An Intimate Post Ranch Inn Wedding

Something about Big Sur in the fall makes everything feel just right, as though time has finally slowed down, and there is room to breath again from the noise of summer. For Sarah and Aaron, it was exactly the kind of place where their day felt at ease. They kept their wedding small—just twelve of their closest people gathered at Post Ranch Inn, tucked into one of the most peaceful corners of the California coast.

There was a certain calm to this wedding that brought such peace. Being there reminded me why I love what I do. Days like this aren’t about orchestrating perfection—they’re about celebrating love in a way that feels real to the people living it. Sarah and Aaron did just that.

Bride and groom walk the cliffs of the Big Sur coast at sunset

Their Story

Sarah and Aaron met in college and were introduced through mutual friends while studying engineering. What started as friendship turned into something steady and genuine, built on weekends spent hiking, swapping bird facts, cooking together, and going on long road trips with no real destination.

They’re the kind of couple who enjoy life’s quiet parts. Gardening. Skiing. Laughing at the same mindless jokes. There’s an apparent ease between them the moment you see them together. Sarah put it best when she told me, “It was (and still is) so easy and comforting to spend time together.”

Marriage wasn’t really something Sarah thought much about. They were happy as they were—no pressure or big expectations. Then, one night, after nearly a decade together, Aaron popped the question out of nowhere. It was just a simple, honest moment between two people who had already built a life they loved.

Bride and groom hang on the porch of their Inn before their Post Ranch Inn wedding

Choosing Big Sur for Their Intimate Fall Wedding

The idea for Big Sur wasn’t part of some long-standing plan. It came naturally, as good ideas usually do. After a summer camping trip at Andrew Molera State Park in 2023, Sarah couldn’t shake the place from her mind. Something about the coastline, the stillness, and how the fog rolled in at sunset stuck with her.

When it came time to plan the wedding, she knew she wanted something small and beautiful—nothing flashy, just something that felt like them. Post Ranch Inn answered a question she hadn’t figured out how to ask. It offered the calm and quiet of Big Sur with the ease and comfort of a place that genuinely takes care of its people. It was a space where they could exhale, take their time, and share the day with the handful of people who mean the most to them.

Post Ranch Inn wedding portraits in Big Sur

Their Post Ranch Inn Wedding Day

The day was quiet, with just twelve of their closest family members gathering at Post Ranch Inn. The ceremony struck that rare balance of being thoughtful and deeply human. One of the moments I keep thinking about was Aaron’s face when Sarah walked down the aisle. He teared up immediately with the raw emotion of being moved. It was clear how much this day meant to both of them.

And then there was the dress. Sarah went with a Teuta Matoshi gown—whimsical, a little outside the norm, but somehow exactly right. It stood out without taking over, and I LOVED this choice. It looked like it was meant to be there all along in the Big Sur light. The weather was in full support—clear skies, soft light, just enough breeze. Now, Sarah and Aaron have wedding photos that are constant reminders of a day that feels like them from start to finish.

If you fell in love with this venue, you’ll want to check out my Big Sur wedding venue guide!