A sunset elopement in a private villa on the Amalfi Coast
Patricia and Neal wanted to plan their elopement in Italy, and chose the beautiful town of Positano, on the amalfi Coast, to do so. However, they didn’t know where to start planning and needed recommendations for places to stay and things to do on their elopement day. They were sure of one thing: they wanted amazing photos to showcase their love. Patricia and Neal’s elopement was also a multi-faith elopement as they wanted to have both Sikh and Christian ceremonies. Although we were unable to have the Guru Granth Sahib (Holy Book) taken out of the closest Gurdwara (thus keeping us from having an actual Sikh ceremony the day of their elopement), they opted for a Sikh ceremony before flying out to Italy, and a Christian ceremony with a view on the Amalfi Coast.
I planned an itinerary to include many stops at different viewpoints during the day, including a delicious restaurant in Positano, as well as recommendations for ceremony spots (which I always do), which included different accommodation options with a view (as it’s pretty tricky to get a beautiful open view on Positano from a natural, non-crowded viewpoint 🙂 ).
We started the day by meeting at a salon in Sorrento, where Patricia was getting ready. The morning was dedicated to Sikh outfits, so I discovered Patricia’s beautiful Sikh wedding attire and amazing jewelry. Once we headed out of Sorrento, we met Neal directly at their Airbnb and headed back down to the city center of Positano for some couple photos. Now, one thing to know about Positano in the summer, is that it’s absolutely PACKED with people. We have to walk in the streets shoulders to shoulders with other people, and it’s definitely not ideal for intimate photos 🙂 but we made the best of it, going all the way to the beach for more peace and quiet, and lots of people LOVED seeing the couple in their beautiful wedding outfits.
We then headed to a famously delicious restaurant, where everything is cooked by a family of cooks, and that offers a beautiful open view on Positano as well. The many dishes were served one after the other, and we got stuffed pretty quickly. The whole team was over the moon to see a married couple in their restaurant, and took pictures with Patricia and Neal. After such a copious meal, we had a hard time walking back up to the villa in Nocelle! But we did and Patricia changed clothes and fixed her hair.
We then headed for a small hike on the Sentiero degli Dieri (the path of gods) for yet another beautiful view on the sea, the mountains and the nearby villages.
We finally headed back to the villa to get the ceremony ready. We hung up greenery and fresh flowers with Neal on the roof, while Patricia was having her makeup redone professionally. We also met with their celebrant. Then it was show time. The sun started to kiss the coast good night, illuminating the sea of orange and pink hues, creating light trails in the nearby mountains. Little by little, we saw Positano lighting up in the evening, while Patricia and Neal were exchanging heartfelt vows, surrounded by the peaceful view of the Mediterranean sea and the beautiful coast shading in the background. Time stood still as they shared their first kiss as husband and wife.
After popping some champagne, they headed to a delicious Michelin-starred restaurant and we parted ways.
July 24, 2022, hands down was one of the happiest days of our lives (if not the happiest) and most definitely the best day of the year for both my husband Neal and I. Amber didn’t know this at the time, but when we started planning (March 2022) our elopement in Positano, Italy, I was fresh in my grieving journey and needed guidance, patience, consistency, kindness, thoughtfulness, and flexibility. Amber not only exuded all of the above, but led with proactiveness, professionalism and creativity, wrapped in genuine care at all times.
Patricia
From the moment we saw her incredible artistry and virtually met her, we knew she was the one. It was like love at first sight, we just clicked and with the year that we had been having, authentic people who appreciate humanness and beauty were the keys to capturing what words could not.
Due to my husband and I being from two different religions (Sikhism and Christianity) and cultures, we wanted to make sure that we honored both backgrounds equally. Along with honoring both backgrounds, we wanted to go to our ideal dream location, just us 3: God, Neal, and me, surrounded by mountains, ocean, and natural light / life! We had no idea how we were going to make this dream come true, let alone capture it by ourselves in a foreign land, but Amber, our amazing photographer and planner did!
We felt like the day package was best to capture both ceremonies, outfits, and celebrations in the midst of Positano and to be clear here, we had never visited before so we had no idea of where to take pictures or stay even. Amber found our place to stay, she planned our day with a detailed agenda, local restaurant arrangements for lunch, time to change outfits, hiked the “Path of the Gods”, helped us set up our altar, assisted with hairpins, all while capturing our most intimate precious moments.
To say she is a woman that wears many hats is an understatement. She was an angel without wings for us. She graced us with her artistry through her talented eyes. She made us feel home away from home. Long before we met on the shores of Italy and way after till we were back home in California, we not only felt truly covered and valued, we felt we had gained a friend! Though only for 12 hours, Amber was able to freeze a day in time that we will forever cherish in our hearts and share with our family and friends for ages to come!
Thank you Amber for your kind gestures always! You are a true reminder that there are still passionate people in this world that love people, art, and legacy! We were honored to have you as our photographer and planner on our special day!
Anyone considering Amber as their photographer and planner, trust me, she is worth it!
