A Beachfront Micro Wedding on Monterey Bay

A Beachfront Ceremony on the Monterey Bay Sand

Ellen Scher officiated on the Beach Bluff, the rings in her hands as she stood at the front. Emily came down the aisle first with her two daughters, then the daughters walked back for Renae, who came in with her own two. All four girls stayed standing at the front alongside their moms.

Partway through, the couple did a ring warming, the rings passed hand to hand through the sixteen guests and back, and the daughters carried them the rest of the way. Renae and Emily handed their bouquets to their moms and said their vows with Monterey Bay behind them.

“Their four daughters walked them both down the aisle, held the rings, and stood at the front for the vows.”

Family Photos on the Beach

After the ceremony came portraits and family photos, including a full-party shot down on the beach itself. The Sanctuary Beach Resort sits on nineteen acres between Monterey Bay and the Marina Dunes Preserve, where the dunes climb as high as 150 feet above the water, so the coastline gave the couple and their daughters plenty to work with before everyone moved up to the lawn.

Dinner on the Lodge Lawn, S'mores by the Bonfire

Cocktail hour and dinner happened on the Lodge Lawn, starting with a welcome speech before the plates came out. Later the couple cut the cake from Angelinas Bakery and moved into their first dance together on the grass.

As the light faded, everyone caught the sunset over the water for a last round of photos. Then the celebration moved back down to the Beach Bluff, where the night ended around a bonfire with s'mores on the sand.