I photographed this wedding on a cool, blustery afternoon in South Lake Tahoe. The warm, shimmering sound of steel pan drums filled the South Room at Edgewood Resort and the dance floor stayed busy until the very last song. The energy in the room made it clear that this was a celebration people had traveled far and wide to be part of.
One of the things that made this Tahoe wedding especially memorable was the crowd. Many of the guests had come from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, where the bride’s family is from.
Getting Ready at The Lodge
The day started at The Lodge at Edgewood, with the wedding party getting ready in the cozy rooms overlooking the lake. Springtime in Lake Tahoe often brings a mix of sunshine and wind. And there is often the possibility of snow. Having a warm indoor space like The Lodge especially valuable for early-season weddings.
Even though there was a lot of anticipation (and plenty of the usual chaos) in the room, I captured some beautiful, quiet moments of the bride getting ready.
In the photo below, I focused in on the amazing lashes she wore that day.
When the hairstylist began spraying the bride’s hair, I used an off-camera light in the background to illuminate the hairspray and the decorative metal leaves on the wall.
As the bride got into her dress, everyone crowded around to see. I found an angle from above capturing the bridesmaid’s hands carefully fastening the buttons on the back of the dress.
Finally, I captured a classic black and white portrait of the bride a few moments before heading to the ceremony.
Ceremony in the South Room
With the unpredictable spring weather, the ceremony took place indoors in the South Room. It’s a beautiful space for a Tahoe wedding. There are wide windows that frame views of the lake and the Sierra mountains beyond. Even inside, you still feel closely connected to the landscape outside. It’s a perfect mix of shelter and scenery that Edgewood weddings Tahoe are known for.
Any local Lake Tahoe photographer knows how challenging the floor-to-ceiling windows at an Edgewood Tahoe wedding can be. While our eyes adjust easily to the bright light outside, cameras often struggle with the heavy backlighting these scenes create.
At every wedding, I do my best to capture a wide-angle photo of the ceremony. This can be tricky if the entire scene is backlit. Fortunately, the cloudy skies outside the South Room softened the highlights and allowed me to expose for the shadows as well for this shot.
At the altar, the overcast sky filtered through the large windows, casting a soft, even light over the bride and groom.
Alongside wide-angle shots that set the scene, I focus on close-up moments that capture the couple’s expressions. I love getting photos of all the subtle meaningful interactions that unfold during the ceremony.
Throughout a wedding ceremony, I also keep an eye on the parents sitting in the front row.
As the bride and groom recessed, I had to make an important decision. Facing the large windows, the lighting at the back of the room was very dark. During the ceremony I anticipated this. Before the ceremony came to a close, I added a flash to my second camera. I didn’t want to miss anything towards the back of the room. It was a good move, because the couple added a “second kiss” just before exiting the room
I always follow the newlyweds after they leave the ceremony. Quite often, this is where I capture some of the best candid moments.
Reception in the North Room
The celebration moved to the North Room for the reception, where the steel pan drums set the tone for a night full of energy, music, and dancing. It’s not every day that you get to photograph a wedding with live Caribbean music in the mountains of Tahoe, and the mix of cultures made the evening especially memorable.
Once everyone found their seats, the bride and groom delivered a speech. They honored their parents and thanked guests for traveling from the Caribbean all the way to Lake Tahoe for their wedding.
During her speech, the maid of honor — a friend since the bride’s childhood — had everyone laughing with stories about growing up together. She made sure to give the groom a little bit of a hard time too, in the way only a close friend can get away with.
Later in the evening, one of the bride’s uncles from the Caribbean took the mic and shared a few favorite stories of his own.
Sunset Photos on the Beach
If you’re getting married at Edgewood Tahoe, be sure to leave time for sunset photos down on the beach. The bride swapped into a sparkly pair of white flip flops to make walking in the sand a little easier. The soft pastel glow of sunset gave us beautiful light for some relaxed, candid moments as we wandered the shoreline.
As the sky shifted from orange to deep blue, I saw the potential for a dramatic, backlit silhouette. A light breeze lifted the bride’s veil at just the right moment, and a remotely triggered flash highlighted the intricate lace. It turned into one of my favorite images from the day.
Dance Party in the North Room
A lively dance party in the North Room is the perfect way to keep the celebration going into the night at an Edgewood Tahoe wedding. The bride and groom kicked things off with their first dance as a married couple.
Soon after came the dances with parents.
Lake Tahoe Wedding Photography Packages
For many years, I offered Lake Tahoe wedding photography packages that combined hourly coverage with a range of album types. Since I photograph so many types of weddings, I still offer hourly rates. But most couples nowadays hire me for my all-day, inclusive package. This includes start-to-finish wedding day photography and it comes with a gorgeous album with your favorite photos.
To see more examples of my work, check out my wedding photography portfolio. If you are getting married at Edgewood, shoot me a message to see if I am available. I look forward to hearing your wedding plans!
