Year round sunshine, beaches, rocky coastline, and rolling hills with hiking trails, and easy city and LAX access, all make this paradise the ideal place to have your coastal adventure elopement and jump start your mini moon adventure in California.
What you’ll find in this guide
How to get there
Where to elope
When to Elope
What to Do on Your Elopement Day
Where to Stay (Malibu, Topanga, Santa Monica, Venice)
Legalities/Permits
Example Timelines
Bonus Tips
Why you should elope in Malibu
Eloping in Malibu can be a breathtaking and unforgettable experience, with its stunning coastal views, beautiful beaches, endless hiking trails, and picturesque landscapes. Here’s your ultimate guide to planning your dream elopement in Malibu:
How To Get There
LAX is the biggest international airport nearby and is about 30 miles up the PCH. Renting a car at LAX or jazz it up with a pickup, Jeep, Bronco or vintage convertible would be the most fun way to explore Malibu and the rest of the coast nearby. Other nearby airports are Burbank and Santa Barbara.
Where to Elope
Malibu has public beaches, state beaches and rolling hills and rock formations, all making beautiful backdrops for your elopement. There are some things to consider regarding accessibility, crowds, tides, and bathrooms for your elopement day.
El Matador Beach: This beach offers a rugged backdrop with large and small rock formations and is stunning for sunrise and sunsets. The cliffs at the top of the beach provide a beautiful vista of the Pacific and the beach’s rock formations. Being one of the most popular spots for photos in Malibu, this spot is best visited during sunrise or a weekday in off season. Low tides are also the best time for this beach. I can also help you with tide charts!
Point Dume: One of my favorite places to photograph in all of California, Point Dume has a nature reserve, sandy beaches, a small semi-private cove, and cliffs offering a rugged backdrop. Best to leave the heels at home for this one, as you’ll be walking up and down sandy, rocky trails. If low tide allows, you can walk along the beach to a smaller cove or you can scramble over some rocks during high tide to take you there. The perks of Point Dume is there is plenty of parking by the main beach and there are bathrooms, or if you want to park on the street at the top of the Nature Reserve, there are certain back roads that allow for visitor parking.
Leo Carrillo State Park: Beautiful rock formations and a dog friendly area! At the end of Malibu.
Malibu Creek State Park: Malibu Creek State Park is about 20 minutes inland from the coast. Driving through beautiful canyons to take you there, Malibu Creek offers long grass trails, rolling hills, and large rock formations with a creek running through the whole park. It can get very hot during the late summer months here, so this is best during the spring after we have had some winter rain.
Topanga State Park: Similar to Malibu Creek SP in its landscape, this park is a bit more off the beaten path. Taking long and windy roads to get there, you’ll find yourself with open grasslands, and red rocks as part of its landscape.
Santa Monica Mountain Recreation Area: Sandstone Peak
Off the beaten path trails: There are lots of trails and beaches that are also beautiful to include in your elopement day, but will come without the crowds. If you are looking for something that isn’t quite as popular, reach out and we can chat about some areas that you might be interested in.
*Some Malibu elopements will require a permit for a ceremony to take place, even without guests. Once you’ve decided where you want to have your ceremony, we can then start the permit process if your location requires one.
Small Guest List Venues in Malibu
Having a few guests? These venues are best for 15 guests for less.
Point Dume State Beach + Sunset Restaurant. The Sunset allows private rentals of their second floor for your wedding party.
Private home in Malibu via AirBnB
When to Elope
Malibu’s year-round mild temperatures make it an idyllic place to elope most of the year. Certain times of year offer different . One thing you should know about being on the coast: no matter the season, always bring a jacket!
Spring : The best time to have the opportunity for super blooms and wildflowers. Temperatures are starting to heat up.
Summer: June is known for June Gloom, and the mornings can have a thick marine layer hovering over the coast. Can make for some very moody photos!
Fall: My favorite time of year in Los Angeles. The temperatures are summer like, but the tourists have gone home and kiddos are back in school. My favorite time of year for blue hour (just after sunset) photos.
Winter: Winter has the highest likelihood of rain. That being said, hills are starting to turn green after a long summer without much water, making them much more picturesque. Low tides and sunsets on the beach are usually the most stunning in winter, and the beach is virtually empty. If you’re a surfer, winter will be your favorite time in LA, hitting up the beaches with the south swell. If you come for a winter elopement you can hit up the San Bernardino Mtns or Eastern Sierra for some skiing.
What to Do on Your Elopement Day
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Head to a coffee shop to start your day together
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Rent a vintage car/truck to cruise up the PCH
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Picnic with a view of the ocean
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Go for a hike
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Get ready together in your AirBnB or hotel
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Go surfing/swimming together
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Have a celebratory dance party after popping champagne
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Go for a dip in the Malibu Rock Pool
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Horseback riding
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Anything else that feels like you!
Where To Stay
Where you stay will depend on where you want to spend most of your time. Venice and Santa Monica are walkable and bikeable cities with access to the beach, tons of restaurants, and easy to get into Downtown LA or Hollywood, if you consider doing that on your stay. Malibu and Topanga Canyon are for the couples looking for a very slow few days before or after their elopement.
Malibu:
I am only recommending 2 hotels here, as I think they are the best accommodations in the area. There are countless AirBnB’s in the area ranging from $350-$1000+/night.
Venice Beach: Best for those looking to walk to coffee shops and restaurants, surf, and cruise up and down Abbot Kinney for more coffee shops, shopping, and restaurants.
The Kinney
Santa Monica: Those looking to hit up the beach, play some games at the arcade on the Pier, and want to walk to lots of good restaurants. There’s a train located in downtown Santa Monica that will also take you to downtown Los Angeles.
The Proper Hotel Santa Monica
AirBnB is also an option in Santa Monica. Many places will be guest houses as the city imposed strict AirBnB rules on stays under 30 days, a few years ago.
Topanga Canyon:
A lesser known area, yet just as compelling. Best for couples looking for tree studded tiny cabin AirBnBs. More of a retreat area with lots of unique accommodations. I will list one below, but this is best sorted amongst yourselves.
Legalities
The paperwork part of your elopement. You will need to get a marriage license at a county clerk office somewhere in the state of California before your ceremony. It is best to make an appointment here to apply for your marriage license. You can do so up to 90 days before your ceremony. I always recommend dropping it off at the county clerk yourselves once it’s been signed by an officiant and 1 witness, so you can speed up the process of making it official.
Food
Check out my guide on where to eat in Malibu, Venice, and Santa Monica here.
You’ve Eloped…now what?
Road trip through California for a mini moon to some epic locations like Joshua Tree, Big Sur, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Sonoma, and San Francisco.
