Natural Bridges State Beach
Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz County · West · Evening
A cove beach at the west end of Santa Cruz with a rock arch offshore, tidepools at low water and a eucalyptus grove that holds monarchs through the winter.
Open beach; the sun sets behind the arches.
The site
Orientation
West
Tree cover
None / Open
Fog exposure
Coastal
Best light
Evening
The practical details
Capacity notes
The special event application gives no guest number and states only that the state may limit attendance at its discretion. A 2023 district guidelines document listed a fifty-person cap for this sector; that figure does not appear on the application form.
Commercial photography
A paid or published shoot needs a separate California Film Commission permit, which is not the same document as the ceremony permit.
Lead time
Thirty days minimum.
Prohibited
The 2023 guidelines list balloons, rice, birdseed, flower petals, confetti, live animal releases, floating lanterns, fireworks, drones, alcohol, ground stakes, nails and screws, and unapproved arches.
Permit authority
Santa Cruz District, California State Parks, Special Events Office. (831) 400-8519, SCD.specialevents@parks.ca.gov.
Pricing
Day-use parking is $10, or $9 for age 62 and over. State Parks does not print ceremony permit fees on its special event application. The district office quotes the fee: (831) 400-8519.
See it on your wedding date
Set your date and this page fills in with the tides, what the weather is usually like, sunset, and where the sun will be.
Checked against the agency's own page on September 7, 2026
Sunrise, sunset, and twilight computed for this location. The marine layer rating reflects the time of year on this coast. Orientation and cover recorded for this spot.