The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your Gualala Wedding or Elopement
If you’re looking for a hidden gem wedding or elopement location on the California Coast, then this blog is for you! Gualala is a gorgeous Northern California town nestled along the rocky coast that offers serene beaches and unreal sunsets. It’s a small coastal town with very little visitor traffic making it an amazing location for an intimate elopement or wedding! So, if that sounds like something you are dreaming about for your big day, keep reading. I’m sharing the best places to elope in Gualala, the best wedding venues, and some amazing wedding vendors in the area!!
Table of Contents
Best Places to Elope in Gualala
Bowling Ball Beach
Bowling Ball Beach is a unique beach known for its bowling ball-shaped rocks that you can see during low tide. This is such a beautiful and unreal spot for some elopement photos!
Length of Hike: 1.5 mi round trip
Family / Dog Friendly: YES
Sunrise vs. Sunset: To see the actual bowling ball effect we would need low tide, so the timing would be based on the tide.
Gualaa Regional Beach
Gualala Regional Park is a beautiful beachside park where the river meets the sea. It offers tons of great camping, hiking, and beautiful views that would make for a great elopement location.
Length of Hike: The entire trail system only consists of 2.9 miles so we have options of beach, bluffs over the river, and more!
Family / Dog Friendly: YES
More Info: $7 parking day pass required
Cooks Beach
Cooks Beach is a beautiful flat, crescent beach with fine white sand. It is surrounded by a black rock-walled cove creating the most stunning serene and intimate spot to say your vows!
Length of Hike: .25 mi
Family / Dog Friendly: YES
Sunrise vs. Sunset: Sunset
Hearn Gulch
If you want a coastal location for your elopement that offers seclusion, expansive views of the ocean, and sea stacks, then Hearn Gulch is perfect for you.
Length of Hike: .5 half mile
Family / Dog Friendly: YES
Sunrise vs. Sunset: Sunset on the beach and the bluffs on top of the beach.
Salt Point State Park
Salt Point State Park offers picturesque views of the rocky coastlines and close to 20 miles of different hiking trails.
Length of Hike: 3.3 mi ~ 1 hour (Salt Point Trail to Stump Beach)
1 mi out and back (South Gerstle Trail and the Southern Bluffs)
Family / Dog Friendly: No
Sunrise vs. Sunset: Either!
Jenner Headlands Preserve
Jennifer Headlands Preserve is a beautiful area of grasslands and redwood trees that overlooks the ocean. This is the perfect area to set up a romantic picnic to celebrate your new marriage!
Length of Hike: The Wildflower Loop is .75 mi long
Family / Dog Friendly: YES
Sunrise vs. Sunset: Open sunrise to sunset
Best Wedding Venues in Gualala
Gualala Arts
The Gualala Arts Center is a beautiful wedding venue on the coast that offers several spaces for both indoor and outdoor ceremonies! The venue is situated on 11 acres of redwood forest land providing for a super private space to celebrate your big day!
Sea Ranch Abalone Bay
Sea Ranch Abalone Bay is a Gualala wedding venue located right on the beach. This venue has a small chapel that is perfect for smaller elopements. Sea Ranch Abalone Bay also has The Sea Ranch Lodge as well which has several beautiful spots for a ceremony.
OZ Farm
Oz Farm is situated in a scenic and rural area surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern California. The venue features stunning views of meadows, forests, and the surrounding landscape. It has a large barn perfect for your reception and several stunning locations for your ceremony. You can have up to 100 guests and there is room for 30 overnights guess.
Mar Vista Farm + Cottages
Mar Vista is an adorable coastal retreat on a farm with tons of cottages to stay in. They offer both small intimate micro-weddings and large weddings up to 45 people in which you would rent the entire property out. This stunning venue is surrounded by gardens, forests, sea, and sky. For your reception, they have The Glass House which is designed like a greenhouse and provides the perfect setting for a romantic and intimate dinner celebration.
Warner Point
Warner Point is a beautiful wedding venue with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and coastal bluffs. It’s secluded, peaceful, and a stunning location to marry the love of your life. You can have a small elopement or a big wedding here with up to 120 guests. They also have an adorable cottage Airbnb on the property that you can rent out for the night before or after the wedding.
Cuffey’s Cove
Cuffey’s Cove is a historic coastal ranch located on 2 miles of land along the California coast. It offers spectacular views, wonderfully preserved barns, and a house, perfect for private events and weddings.
The Driftwood Lodge
The Driftwood Lodge is a beautiful Gualala wedding venue located on a 30-acre oceanfront property surrounded by old-growth redwood forests. This venue offers private use of the entire property, meadow, event barn, and lodging accommodations.
The Sea Ranch Chapel
The Sea Ranch Chapel is a unique venue in Gualala because of its unique interior and exterior design. It was designed by Bruce Johnson who created the chapel’s redwood seats, carved posts, and surrounding wall shelves that seem almost to grow from the floors and walls. All of the unique details make this venue so special and unique and its location is surrounded by nothing but nature.
St. Orres
St. Orres is a beautiful coastal wedding venue that offers options for indoor and outdoor celebrations. They have their outdoor ceremony space that has sweeping views of the sea surrounded by the greenery of the towering redwoods. Their indoor space is a classically romantic dining room perfect for your reception.
Anvil Vineyard and Ranch
Anvil Vineyard and Ranch is a stunning venue near Gualala located on a 13,000-acre winery. It is a private hilltop estate with magnificent panoramic views of the surrounding area.
Best Places to Stay in Gualala
Airbnbs + Hotels
Gualala Wedding Vendors
Florists:
Hair + Makeup:
Planners:
Mobile Bars:
Meet Your Gualala Wedding & Elopement Photographer
Hi, I’m Devin - your Gualala Wedding & Elopement Photographer!
As a PNW native and lover of anything and everything that involves nature and adventure, I’m here to support you in planning your perfect elopement.
My Gualala wedding and elopement packages are specially curated for you to help make your wedding day go smoothly – from permit processes to making a timeline, you can count on me to make your elopement a breeze!
