Jet blue hair. Ripped tees. Skateboards. Misfits “Fiend” tattoos.

For many couples, the dawn of the pandemic was just another obstacle to overcome in their already whirling daily lives. For Jack & Chelsea, getting married during lockdown wasn’t going to be easy, but as COVID-19 restrictions started to lift, they found themselves ready to jump on an opportunity to elope.

One early Sunday morning, I met them outside of the oceanfront house they were staying for the weekend.  It was conveniently located steps away from the sand and right near the pier.  This was Newport Beach, CA, to be exact. Like a pair of surfers watching the waves break and looking effortlessly cool, Jack and Chelsea were casually perched next to each other on a stone porch.  Chelsea, wearing a ripped Joy Division tank, was playfully teasing Jack’s bright blue hair, which they had dyed just for the occasion. He was shirtless, tattoos abundant and on display.  We bonded over our love of punk (everything from Balck Flag to Rancid) and skateboarding, clearly lifelong passions. Chelsea told me about her yoga practice and it reflected in her calmness. Inside, Jack’s parents were finalizing the last of the details, while Chelsea’s best friend doubled as her stylist. Soon, extended families were showing up, followed by the dearest of friends. As a safeguard, all the guests arrived a few minutes before the ceremony, and waited outside. The excitement was building and building as everyone was meeting together for the first time in months. It was pure joy.

Having a flexible (low-pressure) ceremony time was key to making this day work. Once the sun was in a good spot, the groom and officiant—one of Jack’s closest and oldest friends—led the procession down toward the sand.  Everyone formed a circle around Jack, a ring. Back at the house, Chelsea and her mom shared a moment together, waiting until everyone left before making their way down.  A score by Danny Elfman played quietly on a handheld speaker raised high. It was a minimalist ceremony, just the hits—all emotion, no filler.  The waves softly crashed and faded away. 

Despite only having a few handfuls of guests, the DIY wedding was attended by scores of onlookers due to the public nature of the beach setting.  Sending their approval, the crowd—little kids in striped bathing suits, cyclists stopped on the bike path, sunbathers in the distance, families watching from their beachfront balconies—cheered the couple on. Back at the house, the couple gave a quick thank you and received a few impromptu toasts on the rooftop, all while the sun was setting.  At last light, we snuck out to the water where Jack and Chelsea were able to just sit and watch the waves, uninterrupted.  The candy-colored sunset washed over them.