High atop a mountain peak at 8,200 feet, High Camp offers breathtaking wedding views. This venue is only accessible by the scenic Palisades Aerial Tram. The Aerial Tram is a 9-minute ride up the iconic Tram Face. This exciting airborne journey rewards you and your guests with panoramic vistas of Lake Tahoe, KT-22, Granite Chief, and many other mountain peaks.
This couple booked my all-day wedding photography package. This was a great fit for their day because it allowed me to photograph getting ready in the Village at Palisades, a ceremony at Saint Francis of Assisi church, and a late-night reception at High Camp. Since the wedding party and their guests were sometimes spread across multiple locations, they also added a second photographer to their package.
Getting Ready
The bride and groom started their day in The Village at Palisades Tahoe. Among other benefits, having extra time to photograph the couple getting ready allows me to get more creative.
By shooting through a string of party lights, I incorporated some nice bokeh into these photos of the bride. Adjusting my exposure and using a wide aperture creates this cool effect.
In order to show Lake Tahoe’s blue skies, and the granite peaks outside, I adjusted my exposure settings again and created the silhouette below.
In the next photo, I combined the golden”bokeh balls” of the string lights with a small flash that I set up behind the bride. This flash illuminates the mist of the hairspray.
Also, a few classic black and white portraits of the bride and groom!
Finally, we all headed to Incline Village for the ceremony.
Catholic Ceremony at Saint Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi church is a beautiful Catholic church for Tahoe weddings. Since the church doesn’t host receptions, it is a popular venue for couples who want a traditional church ceremony. Afterwards, they celebrate with guests somewhere else.
Before walking down the aisle, the bride waited downstairs, where she put on her long veil and made final adjustments to her wedding dress.
One of my favorite things about a church wedding is the longer ceremony time. There is a lot of natural light in this church, and the extra time allows me to photograph more special moments throughout the ceremony.
Also, the photography rules at this venue are far more relaxed than at most Catholic churches. This means I can capture moments from more angles than is possible at churches with strict rules for photographers.
Wedding Reception at High Camp
After the ceremony, the couple’s parents requested some family portraits in front of the altar. Then, we drove back to Olympic Valley for their wedding reception at High Camp.
Riding the Aerial Tram at Palisades is one of the highlights of getting married at High Camp. You and your guests ascend 2000 feet in just 9 minutes! There are two trams that operate simultaneously at all times. While one goes up, the other cabin goes down. Each tram can carry 110 guests. Depending on the size of your wedding, it doesn’t take long to get everyone up the mountain.
The bride and groom kicked off their reception with an exciting first dance as a married couple. The Terrace Room at High Camp has elevated levels for seating and viewing the dance floor.
In order to catch the snowy mountain backdrop before sunset, we headed outside for a few portraits of the bride and groom.
As the sun set and the sky changed colors, we rejoined the party for champagne toasts, and cake cutting. Then, a super fun dance floor to finish off the night!
Chris Werner Photography
Are you getting married at Palisades Tahoe High Camp? I would love to be your photographer! Drop me a message on my contact page to see if I am available on your date. You can also check out more of my wedding photography on my portfolio page.
To see more photography from this venue, check out my Palisades Tahoe wedding photography page.
