Sunset cliffs elopements. I am obsessed with them and could capture them over and over again and never get tired of them. Since I live on the opposite side of the country, I get so excited when couples reach out to me to capture their California elopements! From the weather to the beautiful beaches, you can’t go wrong with a Sunset Cliffs elopement!

So when I say this couple booked me as their photographer last minute, I mean it. Mara and Kyle reached out to me and 2 weeks later I was flying to San Diego. Getting to know this couple was honestly the best part of capturing this wedding! They were the BEST! She fell in love with my insta & knew we’d be friends, which is the literal dream to find clients like that! And to top it off, they did not care at all where I was located. They just knew they needed me to be their wedding photographer and that was so incredible!

Their Love Story

“We met over three years ago in Germany. My fiancé had just gotten back to Germany for his second season of playing basketball professionally. He had to get some paperwork done at the city’s office and so did I. It was in my hometown and I was only in town for a month. It was one of my first days back as well. We were both sitting in the waiting area, there was a long line of people. He spoke English with his teammates which caught my attention and I just kept staring at him. Every time he looked at me he caught me staring. He didn’t know what to do either and if I would even speak English well (we were in a pretty small town in Germany) so instead of walking over to me he sent me the most hilarious picture through airdrop of himself as a kid with a winky face. I started to burst into laughter and walked over to him. The rest is history now.”

Intimate Sunset Cliffs Elopement

Sunset cliffs is by far one of the most beautiful places in San Diego. You get the most epic views of jagged cliffs and miles and miles of coastline. Mara and Kyle’s ceremony was absolutely stunning! It was a super sweet, intimate evening. With 15-20 of their closest family and friends, they had a beautiful ceremony right at golden hour which was perfection! As soon as the ceremony was over we took advantage of the beautiful lighting for their portraits.

Not only was this couple amazing to work with and just so much fun but they encouraged me to get creative. This was truly a dream for me to have clients that trust in me so much! And I loved hanging out with them so much that I literally ended up staying an extra 2 hours just to hang out with them all. It was truly the most magical Sunset Cliffs elopement with the best couple!

Kind Words from Mara & Kyle

“We just put them up on the TV and watched them together. It was so wonderful to live through the day again and talk about some of the little things that we had just missed out of excitement. You did the most amazing job capturing our love and friendship for one another. The colors of the sundown and your editing blew us away – so magical. We also love your attention to detail and all the shots showing all the little deets. Thanks again so much!”

Sunset Cliffs Elopement Information

Sunset cliffs is one of the most popular wedding locations in San Diego. I mean I’m sure you can see why!! And if you’re considering it for your elopement location, I wanted to share some helpful information. From wedding permits to some of the best local airbnb’s, here you go!

Sunset Cliffs Wedding Permit

One of the first things you will need to do when planning your Sunset Cliffs elopement is to get the permit. Sunset Cliffs requires a wedding permit for any special events including weddings and elopements. You can find that application here. The cost for this permit is around $187 but may vary. I also wanted to mention that a wedding permit at Sunset Cliffs does not reserve your space. It only allows you to get married there so be prepared to pick a different location if the spot you had chosen it taken.

Sunset Cliffs Wedding License

When you get married in California you will need to make sure you also get your California marriage license. You can get this at any County Clerks office in California, but you must show up in person with some sort of identification. You can either print out the application or apply online ahead of time.

The great thing about California is that there isn’t a waiting period meaning that you can elope as soon as you get your marriage license! But, you must get married within 90 days of getting your marriage license or it will expire.

When is the Best Time of Year to Elope at Sunset Cliffs?

Ahh the best part about eloping at Sunset cliffs is that you can do any time of the year. The weather stays pretty consistent year round with temperatures ranging from 60-75 degrees typically!

Where to Stay near Sunset Cliffs

Sunset Cliffs is in an amazing location in San Diego with plenty of hotels and Airbnb’s all within 5-20 minutes. Some of the best hotels near Sunset Cliffs include The Inn at Sunset Cliffs which is right there and then Kona Kai Resort which is about 10-15 minutes away on Shelter Island.

There are also an abundance of beautiful Airbnb’s in the area and tons of them have amazing ocean views. Click here to check out tons of great Airbnb’s in the area!

Meet Your San Diego Elopement Photographer