Next up in our series to streamline your elopement is our Monterey Elopement Guide! We’re going to cover all the best spots within downtown Monterey and Pacific Grove. Because everything is very centrally located, everything you’ll need is all there! We’re also including a handy dandy list of awesome vendors who will really make your special day all the grander. 

And of course, no one wants to elope on an empty stomach! Keep reading this Monterey Elopement Guide for all the things I mentioned above, plus my recommendations on coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks coming soon!

6 Spots Downtown Monterey Elopement Locations

One of the newest venues to elope in downtown Monterey is The Barns at Cooper Molera. They’re a gorgeous, rustic spot with lots of history in an old adobe house that’s now been beautifully renovated. I love this venue for weddings big and small!

Another spot with rich history for your elopement is Colton Hall, also known as the City Hall of Monterey. I adore the staircases that join up at the top, perfect for portraits!

Memory Garden is easily one of my favorite venues because of its lovely fountains and overhanging magnolia trees! Not only that but it’s in close proximity to other little treasures all within Monterey State Historic Park like the Old Whaling Station and Larkin House. Plus! More gardens! First Theatre, Casa Del Oro, Larkin Garden, and Casa Soberanes are all wonderful locations to photograph your elopement at.

The property at Wave Street Studios is definitely among the coolest venues I’ve ever seen- it’s a television and recording studio! They have such a charming patio area that’s ideal for hosting your reception, ceremony and dinner, especially at night when it’s lit up with fairy lights!

If you’re looking to combine beaches and ballrooms, I highly recommend Club Del Monte for it’s regal and airy aesthetic. Previously a hotel, it’s now a Naval postgraduate school. I’ve seen and shot truly magnificent weddings here!

For those of you seeking that beautiful Spanish architecture and Latin inspiration, The Club at Pasadera is such a romantic venue to hold your elopement at. The fountain in the heart of the property with the ivy-lined walls is truly the stuff of love stories! I’d love to photograph yours there!

Top 5 Elopement Locations In Pacific Grove

In addition to venues in downtown, another location to consider are the venues in Pacific Grove. With everything being so local, these spots are also definitely worth your consideration when planning your Monterey elopement.

If you’ve noticed a pattern in these venues, it’s that there’s a lot of history in them- Monterey’s a historic town after all! So it’s only fitting that I recommend the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History! I think there’s something very timeless and classic about holding a wedding at a museum. They have lovely gardens and a large, intricate ring of branches called the Spirit Nest that you really have to see for yourself! It’s one of a kind and will certainly add an earthy flair to your elopement photography.

Waterfront ceremonies are some of my favorites to photograph, so I have to talk about The Sanctuary Beach Resort for amazing sunsets and luxury-on-the-sand feel. Their gorgeous palette of neutral colors against the striking blue waters is SO Monterey.

For my bed and breakfast lovers, I love to photograph at the Old Monterey Inn! It’s like something out of a vintage forest fantasy with all the greenery growing on the building. It’s truly elegant in its lush gardens and cozy indoors that feel so luxurious and posh!

Monterey weddings aesthetics almost always pool from ceremonies overlooking the Pacific and sprawling forest trees. And for good reason! The Asilomar Conference Grounds being so centrally located between beach cities really gets the best of both worlds for your Monterey elopement.

Last but certainly not least, we have the oldest operating lighthouse on the west coast- that is, Point Pinos Lighthouse! Like museums, there’s something I find so inherently romantic about lighthouses. It’s a great pick for a maritime elopement!

The Dream Team: Vendors

It’s truly an honor to be chosen as a vendor for intimate elopements and small weddings. Everything from your officiants, florists, hair and makeup artists, and bakery, I wholeheartedly recommend these amazing people and their businesses to make your special day one for the memory books! 

Monterey Elopement Guide – Extra Tips

Downtown Monterey’s so centrally located, you’ll be right in the area for just about everything! You’ll want to factor in traffic however, if you plan on moving around town for your elopement.

And of course, if you’ll have me as your local Monterey elopement photographer, I would be delighted to capture your love story on this momentous occasion! I hope you found this Monterey Elopement Guide helpful! If you have any more questions, you’re more than welcome to contact me here!