Big Sur has long been a perfect location for romance - with its towering redwood forests and rugged coastline, it's no wonder that so many couples choose to propose here! Its remote location and otherworldliness makes it an ideal location for proposals. If you're thinking of getting engaged in Big Sur, check out the guide below for tips on how to choose a location for your proposal and important things to consider when travelling to this area!

These two adventurous souls got engaged in Big Sur, so they just had to come back to celebrate their engagement (and also to get married right here on the cliffs next year!) When it came to choosing a spot, there were countless options along the coast of Big Sur. I took them to one of my favorite hidden gems - one that was a bit tricky to get to because of all the poison oak, as well as the steep hill to climb down. These two didn't blink an eye and happily hiked down the paths, and it was well worth it. Check out of the rest of C + B's Big Sur engagement session below!

These two were both originally from California, but moved to Texas with their families. Their parents were even friends in college, how crazy is that?! In fact, her dad was the one who set these two up. When they started planning a trip back to California to visit their extended families, C knew that this was the perfect opportunity to propose. We planned for the proposal to be right at sunset, and trekked through some poison oak trails to get to this incredible spot. Check out the rest of C + C's Big Sur proposal below!

When A + D started planning their elopement, one of the most important things to them was including their two dogs, Umbra and Oliver. They dreamed of spending their wedding day out in nature, surrounded by the beauty of the redwoods and the ocean. So getting married at Alila Ventana Big Sur was the perfect place for them! They got ready together with their two pups, had a sweet ceremony in the circle of redwoods, cut cake (and fed their dogs their own cake!) on the beach, and ended the day watching the sunset over the coast. Check out the rest of their Big Sur elopement below!

This gem of a venue is one of my favorites - located in downtown Monterey, the Barns at Cooper Molera has a beautiful rustic barn framed by gardens and string lights (and also conveniently next the Alta Bakery and Cella Restaurant, two staples of the Monterey food scene!) A + D met 6 years ago doing what they loved - worship. They wanted their wedding day to be a celebration and gathering place for the people they loved, and everything about their wedding day reflected that. Plus, who can say no to boba and churro at a wedding?! Getting to capture these two laugh over the most incredible rap made by their friends, tear up with emotion during communion, and dance the night away to "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" as an ode to their love of Disney made all the long hours spent planning worth out. Check out the rest of their romantic pastel garden wedding below!

Africa, a place known for its incredible wildlife and the Big 5 animals. We had never been to Africa before (we had tried to go to Morocco twice, but both times were unfortunately cancelled by COVID) so it took some planning to figure out the best itinerary for our trip. We ended up deciding to go on a 3-week trip to East Africa, starting from Kenya for the famous Giraffe Manor, then heading to Tanzania to see the Serengeti, then a stop in Zanzibar for some beach time, and finally to Rwanda and Uganda for gorilla trekking. So if you are into a little adventure with beautiful backdrops, incredible wildlife, luxury lodges, and the friendliest people to guide you on your way, then this Africa itinerary might be for you!

If you're looking for a romantic place to stay in Big Sur, Alila Ventana is the place to go. This luxury resort is the perfect place for rest and relaxation, with beautiful redwood trails, views overlooking the ocean, and plenty of spots to sit or even hammock. When J decided to propose on their trip to Big Sur, I knew the perfect spot at Ventana for the proposal. Check out the rest of his Big Sur proposal below!

When it came to choosing a wedding date, R + M had a special date in mind - June 12. It wasn't their anniversary, but rather they chose it because it was Loving Day, the day interracial marriage became legal. It was important for these two to honor that day, and they chose to celebrate it in a way that felt authentic to them. As we started planning their day, R + M told me that they wanted to get married somewhere with trees. I sent them a few options, and they decided that they wanted to check them out before deciding on a location. So the day before their elopement, I got an email from them. They were going to have the ceremony at the Airbnb instead! It was perfect - they had booked an Airbnb in the redwoods, and the owners had kindly offered to let them have their ceremony there. We had the most beautiful ceremony on the redwoods deck, where both of them couldn't help but tear up as they said their vows to one another. After adventuring around the Airbnb, we headed out to the beach where we got soaked by the waves, and ended the day on the coast. It was a day that had started off with very loose plans, but ended up being one of the most fun days where these two just enjoyed in all the little moments together. Check out the rest of their Big Sur elopement below!

D + T had a big wedding planned for next year, but they realized they wanted to make sure that their grandparents could be there to celebrate with them. So they pushed up their wedding date and planned an intimate wedding in the city where they fell in love, where they had spent many long dates hiking and picnicking wherever they went (especially because they met during COVID!) D was a landscape architect, so they immediately fell in love with St. Hilary's Church, a historic church overlooking the bay. We ended the night at the Golden Gate Bridge, where we all laughed at how cold we were with the insane wind - the best way to end the day. Check out the rest of their San Francisco wedding below!

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