I grew up visiting Santa Cruz California on weekends with my dad and love exploring new restaurants and hikes with my family. From amazing forests to incredible coastal views, Santa Cruz has it all! Please use this Santa Cruz intimate wedding guide as a starting point and let’s talk about making your day uniquely you!

Let’s do this step by step…

Pick your location. Forest, beach, or a bit of both? Santa Cruz has it all. I’m glad you landed here because I have all you’ll need to know in this guide.
Book your photographer. See if I’m your right pick by getting to know me more or if you’d rather chat on the phone, contact me~ I’d love to discuss your vision of your intimate wedding photography!
Plan the details. If I’m your intimate wedding photographer, we’ll go over everything you need to make your intimate Santa Cruz wedding special.
Photo time. Let’s get the engagements sent out! I’d love to get to know you before the wedding through a fun day exploring and grabbing some cute shots of you two!
Let’s celebrate! Time to enjoy your intimate Santa Cruz wedding~ pop the champs!

Now that you know the planning basics, let’s dive into the details!

Venues

Picking a venue can be tough (they’re all so good!), but I’ve narrowed down a list of the best intimate Santa Cruz wedding venues. Check out my favs below!

If you’re looking for a vintage, rustic wedding experience, Roaring Camp is your perfect Santa Cruz wedding venue. Amongst the Redwood Forest, you have a choice from three different ceremony sites on the property: steam train to cathedral grove, school house lawn, and Bret Harte Hall. The steam train to cathedral grove offers a truly unique experience by taking you on a 100-year-old steam train through the forest to your ceremony location- an experience your wedding guests will not forget! This option will cost $2,950 which includes 100 train tickets; each additional ticket costs $25.50. Next to a vintage schoolhouse, an expansive lawn holds a schoolhouse lawn. Your guests will be covered by the shade of oak trees for the price of $1,500. Bret Harte Hall is a 6,000-foot rustic barn filled with incredible twinkly lights to brighten up your intimate Santa Cruz Wedding. This Redwood barn comes at a steal for $700. However, if you’re looking to hold your reception in the barn, it’ll cost $4,350. Roaring Camp offers catering as well for roughly $52 per person.
Waterfall Lodge is a beautiful barn venue located in the Santa Cruz mountains. The barn is made from reclaimed 19th-century barn wood that is perfectly lit by warm lighting throughout. You can have up to 179 family and friends come to enjoy the incredible mountain air with you to celebrate your Santa Cruz wedding. Unlike most venues, the Waterfall lodge lets you bring in your own catering and bartending. The lodge costs $9,800-32,800 with the option of a cabin rental for an additional charge.
This wedding venue is in the heart of the Santa Cruz redwoods. It holds 15 rustic cabins you can rent out for your wedding party and/or guests to stay and enjoy the splendor of the forest. At Fern River Resort, you’ll enjoy your exchange of vows under a beautiful redwood gazebo surrounded by lilacs, lilies, pear trees, and wild strawberries. Straight off from the gazebo garden is a stunning river overlook. Fern River Rest runs from $1,500-6,000 and is available from May through October.

Right off Highway 1 is an expansive 10-acre property perfect for up to 120 guests to enjoy your Santa Cruz wedding. Sand Rock Farm is the location of Santa Cruz’s first winery has now been converted into a charming vintage wedding venue. There are five suites decked out with antique furnishings; each room has jacuzzi tubs, electric fireplaces, and any amenities to make you comfortable during your stay. If you decide to leave the comfort of your room, you’ll find a large sunny reading porch, an outdoor deck with a fire pit, and garden paths to roam the gorgeous property. Sand Rock Farm is the perfect mix of a charming bed and breakfast with your wedding venue.

Looking for a beach wedding with a twist? Seymour Marine Discovery Center is the perfect Santa Cruz wedding venue for you. Discover the ocean while you say ‘I Do’. You can literally go to the seawater touch table during your wedding reception and discover the ocean’s best. As an added bonus, your wedding guests will get free admission to the Seymour Center on the day of your wedding! This venue has three rental options all overlooking the ocean and is available Friday through Sunday for $3,350.
Located in Aptos, eight miles from Santa Cruz is an incredible beachfront wedding venue. At Seascape Resort you’ll have 17 miles of secluded beachfront to wander and enjoy with your loved ones. The wedding planners at Seascape pride themselves on offering each couple a customizable intimate Santa Cruz wedding experience by catering to your individual needs. With award-winning onsite restaurants, you’re able to work with Seascape’s chefs to create a variety of culinary themes for your wedding meal. This venue is perfect because you can walk outside your guest suite right onto your venue, making it a seamless, stress-free wedding day.
Nestldown is an astounding 180-acre property hidden amongst redwood trees in Los Gatos, a 30-minute drive from Santa Cruz. The drive is well worth it as you’re surrounded by 35 acres of working orchards along with seven acres of manicured gardens. There are six different event spaces you can use for your intimate Santa Cruz wedding. To heighten your wedding experience, Nestldown provides a 1967 old London taxi for couple transportation and a 22-passenger train during your cocktail hour~ perfect for photo ops! This property ranges from $9,500 to $25,000 depending on the day of the week. Note: Nestldown is open from late February to December.

