I’ve actually known Alex and Claire for a while now, which made getting to photograph their Carmel micro wedding feel extra special.

I first met Alex when I photographed his sister’s wedding in Sonoma, California. Then, over a year ago, Alex reached out to me to plan his surprise proposal in Big Sur. We had so much fun during their engagement photoshoot, and after that, they reached out again to have me photograph their intimate Carmel micro wedding at Mission Ranch Inn.

I love getting to follow couples through different seasons of their lives, so being there again when these two officially tied the knot was pretty amazing!

Alex and Claire don’t live in the area, but they often come to Carmel and Big Sur for vacation and travel.

This is a special place for them, so they knew they wanted to host their wedding at Mission Ranch Inn in Carmel.

Honestly, what I love most about this venue is how pretty the scenery is. Everything is very green, and the white rooms give off a really cozy, elegant vibe. The landscape at the ceremony site is also beautiful, with a small ocean view in the distance.

You feel like you are coastal, but you are also on a ranch. It’s very unique and quaint, and it made such a great setting for their intimate wedding day.

I love shooting micro weddings, honestly, because the guest count is typically a little bit lower. In this case, Claire and Alex celebrated with only 30 guests.

The whole day went so smoothly! Having a smaller guest count allows a couple to breathe and focus more on spending time with friends and family. There isn’t this feeling that you need to rush around trying to see hundreds of people. You can really enjoy the people who came to celebrate with you, which is something I love about a Carmel micro wedding like this one.

For Claire and Alex, that smaller celebration fit the day perfectly. They were able to get married in a place that already meant something to them while sharing it with the people closest to them.

One of my favorite parts of their wedding happened right at the beginning of the day when they had their first look and exchanged vows with each other.

It was very emotional, and everything they said was so sweet. I remember tearing up a little bit as I listened to them share their vows to each other!

Those are always some of my favorite moments to photograph because I can simply step back and document what’s happening. Their vow exchange also gave us some of my favorite photos from the entire day before we moved into their couples portraits around Mission Ranch Inn.

With so much beautiful scenery right on the property, we had plenty of options for portraits without needing to go anywhere else.

I especially loved being able to photograph Claire and Alex against the landscape surrounding the ceremony site. Between all of the greenery, the ranch setting, and that small ocean view, you get such an interesting mix of scenery here. It really does feel like Carmel.

Some of my favorite images from the day ended up being their vow exchange, couples portraits, and the wider landscape photos of the ceremony site. It was all so beautiful!

After photographing Alex’s sister’s wedding, then his surprise proposal and engagement photos, getting to be there for his Carmel micro wedding felt like such a fun full-circle moment.

If you’re thinking about planning a smaller wedding in Carmel, Mission Ranch Inn is such a unique option. You get the cozy ranch feeling, beautiful greenery, and a little bit of the California coast all in one place. And if you’re looking for a photographer to capture it all, I’d love to be there!