A Big Sur Elopement at Deetjen's | An Intimate Redwood & Coastal Wedding

Some people dream of a big wedding surrounded by everyone they love. Others dream of something a little quieter. A day that feels less like an event and more like an experience, where the only thing that matters is being together.

For K and P, it was always about the latter.

Kristina and Phong are both introverts, and the thought of standing in front of more than 100 people, entertaining a crowd, and being the center of attention wasn't exactly their idea of a dream wedding day. Instead, they decided to create something that felt a little more like them. Something intimate, intentional, and centered around the life they were so excited to begin together.

And where better to do that than Big Sur?

Tucked among the towering redwoods and rugged coastline, Deetjen's Big Sur Inn was the perfect setting for their intimate Big Sur elopement. With its historic charm, beautiful forest surroundings, and the dramatic cliffs and ocean that make this stretch of California so special, it offered everything they loved about this place.

A little forest, a little coastline, and a whole lot of quiet magic.

From Hinge to Forever

Kristina and Phong's story began in the modern way, through Hinge.

What started as an online connection slowly grew into something much more meaningful. And when they talk about knowing they had found their person, their answers are a beautiful reflection of the kind of relationship they've built.

For Kristina, it came down to feeling safe.

The ability to be goofy together, laugh about the little things, and know that they shared the same goals in life meant everything. There is something so special about finding someone who makes you feel completely comfortable being yourself. Someone who feels like a best friend just as much as a partner.

For Phong, it wasn't one particular moment.

It was a gradual realization, somewhere around a year after their first date, that this was the person he wanted beside him. Sometimes love isn't a lightning bolt or one grand realization. Sometimes it's something that quietly becomes more certain with every passing day.

I think there is something really beautiful about both of those answers.

One found safety and familiarity in the little moments, while the other discovered that love was growing into something permanent before he even realized it.

A Proposal Along the Trail

Phong proposed to Kristina while they were out on a hike.

And honestly, it feels fitting for two people who love the outdoors and chose a place like Big Sur to celebrate their marriage.

There is something special about being surrounded by nature when you make a promise like that. No elaborate production needed, just a beautiful setting, a shared adventure, and the person you want beside you for all the ones still to come.

I love that their story has always had that connection to exploring together. From discovering places like Big Sur to sharing little adventures along the way, it feels like their relationship has been built around experiencing life side by side.

Why They Chose to Elope

For Kristina and Phong, eloping wasn't about doing something extravagant or different just for the sake of it.

It was about doing something that felt comfortable and true to who they are.

As two introverts, the thought of a traditional wedding with more than 100 guests and all the attention that comes along with it simply didn't feel right. They didn't want to spend their wedding day worrying about entertaining everyone else or being pulled in a hundred different directions.

They wanted to be present.

They wanted to focus on each other, enjoy the experience, and celebrate this next chapter without the pressure of making it a production.

And I think that's one of the most beautiful things about elopements.

There isn't one right way to get married. Your wedding day doesn't have to look like anyone else's, and it certainly doesn't have to follow a checklist of traditions.

Sometimes it's a big celebration with all your favorite people. Sometimes it's an intimate ceremony tucked away in the redwoods.

And sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do is give yourselves permission to choose what feels right.

For K and P, that meant a quiet and intentional Big Sur elopement surrounded by the landscape they love.

A Redwood Forest Elopement at Deetjen's Big Sur Inn

There are so many reasons I love photographing weddings in Big Sur, but the variety of landscapes is definitely one of them.

One minute you're surrounded by towering redwoods and the soft, filtered light of the forest. A little further down the road, you're looking out over dramatic cliffs, endless ocean views, and the beautiful expanse of the Pacific.

Deetjen's Big Sur Inn has its own special kind of magic.

With its historic buildings, rustic character, and peaceful forest setting, it feels like stepping into another world. It's intimate and a little tucked away, with the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to slow down and take everything in.

For couples dreaming of a redwood forest elopement in California, it's such a beautiful place to consider.

The redwoods create a naturally intimate atmosphere, with towering trees overhead and soft pockets of light filtering through the branches. There is something grounding about being surrounded by trees that have been standing for generations.

And then there is the coastline.

Big Sur has a way of bringing together two completely different landscapes that somehow feel like they belong together. The stillness of the forest and the movement of the ocean. The softness of the trees and the drama of the cliffs.

It's a place that invites you to explore, wander, and simply be.

For Kristina and Phong, Big Sur was already a special place. It was one of the first destinations they experienced together that brought both the ocean and the forest into one beautiful setting.

Coming back here to get married felt like a natural continuation of their story.

The Little Things That Make Their Love Story Theirs

One of my favorite things about getting to know couples before their wedding day is hearing about all the little things that make their relationship unique.

For Kristina and Phong, it's the everyday humor.

Kristina says Phong makes her laugh in the simplest ways. Sometimes it's a nerdy joke, sometimes a funny face, and sometimes just a perfectly timed meme.

It's not always about doing something big or elaborate. It's those little moments throughout the day that make her smile.

Phong, on the other hand, loves Kristina's curiosity and sassiness. He finds her clueless questions about things she doesn't know incredibly funny, and I love that he appreciates that part of her personality.

They also have the sweetest little nicknames for each other.

Kristina sometimes calls Phong Shumai, while Phong calls her Bao.

I mean, if that's not adorable, I don't know what is.

There is something so lovely about the little language couples create together. The inside jokes, the nicknames, the things that might not make sense to anyone else but somehow become part of the fabric of your relationship.

Those are the details that make a love story feel like yours.

Starting Their Next Chapter Together

When I asked Kristina and Phong what they were most looking forward to about being married, their answer was beautifully simple.

They are excited to call each other husband and wife and to see this as a concrete step toward the life they've been planning together.

Not necessarily a completely different life, but a continuation of everything they've already been building.

A future filled with little adventures, familiar routines, nerdy jokes, funny faces, and all the ordinary moments that make up a life together.

I think there's something really special about that perspective.

Marriage isn't always about a grand new beginning. Sometimes it's about recognizing the life you've already created with someone and feeling excited to keep choosing it, day after day.

And for Kristina and Phong, that next chapter began in one of the most beautiful places along the California coast.

An Intimate Big Sur Elopement to Remember

Some wedding days are filled with noise, movement, and a hundred different things happening at once.

Others invite you to slow down.

To listen to the wind moving through the trees, take in the ocean views, laugh at a silly joke, and remember why you chose this person in the first place.

Kristina and Phong's elopement is such a beautiful reminder that a wedding day doesn't need to be big to be meaningful.

It doesn't need an audience to be important. It doesn't need to look a certain way to be beautiful.

It just needs to feel like you.

And I think that's exactly what makes intimate weddings and elopements so special. They give you the space to celebrate your relationship in a way that feels natural, personal, and entirely your own.

Kristina and Phong, I hope your marriage is filled with endless adventures, plenty of laughter, the best memes, and all the little moments that make life together so wonderful.

Here's to Shumai and Bao, and a lifetime of adventures ahead.

With love,

Flora

Dreaming of your own Big Sur elopement?

Whether you're envisioning a quiet ceremony among the redwoods, an intimate wedding overlooking the Pacific, or an entire day exploring the California coastline, I'd love to help you create something that feels like you.

Let's make something beautiful together.

Flora Gibson Photography