Here is the story of Jacob and Alexis (Lexi!), a sweet couple from the US, who had a two-day adventure elopement in Sardinia, Italy. This blog post will cover their full story, the day-before preparations, the elopement day itself, with location ideas and activities, and their gallery.
Their Story
Jacob and Lexi met like couples usually do in rom-coms. She worked at a bank, and he was a customer who just kept coming back. He would find any excuse to walk through those doors again, just to see her. If that’s not a sign of someone completely smitten, I don’t know what is. 🥰
They are one of those couples where you can just feel the connection between them the moment you’re in their presence. Just the way they looked at each other made my heart melt!
The Day Before Their Sardinia Elopement
Jacob and Lexi had originally planned a full single-day elopement. But as we got deeper into the planning, we decided to move some of the more relaxed, non-wedding attire activities to the day before. This is something I love to do when it makes sense, because it takes the pressure off the main day so the couple can truly be present and not feel rushed. And with an 18-hour day ahead of them, giving them more breathing room was definitely the right call! 😊
So the day before, we went flower shopping with Jacob. Because here’s the thing about Jacob… He does a weekly bouquet for Lexi. Every. Single. Week! Out of his own will! He picks the flowers himself and puts the arrangement together by hand. So when it came to the wedding bouquet, it was only natural that he would make it himself, too. Watching him carefully choose each flower, putting it all together with so much intention… it was genuinely one of the sweetest things ever. 🥺
Meanwhile, Lexi steamed her dress on the balcony of their accommodation, and we captured some beautiful behind-the-scenes getting-ready content in the natural light.
The couple also hired a videographer, so he and I also used this day to go scout the ceremony location. The spot we had chosen was a narrow rock overlooking the sea, which was absolutely stunning, but it required careful coordination to ensure we weren’t in each other’s way during the first look and ceremony. So we walked through the whole thing in advance, figured out our angles and positions, and made sure everything would flow perfectly on the day.
Planning like this really makes a big difference between a smooth, beautiful elopement experience and a chaotic one.
Their Sardinia Elopement Day
Getting Ready at 3 AM
We met the couple at 3 AM. Lexi wanted a very natural make-up and I immediately knew the right person for her and we flew her in from Germany to help her prepare for the day.
Lexi’s sister, brother, and their partners were there too. They had stayed in two separate houses, girls together and guys together, so the getting-ready was split, which also made it easier to keep Jacob and Lexi apart before the first look. The guests would join for the ceremony and breakfast only, and then the couple would continue their adventure on their own for the rest of the day.
Getting two groups to a clifftop ceremony location simultaneously without the couple seeing each other? That takes coordination. The videographer and I organized everything down to the last detail the day before, so it all went without a hitch 😊 We even used walky-talkies to communicate and give each other updates 😅
First Look at the Cliffs
The ceremony location was on a small rocky cliff above the sea, and it was breathtaking! On our first call this is what Jacob and Lexi described: they want to be on a small cliff (not very high) with the sea as their backdrop and this ceremony spot was spot on the right spot! 😍 I went through several locations to find a cliff that is rather easily accessible with guests, not crowded and not too high. By the way – Google Maps can not be trusted on Sardinia island 😂 Some of the roads that were marked as roads were… let’s say… not roads 😂
First, Lexi had a first look with her siblings and their partners. Their faces when they saw her were pure joy!
And then came Jacob’s first look with Lexi. He kind of… collapsed. In the best way possible 😂 He couldn’t stop looking at her. Couldn’t keep his hands off of her. It was so, so sweet! He handed her the bouquet, the one he had made himself, and I don’t think there was a dry eye around that cliff. Even minutes after the first look he still kept looking at her with the biggest admiration you can imagine ❤️
Their Sardinia Elopement Ceremony
Lexi’s brother officiated the ceremony, and her sister did a reading too. Standing on that narrow rock above the sea with their loved ones was intimate and very real.
After the ceremony, they popped champagne and then the family headed back to the apartment to prepare breakfast for everyone, while the videographer, the couple, and I stayed on the cliffs to capture portraits during the golden morning light. Then we joined the family for breakfast, and the videographer gathered stories and messages from the guests for the wedding film.
