California Elopement Locations
Because of its dramatic shoreline, pristine beaches and massive redwoods, we think a California elopement is absolutely magical. We offer a small number of carefully selected outdoor elopement locations in California—each with a distinct setting and experience. Rather than overwhelming you with endless options, we focus on a handful of places we know work well and guide you toward the one that fits best.
Our services are focused exclusively on Northern California, including Big Sur, Santa Cruz, the Bay Area, and San Francisco City Hall.
Elopements on the California coast are so romantic!
Big Sur Elopements
Big Sur offers one of the most iconic coastal settings in California, with rugged cliffs, sweeping ocean views, and a sense of being completely removed from everything else. It’s a strong choice for couples who are drawn to dramatic scenery and want an experience that feels immersive and a little more removed from the everyday.
Santa Cruz Elopements
Santa Cruz offers a mix of coastal and redwood settings, from rugged ocean views to quiet forest surroundings. It’s a good fit for couples who want some flexibility in setting while keeping the overall experience simple and easy to navigate.
Bay Area Elopements
The Bay Area redwoods offer a quiet, shaded forest setting just outside of San Francisco, with easy access and a naturally peaceful atmosphere. It’s a strong choice for couples who are drawn to the simplicity of the redwoods and want a beautiful, straightforward experience without venturing far from the city.
San Francisco City Hall Elopements
San Francisco City Hall offers an elegant, architectural setting in the heart of the city, with a structured and highly predictable experience. It’s a great fit for couples who want something simple, polished, and fully indoors, with a timeless backdrop and minimal variables to manage.
How Much Does it Cost to Elope in California?
Our packages prices start at $3,770. Visit our pages for each location for exact pricing:
How Eloping in California Works
- Choose your location from our curated list
- Choose the services you want
- We handle permits, timeline, and logistics
- Show up and get married
- Receive your fully edited photos within 30 days
The legalities of eloping in California
- You’ll need to get a marriage license in California prior to the wedding and the county clerks offices aren’t open on weekends. So plan accordingly if you’re traveling to California from another state.
- You may obtain a marriage license anywhere in the state of California. It doesn’t have to come from the county where you’re getting married.
- Unless you’re getting a confidential marriage license (this is rare), you’ll need one witness to sign the license. If it’s going to be just the two of you at your elopement, the witness can be your photographer.
- If you’re divorced or widowed, you’ll need to give the date and location of the death or divorce.
- California marriage licenses are good as soon as you obtain one; there is no waiting period.
- Your Blue Sky Elopements officiant will file the marriage license with the appropriate county after the ceremony. You have to request a certified copy of your marriage license from the county clerk’s office after you’re married. The clerk in the marriage license office should explain this process to you when you pick up your marriage license.
A permit is required for many California elopements
The state of California governs the majority of outdoor places to elope. Their sites require a permit. And yes–they can be a royal pain in the patootie to acquire. The parks department is divided into different sectors. When obtaining a permit, it’s important to know which sector covers the site and what their fees and processes are. Yes, each sector has its own way of doing things. It’s so complicated, that I wrote a blog post on the details of obtaining an elopement site permit in California.
All of our California elopement sites have permit fees included in our price
If you choose a site that requires a permit, we’ll roll the cost of it into your package with us and apply for the permit on your behalf. Note that we don’t simply “assist” you in applying for the permit, we actually take care of the whole thing. We know most of the clerks in the State of California offices and have developed ongoing relationships with them. We’re familiar with their systems. They know when they work with Blue Sky Elopements, the application will be filled out correctly, submitted the way they want it and paid for promptly. So they tend to respond quickly to us when we submit an application.
Many of the parks department sectors require a refundable damage deposit to elope in California at one of their sites. To make it easier for you, we will pay for this on your behalf. We’ll work with you directly to get reimbursed if you or your guests incur any damages. Note: we’ve been performing elopements in California since 2002, and have never been charged for “damages,” so you’re probably good.
