Where and How to Elope in Big Sur: A guide to ceremony locations, elopement advice, regional information and vendor recommendations (Updated for 2024) Why Elope in Big Sur? Welcome to my guide about where and how to elope in Big Sur! Big Sur is a jaw-droppingly gorgeous region of rugged coastline just south of Monterey,...
Best Redwood Wedding Venues in California Updated for 2024! Redwood forests are a really popular type of wedding venue, and I’m completely on board with that! I’m particularly fond of redwoods because I live in the redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The amount of couples searching for the best redwood forest venues in...
From the woods to the beach / Jenna & Kristen’s California Redwood Forest Elopement In California, a redwood forest elopement is one of the most peaceful and inspiring ways to get married. Jenna and Kristen traveled from Los Angeles to Big Sur to do this on a beautiful fall day. After months of planning with...
Evergreen Lodge Yosemite Fall Wedding Evergreen Lodge Yosemite comes alive with fall color in late October and early November. It is a dreamy setting for a fall wedding, made complete with crisp air and the piney scent of the mountains. And so, these two Alaska natives found their perfect wedding location in the wilder parts...
Glen Oaks Bridge House Wedding in Big Sur Check out this Glen Oaks Bridge House wedding in Big Sur if you’re looking for a great venue to get married in the redwoods. Glen Oaks Big Sur is an incredible resort and lodge off of highway 1. They offer cabins and motor lodge style rooms. The...
INSIDER.COM’s Best Wedding Photos 2021 I am feeling honored this week! This week I was named in Insider.com’s best wedding photos of 2021. You can see the full piece here: “The Most Beautiful Wedding Pictures Captured in 2021”. This unexpected feature marks the second year in a row that Insider has named me for the...
Sparrow Valley Retreat: Best Wedding Venues in Santa Cruz Have you heard of this wedding venue in the Santa Cruz Mountains? Sparrow Valley Retreat is one of the best wedding venues in Santa Cruz County. Nestled in the redwoods on top of a ridge, this gorgeous retreat is perfect for outdoor weddings big and small....
Santa Cruz Wedding Venues / Where to get married in and around Santa Cruz, California Santa Cruz has long been a weekend getaway destination for the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. It’s no wonder why it’s also a great place to get married! There aren’t many great or unsponsored resources about Santa Cruz wedding...
Intimate Sand Rock Farm Wedding In early summer, Lina and Danny were married surrounded by their closest friends. They lodged and celebrated at the beautiful and historic Sand Rock Farm in Aptos, California. Lina got ready with the help of her childhood friend, whom she knew from growing up in Germany. Trinh helped her with...
Waterfall Lodge Weddings in Ben Lomond, California / Santa Cruz Mountains Wedding Venue Waterfall Lodge Weddings in Ben Lomond, California are some of the most incredible. Imagine getting married under a towering grove of redwoods and inhaling the scent of the forest all day long. About Waterfall Lodge The Waterfall Lodge is a retreat style...
Private Estate Elopement Big Sur One day long ago, Sherril had an unforgettable spiritual experience in a California redwood forest. She told me about this memory over the phone and how important it had been in her life. That was why she chose the redwoods of Big Sur to start a new chapter with her...
Hiking Elopement Big Sur A cross-country train ride to California, a drive down the coast, and finally a hike through a hidden canyon. These are what brought Cara and Seth to their intimate elopement ceremony under the redwoods. This couple had dreamed of visiting the Monterey Bay ever since reading Steinbeck novels when they were...
Adventure Wedding Portrait Session Sam and John asked me to take some wedding portraits for them around the time of their 1 year wedding anniversary. Their original wedding day had unfortunately landed in the middle of the week that covid-19 blew up in the United States. Everything about their wedding day turned into a whirlwind...
Henry Cowell State Park Wedding Even before the pandemic began, Shawday and Charlie had planned for an intimate elopement day with just their mothers present to witness. Luckily they were able to pull it off, despite the threats of park closures, permit cancellations and wildfires in the area. My absolute favorite part of Shawday and...
Sparrow Valley Retreat Spring Wedding Jennie and Stephen surrounded themselves with their innermost circle of people on their wedding day. They had a beautiful spring wedding at Sparrow Valley Retreat. This venue is in a gorgeous redwood forest in the Santa Cruz mountains. My favorite part about this wedding day was that Jennie and Stephen...
