Big Sur Wedding Photographer

Big Sur Wedding Photos

There is something absolutely breathtaking about Big Sur, California. The majestic cliffside views of the Pacific Ocean, flowing waterfalls, and epic beaches make it easy for any wildly romantic or outdoor adventurist couple to desire Big Sur as the location for their wedding or elopement. With a number of outdoor activities Big Sur offers on top of the already many romantic things to do in Big Sur, couples from all over the world are choosing the Central California coast as the location for their destination wedding. The magic and nature’s beauty of Big Sur also worked its mojo on Ryan Horban, making him decide to expand his Southern California photography business to include Big Sur wedding photographer services. But who the heck is Ryan Horban?! And why would you want the Big Sur wedding photographer to document your wedding?

Ryan Horban is an international wedding photographer based in California who has documented hundreds of elopements and intimate destination weddings. His approach is to capture candid, genuine, un-posed moments that seamlessly combine photojournalism and organic emotion. None of that overly-posed staged photography style that everyone under the age of 55 hates. Sorry, Mom. Instead, he focuses on documenting real moments such as when the father of the bride sheds a tear during the wedding ceremony, or joyful moments like when a couple takes their first steps down the aisle as husband and wife. His goal is to document all the good shit. The real shit. Ryan Horban’s Big Sur wedding photography also captures the natural beauty & surroundings of the Central California coast and the Pacific Ocean that epitomizes that rugged coastline, seaside, “good vibes only” style commonly seen in many Big Sur wedding photos. By blending the natural coastal landscape, chic decor, and intimate interactions of a bride, groom, and guests in his Big Sur wedding photography, Ryan Horban has created a truly unique style, making him one of the best Big Sur wedding photographers. This is, of course, is judging by his online reviews (check out his Yelp), and according to his mother Maureen Horban who ranks him the 3rd best wedding and elopement photographer on the planet Earth.

Interested in talking about the details of your wedding with Ryan Horban or hiring him to be your Big Sur wedding photographer? Send him a text message at 951-704-9503 or say hello through his contact form to get more info on Big Sur wedding packages, his artistic style, and philosophy toward documenting a wedding. The good news is he does not casually speak to people in the third person normally unless of course, you’re into that sort of thing. Then Ryan says hello!

Most Instagrammable Places In Big Sur

There are tons of Big Sur tourist attractions and locations that provide the perfect opportunity for Big Sur landscape photography. This is important because many brides and grooms want their Big Sur wedding photos to include popular spots such as Bixby Bridge or McWay Falls. Shooting at locations with the best views Big Sur as well as the iconic spots should definitely be on the to-do list for anyone planning a Big Sur wedding, but there are also many other rad locations couples getting married on the Central Coast should consider. For those interested in the best Big Sur places for hiking, shooting, walking, nature viewing or exploring should check out these dope spots:

• Fiscalini Ranch Preserve
• Hearst Castle State Beach
• Waterfall Hike: Salmon Creek Falls/Trail
• Elephant Seal Viewing & Hearst Castle Tours (touristy stuff)
• Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
• Point Sur Lighthouse

After the Big Sur elopement or wedding, there are also a ton of unique things to do in Big Sur with so many places to stop and explore. There are tons of antique shops and art galleries in town, and personally, this Big Sur wedding photographer always heads over to Paso for wine tasting. Firestone Brewery is there too! After the epic shoots throughout the area, there are still a ton of fun and romantic things to do in Big Sur so make sure you schedule a time to really get entrenched into the region!

Top 5 Big Sur Wedding Photographer FAQs

Big Sur Wedding Photos

1. What made you decide to become a Big Sur wedding photographer?

For the first 8 years of my business, I spent the majority of my time working as a Palm Springs wedding photographer and then a San Diego wedding photographer. Honestly, I loved shooting boho-weddings in the desert and modern weddings in the city, but I always felt more connected to the coast. There is something magical about the Central California Coast, as well as the people who chose to get married or elope in Big Sur. The natural settings and intimate Big Sur wedding venues offer the perfect backdrop for a relaxed, Earthy, and organic ceremony for the wildly romantic that makes it easy for a Big Sur wedding photographer to capture epic photos. I truly love the region and can’t think of a single place better to get married at.

2. What is the best wedding venue in Big Sur?

Big Sur is really f**ing awesome because it has wedding venues for the traditional bride and groom, and at the same time super initiate beach locations for couples wanting something a little more intimate. The only thing I think that matters when planning a Big Sur destination wedding is that couples be genuine to themselves and choose a wedding venue that calls to their hearts. Nobody else but them. Whether that is a romantic Big Sur elopement on the beach, or a small cliffside wedding overlooking the California coast. The only thing a couple should focus on is keeping their champagne glass full of Dom Perignon on their Big Sur wedding day.

