Styled Elopement Adventure With San Francisco’s Seaplane Adventures, Featuring Sutro Baths

When couples think about adventure elopements, they think they have to plan a long hike, but you can plan whatever you want to! This San Francisco styled elopement is the perfect inspiration. This elopement showcases the adventures you can have around the city including Seaplane Adventures and Sutra Baths. Get all the details below.

Are you ready to elope? Explore our California Elopement photographers here.

Planning an Adventure With Seaplane Adventures and Sutro Baths in San Francisco

“There are countless unique ways to honor and celebrate an elopement. San Francisco is an incredible location! I want to empower and excite couples to think outside the box for their day! I put together this styled shoot to showcase the adventurous opportunities around the City and the unique experience Seaplane Adventures has to offer.

We concluded our session exploring the surrounding beaches and had a sunset cliff vow exchange at Sutra Baths. My models are friends of mine and are a real married couple from San Francisco. They were blown away by the experience and were overwhelmed with excitement and emotion flying over the city that they love so much.” [Christina, the photographer]

Planning Your Adventure Near San Francisco

“San Francisco has endless elopement adventure opportunities as it is surrounded by stunning landscapes and beaches. Most of the coast is preserved by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. A Special Park Use permit is required for an outdoor ceremony or portraits.

Additional information about ceremony site locations and group size options can be found here.

The permit application has an initial cost of $60. The final cost is determined by the scope of the elopement and the number of people attending. It takes 4-15 business days for initial review and can take several months for a permit to be drafted. (It has not taken this long in my experience). They accept applications up to a year in advance and popular locations fill up quickly so make sure to get your application in as soon as you know where you want to elope!” [Christina, the photographer]

Leave NO Trace Principles to Keep in Mind

“The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is popular so it is important to plan and prepare for this. Celebrating on a weekday during sunrise or sunset may be better and less crowded. Be courteous to others who are also sharing in the beauty of the area.

The coastal area is very delicate. Stay on the trails and tread lightly.

Most of the locations inside the Golden Gate National Recreation Area offer parking, restrooms and accessible trails. In-depth planning with your photographer will help you find the right location that is best fitted for your elopement in this beautiful area.” [Christina, the photographer]

Details About This Styled Elopement

“San Francisco is an incredible location for an elopement. This styled shoot showcases one of the MANY adventurous opportunities around the City and the unique experience Seaplane Adventures has to offer.

Our day began at Seaplane Adventures. We were over the moon excited when it came time for our flight. The loud hum of the engine and the quick accelerated lift off from the water took our breath away. Our pilot shared fun facts and his love for the city as he flew us over the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, around San Francisco and up the Northern CA coast. It was unbelievable and especially fun to watch Caroline and Britney take in the beautiful city that they grew up in from the sky.

After our flight, we drove along the coastline and adventured to Baker Beach, Land’s End, and the Sutro Baths. We enjoyed walking in the sand, along the trails through the trees, and around the historical baths. It was so cool having just flown over all of these areas! As the sun began to set more, we visited a quiet spot above the baths, where Caroline and Britney shared a private vowel exchange.

I was so excited to create this day and want to empower and inspire couples to think outside the box for their San Francisco elopement! San Francisco has an adventure for everyone and it’s a beautiful place to celebrate a future together.” [Christina, the photographer]

Top Tips for Planning Your Elopement in the City

“San Francisco is a fabulous place for an elopement with countless opportunities to make new memories and is the perfect location for those who love the city and nature vibes! Many boutique and luxury hotels are spread throughout the city offering stunning places to stay for groups of all sizes. San Francisco is also a foodie lover’s paradise! It’s important to make a few special stops throughout your day! (Did someone say Oysters?)

There are so many activities to enjoy in the area, but planning an excursion with Seaplane Adventures is an incredible opportunity. Make sure to tell them what you are most excited to see on your flight and they will help craft a custom experience for you. They can even fly you into your ceremony location at select beach areas in San Francisco! This is a way to make an entrance and remarkable memories on your day.

Make sure to design your San Francisco elopement day with ample amount of time for travel/traffic, delicious food stops, and moments to just be and enjoy each other.

Depending on the time of year, there may be fog, also known as ‘Karl’. Karl may dampen some of the sunlight, but it can also make for some unique lighting opportunities. Make sure to bring layers as the weather can quickly become a bit chilly… especially in the summer! Early Spring and Fall are the best times of year for weather.” [Christina, the photographer]

Vendors 

Photography | Christina Perhac Photography

Seaplane Adventures | @seaplaneadventures

Florals | Bloomingayles 

Dress Rental | Flutter Dress 

Models | Britney and Caroline

Photos From This Styled Elopement