Rain Was a Good Luck Charm at this Classic Laguna Beach Wedding

Bride and groom embrace on a rocky beach wedding day

This gorgeous little coastal elopement at the Montage Laguna Beach came after what felt like a thousand wedding plan changes due to the pandemic. And to top it all off, it never rains in Laguna, but you can be sure that the forecast called for all-day rain at this against-all-odds wedding.

Keep scrolling to hear more about how this precious elopement, a long time in the making, became an emotional day that celebrated the beauty of this fabulous couple. You'll see photographs courtesy of Safeena Noah, featuring flowers by Cheska Makes Things, coordination by Vianca Mcswain, and stunning handmade paper goods by Farmette Co. And check out the full gallery here for even more stunning photos of this gorgeous day!

Elegant wedding invitation suite with floral accents

Woman celebrates with champagne on balcony outdoors

Wedding details rings vow letter champagne and accessories Wedding day details white Fendi shoes and champagne

Bride in gown reads wedding card before the ceremony

Elegant bride in white gown holding wedding bouquet

Man in black velvet tuxedo reads a book on a sofa

A Stunning Cliffside Venue

The home-dotted cliffs of Laguna Beach easily call to mind much of Italy’s Cinque Terre. Who knew you could find Italy in Orange County? Chandler and Lucy held their small ceremony on the romantic Oceanfront Lawn of the Montage. The lawn typically can hold up to 300 guests, but with cover restrictions, the bride and groom decided to keep it much smaller, which just right. Throughout the entire day, Chandler’s grandparents exemplified exactly what the wedding vows grow into, and Mimi’s reaction to seeing Lucy in her gown for the first time was beyond adorable.

Beach wedding ceremony setup with white chairs flowers

Bride and groom at a beautiful ocean view wedding ceremony

Oceanfront wedding ceremony setup with white chairs and floral arrangements

Bride and groom at wedding ceremony with family praying

Bride and groom exchanging rings at wedding ceremony

Bride and groom holding hands during outdoor wedding ceremony

The Dress Designer Makes a Guest Appearance

Lucy’s gown was by All That Glitters (previously Miss Hayley Paige). Lucy had the coolest moment before walking down the aisle to Chandler–– Hayley’s sister happened to walk by at the Montage, congratulated Lucy, and asked if her gown was a Hayley Paige. The sister FaceTimed Hayley on the spot, and Lucy got to have a sweet chat with the kindest designer on planet earth as her processional music queued up. Check out the photo of their FaceTime chat below!

Bride and groom wearing masks video calling wedding guest

The Groom Won for Sweetest Photo of the Day!

While Lucy was still reeling from her chance encounter, Chandler was claiming title as the best response to seeing his bride for the first time. They skipped their first look for this moment, and it was perfect. The rain miraculously let up for the ceremony overlooking the Pacific and then for another 15 minutes so the couple could run out with their photographer and get some adventurous barefoot wedding portraits on the beach.

Bride and groom share a tender kiss under the wedding veil

Bride twirling in wedding dress on a sandy beach

Groom smiles on sandy beach in formal black tuxedo

Bride and groom walk along beachside boardwalk

Wedding photography by the water

A Personalized Reception

The couple followed up their Montage Laguna Beach ceremony with a delicious and personalized reception at Mastro’s Ocean Club. The bride, Lucy, is an artist of Greenwich Street Greetings so she hand-wrote the most beautiful place cards and personal letters to each and every one of her guests. And we'd be remiss not to mention that the flower cloud installation was what floral dreams are made of!

Fall wedding reception inspiration