Klara & Nejc traveled all the way from Slovenia for their elopement in Old San Juan. Their love for travel and a desire to have an intimate wedding, just for the two of them, brought them to the beautiful Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Just two months before their trip to Puerto Rico, Klara found me through a google search and told me how they really didn't have much settled yet, except for the fact they wanted their wedding in Puerto Rico, and that they wanted great wedding photos.

Originally, they had plans for getting married in a specific venue in Old San Juan, but permits took too long, so we decided to play it by ear! Fortunately, this is one of my specialties, and it's even easier when there's only four of us + the officiant. On that day, I arrived at the Olive Boutique Hotel, Nejc a happy and nervous Nejc picked me up at the lobby. In the suite, Tatiana Rincón from Brides by Tatiana was helping Klara into her wedding dress. While I waited for her to be ready, I captured some photos of the gorgeous bridal bouquet Victor from EOS Events and the babies (the Jimmy Choos), and then we walked to the Olive Hotel rooftop for their first look session.

First Look Session at Olive Boutique Hotel

Nejc was so excited, while we waited he told me the story of how they met. He's never been a fan of proms, but he went one time with a friend, and there he saw Klara. "I knew right away", he told me. Moments later, I moved a few steps back and grabbed the camera, and Nejc knew this meant Klara was walking towards him. "Oh wow!" he said when he turned around and saw how beautiful she looked. After a couple portraits in the rooftop, we went down and jumped in a cab.

Just a few hours earlier, we had settled on the wooden dock right in front of La Puerta de San Juan, as the ceremony place. We were a bit scared because it looked like there might be rain soon. We got there, met with the officiant Pablo Aymat, waited until the dock was clear from tourists, and started. The wedding couldn't be more beautiful and special. Every word spoken was truly special, and my loyal assistant Harold Camilo and I were barely holding our tears back. After the written vows, special rituals, ring exchanges, and the first kiss, my assistant and I signed the marriage license (as we were chosen as their witnesses), and then the officiant took off.

There was no wedding cake, so we went for ice cream instead

Somewhere along the taxi drive to Old San Juan, someone made a joke about how we should go to Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop in the old town after the ceremony, and since this made perfect sense, that's where we walked right after. Since they didn't have a cake, Klara & Nejc shared a scoop of ice cream, in one of the cutest and sweetest photos I took that day. Afterwards, Klara took off the babies, switched to flip-flops and we walked all around Old San Juan taking pictures. Their relaxed, up-for-anything disposition made me take a longer, less common walk around the old town, resulting in photos I had never taken before. They looked so happy, gorgeous, and were so good at having their photos taken that everyone around asked whether they were models or really getting married. After discovering they had a hidden talent for modeling, we walked to the beach for our last bit of sunlight.

Beach Newlywed Photos at Puerto Rico

After discovering they had a hidden talent for modeling, we walked to the beach for our last bit of sunlight where we climbed rocks, got our feet wet, and even played around with some sparklers miracle worker Liliana Albizu from Handcrafted Weds got for me at the very last minute.

We unwinded back in the hotel talking about travel, honeymoon plans, and life in general over a glass of mimosas, after which we parted ways, leaving me a very happy photographer. It was really a blessing to capture this one for K&N, who had the most beautiful souls. It felt more like hanging out with friends than it did working, so that's a plus too.

I love elopements because they're a break from my routine of highly-structured weddings, with very few moments for photos and experimentation. On elopements, we rely much more on creativity and the ability of 'winging it', which shake things up for me! Hoping -and craving- a project like this one happens again soon. In the meantime, cheers for Klara & Nejc, a couple to remember forever!

XO,

Cami