Pfeiffer Beach Elopement
Jenna and John eloped this week at Pfeiffer Beach Big Sur. Coming all the way from Kansas City to Carmel for the first time, I was so excited to show them the coast. They chose to get ready together which I think is such a sweet moment, John struggled with the buttons and Jenna couldn’t stop laughing. Most of their wedding day was full of laughter. They stayed at a guest cottage in a house in Carmel and followed me to the cliffs and Pfeiffer beach afterward. I absolutely loved their ceremony on the cliffs as the fog rolled in and the pelicans showed up as guests. Jenna was a little fearful of heights so this was the perfect combination of cliffs and beach for couples a little more timid on heights and hiking ( minimal required). Their sweet cake cutting on the beach was so beautiful and simple and I loved that they chose carrot cake! They followed up their cake cutting with a first dance on a Pfeiffer beach overlook and it was a perfect combination of private moments and beautiful memories.
Learn how to plan an elopement timeline that feels natural, romantic, and stress-free. Includes real examples for Big Sur, Carmel, and forest elopements.
If you’ve been dreaming of an elopement that feels both nostalgic and wildly free, a vintage car beach elopement in California might be exactly what you’re looking for. There’s something undeniably cinematic about the combination of salt air, windswept cliffs, and a beautifully restored classic car—it transforms your wedding day into a story that feels like it’s been lived a hundred times before, yet entirely your own.
As a California elopement photographer, I’m seeing more couples lean into this blend of retro romance and coastal adventure, and it’s easy to understand why.
If you’re wondering what to do for your engagement photos—you’re not alone.
Most couples come in saying:
“We want something natural… but we have no idea where to start.”
The truth is, the best engagement sessions aren’t built around poses.
They’re built around experiences.
At Flora Gibson Photography, I approach engagement sessions like a quiet story unfolding—something you step into, not perform.
Here are ideas that will help your photos feel like you.