The 10 Dreamiest Big Sur Wedding Venues in 2023

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13 April, 2023

The 10 Dreamiest Big Sur Wedding Venues in 2023

If you're looking for Big Sur wedding venues, this guide covers it all! I'm including venues that are great for large weddings, intimate weddings, or elopement!

Grandson Playing with His Grandfather, the Father of the Bride | Captured on Polaroid

Big Sur Wedding Venues for Large Weddings, Intimate Weddings, Or Elopements

Glen Oaks Big Sur Wedding Venue

★ For large weddings, intimate weddings, or elopements | Max Capacity: 100

Glen Oaks is my personal favorite as far as Big Sur wedding venues go. This is because of its beauty and versatility. The great thing about this venue is that you can plan a 100 guest wedding here or simply stay the night with your partner and elope. It offers a ceremony site for big weddings and a ceremony site for intimate weddings or elopements. In my opinion, it's the best private redwood grove in all of Big Sur. The backdrop includes the magical Redwoods and Pfeiffer Beach is located nearby, a perfect place to stop for some more breathtaking Big Sur wedding photos.

This venue also has wonderfully cozy cabins on site, making everything very convenient. These cabins woodsy, but also, modern, hip, and comfortable.

Ventana Big Sur Wedding

★ For large weddings or elopements | Max Capacity: 1000

When it comes to luxurious Big Sur wedding venues, the Ventana definitely excels as it offers both high end hotel rooms and hip, glamping sites. This venue is perfect for larger scale weddings as it can hold up to 1000 guests. The backdrop is the ocean/coast and Pfeiffer beach, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, and Partington Cover are all nearby for other photo locations. This is a pricier venues, but well worth it for the spectacular views.

Holman Ranch Vineyards & Winery Wedding

★ For large weddings! Max Capacity: 300

This Big Sur wedding venue is set on 400 acres of vineyard and is a great option for wine lovers.

Loma Vista Gardens - Big Sur Wedding Venues

★ For intimate or large weddings | Max Capacity: 300

This venue is a little different than the rest in that it showcases the forest, rather than ocean. It sits on the edge of redwoods, which is actually a plus to a lot of Big Sur wedding photographers because it gets better access to sunlight, making for brighter for more ethereal photos.

Pheiffer Beach is nearby and overall, I'd say this venue has a lovely rustic and intimate quality that a lot of people adore.

Big Sur Grange - Big Sur Wedding Venues

★ For intimate weddings | Max Capacity: 85

Big Sur Grange is surrounded with large redwood trees. There are plenty of areas around this location that are perfect for ceremonies, receptions, and pictures

Wind and Sea Wedding

★ For intimate weddings | Max Capacity: 70

This Big Sur wedding venue is great for intimate weddings as it has a maximum of 70 guests. It has gorgeous views of the coast; Partington Cove and Julia Pfeiffer Beach are nearby!

Point 16

★ For large and intimate weddings | Max Capacity: 160

Point 16 is secluded and offers breathtaking views of the mountainsides and dramatic cliffs.

Henry Miller Memorial Library Wedding

★ For intimate or large weddings | Max Guest Count: 200

This is a unique Big Sur wedding venue with a bookshop and art exhibit. There is a canyon filled with redwoods right behind it. This venue has a laidback vibe, great for couples looking for a some private space to say "I do" while avoiding all the expenses that come with larger scaled venues.

Post House Inn - Big Sur Wedding Venue

★ For intimate weddings | Max Guest Count: 40

As far as wedding venues in Big Sur, Post House Inn is great for intimate weddings of up to 40 people. It sits on the coat and offers amazing panoramic views.

Big Sur Lodge

★ For intimate and large weddings | Max Guest Count: 120

Your ceremony at the Big Sur Lodge will be surrounded by majestic redwoods and the peaceful Big Sur River and your reception can be held in their indoor space with catering offered by their staff. Big Sur Lodge also offers accommodations with family style rooms, including kitchenettes and fireplaces.

Flower Girl and Ring Bearer Spinning at Reception | Captured on Polaroid

Big Sur Public Spaces & State Parks for Intimate Weddings

Perhaps you're looking to have an intimate wedding or elope in a public space rather than at a hotel/wedding venue. Below are my personal favorite options for that!

Ancient Redwoods

★ For elopements or intimate weddings | Max Guest Count: 10

The ancient redwoods near the Big Sur offers acres upon acres of redwood trees, making this area the perfect place for an intimate wedding or elopement. Enjoy an intimate ceremony underneath the redwood trees with a farm to table dinner late on in the evening.

Is a permit needed?