Big Sur Hiking Elopement The Adventure: Christine and Eric told me from day 1 that they LOVE to hike. When we talked about their elopement day, it was important to them that we make their day reflect what they love doing with each other. “After our ceremony, we want to take our first hike as...
Coastal Big Sur Elopement Krista and Evan had their coastal Big Sur elopement ceremony on a clear November day. My favorite part of the day was seeing how Krista’s daughter, Evie, watched with pure joy as her mom married Evan. During the kiss at the end of the ceremony, Evie clasped her hands together as...
Abby Dahlkemper marries Aaron Schoenfeld On January 5th, 2021 Abby Dahlkemper married Aaron Shoenfeld in Santa Cruz, California. Abby Dahlkemper is a player for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. Aaron Schoenfeld is a player for Minnesota United FC. These two pro soccer players tied the knot soon after becoming engaged. The couple eloped at...
Foggy Big Sur Elopement Big Sur made a watercolor painting out of itself the day Talia and Luis eloped. The scenery and light added so much beauty to the vows these two exchanged under the redwoods at Glen Oaks Big Sur. Talia’s and Luis’ ceremony was one of the most breathtakingly moving wedding ceremonies I...
Where to Elope in Santa Cruz California updated for 2021! Why Santa Cruz County is a Great Place to Elope California is a popular place to get away for an elopement, for good reason. Recently the most popular places to elope in California have been Big Sur and Yosemite. A quick look at instagram will tell you...
California Redwood Forest Elopement Hannah and Aleksa met during high school in Georgia and have been together ever since! They became engaged and ultimately decided to have an intimate California redwood forest elopement up in the Monterey Bay. We worked together to plan the perfect location and a fun experience. Even though COVID-19 changed their...
Redwood Forest Elopement in Big Sur Chelsea and Christopher were one of those unlucky couples who’s wedding was supposed to take place in March of 2020–right around the time Covid seemed to shut down the country. Fortunately these patient folks waited out that uncertainty until it was ok for them to finally hold a wedding...
Loma Vista Big Sur Elopement Stephanie and Ivan took their first trip to Big Sur to elope on top of the world at Loma Vista. We were able to hit the redwoods, the coastal mountain tops, and the beach all in one day. I love showing Big Sur to new faces– especially on such a...
Om Oasis Retreat Elopement / Aptos, California Harley and Josh are one of the couples who had to make the difficult decision to postpone their big wedding day because of the pandemic this year. However, they decided to elope on their original wedding date so that they could still be married and celebrate in a...
Henry Cowell Redwoods Engagement Session Brittany and Becca strolled together through the impressive redwood loop at Henry Cowell State Park. I followed them around as they explored and showed me what they are like as a couple. It had recently rained, so as a result we all enjoyed the incomparable scent of wet bay trees,...
Spring Garden Nursery Wedding Inspiration Last spring I teamed up with a group of super talented local women to collaborate on this spring garden nursery wedding inspiration shoot! We fell in love with the romantic, shabby feel of this nursery greenhouse in Santa Cruz County. I had so much fun photographing all that beauty! It...
Spring UCSC Hay Barn Wedding Spring weddings are some of my favorite. The hillsides are green, the in-season flowers are bursting with much needed color, and the sunshine is definitely not taken for granted. Laura and Matt lucked out with a gorgeous day for their April wedding at the UCSC Hay Barn. The Hay Barn...
Classic Beaulieu Garden Wedding Natalie and Chris flew into wine country from Los Angeles and held a destination wedding with all their family and friends. Beaulieu Gardens was a stunning setting for this effortlessly elegant day. When you enter the Beaulieu Gardens property, you are immediately surrounded by vineyards, oak trees, and a huge expanse...
Bohemian San Juan Bautista Wedding Drew and Brooke held a colorful, bohemian fall wedding in sunny San Juan Bautista, California. The wedding took place at Jardines de San Juan, which is a Mexican restaurant with a gorgeous garden area for private events. Abundant succulents, cacti and all kinds of lush greenery made a beautiful setting...
Glen Oaks Big Sur Forest Elopement Jan and Maks flew in all the way from Toronto to elope under the towering redwoods of Big Sur. They chose to stay at Glen Oaks Big Sur in a little cabin, and also elope right there on the premises. It was a unique experience to be able to...
Fall Ojai Valley Inn Wedding / Jonna and Peter One thing was clear: each and every friend and family member present at this wedding was head-over-heels-thrilled about the union of Jonna and Peter. I could tell that these two must be incredible humans to be friends with. It made me so happy to see people...
