Nestled in the small town of Pacific Grove is Asilomar Conference Grounds and Asilomar State Beach, two of the best hidden gems of the Monterey Bay and Central Coast. While most people may know the white sands of Carmel Beach, the playful otters of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, or the rugged coastline of Big Sur, Asilomar holds its own with its rich history and beautiful architecture. Spend enough time with locals and you'll find that its the spot to watch the sunset. Besides its rocky beach, the nearby conference grounds serves as a community gathering place, with live music nights, fire pits, and pool tables. The buildings were designed by Julia Morgan, who is best known for her work at Hearst Castle. So if you're looking for an all-in-one wedding venue that has beach and coastal views, lodging, and historical architecture, this is the place for you!

​One snowy fall down a hill in college, and these two have been falling for each other ever since. You can’t be around these two and not smile, and it was true on their wedding day in downtown Monterey where they brought their family and friends from all over the country to celebrate with them. There was so much thought put into all the details of their day, from the colorful florals adorning the grounds, to the handpicked books they covered in floral wrapping paper as a seating chart. Check out the rest of their Barns at Cooper Molera wedding below!

Since these two were considering eloping in Big Sur, they figured why not take their engagement photos at the same time while they were scouting out the area! These two flew across the country to capture their engagement photos in the redwoods and coast of Big Sur. Check out the rest of their high fashion engagement session below!

Carmel was always these two’s happy place - a coastal getaway from the Bay Area, where they’d stay at their favorite hotel, grab a cup of coffee, and take slow walks along the beach. They always knew they wanted an intimate, private elopement, so they chose to come back to Carmel to celebrate in a way that felt meaningful and authentic to them. To start the day, they got ready in separate rooms at La Playa, a gorgeous property in Carmel-by-the-Sea, and rented a rad Corvette to drive down Highway 1 to the coast of Big Sur for their elopement ceremony. They closed the night with dinner at a local favorite La Bicyclette. Check out the rest of their Big Sur elopement below!

These two had a photo of Hurricane Point in Big Sur hanging in their home for years. So when A reached out wanting to plan a surprise trip and Big Sur proposal for his partner, I said “We got this.” 5 days later, he popped the question overlooking the cliffs of the California coast. Seeing K tear up as he read a love letter to her was absolutely worth the last minute planning. Check out the rest of their Big Sur proposal below!

N surprised S with a beautiful floral set up overlooking the ocean for his Big Sur proposal! After the proposal, he had a second surprise for her. He had secretly planned for their families to come out to celebrate with them - they had actually been sitting upstairs on the restaurant balcony the entire time! After popping some champagne with them, we continued to the coast for some engagement photos with just the two of them. It was the perfect way for them to both share a private proposal and include their families in their big day. Check out the rest of their Hyatt Carmel Highlands proposal below!

Though they had always talked about coming out to the California coast, she had no clue that this entire trip was planned so that he could surprise her with the proposal! Check out the rest of their  emotional, heartfelt proposal below!

​W + S didn’t get a chance to take their wedding photos when they eloped three years ago, so they decided to celebrate their anniversary by taking their wedding photos in Big Sur. Goes to show that it’s never too late to get dressed up again!

As huge car and motorcycle fans, these two had always dreamed of road tripping to the Big Sur coast. Though originally from Wisconsin, they found themselves living in California which was the perfect opportunity to take their very own Aston Martin on the most epic road trip of their lives! They eloped on the coastline of Big Sur and spent the day exploring all the beautiful landscapes that Big Sur had to offer. Check out the rest of their elopement below!

If you're dreaming of getting married on the California coast, there's no better place than Big Sur. A stunningly beautiful destination surrounded by towering redwoods and coastal cliffs, this destination makes for an unforgettable backdrop. Here's a list of top 10 Big Sur wedding venues to help you get started!