Elope in Big Sur

Eloping in Big Sur is hands-down a magical experience. From the deep redwood groves to dramatic cliffside overlooks, there is no shortage of amazing places to elope in Big Sur. However, choosing your stunning venue or location is just a fraction of the aspects of your elopement that you will need to figure out. Read on for our top tips on ensuring you have the perfect Big Sur elopement!
If either party wishing to elope has been divorced within the past six months, you’ll need to present a copy of the divorce decree along with your other required documents. A California marriage license is immediately valid and remains valid for 90 days. It must be used within the state of California. Once your marriage is formalized, don’t forget to return the actual license to the clerk’s office where it was issued. They will provide you with certified copies of your marriage license. If you’re not sticking around the area for long after your elopement, let us know! Your officiant may be able to assist with this bit.

If you’re looking to elope in Lake Tahoe, be sure to double and triple-check the location of your elopement venue to ensure that you are indeed eloping in California and not across the border in Nevada, where you’ll need a marriage license issued by the State of Nevada rather than California.

We like to say that you should be able to get a cup of coffee with your vendors for an hour and have a really good time. The collection of professionals that work your elopement ceremony should feel like your best friend for a day; should make you feel at ease and secure. From your photographer to your officiant, videographer to hair & makeup artist, each person has a very important piece of the look, feel and function of your big day. Beyond just budget and style, make sure you feel some sort of personal connection with your vendors – it’s important! At Simply Eloped, we thoroughly vet every person who joins our team to ensure they match our values, standards and are the best of the best in the industry!

Finding the Big Sur elopement venue of your dreams won’t be hard as there are many options for many vibes. When you imagine your elopement do you see a private redwood grove with only plant life and animal life to witness your ceremony? Glen Oaks Big Sur [insert venue url] will surely deliver. Do you want to dip your toes in the sand while the cool ocean tickles across the tops of your feet? Are you set on a cliffside venue with an epic view of the sunset? Carmel River State Beach [insert venue url] might just be the perfect elopement option. Big Sur elopements offer vibes of all kinds, and, while there may be permitting to look into (which we cover as part of your package in many instances) or reservations with private property owners to arrange, we can walk you through the details of each! No matter what you envision, we’re here to help you find the perfect scenic setting for your Big Sur Elopement.

California – more specifically, Monterey County – makes it pretty easy to acquire your marriage license. You will each need a form of identification – Driver’s License, official passport or military ID. In addition, if either of you have previously been married you will need an officiant copy of your divorce decree. The state of California only requires one witness for your ceremony and there is no waiting period between when you get your marriage license and hold your ceremony. You will need a certified officiant to perform your ceremony and sign off on your marriage license. When you book with us, we’ll send you a guide with specific instructions on how to get your marriage license to ensure your ceremony is legal.

Picking what time of year to elope in Big Sur really comes down to what type of vibe you’re seeking for your big day. Do you envision foggy skies and rainy moments? Are you wanting an epic sunset on a warm evening? If you’re a rain lover you’ll definitely want to elope in February or March. During the summer weather is surprisingly unpredictable: sunny one day, foggy the next. If you’re wanting to avoid the tourist season, we recommend straying away from September – November. While these are for sure really lovely months in the area, they’re also the busiest so finding your vendors and venue will be a bit more of a challenge just due to sheer competition.

Picking the time of day to elope in Big Sur is actually a critical part to ensuring your big day goes off without a hitch. Eloping in the early or late morning will ensure your lighting is soft and your vibe is quiet. Not many folks are visiting the beach or forest in the morning. We recommend avoiding afternoons – unless it’s a foggy or cloudy day – as the lighting can be harsh and generally unflattering for your pictures. Evenings can offer either stunning fog or epic sunsets but they will also be well-visited by tourists. It’s also great to consider what your activities will be before and after, such as hair & makeup prior or a celebratory dinner after, so you’re putting in place the whole schedule of your big day.

We get this question frequently: how far in advance should I plan by elopement? We generally recommend three to nine months so you have ample time to plan all aspects of your trip such as locking in a hotel, flights and any activity or dinner reservations. However, we’ve planned ceremonies with as little notice as a week! As long as you have a plan in place to acquire your marriage license, we can tackle the rest such as securing vendors, permits and getting your timeline into place. Whatever best suits you, we can accommodate!