3. Any tips about Big Sur wedding photography?

Probably the best advice would be to be mindful that some of the iconic spots in Big Sur such as Bixby Bridge can get crowded on the weekends so be patient. Therefore, if you want to avoid having people in the background of your engagement or Big Sur wedding photos the best tip would be to plan accordingly. Lastly, make time to really see all of the Central Coast because there are so many great hiking spots, cliffside views and romantic things to do in Big Sur.

4. How would you describe your style and approach to Big Sur wedding photography?

Describing your Big Sur wedding photography style feels a lot like filling out a profile on a dating app. But since I can’t use, “Not looking for anything serious, just a wife or something” again let me go with this: My photography is a mixture of candid, colorful, authentic, in-the-moment photographs that blend photojournalism with traditional wedding portraiture. That means capturing moments as they naturally occur, avoiding the overly posed look, and capturing a wide range of details from the coastal landscape, trendy decor, and family photos. My goal as a Big Sur wedding photographer is to document widely romantic couples in a way that focuses on the fun moments. The good times and candid moments. That way every time you look at your Big Sur elopement or wedding photos a smile comes across your face. One of those big crazy smiles where people wonder if you are on drugs or something.

5. I need an affordable Big Sur wedding photographer. I might even elope in Big Sur. Can you help with that?

Weddings can be expensive, and nobody understands this more than me because my wife and I self-funded our intimate backyard wedding. This is why I try to keep my Big Sur wedding photography packages as affordable as possible for anyone planning a destination wedding on the Central California coast. My Big Sur wedding prices start at $3000, but I also have associate shooters available for anyone looking for affordable wedding photographers in Big Sur, ca.

Big Sur elopement wedding packages are also available for couples needing more intimate coverage.

Big Sur Wedding Venues

Best Wedding Venues In Big Sur

Couples planning to get married in Big Sur often choose the region because of a love affair with the coastal vibes and epic cliffside views. This is the reason why so many brides and grooms choose to elope in Big Sur, but for those wanting a more traditional wedding, there are a number of great places that provide the perfect location for an intimate, rustic, or modern wedding. Some of the best wedding venues in Big Sur include:

• Point 16
• Wind & Sea
• Loma Vista Gardens
• Ventana Inn & Spa
• Glen Oaks Big Sur
• Big Sur Grange
• Holman Ranch (Carmel Valley)
• Bernardus Lodge & Spa (Carmel Valley)
• The Holly Farm (Carmel)
• Hyatt Carmel Highlands (Carmel)
• Carmel Mission Inn (Carmel)

How Much Does A Wedding Photographer Cost In Big Sur

Big Sur Wedding Photography Pricing

The best Big Sur wedding photographer studios and any elopement photographer in Big offer packages that will vary depending on the type of coverage a couple is looking for. Brides and grooms wondering how much does a wedding photographer cost in Big Sur should anticipate investing around $700 per hour for an elopement or intimate wedding coverage. Couples wanting to invest in full coverage Big Sur wedding packages can expect to pay $5000-$6000. Couples investing in complete Big Sur wedding packages will receive anywhere from 7-8 hours of photography coverage on the wedding day, an online gallery where friends/family members can download high-res Big Sur wedding photos for free, and roughly 75-90 images per hour of coverage. All of the Big Sur wedding photos will be edited in Lightroom + Photoshop, provided with a shared copyright release, and the turnaround time should be between 6-8 weeks.

Couples who want raw files of their Big Sur wedding photos, wedding albums, or custom prints should anticipate additional investment depending on their needs.

Elopement Photographer Big Sur

Big Sur wedding elopement packages

Planning a wedding is not always the super fun way it is pictured in romantic movies. In fact, planning a wedding can oftentimes be very stressful. Crazy family members, figuring out guest lists, expensive venues, and so many other things can cause and couple to drink themselves asleep. This is the reason why so many couples are choosing to elope in Big Sur or simply plan a Big Sur intimate wedding. First of all, a traditional wedding can be both expensive and stressful. Secondly, some couples simply do not want to deal with crazy family members, a million wedding details, and the many other headaches that planning a wedding can create. Weddings should not be stressful. They should be filled with laughter, happy tears, and endless high-fives. So if you and your partner are considering an intimate wedding here are some of the best places to elope in Big Sur:

• Rocky Point
• Bixby Bridge
• Garrapata Beach
• Julia Pfeiffer Burns
• Bernardus Lodge

Big Sur Wedding

Still have questions about getting married or eloping in Big Sur? Want to see more images from a Big Sur wedding photographer? Want to know if Big Foot aka Sasquatch actually calls Big Sur his home? Then fill out the contact form below!