Tiny East Bay Backyard COVID Elopement » El Cerrito, California

Matthew and Rob were planning to get married in April but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Bay Area, they knew they didn’t want to wait to get married. The party itself could wait, but their love couldn’t. So they reached out to their friends who have a gorgeous backyard in the El Cerrito hills to have their tiny ceremony on a warm spring evening. It also happened that their friend who owns the home is also a minister so he officiated the whole thing and helped Matthew and Rob make it legal. Just as the ceremony began, a family of deer appeared behind the couple to watch before trotting back into the trees. Shakespeare poems were read while the couple’s friend’s next door neighbors who happened to be sitting on their porch enjoying the sunset, watched on with love and excitement for Matthew and Rob. It was a sweet DIY celebration: the flowers were sourced from another friend’s yard and the couple brought their own champagne to toast in celebration when all was said and done. It was quick little ceremony but the intention and heart behind it runs deep and helped buoy me during these turbulent times. I adore these two and their determination and love.