Spoiler alert: This post discusses the Nobody Wants This Season 3 finale. The Nobody Wants This Season 3 wedding had me thinking about the conversations I have with couples as an elopement photographer and planner. Between the family opinions and growing expectations, I could see why getting married on the beach would start sounding pretty freaking good.

The engagement excitement turns into wedding planning. Family opinions enter the conversation. The expectations start building. And somewhere in all of that, there are two people who actually want to get married.

Then Joanne and Noah end up on a beach, choosing to do exactly that.

I loved that ending because the decision felt familiar. Couples come to me wanting privacy, fewer expectations, and time to enjoy being together. Seeing a couple make that choice on screen gives people a way to picture it for themselves.

If you finished the finale thinking, “Honestly, I would love to get married like that,” here’s my take—and how that idea can become a real wedding day.

Do Joanne and Noah Get Married in Nobody Wants This Season 3?

Yes. Joanne and Noah get married on the beach in the Season 3 finale. Their trip to Malibu initially centers on Joanne’s mikveh, the ritual immersion completing her conversion to Judaism. Afterward, they decide to marry there, with Rabbi Eden officiating and a passerby serving as a witness. Netflix’s official finale explanation confirms that they end the season married. (Netflix Tudum)

The part that stood out to me was the shift in their attention. After all the conversations surrounding their wedding, they have this moment together where getting married becomes the priority.

Wedding Planning Pressure in Nobody Wants This Season 3

A wedding brings together a lot of people who care about you. It can also bring together a lot of opinions.

• Who gets invited?
• Which traditions do you include?
• Who might be upset?
• How do you balance what your families want with what you want?

Each conversation might seem manageable on its own. Together, they can start taking up more space than the things you were excited about in the first place.

That’s what made this storyline connect with my work. Some couples know from the beginning that they want to elope. Others start imagining a larger wedding and gradually realize they would rather have something smaller.

You can be excited about your marriage and overwhelmed by the wedding you’re planning. Those feelings can exist at the same time.

If you’re sorting through that decision, my guide to what an elopement is is a helpful place to start.

Why the Nobody Wants This Season 3 Wedding Felt So Meaningful

My take on the ending is that the beach gives Joanne and Noah a moment to hear each other without another wedding conversation happening around them.

There’s room for the decision to be simple: they want to get married.

As someone who photographs intimate ceremonies, I love seeing that kind of moment given so much weight. A small ceremony can hold an incredible amount of emotion. You hear the vows, see the reactions, and notice the little ways two people reach for each other.

And choosing an intimate wedding can still leave room for the traditions that matter to you. Religion, cultural practices, meaningful clothing, and personal rituals can all be part of the conversation when you plan your ceremony.

The size of your guest list doesn’t determine how much meaning you can bring to it.

If You Watched and Thought, “We Could Do That”

Maybe you pictured standing there with your person, hearing their voice shake as they said their vows. Holding their hands and being able to say everything you wanted to say without a room full of people watching.

If that thought made you look over at your partner—or wish they were sitting beside you—spend a little time talking about it.

• Did you imagine how it would feel to say your vows in private?
• Could you picture the water behind you, the breeze on your faces, and nowhere else you needed to be?
• Did you love how a simple ceremony could still hold so much emotion?
• Did you feel a little relief at the thought of choosing something together, before inviting everyone else’s opinions in?

You don’t need to have a plan yet. Start by telling each other which part you wished could be yours.

Try these questions together:

• When we picture saying our vows, where are we—and who, if anyone, do we want beside us?
• What would we be excited to plan if we weren’t worried about disappointing anyone?
• Are there traditions or people we’d feel sad to leave out?
• After we’re married, how would we love to spend those first few hours together?

You might realize you want to say things to each other that you’d never feel comfortable sharing in front of a crowd. Or you might picture a few familiar faces, happy tears, and hugs before slipping away for an evening together.

Pay attention to what makes you both light up and be honest about anything you’d miss.

You don’t have to announce a decision right away. Give yourselves a little time to imagine the day, talk it through, and find the parts you’re both excited to make happen.

A Real Beach Elopement Can Be a Whole Day

Television gives us the ceremony and rolls the credits. In real life, you get to keep celebrating.

Imagine getting ready together at your rental, helping each other with the final little details, and heading out to exchange vows by the water.

Afterward, you could stop for your favorite food, share a picnic, cut a little cake, or take a walk without watching the clock. Later, there’s time for sunset portraits and a first dance as the light fades.

