As a Garrapata elopement photographer, I work with all kinds of couples, big ballroom weddings, backyard parties, everything in between. Miranda and Andrew knew exactly what they wanted, and it wasn’t any of that.
Some couples want a hundred and fifty guests, an open bar, and a DJ who takes requests. Miranda and Andrew wanted seven people, a cliffside lookout, and a really, really good officiant named Brian. I respect that kind of clarity.
We started the evening with a first look. The spot was a stretch of road Miranda and I had scouted by GPS coordinates, because that’s just how Big Sur logistics work. Andrew turned around and saw Miranda in her dress. Then he did the thing every groom does whether he admits it or not: forgot how to stand normally for about ten seconds.
Garrapata Elopement Photography at Sea View Lookout
Next we headed down to Sea View, one of those newer lookouts along Cabrillo Highway. I’m convinced it was put there specifically for elopements. Fog rolled in right on cue, because summer in Monterey. Brian officiated with the ocean doing its best moody soundtrack impression behind him. The whole thing came together in under thirty minutes flat, efficient and beautiful, my favorite combination.
Miranda’s bouquet deserves its own paragraph. A small photo charm was tucked into the ribbon, a black and white picture of her grandparents, who were so much more than that. They were besties through and through.
After the vows, we wandered into a cypress grove that felt built for a wedding portrait: dramatic branches, moody light, the works. Then came some quiet time scrambling around the rocks, carefully, in wedding shoes, like champions.
Two hours, seven guests, one gorgeous stretch of coastline. Sometimes small is exactly the right size.
Congrats, Miranda and Andrew. Gratitude from the depths for letting me be there with you.
B.
If you’re interested in seeing the rest of the photos from their Garapatta elopement, check them out here.
Also be sure to check out my Big Sur Elopement Guide if you’re trying to figure out what time of weather, for example, is the best time to get married here.
