Sonoma Coast Engagement Session // Jenner, CA // Engagement Photographer

Kristen and Ian and I had sooo much fun during their Sonoma Coast engagement session!! When Kristen first reached out to book it with me last fall, she told me they would love to do their session in the redwoods or at the coast. Either was fine, and did I have any recommendations for them? Umm heck YES I did!

Normally you wouldn’t be able to fit those locations into the same session because of distance between the two (it’s pretty rare to find redwoods *right* next to the coast, they’re usually inland a ways), but because I had this hidden gem of a spot ready in the wings we were able to make both spots happen for their 90 minute session! I calculated the distance between the two as being 13 minutes of driving and 15 minutes of walking. Doable!

I first hiked this trail in the fall — it’s VERY off the beaten track and few people know about it, which is the exact kind of place I love to offer my couples for their session or wedding. I’d been hoping and hoping I could talk a couple into hiking up there (not terribly far or hard, maybe a quarter mile of a climb) and so you can imagine my stoke when these two said yes! I just looovedd the “aisle” of ferns and cool moss-covered tree at the very end and was dying to photograph someone there.

After frolicking in the redwoods for a bit, we hustled back to the car to head to the coast to make it in time for sunset. And WOWWW were we met with a freaking WALL of icy windchill. We literally had 12 minutes until sunset and I’m sure I can speak for these two when I say I’m glad we weren’t out there any longer because it was fricken cold as heckkkk. It was Type 2 fun for sure (which I had to explain to them 😂) but still worth it because the sunset was STUNNING! These two were such goofballs and down for anything, including trooping through the windstorm — their session was all around a blast!

A couple walks hand in hand down a trail in a redwood forest on the Sonoma coast.
A couple walks with arms around each other down a trail in a redwood forest on the Sonoma coast.
A couple walks hand in hand down a trail in a redwood forest on the Sonoma coast.
A couple stands in front of each other with arms around each other. They are looking at each other and laughing in a redwood forest on the Sonoma coast.
A couple stops on a trail in a redwood forest on the Sonoma coast for a kiss.
a disclaimer is necessary here: I did not ask them to take this pose, it was all them being goofballs 😂
A couple walks hand in hand down a trail in a redwood forest on the Sonoma coast.
A couple walks hand in hand down a trail in a redwood forest on the Sonoma coast.
A couple walks hand in hand down a trail in a redwood forest on the Sonoma coast.
A couple embrace and share a kiss on the Sonoma coast at sunset.
A couple walks hand in hand in single file on the Sonoma coast at sunset.
A couple embrace and sit on the Sonoma coast as they watch the sunset.
A couple embrace and sit on the Sonoma coast as they watch the sunset.
A couple embrace and sit on the Sonoma coast as they watch the sunset.
A couple embrace and sit on the Sonoma coast as they watch the sunset.

I hope you enjoyed scrolling through this Sonoma coast engagement session!! If you want some more redwood session action, head over to this engagement session I shot last August down the street from my house (literally 48 hours before we were evacuated from wildfire, insane). Or if you’re wanting to scope some other coastal shots, you can find more of those here!

What do you even spend an elopement day doing? The possibilities can feel overwhelming, so let me give you somewhere to start.

So you're curious about eloping, but...

Get access to my free PDF guide walking you through real-world elopement timelines. 7, 10, and 12 hour days are included to give you broad examples across all kinds of days and activities.

Download the guide

Wondering what an all-day elopement looks like?

Download my Elopement Timeline guide to get real-world examples of 7, 10, and 12 hour elopement days!

p.s. This is a great resource even if you aren't totally sure you're going to elope! Download this just to see the possibilities that are out there.

    Enter your email on the right so I can send this Elopement Timeline Guide straight to your inbox. Cheering you on!

    And if you run into any issues accessing this, please don't hesitate to email me at hello@megcooperphoto.com so I can help! 

    Enter your email below so I can send this Elopement Timeline Guide straight to your inbox. Cheering you on!