Oceanfront Overlook Ceremony in Mendocino | Real Weddings
Real Weddings · Mendocino, CA
A 12-Guest Oceanfront Overlook Ceremony in Mendocino
Courtney & RobertApril 2022Mendocino Bay Overlook · Mendocino
Courtney and Robert's oceanfront overlook ceremony in Mendocino was twelve guests on the grassy bluff above Mendocino Bay in April 2022, with the mouth of Big River and the village across the water behind them. A small circle, a short walk to the edge, and the Pacific doing most of the work.
The day was built close and unhurried, getting ready near the coast, a ceremony on the overlook, family portraits along the bluff, and dinner with the people who had made the drive out to the headlands.
Hair and makeup worked through the look near the water, the coast air already in the room. The bouquet was set aside, the boutonniere waiting to be pinned, the cake boxed, everything staged before anyone needed to be anywhere.
With twelve guests and a short drive to the overlook, the morning moved at its own pace. Everything was staged and confirmed before anyone needed to go anywhere. M Designs Florals & Events had the flowers finished and in place, and the Stanford Inn provided a calm base for the morning. The Mendocino coast in April is cool and salt-aired, and the bluff would be theirs when they got there.
Afternoon
Married on the Mendocino Bay Overlook
The 12-guest oceanfront overlook ceremony was on the Mendocino Bay bluff, a flat, grassy stretch atop the cliffs, with the mouth of Big River, Big River Beach, and historic Mendocino Village laid out across the water. Twelve guests gathered at the edge, the Pacific open and wide behind them.
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Rev. William Ward officiated, marrying Courtney and Robert on the bluff with the ocean at their backs. The wind off the water was the only sound between them and the open coast. Every word of the vows carried to the twelve chairs.
“Twelve people on the grassy bluff above Mendocino Bay, the village and the Pacific laid out across the water.”
After the ceremony
Family Portraits on the Mendocino Bay Overlook
Family portraits happened along the overlook after the ceremony, the bluff, the grass, and the water framing each grouping without anyone having to move far. The Mendocino Land Trust opened this viewpoint to the public in 1996, the first public-access easement a nonprofit ever accepted and opened in California; it looks straight across Big River's mouth to the village and the open Pacific, which is exactly what stood behind Courtney and Robert and their guests in every frame. A wedding party of twelve fits easily on the overlook, which is part of what makes a 12-guest coastal ceremony here feel right.
The couple slipped away for a handful of portraits of just the two of them, the bluff, the water, the April light coming low across the headlands. The overlook does the heavy lifting for whoever stands in it.
Evening
Dinner After the Overlook
After the portraits, the small group settled in for dinner at the inn. A cake from Frosted Cupcakes and Goodies, the florist's arrangements carried over from the ceremony, and the twelve of them around the table as the light went off the coast. Close, quiet, and facing the same water they'd just gotten married above.
“The Our Little Wedding team was creative in finding venues, vendors, and solutions to special requests. Jaime, Dennis, Brian, and Lily were great as our "day of" team, were thorough with the details, and made sure that we felt comfortable and had fun throughout our wedding. We loved the photos and wedding video and are grateful to have those memories to share with our family and friends.”
