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A By-The-Sea Wedding Embrace the simplicity and affordability of having your wedding desires meet our beautiful wedding venues on the Monterey Coast. Let us take the stress out of your wedding or renewal ceremony by sharing some of the most romantic and amazing ceremony sites and wedding venues Monterey, Carmel, and Pacific Grove has to offer. From the rugged Monterey Coastline and soft, white, sandy beaches of Carmel, to our enchanting Monterey Stone Chapel in the Redwoods, our local knowledge for the perfect wedding ceremony will allow you to discover the wedding location that reflects your dreams and visions.
Services
A By the Sea Wedding was founded by Rev. Patt O'Brien, an ordained minister, and has been offering wedding services on the Monterey Bay since 1988. We now offer three ministers to serve you, Patt O'Brien, Sherilyn Russo, and Kate O'Brien, all Non-Denominational ordained ministers. A By The Sea Wedding has delighted in performing wedding ceremonies on the Carmel beaches, Monterey Bay coast, private homes, and just about anywhere in the general area.We can recommend wedding locations on intimate cliffs overlooking crashing waves, and grassy park areas along Coast as well as many others.
With over 25 years of experience, wedding officiants Rev. Patt O'Brien and Rev. Sherilyn Russo are dedicated to offering personal and passionate ceremonies to make your wedding ceremony as memorable and unique as you are. Our non-denominational ministers are caring, passionate, and sensitive to all cultures and beliefs.
A By-the-Sea Wedding with The Monterey Stone Marriage Chapel is authorized by the County of Monterey to issue the California Confidential Marriage License. Here is one more way that hassle free weddings come into play. We can issue this license at a moment's notice. This is a legal marriage license that is accepted in all fifty states and around the world.
We have had the distinct pleasure of officiating weddings for over 25 years with the most amazing couples. Here are some of the wonderful brides and grooms we have worked with to create a personal and memorable wedding experience.
Reviews (20)
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Tony Catelli
Mar 26, 2022
I recently had the opportunity to get married by Sherilyn she has a photographer which cost me $400 which I'm discussed that I used the girl out of maybe 40 pics one is good. It was my first marriage an I have one wedding photo a very expensive photo at that. I regret it completely an would never recommend the photographer or marriage service to anyone. I'm completely bummed as I really looked forward to having photos of my marriage.
Niza Centeno
Mar 07, 2022
I had the best experience here! The whole process was smooth and sherilyn was so great! You can tell she loves what she does, she makes you feel welcomed and at ease. I would definitely recommend
Colette Claire
Jan 15, 2022
This company mainly does by the sea weddings, but we recently had our wedding at the chapel and it was just a lovely experience. We wanted something small and intimate, without a lot of fuss planing it, on a budget, and they definitely delivered. We were from out of town and had about 20 guests total. Monterey is a beautiful city already, and the chapel was a cute little place.

Just the right size for our group. My husband and I debated on doing a by the sea wedding but we really wanted to do it in December and that just seemed a bit too perilous. It was enough to be in the lovely town near the ocean basically the whole time. The weather was actually really nice for December though throughout our visit. Sherilyn was so helpful and accommodating with the vows, music, etc.

Our look was a little unconventional and she seemed to enjoy it rather than looking side ways at us. We navigated Covid safely and without too much hassle. They even file the paperwork for you for a little extra fee so we didn't have to obtain the marriage license before hand. No court house yay! Just a great experience all around and perfect for what we wanted. Oh, a helpful tip to know is the chapel itself is down the way from the restaurant nearby. Using GPS, you see the restaurant first.
Elijah Burton
Nov 21, 2021
Sherilyn was such a sweetheart to work with- we needed someone on short notice to officiate a simple ceremony due to our lack of knowledge regarding CA marriage laws. we initially intended to do a simple courthouse paperwork marriage with a private photoshoot, but when we were informed we legally needed a ceremony, she was very flexible and able to fit us in right away! she even did a small vows ceremony for us, which was adorable, intimate and painless for people as reserved and private as my (now!) husband and i. she was accepting, didn't judge our alternative lifestyle, and was quite open/friendly to chat with. our budget is extremely tight and we were relieved to discover she does military discounts as well. we both highly recommend booking her as your officiant! :)
Alicia R.
Sep 12, 2021
We got married in February of 2020 and we were provided with amazing service. Sherilyn was so patient and helped us with everything we needed help with especially our accommodations. Sherilyn was very kind and made our ceremony feel very personal. I would highly recommend!
Joy R.
Jul 03, 2021
We used Sherilynn to renew my parents 50th vow renewals this last June. Being from LA, we found her on yelp. She was very sweet and professional and had a great price. Thank you for being part of our family's monumental celebration!
Angela Wakil
Jun 05, 2021
Cheryl Lynn was amazing, such a sweet understanding person. She married us on the beach in pacific grove, couldn't have asked for a better Person! She will come out on location for you. She is very accommodating, We had a little bit of mishap and some changes and she worked with us no problem. Please support her and her business. She is a local that knows the area. It was absolutely amazing she made our fairytale come true. god bless you Cheryl Lynn. Thanks.
David Bradley
Sep 06, 2020
We were on vacation in Monterey on our 20th anniversary and we wanted to make our memories of the day special by tying the knot! Sherilyn gave us an intimate, personal and memorable experience and made all the arrangements so easy for us at very short notice. The chapel is a great place for a ceremony. The coast highway heading south then made for the best honeymoon.
Jo C.
May 06, 2019
Sherrilyn was amazing! She is super easy to work with and very accommodating. My sister held her wedding at the chapel this past weekend. The ceremony was short and sweet. We used most of the time inside the chapel taking pictures. Sherrilyn was gracious enough to take a group photo. We took more pictures at the gazebo. The bridal changing area is small but there is a private restroom that can be utilized.
Trent Stanley
Dec 10, 2018
Excellent wedding! Low priced and Patt O'Brien finished up our paperwork promptly and accurately. The only minor issue, the photographer has an older (2005) Nikon D200 10.2MP and the pics from my phone were so much better. Luckily we captured the moment very well with both cameras and all is good!
Danielle R.
Nov 14, 2017
My husband and I had a small elopement ceremony in Carmel last month and were looking for someone to officiate our ceremony. We found A By-The-Sea Wedding on YELP and worked with Pat although she was busy that day and we had Cheryl. Cheryl was amazing. We had a small ceremony on the beach and were worried where we had never met Cheryl how she would be.

She was absolutely lovely and a true professional. We couldn't be happier with how the day turned out and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for an officiant. Thank you for making our day even more special.
Russell Taylor
Jan 28, 2017
At the spur of the moment, my fiancee and I decided to tie the knot during our California trip. I called By the Sea Weddings and was was able to book a last minute ceremony for the very next day. We had such a great experience that we plan to renew our vows there on our ten year anniversary. Pat notarized and mailed off the necessary paper work. Definitely worth it!
Mya Mendiola
Dec 16, 2016
Great Experience! Me and my husband decided the morning of our 17 anniversary to renew our vows. I found Pats number on line and crossed my fingers that she would be available to marry us that very day, with my luck she was. I was a little hesitant because I had read the last review that Pat was afraid of waves and me and my husband wanted to get married on the beach. Pat married us on the beach with the waves and was not afraid at all, she walked with is down a hill to arrive at the very spot we chose. Thank You Pat for making our day memorable.
Cheyenne S.
Sep 12, 2016
All I have to say is that Pat is one of the sweetest people ever. She's great and she was available on short notice! Great communication and very professional. Thanks again Pat!
Maureen S.
May 07, 2015
We originally thought the outdoor gazebo would be the place to get married, but after viewing it we changed our minds to the indoor chapel. The gazebo is a beautiful setting, but it has a road on one side, a parking lot on the other, with the third side being taken up by tables from the restaurant. All of them immediately adjacent to the gazebo area.

We were having a tiny wedding and short ceremony, but we did not like how public that area was. Add to that the noise of the planes flying over, and we were glad we went with the chapel. Everything was perfect. The photographer first took pictures of us standing in front of one of the big windows in the chapel, and I couldn't understand why he was doing that when it was a beautiful sunny day outside with lots of photo opportunities outside.

Trust him -- he has been taking pictures there for years and he knows. Those pictures turned out to be my favorite of them all, and there were lots of good pictures. Don't forget to step across the road to the pond and waterfall and get pictures there. The photographer also agreed to meet us later, so we could have photos taken along the shoreline with the ocean in the background. Loved those pics too!

We had our own vows and Pat did a great job of reading them slowly and clearly, and she took care of all the paperwork for us. Convenient and easy with a set of great pictures at the end. I'd recommend this business for anyone wanting to be married in Monterey.
Cody Kochmann
Dec 09, 2014
This really was amazing for my wife and I. We were on a time crunch and only had a weekend to both plan and have our wedding. We were worried that with so many things that needed to be handled that something would give but, she really helped us with everything in one quick stop. From the perspective of a DLI marriage, this was the best option for both convenience and assurance that everything will be handled.
Bob R.
Dec 04, 2013
We couldn't have been happier, we got what we wanted when we wanted it and Pat was simply great. We saw a sign that warned us of unstable cliffs and were grateful that we staying up on the grass by the rocks and didn't get swept out to sea. Seriously I would recommend "A by the Sea Wedding" to anyone thinking of a by the sea wedding. Pretty Cool.
Isabel P.
Sep 25, 2013
After our engagement, my fiancee and I decided to marry as soon as possible. I found A By-The-Sea Wedding/Monterey Weddings online and thank goodness I did. I spoke with Patt by telephone a few times. She was very patient and kind, yet clear about the cost and steps I needed to take to arrange the wedding ceremony. She sent me information by mail as she said she would, and promptly called me upon receiving our deposit.

I told Patt that we did not have a definite location-this was not a problem. Patt penciled us in for the date we wanted and told me to call back once the location was determined. I scouted the Monterey Bay for perfect locations and was torn between Marina State Beach and San Carlos Beach in Monterey. I called Patt three days before the ceremony and told her I was undecided between Marina State Beach and San Carlos Beach in Monterey. Patt told me she could not perform the ceremony at Marina State Beach, however she would ask her partner (Sherilyn) to do the ceremony for us. Patt gave me Sherilyn's phone number and asked me to call her for further arrangements.

I was pleased when Sherilyn called me before I called her! By then we decided on San Carlos Beach in Monterey. I told Sherilyn of the location, and that there would be a few additional family members present. Not only was the location NOT a problem, but neither were additional family members/friends. On our wedding day, Sherilyn was prompt, efficient, and helpful as she completed the paperwork and explained what we needed to do to get a copy of our marriage license. Sherilyn waited patiently as we all gathered on the beach for the ceremony, and she then proceeded to perform a simple yet outstanding ceremony.

I do not exaggerate when I say that our experience with this wedding service was hassle-free, painless and quite honestly a pleasure. From beginning to end it was a great experience. Both Patt and Sherilyn were very personable, and eager to accommodate our needs. They truly simplified the act of marriage - in a very welcoming and pleasant way. Thank you A By-The-Sea Wedding. Thank you for making him my HUSBAND! I am truly grateful! :)
Lisa M.
Sep 24, 2013
Patt O'brien married my husband and I five years ago on Lovers Point. It was so beautiful, she did a beautiful thing for us. All went better than I ever imagined. God bless her, we will always remember her and hope to renew our vows just as we did 5 years ago.
Joeleo D.
Aug 05, 2013
Not a fan of "A By The Sea Wedding & Monterey Stone Chapel". My then-fiance and I found the company online while searching for a beach wedding package (we live in Colorado and flew out to Monterey to elope). Our Officiant, Patt O'Brien told us we would have many options for sandy beach wedding spots in the area and said we could pick a spot and let her know where to meet us. Unfortunately, once we had picked the perfect private spot, we discovered Patt was absolutely terrified of the water!

She was so upset about the waves behind our beach spot that she threatened to leave with our deposit and leave us shanghaied in the area with no alternate to marry us! To appease Patt, we agreed to get married in an alternative spot -- crowded with people playing on the beach -- but Patt nonetheless tried to convince us to get married in a grove of trees instead. Sadly, our very-public wedding photos didn't turn out much better with all the gawking people standing around in the background.

The one upside to the wedding was that Patt was able to notarize our marriage license and did a good job with the paperwork. Just don't go with 'A-By-The-Sea-Wedding' if you actually plan to get married on a beach!