A Quiet Wedding Among the Sequoias | Big Sur Elopement Photographer
An intimate, cinematic Big Sur elopement at Glen Oaks, photographed on 35mm, medium format film and digital by a Utah-based wedding photographer who travels to California for coastal weddings, elopements and destination getaways.
The Story
Picture waking up in a cabin in the woods with the river running close by. Your people cross a swaying wooden bridge and step into an open meadow ringed by sequoias. Nobody is checking a timeline or performing for anyone. The day simply unfolds, and everyone in it is fully there.
That was Liz and Brent's wedding at Glen Oaks in Big Sur. It was small, unhurried, and chosen down to the last detail.
Morning in the Cabin
Liz got ready in her cabin while her soon-to-be sister-in-law fastened the buttons of her gown. Tucked into her bouquet was a small airplane pin, a quiet way to bring her late father into the day. Down the path, Brent was getting ready with their son, Theo, who was very much in charge of the mood.
The Fairy Forest
The ceremony happened in a circle of sequoias the family called the Fairy Forest. Rugs covered the ground and Palo Santo smoke drifted between the trunks. Family sat on wooden chairs and waited.
Brent walked down a dirt road with pines behind him and stood at their simple altar, where a close friend officiated. Then Liz stepped out of her cabin and into the trees, smiling. They exchanged vows with their people close around them, while Theo played with the wooden lanterns at their feet.
Charcuterie, Pizza, and a Long Table
Afterward there was wine and charcuterie in the meadow by the river, with Theo shrieking happily as his dad chased him through the grass. Dinner was pizza from a local spot. Siblings and parents gave toasts, and the cake was cut at a table dressed in mismatched linens and candlesticks. It felt like a very good dinner party where everyone happened to love the hosts.
Rain, Wind, and the Big Sur Coast
Golden hour never really arrived. Rain came in instead, with soft, misty skies. We drove out to the cliffs anyway. The wind pulled at Liz's dress and the ocean was loud and gray below us. Those portraits are some of my favorites from the day, because the weather was allowed to be part of the story.
We finished the night at In-N-Out, with burgers, fries and shakes, in honor of their first date.
Shot on Film, Held Close
Shot on Film, Cinematic by Nature
This gallery has a cinematic feel, like stills pulled from a film you half remember. There are deep greens under the sequoias, soft gray light off the Pacific, and wind-blown frames where the weather does some of the directing. I didn't chase the look. The rain, the shade of the forest and the film itself shaped it.
I photographed the day on digital, 35mm and 120 medium format film. The square black and white frames came from my Holga, a plastic camera with soft edges and a mind of its own. Grain, light leaks and slightly off focus all belong to the story, because real days have those too.
I'm based in Utah, and I travel to California throughout the year for beach sessions, weddings and destination getaways. If a micro wedding or elopement on the coast sounds like you, you can see more love stories in my elopement photography archive.
Your Wedding Can Be Your Own
Micro weddings, intimate weddings and elopements all leave room for what you actually want. That might be a cabin, a meadow, pizza on paper plates, or a drive-through on the way home. You don't owe anyone a version of the day built from their expectations. If you're still sorting out what yours looks like, my wedding planning guides are a good place to start.
Let's Talk About Your Story
If you want a photographer who notices the quiet things and pairs thoughtful composition with a documentary eye, I'd love to hear about your day. Reach out through my inquiry page and tell me what you're dreaming up.
Looking for the perfect photographer to document your story, who understands the quiet beauty of an intimate elopement, who pairs thoughtful composition and observation to take an artistic approach to storytelling photography? Reach out and let’s chat.
Enjoy the story of this Big Sur elopement photographed using both digital and 120 mm film and 35 mm film. All square black and white photos were shot on my Holga, using 120mm film.
