MEET YOUR LOCAL TAHOE EXPERT AND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

The friend you ALWAYS WANTED to take the photos you’ve always dreamed of.

I’m Chris

MOUNTAIN LOVER, JOY SEEKER AND CHOCOLATE ENTHUSIAST

Nothing makes me happier than being behind the lens documenting the energy of a wedding day in my favorite outdoor playground, Lake Tahoe. I’m a firm believer that many of life’s problems can be solved with a high-summit view and a decent bar of chocolate.

The thing is, there has never been another connection exactly like yours, and there never will be again. I am here to ensure that your story is captured with the honesty and artistry it deserves. I want you to look back at your photographs in years to come and re-live those precious laughs, tears, and epic dance moves a thousand times over.

While I take a documentary approach to the wedding day, my priority is ensuring the human experience always rises above a “checklist.” Drawing on fifteen years and hundreds of weddings in this landscape, I act as your resource long before the first photo is taken. I’m here to handle the logistics and the essential milestones so you don’t have to, providing a calming and reassuring presence that allows you to stay fully present.

This is your chance to relax and be yourselves while I observe and capture the day as it truly happens, finding the extraordinary in the unscripted moments.

I take my role as a photographer seriously, but most of the time, I’m not that serious of a person. My two young kids are happy to agree 🙂

I’ll be the friend behind the camera cheering you on, ensuring your wedding day is a fun, stress-free experience from start to finish.

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Professional headshot photograph of Chris Werner.

“Being in nature can feel like coming home to something inside yourself.”

Featured in

01.

Chris Werner as a young boy, riding a camel in front of a pyramid in Egypt.

Visiting the Egyptian Pyramids, 1988. I called shotgun and got the front seat- YES!

WHERE IT ALL STARTED

THE INSPIRATION

Ten-year-old me could usually be found lying on the living room floor, thumbing through the glossy yellow frames of National Geographic.

I can still remember that distinctive smell of the ink and paper as I got lost in worlds I barely knew. I rarely read the words; it was the photographs that held me.

They told the stories I actually wanted to hear, stories of the planet’s raw beauty, the resilience of the human spirit, and the quiet beauty found in the harshest environments.

My young brain was on fire. I decided then that being a documentary photographer wasn’t just a career path; it was the ultimate way to witness the world and protect its history.

Those early days taught me my most valuable lesson: that a single frame, captured with honesty, has the power to transcend time.

It’s a perspective I’ve carried with me across continents, and it’s the exact same lens I use today to document the high-stakes, candid emotions of a wedding day.

02.

THE TRIP THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

LIVING THE MOMENTS

As a teenager, I took film photography classes in high school. But at that age, I didn’t just want to photograph moments; I wanted to live them.

That thirst for adventure led me to a year in Nepal, carrying a small camera through bustling streets and colorful temples. I fell in love with the scale of the high peaks and the incredible spirit of the people who call those mountains home.

Years later, that passion evolved into a career as a mountain guide in California’s Sierra Nevada. Being in the mountains triggers something deep inside of me; I discovered a genuine joy in leading friends toward summits and sharing the clarity that only comes at 14,000 feet. (I also learned that you can cover a lot of ground when you have enough chocolate – I have the photos to prove it!).

Those years as a guide taught me how to read the environment, anticipate the unexpected, and maintain a calming presence when things get “high-stakes.” Today, I bring that same navigator’s mindset to your wedding day, ensuring that while I’m documenting the epic views, you’re free to simply enjoy the climb.

Himalayan prayer flags atop Gokyo Ri, from a trip to Nepal.

Prayer Flags on the summit of Gokyo Ri. Nepal Himalaya, 1999

03.

With a camera in-hand, Chris Werner photographs a wedding.

Living the dream, 2016.

FAST FORWARD TO THE PRESENT DAY

DREAM BECOMES REALITY

In 2008, I assisted a photographer at a wedding. Then another. Then dozens more.

In 2011, I moved to Lake Tahoe and officially launched my own studio. It was the joyful moment where everything clicked: my love for technical photography, my obsession with the mountains, and my deep respect for the incredible bonds between people.

