bride and groom sit together on the cliffs at the point san luis lighthouse in avila beach as the sun sets behind them, captured by san luis obispo wedding photographer poppy and vine

In coastal San Luis Obispo County, winter weather can be really great or really awful, there is no in between.

Whitley & Josh took a gamble when planning their January wedding at the Point San Luis Lighthouse in Avila Beach, California. Having lived in San Luis Obispo for years, these two had experienced both ends of the weather spectrum in January, but they knew that every few years, Martin Luther King weekend had a knack for being clear and warm. Whitley & Josh decided to hope for the best, and boy did they get it.

If you know anything about the geography of San Luis Obispo, you would know about the unique microclimates all over the county, and you would know that the little point of land that Point San Luis Lighthouse sits on is almost always chilly, windy, and foggy. This was not the case when we pulled up for Whitley & Josh’s wedding. Instead, the temperature gauge read 88 degrees, and there wasn’t an ounce of wind. It was just beautiful.

Whitley & Josh met in college at Cal Poly, and decided to call SLO home after college had ended. With their work schedules- Whitley a San Francisco firefighter and Josh a teacher- they found unique breaks to venture out around the Central Coast. They grew to love frequent kayak trips out to the Point San Luis Lighthouse (normally only accessible by foot or kayak), and decided to make this the venue for their wedding. Surrounded by immediate family and close friends, these two exchanged vows as their other loved ones tuned in on Zoom.

Whitley did a beautiful job hand crafting all their decor, from bohemian rugs along the aisle and altar, to simple white florals accented by the growing trend of dried flowers. The beachy teal and blue color scheme complemented the nearby ocean beautifully, and Whitley & Josh’s Bernese Mountain Dog, Sasquatch, made the cutest addition to their beautiful day.

After their intimate ceremony in which they read personal vows to one another, Whitley & Josh shared their first dance, followed by the father daughter, and mother son dance. Guests took turns swinging on the giant swing and hanging out with Sasquatch as Whitley, Josh, and us roamed around the sprawling Port San Luis Lighthouse property as the sun set!

This intimate day reflected Whitley & Josh’s laid-back personalities perfectly, and the setting of Port San Luis made for the most stunning wedding day. Keep scrolling to see more from their wedding!