Sobranes Point Big Sur Elopement

Trusha and Seth’s Sobranes Point elopement.

Some places along the Big Sur coast feel almost suspiciously beautiful, and Soberanes Point is definitely one of them. Just south of Carmel-by-the-Sea, the trail winds through rolling coastal bluffs, past wind-shaped cypress trees, and out to cliffs where the Pacific stretches in every direction. It’s the kind of place that makes people stop mid-sentence and just stare for a minute.

It also happens to be a place that holds a bit of history for me. I photographed my first elopement here more than a decade ago, and coming back always feels a little like returning to an old favorite. The landscape hasn’t changed much. The same trails wind along the cliffs, the same cypress trees lean into the wind, and the ocean still crashes into the rocks below in that dramatic Big Sur way.

Seth and Trusha chose this stretch of coastline for their elopement, and honestly it couldn’t have suited them better. Their whole day had the exact vibe that elopements are supposed to have. Simple, relaxed, and completely centered around the two of them instead of a tight timeline.
We started out along the coastal trail at Soberanes Point as the afternoon light was starting to soften. The bluffs were glowing that warm California gold and the ocean below stretched out endlessly toward the horizon. Seth and Trusha walked the trails together, stopping now and then to take in the views or laugh about something that had just been said. It’s always those in-between moments that end up feeling the most memorable.

At one point they crossed the little wooden bridge along the trail, laughing the whole way across. It’s one of those small spots most people hike right past, but it somehow always ends up being one of my favorite places for photos. Nothing staged, nothing overly posed. Just two people having a really good day together.

As the sun started dropping toward the water, we wandered out to one of the overlooks where the cliffs fall straight down into the ocean. The light along this part of the coast always gets especially good right before sunset. The hills turn warm and golden, the ocean goes a deeper shade of blue, and the whole place feels quiet in that way Big Sur sometimes does in the evening.

After soaking in the last of the light along the cliffs, we made our way back up the coast to Carmel-by-the-Sea to finish the evening. If you’ve ever spent time wandering around Carmel, you know it has a completely different kind of charm. Narrow streets, cozy little corners, and that slightly storybook feel the town is known for.

Seth and Trusha strolled through town still in their wedding clothes, drawing plenty of smiles from people walking by. At one point they stopped in the middle of the street, music drifting faintly from somewhere nearby, and started dancing together right there under the soft evening light. It was one of those moments that felt perfectly unplanned and completely them.

From the cliffs of Big Sur to the quiet streets of Carmel, the whole day felt effortless in the best possible way. Just two people, a beautiful stretch of coastline, and the kind of joy that shows up when a wedding day is allowed to unfold exactly as it should.

If you’re interested in seeing the rest of the photos from their Sobranes Point 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.