Hey there! I’m Katie, the face (and camera) behind Catherine Julia Art + Wellness. I’ve been on a wonderful journey called life and I’d love to share a little more of that with you! I’m called many names, but I’m sure you’re here to learn more about this San Diego elopement photographer above all others. Let’s chat a little about how I became a San Diego elopement photographer and who I am beyond the lens.
My Family + Where I Call Home
I’m a mom, transformational mentor and healer, content creator, and San Diego elopement photographer. I have 3 amazing kids, Caswell, Palmer, and Jeri, and a German Shepherd mix. Our dog was actually a rescue from Africa while my husband was deployed there. I had my son at 19, and he was part of my reason I started my photography journey (more on that later). Born in California, I’m a Cali girl through and through. I spent half of my life in a tiny town in Massachusetts and the other half in San Diego.
My family and I love pretty much anything outdoors, when the weather is nice. Which is why we’re moving back to San Diego in 2023! We have loved living in Virginia Beach, but we’re ready to go back home to the amazing weather of San Diego. In my very limited free time you’ll catch me doing yoga, hiking, and manifesting everything I’ve ever dreamed of. On my blog, you’ll find a good mix of San Diego elopement education, how to manifest the life of your dreams, and education around raising amazing humans! I hope you’ll stick around to read it all!
How I Came to be a San Diego Elopement Photographer
Remember my oldest son, Caswell? Well I couldn’t afford photo sessions after getting pregnant with him so I asked for a DSLR camera as a present. (To take my own photos). To my surprise, I got it! I read tons of blogs and resources I found through Pinterest. Really early on, I joined Clickin Moms. I bought and consumed all the content I could! I took lots of online photo courses through Click Photo School and have tons of others still to take.
My original dream was to become a Click Pro. I love taking photos of my kids and my life, so I started working with brands. Because I was a stay at home mom, it made the most sense! I then started taking photos of my friend’s kids and found my love for photography as a whole. While I still love to work with brands, photographing your lives and bringing those memories to life is my passion. I spent a while as a lifestyle photographer, photographing all of your wonderful journies in life.
Capturing the love between couples soon became my favorite though. I loved planning my own wedding, capturing photos of my couples, and found myself staring at all these outdoor adventure elopement images. All of this brought me to the realization that San Diego elopement photography was my next step in life. I have loved capturing San Diego elopements and I can’t wait to continue capturing stunning adventure elopements!
Why Elopement Photography?
The connection is my favorite part of elopement photography. There is so much love and so many priceless moments on your elopement day. I love being able to be there to capture your connection and create tangible memories through photographs. But of course the style + planning of them is also a bonus! I love all things modern bohemian, florals, and dresses. Getting to see all the amazing locations while capturing your love is, honestly, a dream come true. So, I love that I can incorporate all of my favorite things into my job!!
My Handsome Husband + Our Own San Diego Wedding
I, initially, wanted to elope (shocking I know) but my husband, Mike, really wanted to have a big wedding with family. So we had a big San Diego wedding. I ended up LOVING the entire process of planning and, honestly, am so glad we did have a big wedding. It was a dream!
We had our wedding at Green Acre back in 2019. The vibes were Sons of Anarchy meets boho meets industrial chic. It poured on our wedding day, so it was all indoors. But they say rain on your wedding day is good luck, right? We’ve had lots of good luck so far!
My step dad and son walked me down the aisle. I, also, had a first dance with Caswell and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. It was everything we ever dreamed of. Just a day of celebrating Mike + I’s love with all our favorite people. Which is part of the reason I love elopement photography so much now! If you want to see more of our San Diego wedding photos, check out our wedding blog here!
All the Love From Me to You
Thanks for visiting my tiny part of the internet. It’s my hope that my writings can bring some inspiration and positivity into your world. And, that my photographs remind those of you who have forgotten – that life is magical. At times, it simply takes a different perspective to see what’s always been there. If you’re planning an elopement in San Diego, I’d love to chat! As a San Diego elopement photographer, I’ve got a lot of tips and tricks and elopement education on this blog. Head here for all the San Diego elopement education!