For couples who love the water, getting in at the end of the day can be part of the plan when conditions allow. Some of my favorite Tahoe photographs happen when couples decide they’re ready to get a little wet.

You don’t need to squeeze your wedding into the length of a ceremony. There’s room to make memories before and after your vows, too.

Planning a Beach Elopement Inspired by Joanne and Noah’s Wedding

The spontaneous feeling is lovely. A little planning helps you enjoy it.

Start with the scenery and the experience. An ocean beach and a Lake Tahoe shoreline offer different settings. Think about what draws you to the water and how you want to spend your time there.

Look into the specific location before committing. Ceremony permission, photography rules, access, and visitor levels vary. An empty-looking stretch of sand in a photograph doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about getting married there.

Plan around the conditions. Wind, temperatures, waves, and the walk to your ceremony spot can affect the experience. Timing also matters for light and how busy a place may be.

Arrange the legal details separately from the inspiration. A television wedding isn’t a planning checklist. Confirm the current marriage requirements with the relevant county and the ceremony rules with the location’s managing agency.

Leave time to enjoy being married. Plan something you’re excited about afterward, even if it’s as simple as dinner together and watching the sunset.

My California elopement planning guide walks you through the next steps, and my best places to elope in California guide can help you explore different settings.

Let’s Plan Your Own California Elopement

If Joanne and Noah’s beach wedding had you thinking, “That’s what we want,” I’d love to help you figure out what that could look like.

I’m Kristin, a California elopement photographer and planner. I photograph elopements in Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, along the California coast, and beyond—and I help you put the day together, too.

You don’t need a date, an exact location, or a finished plan before reaching out. We’ll start with what you’re excited about and build from there.

I will help you with:

Planning Help From the Start

• Location guidance: Places chosen around your scenery, guest count, and how much walking you want to do.
• A custom timeline: Time for beautiful light, your favorite activities, and breaks along the way.
• Planning support: Permit guidance, vendor and lodging recommendations, and answers to your questions.
• Activity ideas: Hikes, meals, ice cream, swimming, and little stops that make your day memorable.
• Style & details: Help choosing colors, outfits, and details that photograph beautifully together.
• What to bring: Packing and preparation guidance so you arrive comfortable and ready.
  

Your Elopement Includes Flowers, a Picnic, Cake & a Toast

I bring the celebration details, too, so you can enjoy them without sourcing and coordinating everything yourselves.

• Faux flower bouquets & boutonnieres: Choose from my collection of colors and styles for your ceremony and photos.
• A styled picnic: A setup ready for you to sit down, relax, and celebrate together.
• A mini cake: Your own little cake to cut and share—because you’re getting married, and that deserves cake!
• A celebratory toast: Champagne or sparkling cider to raise a glass after your vows.

These are included in your elopement experience, along with photography and personal planning support.

Someone Looking Out for You Throughout the Day

• Natural direction: Help knowing what to do in front of the camera, with space to enjoy the real moments.
• Care as we go: Someone paying attention when you need warmth, a break, or a change of plans.
• Teasers within 24 hours: A first look at your photos while everything is still fresh.
• Your full gallery: A personally edited collection that tells the story of your day delivered to you 6 weeks after your wedding date.
  
  

My elopement experiences start at four hours, with photography and planning help so you can enjoy more than a quick ceremony. We’ll make time for your vows, beautiful locations, and celebrating together. Keep it just the two of you or bring a small group of your favorite people.

Tell me where you’re dreaming of getting married, the time of year you’re considering, and what you’d love to do together. You don’t need to have it all figured out before reaching out—that’s what I’m here to help with.

Helpful Elopement & Small Wedding Resources

Thinking about a smaller celebration? These guides can help you choose a location, explore ideas, and start putting your day together.

• How to Elope in California — A step-by-step guide to getting started.
• Best Places to Elope in California — Explore beaches, mountains, forests, and more.
• Small Wedding Ideas for 20 Guests or Less — Ways to celebrate with your closest people.
• Intimate Elopement Venues in California — Explore venue options for a smaller celebration.
• Will You Regret Eloping? — Questions to consider when deciding what you want.
• Elopement Packages and Pricing — See how I can help you plan and photograph your day.
  
  

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The photographs accompanying this article show real elopements photographed by Kristin Smith Photography. They are not images from Nobody Wants This. This independent commentary is not affiliated with or endorsed by Netflix.