A Vintage California Ranch Wedding

Sarah and Eric’s California ranch wedding was a full-circle moment. A few months after they met, the two of them took off up the coast in a Jeep, winding through Big Sur. That early trip shaped so much of their story. It was where they first learned how easy it was to be together. Years later, they returned to those same cliffs and redwoods—not just to revisit a memory, but to build on it, this time with vows, family, and a falcon (more on that later).

They chose Post Ranch Inn for their wedding, drawn to its quiet, wild, and expansive views. It made sense—not just because they’d been there before, but because it matched something in them. When Sarah first reached out, she said, “We love your moody, dramatic, beautiful aesthetic,” and I knew then that their wedding would have a thoughtful, a little offbeat, vibe.

One of my favorite parts of their story lives in the dress. Sarah wore her mom’s wedding gown from 1985, which had originally belonged to her grandmother in 1948. Three generations of women, stitched into one look. Lara from Folklore Dress Studio in Pasadena made a few subtle adjustments, giving it a fresh shape without losing the weight of its history.

A Redwood Wedding Ceremony Like No Other

They got married in the Redwoods on Valentine’s Day. It had poured the week before, but the morning of the wedding, the clouds broke just long enough to let in a soft, filtered light. It was quiet under the trees, and you could hear the wind high up in the branches.

Sarah and Eric stood surrounded by family and friends, a little circle carved out of the woods, and just as they began their vows, the falconer stepped forward. In fifteen years of photographing weddings, this would be a first. He released one of his birds, and it circled, then swooped down and landed on Eric’s arm.

Bride looks out the window at the Big Sur coast in her vintage wedding dress

Post-Ceremony Portraits on the Cliffs Near Post Ranch Inn

After the ceremony, we made our way out to the cliffs. The wind had picked up by then, but Sarah’s dress moved beautifully in the gusts.

The cliffs are always a favorite place for dramatic views. With her vintage dress, black and white photos felt natural.

More: An Intimate Big Sur Glen Oaks Wedding

California cliffside wedding portraits at Post Ranch Inn

Golden hour wedding photos in Big Sur, California

A California Ranch Wedding With Good Scotch & Bluegrass at Golden Hour

As the sun set, everyone gathered back at the ranch house. There wasn’t a rush to move through the evening. Just good scotch being poured, bluegrass music, and people lingering around each other.

Dinner was Beef Wellington, a choice that matched the rest of the day. The light at golden hour hit just right. It was a small wedding, which made those little moments easy to catch.