A Local Big Sur Elopement Photographer's Guide to Eloping in Big Sur

When it comes to elopement locations in the US, Big Sur is one of the top places people come to get married. With its vast coastal views and redwood forests, it's a place full of wonder and natural beauty. As a local Big Sur elopement photographer who spends countless roadtrips exploring the endless trails in the area, I'm here to help you craft an epic day that feels genuine to your love story. Check out this guide for location recommendations, best months to elope, day-of timelines, and planning tips!

Though Vietnam was not always on our bucket list of travel destinations, it quickly rose to top after reading more about the amazing hiking, culture, and food that this country had to offer. Plus, pho was always my go-to comfort food in the winter (with spring rolls being my go-to food in the summer!) so we were super excited to finally take a cooking class there. It was an incredible 3 weeks in Vietnam and Thailand - we got to ride motorbikes through the mountain passes of Ha Giang, spend a night in Ha Long Bay, explore temples in Ninh Binh, trek through a jungle to camp in a cave, watch the lanterns light up Hoi An, swim in the clearest blue waters of Pileh Lagoon, rock climb at Railay Beach, and hang out with elephants near Chiang Mai. Check out the rest of our 3-week Vietnam and Thailand itinerary below!

When I found out that N and his two brothers had played elven and Gondorian warriors in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and were from Wellington, New Zealand (where Weta Workshop was born - the special effects company that innovated much of what made LOTR so incredible), I definitely nerded out quite a bit! N + A had an incredible love story that crossed countries - N was from New Zealand, and A was from Korea. They met in college 11 years ago, but parted ways when life took them to different countries. When they met back up in Hawaii, the time and place was finally right for these two to fall in love. They brought together their families from across the world for an intimate wedding in Big Sur, California. Though it wasn't the fjords and mountains of New Zealand, I definitely felt like we were walking through Rivendell as the sun streamed through the forest, creating the most beautiful light that made the day feel like it was straight out of a fairytale. And even when the clouds covered much of the sky during our last hour before sunset, we patiently waited and got to see a few quick minutes of sunset that peeked in and out of the clouds before the day ended. Check out the rest of A + N's Big Sur intimate wedding below!

M was looking for a place that felt like Lord of the Rings (since his girlfriend was a huge fan!) and I knew just the place. He originally going to propose in Portland, but he thought it might be too obvious. So instead he surprised her with an impromptu road trip to Big Sur, where he brought the PNW vibes with him to California! Though it rained, these two couldn’t stop smiling and laughing. Check out the rest of M + K's Big Sur redwoods proposal below!

There are some days when you just can't believe that what you're seeing is real - and watching the sunset with R + G was one of them. Just moments before, it was completely cloudy. We had just finished up their picnic and ran up the coastal trail for the last 30 minutes. I noticed a faint orange glow coming up from behind the clouds, and went to capture the waves behind them. The glow grew more and more vibrant until it painted the film of water left by the waves orange. It was an unforgettable moment- we were all left in marvel by the few minutes of sunset! Check out the rest of their magical Big Sur redwoods and coast elopement below.

Carmel was C + A’s happy place. They took many weekend trips here, spending time just slowing down and exploring the coast. They gathered their closest family and friends to celebrate with them in their favorite place, which luckily turned out to be a beautiful sunny day despite it raining the day before! C also always loved bridges, so Bixby Bridge was a perfect place to stop before we adventured to the coast. I ran back up the trail to get her veil just when I saw the orange colors of sunset peeking out of the clouds, and it was just absolutely breathtaking. They ended the night in the best kind of way - grabbing dinner with their loved ones at In-N-Out! Check out the rest of C + A's La Playa Carmel wedding below.

L + J met in junior college, where J had been playing minor league baseball. Though she was a little nervous to talk to him at first, he won her over and they started doing long distance while he went off to play ball. Every season, he would bring back a baseball and write a sweet note to her on it. When they got engaged, they originally thought they would have a traditional wedding. But drama ensued and they quickly were overwhelmed by the process, which was only made more difficult by a wedding vendor that took off after booking. L then stumbled upon an old classmates' wedding photos - another couple who I had photographed for their elopement here in Big Sur! She immediately fell in love and knew that this was how she wanted to get married. On a beautiful fall day, they flew with their family and a few close friends from Kansas City to California, where they all got to share in the awe of seeing the giant redwoods for the first time. It was a day so full of emotion, as L started tearing up from the moment she had her first look with her dad and brother, to the moments that seemed to stop in time when they said their vows, and even her nieces couldn't help but tear up in happiness. "This is everything I ever imagined," she said, "It couldn't have been more perfect." J signed another baseball for her - this time with their wedding date - and we headed off to the coast where she donned his baseball journey and they both got to watch a beautiful sunset together over the Pacific Ocean. Check out the rest of their Big Sur redwoods and coast wedding below!

One of A + K's very first trips together was in Big Sur. They immediately fell in love with the sweeping coastal views overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and couldn't imagine getting married anywhere else. On a beautiful October day, they got ready in a private home in Carmel. Though they originally were going to do their first look in the backyard, I was immediately drawn to the oak tree tunnel on the street and brought them out for the first of many amazing views they got to experience on their wedding day. After their first look, I took them adventuring to some of my favorite spots along the coast of Big Sur. K, who had always loved classic cars, just had a blast as he drove the Porsche down the windy roads of Highway 1. They laughed together as K helped his bride navigate the rocky cliffs in her stunning custom-made gown, and A told me that she was so glad that they started off the day with just the two of them doing what they loved, adventuring in the outdoors. Once we pulled up to the venue, they made their grand entrance in the Porsche before continuing on to their ceremony overlooking the ocean. It was a night full of unforgettable memories -the overwhelming tears of joy A + K shared in a quiet, private moment while watching the sunset together, the twilight colors painting the sky purple and orange as they sat down for dinner, the outfit change into a jumpsuit so that A + K could kickstart the party with a coordinated dance number to "Uptown Funk," and even a dance-off competition where the wedding party showed off their best moves. Check out the rest of A + K's Big Sur wedding below!

Most of California is known for its great weather year-round, but the one thing we don't get is a true fall season like the East Coast does. So we made it our mission to find fall colors in California! We had already roadtripped through much of California, including visiting Yosemite in all different seasons, driving up and down the California coast to see the redwoods and cliffs, and hitting up the desert in Joshua Tree and Death Valley, but somehow had not been to Mammoth Lakes. When researching Mammoth Lakes, we found that the Eastern Sierra mountain range was the best place to see fall colors in California so we timed our trip for mid-October. Not only did we get to see the beautiful trees change colors, but we also got to soak in the most incredible natural hot springs and see the Milky Way clearly with our own eyes. Check out this 3-day itinerary for seeing the fall colors in Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite National Park (and it's dog-friendly too!)
​

Early in their dating years, K + J took a spontaneous trip to Big Sur and fell in love with the place. They knew they wanted to elope, so returning back to a place where they fell in love was the perfect way to celebrate their wedding day. For their elopement, the weather was just warming up, bringing out all the pampas grass sprouting up all along Highway  Excited to take K + J exploring, I took them hiking through hidden trails and we got to overlook the most incredible cliffside views. Check out the rest of K + J's Big Sur elopement below!