Meet Lisa: Quietly Ours | Elopement and Proposal Photographer & Planner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa: Quietly Ours and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa:, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Before I started focusing exclusively on elopements and proposals, I spent three years photographing traditional weddings. It was beautiful in many ways, but also often hectic: packed timelines, stressed couples, and a lot of pressure to follow traditions. When COVID hit, all my weddings were canceled. In the middle of that, I was hired to photograph my very first elopement, and that day completely changed how I viewed weddings.

The couple hiked to a beautiful location, exchanged their vows in private, cried so many happy tears, and simply took their time. There was no audience, no performance, just a meaningful celebration of their love. Being there with them and documenting it all felt incredibly special, and I knew this was the kind of experience I wanted to support and capture moving forward.

Soon after, I also started helping plan and photograph proposal moments, with the same intention: making them deeply personal and memorable. My business first started as Pacific Vows, but I recently rebranded to Quietly Ours to better reflect what it’s all about: intimate experiences, true connection, and celebrating love in a way that feels authentic to each couple.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is all about capturing love in its most honest, quiet, and meaningful form. I specialize in photographing elopements and proposals, not the big, traditional kind of weddings, but the deeply personal, wildly intentional moments that often happen far from the crowds, in places like cliffs at sunrise or forests at golden hour. What sets my work apart is how much I care about the experience, not just the photos. I don’t want couples to feel like they’re posing for a camera. I want them to feel free to be themselves, to cry, to laugh, to run barefoot, to fully feel the moment.

I’m most proud of the way I help couples create space for themselves on a day that is truly about them. I don’t just document. I help guide, plan, and hold space for those once-in-a-lifetime moments to unfold naturally. Seeing people come alive in that freedom is something I’ll never get over.

But getting here wasn’t always easy. I started out photographing large weddings, and I often felt like something was missing. When the pandemic hit, all of my weddings were canceled. At the time it felt like a total disaster, but it ended up being a turning point. I got hired to photograph my very first elopement, and that day completely changed how I viewed weddings. The couple chose to spend their day in nature, doing only what felt meaningful to them. It was quiet, emotional, and full of intention. That experience helped me see a new path, and from that moment on, I knew this was what I wanted to do.

There were plenty of challenges. I had to build a new brand, rework my entire approach, and find the right people who are just as passionate about this work as I am. It was also scary to start something new and step outside of what felt familiar and expected. But I learned that when you stay true to your heart and your values, the right people find you.

If there is one thing I want the world to know about my work, it is that it is not about following traditions or creating perfect images. It is about connection. It is about honoring each couple’s story and helping them create a celebration that feels like home. That is what Quietly Ours is all about. And I feel incredibly grateful to witness and capture love in such an honest and intentional way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh wow, there are so many amazing spots to choose from in San Diego, but here are some of my favorite go-tos:

Start with a walk along the Coast Walk Trail in La Jolla and stop to see the sea lions at the cove. Grab a smoked fish burrito from Oscar’s Mexican Seafood (seriously, so good).

For coffee or matcha, head to Adore Coffee House, and later treat yourself to cheesecake at Hinar Dessert Bar. The gardens at Balboa Park are always worth a stroll: peaceful and beautiful any time of year.

If you’re into surfing, check out Tourmaline Surf Park or La Jolla Shores. For a dog-friendly adventure, take a beach walk at Del Mar Dog Beach ot Ocean Beach. You can also bike or rollerblade along the Mission Beach boardwalk.

And speaking of sunset, catch golden hour at Sunset Cliffs or Torrey Pines Gliderport while the paragliders fly around you.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
If I had to give a shoutout to one person, it would be my mom 100%. She was a film photographer when I was growing up, and some of my earliest memories are of her winding film, framing shots, and explaining how light tells a story. I used to play with her camera like it was a toy, totally mesmerized. When I turned 16, my parents saved up to buy me my very first professional camera, and that gift truly changed the course of my life. Every time I witness couples committing to each other in deeply personal ways, I feel like I’m coming full circle: honoring the gift my mom gave me, both literally and creatively.

And I also want to thank my amazing partner, whose support, hard work, and dedication have played such a big role in growing this business. From behind-the-scenes logistics to creative input, his contributions have been essential to making everything run smoothly. Quietly Ours wouldn’t be where it is today without him.

Website: https://quietlyours.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quietlyours.moments/

Image Credits
Quietly Ours