Magical Big Sur Redwoods Elopement With Bohemian Style

We’re headed to the Big Sur in California for the dramatic and magical forest elopement of Burgandi and Carlos. It was incredible.

It was important to them both to incorporate Indigenous traditions whilst also having a bohemian vintage style to their wedding. They had an outdoor ceremony amongst the redwood trees in a circle of petals. Following the ceremony, they then had epic portraits in their super stylish outfits before heading off for a delicious meal.

I really love the romance here, not to mention the striking flowers and incredible outfits ❤️.

Thanks to Heather K. Purdy for sharing these wonderful images of a very special elopement.

Big Sur Elopement

The Proposal

We met when I came to LA to look into acting schools and quickly became great friends. Before we knew it we were moving in together and 10 years later, we got married!

I proposed to Carlos in Old Town Sacramento in April of 2019. We were in town for his Kuk Sool Won Martial Arts tournament and he received his blackbelt so I waited until the next day, took him to breakfast on the riverboat, went on a train ride, and then I popped the question, sitting next to him on a bench in front of the Eagle Theatre.

I had a custom engraved box shipped from a local artist in Spain and his ring is recycled gold oak leaves from a local jeweler in Europe. I carried that box under my arm for HOURS wrapped in a scarf without him noticing.

When I decided to ask him, I was so nervous that I didn’t even think of the possibility of him saying no, until after I asked him and he just stared at me blankly holding the ring I got him, for what felt like an eternity!

I actually had to ask him twice and he was so shocked that it didn’t sink in until the car ride home, hours later, when he said, “Hey, YOU proposed to me!” I will never forget the look on his face or the sheer panic I felt at that moment. But I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

The Vision

It was magical! We wanted to elope in the forest near the ocean in a private ceremony with only our parents present, so we went to Big Sur and said our vows surrounded by redwoods and mother nature!

Our theme was rooted in Indigenous traditions with a bohemian vintage vibe that classy and regal.

Our ceremony didn’t include traditional vows and our officiant wrote us a custom ceremony and we wrote our own vows as well. We opened with a singing bowl and a breathing meditation. We included the Four Directions Blessing and washed our hands and rings in water from the river nearby.

We said our vows to one another, did pics with our families and ended with a dance under the trees to a song by Dead Can Dance.

The Styling

We had the most amazing florist and she made a box of white rose petals that we had our moms encircle us with just before we said our vows. Other than that it was all Mother Nature in all of her brilliance and it was awe-inspiring!

I wanted something bright and colorful with a bohemian vibe that wasn’t the traditional bouquet. It was the most beautiful bouquet I had ever seen and I loved it so much that I dried it and put it inside of a shadow box.

Our florist also designed flowers for our parents to wear that matched my bouquet. They were gorgeous.

Our breathtaking ceremony location, our wonderful officiant, our sacred ceremony, the stunning locations we captured in our photos, and the entire experience were all so memorizing. The landscape was stunning beyond belief. We ended the day with dinner at Seventh & Dolores in Carmel and it was absolutely delicious.

Your Outfits

I wanted a custom-designed dress that was unlike anything I saw being sold in stores. I researched Native American wedding dresses as I am a Native American, Mexican, Spanish American and it was very important that the lace was vintage and that it was in support of local, BIPOC designers.

My dress was my own design and my sleeves were detached and flowy, the bodice is a loose mermaid fit with a reverse V front cut with fringe that continued on to the back creating an extended fringe train. The back was a cut-out that followed the floral design on the back and buttoned around my neck.

I also designed a custom crown with crystals from a local artist and finished it off with feather earrings made by a local jewelry designer and wore white/silver eyelet cut-out Besty Johnson boots with white ruffled sox.

My hair was braided and done along with my make-up by a dear friend and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

My husband is a US Air Force Veteran and wore all of his metals with a tuxedo, a top hat, and white gloves with a pair of black dress oxfords. He looked so, so handsome.

Memorable Moments

We had to change our plans several times – between the fires, the pandemic, locations being closed, etc. but THANK THE GOD’S for Heather K. Purdy! She was not only our photographer she was our mini wedding planner and she was always a positive, bright beacon of light – we couldn’t have done it without her.

She made things so easy that we were able to let go, go with the flow and let things happen as they were supposed to.

The location we got married at came available less than 1 day from our wedding date and the number of locations we were able to capture before the sunset that day was amazing and we definitely feel like there was a divine intervention that ensured our day was monumentally memorable.

Advice For Other Couples

Take the time to really decide what you both want. Not what your families want but what you and your partner want. Tune out all of the opinions of your friends and your families and do what makes you happy!

We wanted full control over our day so we decided that we were going to pay for everything ourselves and that made things much easier for us. We did only what we wanted and it was the best decision we could have made.

Also, have very open, honest conversations with your photographer and your videographer etc. so there are no details missed. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and always budget for more time with them on the day of because time flies and before you know it the day is gone!

Take a deep breath on the day of, meditate, journal or do whatever makes you feel grounded and happy. Your wedding day is all about you two, so savor it and soak it all in, and remember you two taking this step together is the most important part of the day so HAVE FUN!