Shannon and Emmanuelle’s Stunning Sunset Cliffs Elopement in San Diego

Shannon and Emmanuelle chose to elope in one of the most beautiful spots in San Diego: Sunset Cliffs. These natural cliffs jut out over the Pacific ocean and are known for their unbelievable sunsets (hence the name). They set up an arch and a picnic rug and brought their dog-daughter, Frida, along with them for a ceremony just the three of them. From top to bottom, this ceremony was personalized to match the style and tone of their relationship. Meet how they met, fell in love and why they chose to elope in San Diego in California.

How did you meet? What was your first impression of one another?

Shannon: We actually first met in high school. I was a senior in high school and Emmanuelle was a freshman. I was friends with his older brother who is my age and I thought he was adorably cute!

Emmanuelle: I was always too shy to talk to Shannon in high school but we reconnected in Denver after college. I had huge crush on her but thought she wasn’t into me, but to my surprise she had a crush on me as well. The rest is history.

When did you first fall in love? How did you know?

Shannon: I  knew so quickly into our relationship that I loved Emmanuelle, but was skeptical of myself – after 6 years I know I loved him then, but nowhere near how much I love him now.

Emmanuelle: We first said I love you after only a month of dating. I  knew this was love because I’ve never had feelings this strong for anyone in my past relationships.

How did you propose or accept the proposal?

It was kind of a mutual proposal. Once we each designed the rings we wanted together with our favorite jewelry designer (Skydog Jewelry), we were like “lets go ahead and do this!”

What do you love about your partner?

Shannon: I  love how thoughtful, sensitive and fun Emmanuelle is. He is who I want to share every moment with because he always makes it better – good or bad moments.

Emmanuelle: I  love that Shannon is such a compassionate and empathetic person. She always wants to take care of her family and often puts others’ needs before her own.

What is the greatest strength of your relationship?

Emmanuelle: In my opinion, our greatest strength is that we are able to forgive and make up pretty quickly. We try to stay completely transparent with our issues and work them out as soon as possible so that they will not turn into grudges and resentment.

How did you find Simply Eloped?

I just started looking up Elopement Packages online – we initially wanted to Elope somewhere a little more exotic like Bora Bora but given the COVID-19 pandemic we started looking more local and Simply Eloped popped up in the Google Searches.

How did you know Simply Eloped was the right fit for you?

Just was simple and easy – which is the point of eloping! Picked our package and they did the rest!

What attracted you to eloping at Sunset Cliffs in San Diego?

The views at Sunset Cliffs looked amazing and we loved the idea of getting eloped on the beach – one of our favorite places.

What activities did you do before the wedding? How did you prepare? How did you feel leading up to the moments of your elopement?

We actually drove to the exact location where the elopement was taking place just to make sure we knew how to get there and how long it would take a few days prior. Also, on the day of we got there super early to set up our arch and other decorations. We were definitely both anxious and nervous leading up to the elopement. I will say though, it was nice to sleep in that day, wake up and just focus on us – nothing else. We grabbed smoothies and got ready and headed down to the beach.

How did you celebrate after?

We celebrated in our hotel room with our dog daughter, lots of champagne, homemade desserts, and we ordered some of our favorite foods from Postmates.

What words of encouragement do you have for those considering eloping?

This day should be exactly what you want, how you want it – never feel bad for doing what is right for you as a couple!

Coordination by: Simply Eloped
Officiation by: Brian Howarth
Photography by: Nikki Neumann
Venue: Sunset Cliffs

Written by Janessa White

Janessa White is the co-founder of Simply Eloped and has helped thousands of couples plan elopements. As an expert in the field, she has been featured on Brides.com, Vox, and HuffPost. Janessa thinks elopements are the ultimate way to tie the knot.