopeSanDiego.com located in "mostly sunny" San Diego, California.

You Married a Sailor, You Just Didn't Think He'd Be Off To Sea Quite So Soon....

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Being a newlywed has so many challenges and adjustments as it is, but having the man of your dreams deployed after you barely said "I do" can really set you in a tailspin.

You knew your new hubby would be deployed, and everything that you did to prepare for his deployment seems so meaningless now. You are wondering about how you'll get through the next hour let alone the next six months to a year.

You eloped on the beach at the last minute, it was more beautiful than you thought it could ever be, you promised for better or worse, you took care of all of the military paperwork, you signed up for military benefits, you talked to your new hubby at great length about surviving the lonely months. You talked to your mom, you talked to your girlfriends, you talked to your dad. Truth be known, you talked to anyone who would listen.

But now the reality of everything is just beginning to sink in. You knew it would be hard to be left behind. Not knowing exactly where your new husband is at any given moment. You knew your heart would break just a little.... no, a lot. Your heart will break a lot.

Now you realize that you have to be brave and pick up the pieces of your heart and be strong and BUSY. You place your beautiful wedding photos in special places around the house,where you can see them everyday. You have email hooked up and ready to go, you just got the newest version of the iphone or Blackberry. You've put all your family and friends on red alert for a support team to keep you going. The first few months are the hardest, you wait for every email, every letter, every phone call. Honestly, that part doesn't change much. Every word from him is a treasure when he is so far away.

What will change is how you can adapt and find your way on your own in those times when things are really tough. The human spirit is strong, and the love you feel will give you the strength to be brave and supportive to your husband when he needs you the most.

Take comfort in knowing how many other couples have survived multiple deployments over many years, only to be made stronger by rejoining and recommitting themselves to one another. Just think of the war brides in the 1940's and 50's, your grandparents might even have a story or two to share with you.

Also take comfort in the work your husband (wife) is doing because it is really, really important. He may be one of the crew on the Carl Vinson sent to Haiti to bring food, water and ground support to the earthquake victims. Or he may be part of the support team helping a Coast Guard Cutter floating in the sea, perhaps helping the Marines in Iraq or Afghanistan. Your sailor may be part of the 10,000 troops sent for search and rescue efforts in Haiti this last week. All of this work and every single effort done to serve and protect, goes beyond words I could say here. In fact, really, we have no words to describe how important their work is. Words fall short when we try to express just how much our active duty military service people are appreciated for their sacrifices and efforts. You can be proud to share in this, your support means the world to your husband, his family and his fellow sailors.

Tips for navigating your temporary solo journey!

I wanted to let you know that during the time of your husbands (or wife's) deployment, there are many resources available to you to help you navigate these waters. You won't have to do it alone. Don't be afraid to ask for the support you need.

Here are some suggestions for activities that can benefit you as well as those around you! Many people choose to do volunteer work, there are so many needs around the community right now. The USO is a great place to volunteer, and to also find support. Your church may have volunteer opportunities in their youth program, or sunday school program, and again offering some of the emotional support you might need. The military has Chaplain services if you don't have a church that you are a member of. There are several great websites we've listed below for information and support, one is in fact is operated by volunteer Navy spouses!

If you can reach out to your community, there are programs such as Meals on Wheels, and local San Diego animal shelters. Our animal shelters can always use foster families and hands on help at the shelter. You may even fall in love with a new critter to keep you company :) If you like children ( and who doesn't?) there are local neighborhood schools, the Big Brothers-Big Sisters program, or the Boys and Girls Clubs. Consider our local food banks or women's shelters. You might even think about starting a weekly support group for military families, or joining one.

This might be a great time to do something you've always wanted to do for yourself, dance classes, reading the classics, catching up on old movies, a class on sewing, or computers. Here in San Diego, we have many, many free computer classes to learn web design or photoshop. There are also classes for a Culinary Arts degree, learn about Ebay, take a photography or drawing class, or hula hooping! You could start a blog. Maybe you've always wanted to teach a class. There are opportunities for that as well. I'm attaching here some links below that may help you.

The possibilities for coping and blossoming are nearly endless if you make the decision to be happy and busy until the Mister (or Mrs.) sails back into your arms!

Links:

For you:

~Fleet & Family Support

~USO

~Free Computer classes:

web design, photoshop at North City in San Diego

~Navy Moms On Line

~Navy Command Support/Spouse Support

~MilitarySOS.com support and information for military spouses for all branches

Toll Free #

1 877 673 7773 to receive referrals ,

information and support from volunteer Navy spouses

Volunteer opportunities

~UnicefUSA.org or WorldVision.org/Haiti
~Boys and Girls Clubs

~Mama's Kitchen San Diego

~Meals on Wheels

~San DiegoFood Bank

~San Diego Animal Shelters

~Women's Shelters

Who we are:

~San Diego Military Weddings.com

~ElopeSanDiego.com

~Christine, author of this blog is also the proud mom of a Navy Sailor, Ben who is months away from becoming a Navy Chaplain! Also the owner of ElopeSanDiego.com a boutique elopement service in San Diego, California and an award winning wedding photographer with more than twenty two years behind the camera.

Miscellaneous Military Services
( we love these guys, so it's simply a free plug to help
you with organizing your banking & finances)

~USAA bank

~Navy Credit Union

Choosing your wedding photographer in the internet age!

