A Backyard Elopement in Westlake Village | Lilia & Jack

Weddings

Dec 16

bride and groom kiss while on a walk through a neighborhood park in Westlake Village, California, during their Los Angeles backyard elopement, captured by San Luis obispo wedding photographer Poppy and Vine

Lilia & Jack got engaged last December, mere moments before the world as we knew it turned upside down.

The two didn’t immediately jump into wedding planning, instead fully soaking up that exciting, newly engaged feeling, which, as a result, brought us here. Thanksgiving weekend 2020, in Jack’s parent’s backyard in Westlake Village, celebrating Lilia & Jack’s spontaneous elopement.

Lilia was born and raised in Lebanon, in a culture that very much values a big celebration, especially weddings. She was living in New York during a college internship when she met Jack, who was visiting the city for the weekend during his college years in the Northeast. With two very similar senses of humor, the weekend formed a new friendship, and the two endured long distance for a bit.

Lilia made a permanent move to the US and, after both completed their Masters’ Degrees, the two began building a life together in San Francisco. This included getting engaged around this time last year, with the bright hopes of planning a big wedding in the US and having all of Lilia’s Lebanese family fly in for the celebration.

And then Covid hit.

Lilia & Jack waited, and waited, and waited for a safe time to begin planning this epic celebration. This season tested their patience, and finally the two decided that it wasn’t worth it any longer, they just wanted to be married.

On their way home from a weekend in Tahoe in October, the two looked at each other and said “let’s just get married.” Immediately, planning ensued. Lilia & Jack chose Jack’s parents’ backyard in Westlake Village to be their venue, and sent out a link to everyone who wasn’t his immediate family and her best friend. She ordered a dress from Lulu’s and found us.

We spent several evenings virtually hanging out with Lilia & Jack learning about their relationship, their cat Charlotte, and their love for adventure. We finally met them in LA on their wedding day, where an intimate ceremony finally sealed the deal, followed by a champagne toast, a homemade cake, and a sunset walk through (the most gorgeous) nearby park for bridal portraits.

These two truly embraced all that 2020 threw at them, and truly showed that love never fails.