Claire and Sarah made the journey from Long Beach to Big Sur for their intimate destination elopement with six of their closest family members. They got ready together in the same room, which is a sweet and rare thing to witness! Claire and Sarah’s mothers helped them into their dresses and I’m pretty sure everyone...
Slow Coast Intimate Wedding / Davenport, California I could tell right away that Mary and Doug were a special couple even though I didn’t get to meet them in person for a long time. This sweet Portland couple told me about their dream for an intimate, meaningful wedding on the coast over a phone call,...
Oakland Artist Warehouse Home Engagement Session Michelle and Mark love their artist loft home in Oakland, California. They decided to do their engagement session there since it is where most of their memories are made. They showed me around the place and then they just eased into their typical routine for a lazy afternoon at...
Panther Beach Spring Elopement / Davenport, California Elopement Katie and Tim road tripped from Arizona to Santa Cruz to elope on the beach. Panther Beach is one of our most gorgeous coastal areas just north of Santa Cruz and I had a feeling they would love it. I knocked on the door of their room...
Sara & James / Scottish Fall Wedding at Waterfall Lodge, Ben Lomond California Sara and James celebrated their wedding with Scottish flair in the lush redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains. I loved the way they incorporated James’ Scottish heritage throughout the whole wedding day. There were kilts, thistles, and even traditional Scottish dancing during...
Sou’Wester Lodge Vintage Trailer Park Engagement // Washington Coast Wedding Photographer I love photographing candid lifestyle engagement sessions because I get to focus on capturing you in your element and being yourselves. This vintage trailer park couple session was incredibly fun to photograph, as Tricia and Johnny brought their creative vision and natural chemistry to the...
Modern Elegant Redwood Forest Wedding at The Island Farm, San Gregorio / Justine and Keith If you know me, you know I’m always on a quest to find the most amazing forest wedding venues. The Island Farm is one of my new favorites as of this season. Tucked away in the hills near Half Moon...
Santa Cruz Mountains Engagement Session / Santa Cruz Wedding Photography Sometimes couples surprise me with how adventurous they are! Madie and Thomas were down to climb all over the place and tread through a creek during our session, and it was so much fun. We chased the light around as it beamed down through...
Moondance Bridal Shop / Northern California’s Unconventional Wedding Dress Boutique for the Free-Spirited Bride -My personal dress-shopping experience- I heard a flutter of happy laughter the moment I swung open the door of Moondance Bridal. I planned this appointment weeks earlier to find my wedding dress, and I became stoked for this...
K&D / Diablo Ranch Walnut Creek Wedding When I arrived at Kristina’s parents’ home, she was looking through an old journal that her fiancé had given her as a wedding gift. I couldn’t believe how thoughtful it was– a record he kept of their relationship, complete with every card and note she had written to...
Intimate UC Botanical Garden Wedding, Berkeley / Berkeley Wedding Photographer Back in the 1940s Emma’s grandparents were engaged in this very garden! I love that her and Andrew’s throwback vintage look is a nod to that family history in a way. The pair celebrated their marriage with less than 40 guests on a beautiful...
Modern Maui Jungle Wedding Inspiration at Haiku Mill / Unconventional Maui Wedding Photographer This shoot was featured on Bridal Musings I am always seeking out magical places that transport me to another world. Haiku Mill is a once-abandoned historic sugar mill on Maui that does just that. The old bones of this 19th century mill...
Holly Farm, Carmel-by-the-Sea Wedding Venue / Eclectic Retro Autumn Wedding at Holly Farm / Carmel Wedding Photographer My jaw dropped when I set foot onsite the Holly Farm in Carmel, California. There are a lot of wedding venues I like, a few I love, and just a couple that I absolutely ADORE. The Holly...
Intimate Big Sur Redwood Forest Wedding, Limekiln State Park / Jack and Dana What happens when you want to have the perks of eloping but you also want a few dear family and friends around? You hold an intimate wedding, aka a “micro wedding” and get the best of all worlds! Jack and Dana...
1970s Beachy Boho Bridal Fashion Summer is here and I’m sighing over and over at the feeling of sunshine. I collaborated with Madison of Beauty by M to put together this sunny, free-spirited styled bridal session at Panther Beach in Santa Cruz. I loved the 1970s style of the bell-sleeve gown, and wanted to play...