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When you're planning your wedding, whether it's a grand event lasting all day or an intimate romantic destination elopement, you want to use all available means to choose the very best wedding photographer you can afford. These days it means using the internet to check out websites, photo samples and reputations. You can of course still rely on referrals from friends, bridal shows and visits to studios. In many ways the internet has given us a new time saving tool.

Choosing just the right wedding photographer for your special day can't be overstated. We all know that photographs are the lasting mementos of your celebration. You'll want to be filled with delight each time you look at your wedding images. You'll also want to feel that same feeling year after year when you pull out the wedding album to reminisce about the day you said "I do" to your beloved.

As you are well aware, there is really only one opportunity to make the right choice when it comes to your wedding photos, remembering, that they'll be around for a long time. If you are lucky, your children and grandchildren will have the pleasure of seeing you on your wedding day, you won't want to be thinking of what "might have been" when you look at your wedding album.

You want the wedding photography portion of the wedding day to be a home run, a hit out of the park as they say, so you'll want to choose carefully. There are so many factors that can come into play when choosing your wedding photographer, most couples immediately think of the cost first, and everything else as secondary. If that were truly the best way to choose a photographer, you could have uncle Harry take the photos and eliminate the cost all together! I can tell you firsthand that most couples who do that, live to regret that decision. It's one of those decisions that you can't undo or do over very conveniently.

Hiring a professional photographer that specializes in weddings allows you to relax and know that very big piece of the wedding puzzle is in good hands. You'll want a relaxed, experienced photographer who will be aware of the events of the day, that knows where to be and when well in advance. You also want to choose a photographer that matches your style. Whether it is formal and posed or more photojournalistic and casual.. or perhaps a blend of the best of both worlds. Every wedding is different, every couple is different, a different church, a different park, different time of day, different events, different players. Something as significant as the time of day and lighting can really affect the quality of your wedding photos. A top wedding photographer plans everything in advance so when the spontaneity of the moment happens, they are prepared and can snap the best shot from the best angle. Their skill and expertise give them the edge to see and capture all of those special moments and details effortlessly.

A great wedding photographer can blend in with your family and friends, in such a way that you barely know they are around. Yet sometimes like magic they step in and grab the perfect shot you weren't even aware of. The best wedding photographers are not just familiar with a location, but lighting, the time of day, knowing how to arrange groups, posing couples, all with a smile. It stands to reason,the more talented, confident and experienced your photographer, the better your photos will be. You as a couple will also look your very best because of that lighting, posing and the extra time spent making sure everything is just perfect for you. Think: patience, people skills and photographic talent, I like to call them "the big three"!

Many couples these days will be traveling for a destination wedding, or a romantic elopement away from home,

and of course your photographs are every bit as important as ones taken for a traditional wedding! These are the couples I most often work with. You can opt to hire a photographer to take with you or hire one based at your destination. If you are hiring a photographer at your wedding destination, it is often impossible to meet with the photographer ahead of time. So it is a good to take a bit of extra care when contracting their services. It is also a very good idea to have a conversation at length, as to your expectations and needs. A written agreement should be made that includes exactly what you'll receive, length of time of services, date, time, extra expenses and any other special requirements or expectations. You should create a time line with your photographer, from payment dates, events on the day of the wedding, when you will receive your finished prints and album. You should also review

how your images will be made available to you to make your selections, via the internet, or proofs or in the studio, or if you will own the images and the rights to reprint.

One should also ask for references and always, always check out samples of their recent work. Luckily, these days as I mentioned earlier, we have the internet. Websites are great to see the work of a potential photographer. There are websites like Yelp and CitySearch that also rate photographers, There are professional associations and wedding websites that give referrals over the internet as well. One of my very favorite internet avenues is YouTube. It's a fantastic way to check out a wedding photographers work. It happens to be one of the best methods for choosing a wonderful wedding photographer, by being able to see the work they post online on YouTube. This medium will give you great information about your photographers style and skills.

With the freedom and convenience of the internet, you can now take advantage of lots of resources that weren't available just a few years ago. For instance, if your destination is Aspen in winter, you'll want to find a top wedding photographer who specializes in winter weather photography. If your romantic wedding destination is near the beaches of sunny Southern California, you'll want to find an expert beach wedding photographer. So, whether your wedding is in your hometown, Aspen, or beautiful Southern California a check on YouTube can be invaluable to get a feel for the style of your potential photographer and it is quick.

The YouTube link above is a sample of some of my favorite weddings I've photographed over the last year or so. In short, since I've told you all about choosing a great photographer, and since this is my blog, I no doubt will have to put in a plug for myself! You can always count on me for great photographs and memories of your wedding day on Coronado Beach! I'm totally passionate about photography...me: Christine Haslet owner and photographer at ElopeSanDiego.com and here is my page on our website !

San Diego Marriage License Updates for You

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Our local San Diego County Marriage license office has just let us know about some brand new rules about obtaining a copy of your San Diego Marriage license. Rules they say are designed to protect our privacy! No longer will you be able to simply ask willy nilly for a certified copy of your marriage license if you were married in San Diego county. Beginning on Jan 1, 2010, you will need to provide a notarized request for a copy of your marriage license, along with $14.00.
So, we're happy to provide the link for you right here! Do click RIGHT HERE to get your handy dandy form. And if you should need any more information about San Diego marriage licenses.... how to get one, where to get one, what they cost, who to call, how to make that required appointment, or what you should wear to the county office (just kidding) anyway, you get the idea..... we have all that information and more located our sister website located at : www.sandiegomarriagelicense.com