After a flood in Colorado changed Lora & Grant’s original wedding plans, they decided a last-minute elopement in Napa Valley was much more their style. It was such a beautiful, inspiring day, with every detail unfolding in an organic way. I spent the morning with Lora getting ready before the ceremony, where she tied a satin ribbon around a bouquet created by her godmother and placed a sixpence in her shoe, a family tradition carried forward by her sister. Lora is a pastry chef by trade, so a break for lunch at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery was a must — that photo of the bride and groom eating their snack and sipping Diet Coke feels like something out of another era.

After visiting one more restaurant where they received a champagne toast compliments of the owner, we decided to drive along the Silverado Trail and stop anywhere that felt good. This made for some of my favorite spontaneous moments, like the photo of them dashing across the busy street, Grant throwing Lora over his shoulder, and getting that cheeky glimpse of her pantyhose that makes the shot. It was an exhilarating, adventurous afternoon, and exactly how Lora and Grant wanted to spend their wedding day.