I had so much fun second shooting this quirky camping wedding for Kim Heath Photography. I first met Kim when she second shot for me at my New Year’s Eve wedding. We hit it off immediately, so when she asked if I would be her second shooter in April, I jumped on the chance! Kim is such a fun, laid-back person that I knew her clients would be amazing too. Held at a youth camp in the redwood forest a short drive away from Half Moon Bay, I knew this quirky camping wedding would be a blast.

We were originally supposed to photograph the bride and groom getting ready, but when we arrived, they had already finished! The bride literally hopped into the shower and got dressed in less than one hour!! Instead of a traditional white dress, the bride wore a beautiful blue tulle skirt that she paired with a white sweater and floral flats. She ended up replacing the flats with super fun hiking boots when she got tired of walking over the stone paths.

Every part of their wedding was similarly untraditional, quirky and filled with personality. The couple told me they hadn’t really wanted a big wedding and were mostly doing it to please their friends and family. Since they had committed, they wanted to find a venue that allowed them to maximize the time spent with their guests. A camping wedding where they could hang out with their guests the entire weekend was the perfect choice!

They ended up with an incredible wedding that was perfectly them. Everything was DIY, from . Honestly, their beautiful reception hall didn’t need much to shine! With the twinkle lights wrapped around the rafters, the baby’s breath and greenery in vases and beer bottles made the perfect centerpieces. As another nod to the camping theme, the couple named table sections after various state parks, creating beautiful table signs. They got married on a platform under the redwoods… and the first thing their officiant did was welcome all the guests to the signing of the couple’s “legally binding contract.” Haha! I loved that this couple threw out the traditions and chose to celebrate their love in their own way.

Looking for wedding venues similar to this one? Check out my blog post featuring 16 incredible redwood forest wedding venues in the Bay Area.