Home Rentals

Another important detail of your intimate Santa Cruz Wedding is where to stay! Some wedding venues provide lodging on their properties, but not all. Plus, your venue might not have the space to lodge all your wedding guests. There are some great options, available for events, in the area to host your loved ones.

What better way to experience Santa Cruz than staying at a beachfront home. Your Beach Home is a 3 bedroom (plus a loft), 3 bath home in Pajaro Dunes, a private gated community. It doesn’t get more Californian than walking out of your rental straight to the sand.
For the ultimate party house in Santa Cruz, book At The Beach. This massive VRBO listing is also nestled in the private Parjaro Dunes community. Just a short walk from the beach, this home is designed for entertaining. The home sleeps 11 in their massive 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath. This listing is a great place to gather with your wedding party.
Chic and sleek Aptos Oceanview Getaway is a newly renovated 3 bedroom 3.5 bath home in Aptos. The home is fabulous for entertaining; between their fire pit and hot tub, you’ll be set for a fun trip. Don’t forget, the rooftop patio is great for enjoying a cocktail while watching the sunset against the ocean. Any guest would be comfortable staying here.

Another incredible home in Aptos is Peaceful Treehouse with Ocean View. You and your guests will have ultimate privacy as you’re nestled in the trees of this 3 bedroom, 1 bath treehouse. This Airbnb listing is the definition of luxury with its heated floors, walk-in shower, and granite kitchen countertops, truly the list could go on. This is the only house that doesn’t allow parties, however, it’s still a unique place to stay for your intimate Santa Cruz wedding.

Restaurants

My favorite part of any day: is mealtime! I hate to say it, but over the years I’ve become a bit of a foodie. That said, it’s definitely because I’ve been able to visit some of the best restaurants while traveling for intimate Santa Cruz weddings.

VIM Dining & Desserts is a trendy, upscale new American dining experience in Santa Cruz. They have a great outdoor patio to enjoy their modern cocktails. You MUST save space for dessert here. The donut holes are a melt-in-your-mouth kind of deliciousness. Vim also offers a scrumptious Sunday Brunch if you want to celebrate your nuptials with a mimosa in hand!
For the ultimate farm-to-table dinner visit Persephone in Aptos. The menu is ever-changing with seasonal ingredients always being the highlight of the menu. If you’re looking to have your wedding party join you, Persephone is available for events; they offer custom menus and cakes to make your dinner all the more memorable.
Based on their sweet grandma’s home cooking, Lillian’s Italian Kitchen is the best joint in Santa Cruz for pasta. From their black truffle stuffed gnocchis to short rib ragu with fettuccini, you can’t go wrong ordering off the menu. This family-run restaurant is the best place to sit back, relax, and enjoy a nice glass of wine alongside a delicious bowl of pasta.
Want to keep it casual? Lúpulo Craft Beer House is the spot for tapas with a beer. Spanish-inspired, this joint has light food offerings with its fresh and uncommon beer taps. Sure fireplace for a relaxed and chill evening.

Explore

If you’re having an intimate Santa Cruz wedding, you have to take the time to explore the area. Santa Cruz has some of the best hiking because you’re surrounded by redwoods and ocean views. These hiking trails also make a great backdrop for your intimate Santa Cruz wedding photography.

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park has a plethora of trails ranging from easy to difficult. Regardless of the path you take, you’ll be surrounded by redwood groves.
A great spot for endless redwood trees is Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Sequoia Trial is one of Big Basin’s best; the trial is a four-mile loop with a 25-foot waterfall waiting for you at the halfway mark! Definitely worth exploring this park.
The best place to hike with coastal views is Wilder ranch, State Park. There are over 7,000 acres to explore, providing plenty of hiking options during your stay.
A walk on the beach more your style? Visit Shark Fin Cove. This Santa Cruz beach has a giant fin-shaped rock smack dab in the ocean. At sunset, the light catches the rock perfectly making it an ideal backdrop for your intimate Santa Cruz wedding.

see my most recent Santa Cruz wedding