Mid-Morning: Private Vows at a Wildflower Field
After breakfast, we said goodbye to the family, and the adventure truly began. The couple, the videographer, and I drove to a wildflower field. This had been a dream of theirs from the very beginning of planning, and I had done quite a bit of location scouting in advance to make sure we’d hit it at exactly the right time when the flowers were blooming. It was sooo worth it!
In this field, completely alone, they exchanged their private vows. During the sunrise ceremony and rings exchange Jacob had a temporary ring. And during the private vow exchange Lexi surprised Jacob with his real wedding ring engraved in Italian: “You are my home.” He had no idea it was coming!
Late Morning: Coffee in Cagliari
We drove into the capital of Sardinia, Cagliari, for a coffee stop before the boat ride. Taking a breath, enjoying the city, soaking it all in.
The Boat Ride
Originally, Jacob and Lexi had wanted to do a boat tour where you could hop off and explore hidden beaches. During the planning phase, we learned that in Sardinia, boats are not allowed to anchor within about 100-200 meters of the shore. The island is very protective of its marine ecosystem, so you can only admire the beaches from the water.
They considered canceling the boat ride because of it, but I encouraged them to keep it. When you start your day at 3 AM and have a full day ahead of you, having a moment of genuine rest and calm in the middle of it is really important. Not every part of the day needs to be action-packed! A relaxed activity (or a midday nap) is exactly what gives you the energy to fully enjoy the rest of the day. And a 3-hour boat ride along the stunning Sardinian coastline felt like exactly that kind of reset. They agreed. And… well.
The boat captain spotted dolphins!!
Three of them. They stayed with us for about 30 minutes, coming right up close to the boat, swimming alongside us. One jumped fully out of the water, and I got it on a photo! There was a little bit of luck involved, but mostly it was me being completely ready for a jump to happen, camera in hand at all times. Not every photographer can do that (I’m blushing when I’m writing this 😂).
There was also a moment where the videographer tried to get aerial drone footage, and a bunch of seagulls decided to attack the drone 😅 We got it back safely, and all the footage survived.
Seagulls: 0, us: 1.
The boat ride was the highlight of the day, I’d say. It was so relaxing. We saw dolphins and it was not a dolphin watching trip, just a regular boat ride. We had so much fun, we laughed A LOT!! We took some time for portraits and admiring the views. Popped champagne, had some snacks, put on some music and had a little dance party on the boat!
Evening: Pizza in Wedding Attire
After the boat ride, we went for pizza at a restaurant in Cagliari.
Blue Hour at the Beach
The last stop of the day was the beach. They took photos with Instax cameras, wandered around, and we waited for the blue hour to arrive. Then we pulled out twinkly lights and lanterns, and created some of the most beautiful photos!
And for the big finish, Lexi and Jacob ran into the water. It was the perfect ending. ❤️
A Note on the Buffer Day
This elopement was originally planned for May 6th. But when I checked the forecast in the days leading up, I could see rain and strong winds were coming, and the boat company had already canceled several rides that week because of the weather. Lexi’s dress was also quite heavy (even dry! 😅), so navigating a wet, windy day in it would not have been fun.
We had the option to pivot to other locations and activities. But Jacob and Lexi decided they’d rather use the buffer day and wait for better conditions, and it was the best decision! On the 6th it did rain quite heavily and our boat ride would have been cancelled, we would have been soaking wet and well, that would not have been very pleasant.
The day we ended up with was overcast but calm. And I always say that clouds are actually great for photography! Without direct harsh sunlight, the light becomes soft, and even, there are no harsh shadows, and nobody’s squinting their eyes 😊 It makes for really beautiful, flattering images, and that’s exactly what we got.
This is exactly why I always include a buffer day in your elopement package. It’s a safety net that gives you the freedom to make the right decision for your day, not the stressful one.
Ready to Plan Your Sardinia Elopement Next?
Are you dreaming of an elopement day like this? An adventure that’s completely yours without stress, rushing or worrying about a single thing. Just you two, beautiful scenery, and a day that feels like you.
That’s exactly what I’m here for. I take care of everything — from planning your timeline and scouting locations, to coordinating vendors, capturing every moment, and even helping you print your favorites after. You just show up and enjoy!
If you’re ready to start dreaming up your Italy elopement, reach out and let’s talk about your dreams.
Other blog posts you might be interested in:
Be the first to comment