Off the Beaten Path Napa Spring Wedding // Napa Private Estate Wedding The sun turned buttery gold as it dipped behind a backdrop of oak trees, olive trees and a gorgeous white barn. Wes & Keeley’s guests gathered around one long, magnificent banquet table nestled between two rows of vines. So many beautiful, emotional moments happened that...
Carkeek Park Winter Portrait Session / Seattle, Washington Even in Seattle there is an occasional sunny day during winter. Makayla, Cate and I got together for a shoot at Carkeek Park and lucked out with gorgeous, clear skies. It was so fun exploring the rocky beach and green trails throughout the park. Sunshine, ferns,...
Redwood Forest Bridal Portraits / Nisene Marks Aptos, California Ever since I moved to Santa Cruz I’ve been exploring the incredible redwood forests that we are so lucky to have surrounding us. I LOVE to hike, and I’m always on the lookout for gorgeous spots for portraits or elopement ceremonies. One day I was...
Chalet View Lodge Mountain Wedding, Graegle California // Moonrise Kingdom Camp Themed Wedding Oh how I love an unconventional and adventurous couple. The Wes Anderson vibe was strong at this camp themed wedding. N&E pulled off a highly stylish yet laid back party in the woods to celebrate! Between the Chalet View Lodge and...
Margaret & Jason // Seascape Golf Club Autumn Wedding Aptos, California Ahhh that coastal haze … it creates the most perfect weather for an outdoor afternoon ceremony, and the most gorgeous sunsets! Margaret and Jason’s fall wedding was . I met up with these high school sweethearts a few times over the course of a year and a...
Big Basin Redwoods Engagement // Amelia and Simon Rewind to 2013: Dusty and exhausted, I hiked into my first re-supply stop on the John Muir Trail. I was dreaming of finding a burger- anything besides cold instant oatmeal and cliff bars. I picked up my supply box, flung off my pack and then collapsed in a heap outside the...
Eloping in California // Wedding Inspiration for an Adventurous New Generation If a traditional wedding doesn’t feel meaningful to you, maybe eloping in California is the answer. The gorgeous beaches and forests of Santa Cruz and the central coast are the perfect setting to re-invent traditions. Let me help you make your elopement or tiny...
Intimate, Free-spirited Destination Elopement / Santa Cruz, California Elopement Photographer Eloping isn’t for everyone, but there are many great reasons to consider eloping. It doesn’t have to mean secretly running off together and surprising everyone later with the news. Elopements can be a memorable way to have an intimate, meaningful ceremony with a few of your closest...
Spain Winter Destination Elopement Ideas Miriam and Eduardo are featured here on the beautiful island of La Graciosa. La Graciosa is a tiny island in the Canaries off the coast of Morocco. Visiting this particular island is like stumbling on a long lost world. Paved roads don’t exist here. Dirt roads meander through little, white stucco...
How to Plan a More Meaningful Wedding Many wedding photographers like to give advice about planning for a beautiful wedding, or for the best possible photos. There is a ton of advice out there that boils down to making your wedding day essentially revolve around the photography. However, I am more interested in talking to...
How to create an heirloom with photographs Probably around the age I learned to talk, my grandpa began a tradition of walking me over to their antique sideboard and pointing to a black and white photo. In the photo, two young, happy people sat at a restaurant table. “Do you know who that...
Kristina and Dean // South Lake Tahoe Snowy Hike Engagement Session To the tune of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song, she wrote a rap summing up her love for him and he wrote her a sentimental love poem. I loved how Kristina and Dean took my suggestion of “write each other a...
Cate & Chris // Convict Lake Resort Wedding, Mammoth Lakes // Outdoor Mountain Wedding Venues, California Convict Lake Resort Wedding, Mammoth Lakes One summer long before she met the love of her life, Cate spent a few weeks backpacking alone in Mammoth Lakes. She had a powerful and memorable experience at Convict Lake and it quickly became a special place...
Intimate Big Sur Bakery Wedding // Big Sur, California // Candace & Derek Bridesmaids were carefully arranging tiny wildflowers in Candace’s hair on the patio when I arrived. “Derek is waiting in a spot we picked out in the forest,” she told me. She slipped on her gorgeous vintage bohemian wedding dress and the two of us were off....
Santa Cruz Wedding Photographer / Big Sur Elopement Photographer / Big Sur Wedding Photographer / Carmel Wedding Photographer / California Intimate Wedding Photographer / Santa Cruz Wedding Photography