Yes. A permit can be obtained here. The permit is $425 for up 10 people (including vendors + children)

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

★ For elopements | Max Guest Count: 10

Point Lobos State natural reserve has incredible coastal views, hiking, bright blue waters, and more!

Is a Permit Needed?

Yes. A permit can be reserved here.

Garrapata State Park

★ For elopements | Max Guest Count: 25

Garrapata State Park is known for its wildflowers and breathtaking cliffside views. Keep in mind there will be a bit of hiking involved. This is a great location to find a secluded area for a private elopement. How can one access it? There are several access points all on Highway 1. The state park is located 15 minutes away from Carmel and Monterey, both of which offer plenty of restaurant and hotel accommodations!

Is a Permit Needed?

Yes. A permit can be reserved here. To elope at Garrapata State Park a permit of $400 is needed. This is applicable towards an elopement up to 25 people. There is a possibility of a $75 rush fee for permit requests made 60 days or less from the event date.

Recommended Elopement Spot Here: Soberanes Point Trail

Best Hikes:

Garrapata Bluff Trail (easy)
South Plateau-Mound Meadow Loop Trail (easy)
Doud Peak via Soberanes Canyon Trail (hard)

Andrew Molera State Park

★ For elopements | Max Guest Count: 10 | Receptions are Not Permitted

Andrew Molera State Park has gorgeous hillsides that provide stunning views of the Big Sur coast. It has one of the most accessible trails to a less crowded beach! Please keep in mind that this state park is pretty under-developed, making it a good choice for the more adventurous type! It’s perfect for couples who want a little more peace and quiet on their elopement day. Pets are not permitted at this state park.

Is a permit needed?

Yes. A permit can be reserved here. A permit of $300 is needed. This is applicable towards an elopement up to 10 people.

Best Hikes:

Creamery Meadows Trail (easy)
Bluffs and Panorama Trail via Creamery Meadow (moderate)
East Molera Trail to Post Summit (hard)

Pfeiffer Beach

★ For elopements | Max Guest Count: 25

This beach is known for it's unique rock formations. One thing to keep in mind is that the parking area tends to be full and they don't allow entry until there are available parking spaces. It can also be very windy at this beach.

Is a permit needed?

A permit is not needed to have a ceremony here, however elopements and weddings are not permitted from March 15th until October 15th.

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

★ For elopements | Max Guest Count: 10

Receptions are permitted at the Group Picnic Areas at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and require
a separate standard Special Event Permit

Pfeiffer Big Sur State park is known for being a "mini Yosemite" as it's recognized for its redwood trails. This park is very developed with campgrounds and lodging.

Is a permit needed?

Yes. A permit can be obtained here. The permit is $300 for up 10 people (including vendors + children).

Pets are permitted only in the campground, parking lots, and park roads and must be on a leash at all times.
Pets are not permitted on any trails in the park.

Best Hikes:

Limekiln Stae Park

★ For elopements | Max Guest Count: 25

Is a permit needed?

There is no permit necessary for Limekiln State Park

Best Hikes:

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

★ For elopements | Max Guest Count: 10 | Receptions are not Permitted

Is a permit needed?

Yes. A permit can be obtained here. The permit is $300 for up 10 people (including vendors + children)

Best Hikes:

Big Sur Wedding Activities for Your Guests!

Enjoy beautiful, scenic views of Big Sur going on a hike with your guests. Some great hiking options include:
- 1. McWay Falls - This is one of the shortest and most popular hikes in the area. It’s only about .5 miles to the vista point, which showcases an incredibly bright blue waterfall nestled in a little cove.
- Soberanes Canyon Trailhead - This is a 6 mile loop that offers a lot of variety - a bit of everything that Big Sur has to offer.
- Beach, Bluffs, Panorama, Ridge, and Creamery Meadow Loop - Enjoy this 8.0-mile loop trail that takes an average of 3 h 48 min to complete. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. You'll need to leave pups at home — dogs aren't allowed on this trail.
Rent a boat and enjoy beautiful sea views with your friends and family at Sail Monterey.
Enjoy a scenic drive with the 17 Mile Drive Route. This is a privately owned road with plenty of spaces to stop. It's scenic and can be done at a slow, relaxing pace to take in all of the sights!
Take in the sights of a spectacular castle by visiting Hearst Castle.
Enjoy a fine-dining experience at the Sierra Mar for dinner.
Visit a small, but quirky bookstore nestled in the forest by stopping at the Henry Miller Memorial Library. It has a great atmosphere to sit and read or just for a quick stop.
Tour the amazing Monterey Aquarium.
Learn about some history at Point Sur Lighthouse.
Relax by soaking in some hot springs.
Enjoy a picnic on the cliffsides of Big Sur.
Grab a bite to eat at Old Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey.