Weddings

Elopements

Adventure Sessions

 

 

Wedding & Adventure Elopement Info

 

The Sierra is like no place on Earth. And I know you know because you’re choosing to get married or have an Adventure Session here. Locations like Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, Glacier Point & Taft Point are some of the finest Yosemite National Park has to offer. The Eastern Sierra is truly striking with its massive escarpment and towering peaks. Mammoth Lakes, Bishop Creek, Convict Lake, Rock Creek, & June Lake are breathtaking mountain wedding locations. Lake Tahoe is a destination all its own with many gorgeous venues and stunning elopement locations.

So what do you need to know about coming to Yosemite to get married? First, In order to have a wedding or elopement in Yosemite National Park you are going to need a special use permit. This is important and does require some proactive initiative to make sure your desired location is available based on when and how many guests will join you. And how many people you have matters a lot.

If you have a total of 10 people or fewer you can get married anywhere the public is allowed with exception of open meadows and riparian environments. These elopements and small intimate weddings definitely have the most flexibility. Groups of 11 or more will have designated sites to choose from based on their group size. You can learn more about locations for groups here. And it is Yosemite, so even with these restrictions for larger groups, the locations are stunning. Please always respect park resources and tread lightly.

Next, you’re going to want to plan your trip and where you’ll stay. We have a Frequently Asked Questions Page with a Yosemite Wedding or Elopement Planning Guide that is also a great resource. There you’ll find helpful tips to plan your entire Yosemite experience. We talk about where to fly into, where to stay, understanding the seasons, things to consider, and so much more.

Elopement Photography, Adventure Elopement, Intimate Wedding, Wedding Photography, Adventure Session… What are the differences?

Let’s dive into this below. And please Contact Us if you have any further questions or would like to discuss your Wedding, Elopement, or Adventure Session vision.

And be sure to also check out Shawn & Brittany’s landscape photography and films at ShawnReeder.com and BrittanyColt.com. As well as their private landscape photography workshop offerings at Outdoor Photo Experience.

Elopements

A Bride and Groom getting married on an edge of a cliff with a waterfall in the background

Do you like to get off the beaten path? Perhaps you want to hike to the top of a Tuolumne Dome, or stay up late and shoot under the stars? How about climbing Cathedral Peak or hiking to Bishop Pass? For parties of 11 or less including officiant & photographer(s) in Yosemite, you are not limited to the same locations as larger groups. Finding a unique location is only limited to our imagination, whether minutes from the vehicles or an adventurous hike or climb in the backcountry.

 

Elopements & Adventure Elopements are available to groups of 8 or fewer including the Bride & Groom and allow us to get fully creative with the ceremony location & timing. They start at 2 hours, but with endless backcountry available to us throughout The Sierra, we can easily turn it into an adventure! I also love to travel for Elopements, so feel free to dream big!

Elopements have been undergoing a renaissance of sorts and are being redefined as a creative way for couples to express their love & commitment for each other without all the traditions, planning, people, expectations, and expenses of a traditional wedding. You have free reign to create whatever experience best defines your unique relationship and share in a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Yosemite & the Eastern Sierra offer endless ways to plan a few hours to an entire day or multiple days, whether as a couple or with those closest to you, and I'd love to help you bring your vision to life.

Weddings

The Yosemite & Sierra region is also home to a plethora of amazing wedding venues & stunning mountain locations. From the gorgeous lawns & rustic interior of The Ahwahnee in the Valley to the breathtaking amphitheater at Glacier Point to the beach at Tenaya Lake, or Cathedral Beach's gorgeous riverside beach, Yosemite has a variety of amazing options.

 

The Eastern Sierra also has some stunning wedding venues such as Convict Lake Resort, the Forest Chapel & Hayden Cabin in Mammoth Lakes, the Double Eagle Resort at June Lake, and of course Mammoth Mountain.

 

The northern Sierra with its quaint villages like Nevada City & Grass Valley, and the beautiful Lake Tahoe area is also home to some of the most gorgeous wedding locations in California.

 

Weddings with up to 33 guests have an Intimate Wedding offering starting at four hours. Intimate weddings have been exploding in popularity over the last few years with so many people realizing the many benefits of a smaller wedding.

 

For larger weddings, coverage starts at seven hours and is customizable up to multiple days with an Adventure Session depending on your own unique vision. There really are endless ways to customize your wedding itinerary, so please be in touch so we can discuss your wedding vision & see what kind of overall experience and photography services are perfect for you.

Adventure Sessions

A wedding couple on top of mountain with sunset and moon.

There’s no question that Adventure Sessions are all the rage these days and for good reason. Whether you’ve just gotten engaged, want wedding portraits before or after the ceremony day, are celebrating your anniversary, are taking your annual trip somewhere you love, or just because!

 

Getting images of the two of you together is a special experience worthy of a regular tradition if you ask me. There’s nothing quite like capturing your love in beautiful, awe-inspiring nature and having an amazing experience along the way.

 

Adventure Sessions are perfect for a "day before/after shoot" to get to more locations than a wedding day timeline allows for. Most of my Yosemite Wedding Couples choose one since there are so many incredible locations to choose from, and coming to the mountains to get married often involves being immersed in natural beauty.

 

They're also great as engagement shoots, especially if you hire me as your wedding photographer. They give us an opportunity to get to know each other ahead of time, and this always makes for more natural & organic images of your wedding day. We also offer Adventure Sessions at a discount for those who book their wedding photography with us.

 

These sessions can also be a great opportunity to get your "Wedding Photos" in Yosemite or anywhere on earth no matter where you get married! The opportunities are endless and I’d love to dream up a vision together that's perfect for you.

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