Since then, I have worked with hundreds of awesome couples, documenting weddings and portraits across California, Washington, Colorado, Arizona, New York, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

As a kid, I wanted to travel the world and photograph people in far-off places. In the end, things turned out even better than I imagined. I get to witness the most significant days of people’s lives in the most beautiful places on Earth, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

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THE EXPERIENCE

AWARD-WINNING PHOTOS

  • A woman picks ring bearer’s nose while a man in a suit fastens his jacket outdoors at a Gar Woods wedding.
  • A couple embraces by a calm lake at Sand Harbor, surrounded by pines and mountains—a beautiful gay engagement session.
  • Bride and groom make silly faces for a selfie at their flower-filled reception at Revive Coffee and Wine in South Lake Tahoe.
  • A couple embraces atop a rocky cliff overlooking Donner Lake and snowy mountains during their morning elopement.
  • Five bridesmaids at Everline Resort smile and react joyfully during the bride’s first look in her wedding dress.
  • A couple stands under an arch at their ceremony by the lake at The Landing Resort Tahoe, surrounded by guests and trees.
  • Close-up of hands buttoning the sleeve of a lace wedding dress, captured by a Lake Tahoe photographer.
  • A bride is getting ready with her bridesmaids in a barrel room at Viansa Winery.
  • A bride throws her bouquet as excited women reach up to catch it at a Zephyr Cove Resort wedding reception.
  • A couple embraces and smiles on a rocky hillside, sunlight streaming behind them during a Truckee engagement photography session.
  • A bride and groom dance on a wooden pier over turquoise water, captured by a Lake Tahoe photographer.
  • Silhouetted couple embracing at sunset on Baker Beach, with dramatic clouds and San Francisco mountains beyond.
  • A couple sits on a large rock beside a cascading Shirley Canyon waterfall during an engagement photography session.
  • A couple shares a romantic moment silhouetted against a vibrant Land's End sunset in San Francisco.
  • A couple embraces and smiles at each other in a Calistoga vineyard with vibrant red autumn leaves.
  • A groom in a suit smiles with his eyes closed during a romantic Santa Barbara wedding ceremony, facing his bride.
  • A groomsman uses a clothes iron to press his tall, flat-top hairstyle in the mirror.
  • A joyful young girl dances on a wooden floor as a Lake Tahoe photographer captures women in blue dresses at an outdoor event.
  • First look for the bride and her father at a Dancing Pines wedding near Lake Tahoe.
  • Close-up of hands fastening buttons on a lace wedding dress, captured by a Lake Tahoe photographer in natural sunlight.
  • A small dog licks a smiling flower girl's face while another girl sits in the background.
  • A couple walks hand in hand along Donner Summit Bridge, overlooking a lake and forested hills at sunset.
  • A couple in winter clothes embraces and smiles during a fall engagement photography session in sunlight among the trees.
  • A couple embraces and smiles by the ocean with waves behind them during their Marin Headlands engagement photos.
  • A couple hugs on Donner Summit’s rocky cliff under dramatic clouds, a perfect spot for Lake Tahoe engagement photos.
  • Sand Harbor engagement photos with a dog.
  • A couple embraces at sunset during their engagement session San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge lights glowing behind them.
  • At a Tahoe Mountain Club wedding, a girl in a pink dress backbends on the dance floor as a boy in white looks on.
  • Bride and groom joyfully waving while driving away in a classic car with a Just Married sign.
  • Two flower girls in white dresses stand on a rocky West Shore Tahoe beach, gazing at the water’s edge under soft natural light.
  • Two people sitting closely, holding hands and touching foreheads in their Gay Tahoe engagement photos.
  • A bride hugs a bridesmaid tightly, both smiling, surrounded by cheerful bridesmaids holding bouquets outdoors.
  • Silhouette of a couple holding hands on a mountain at sunset during their Truckee elopement, deep blue sky above.
  • A bride and her father walk down a Tahoe pier dock aisle toward guests, over the water.
  • A bride wipes away the groom's tears while holding hands during their outdoor ceremony.
  • Two tall pine trees frame a couple’s engagement session by Chimney Beach, sunlight streaming through a cloudy sky.
  • A bride in a white dress is getting ready with her bridesmaids in a warmly lit room at the West Shore Cafe before the wedding.
  • A joyful groom in a white suit is lifted during the Hora dance at a lively Olympic Valley Stables wedding.
  • Silhouetted couple embraces by Lake Tahoe at sunset, surrounded by trees, during a romantic engagement photoshoot.
  • A child in a pink dress dances with a white umbrella at an outdoor Truckee wedding reception, guests seated in the background.
  • A woman does the splits on the dance floor at a South Lake Tahoe wedding reception as the groom and guests cheer her on.
  • A bride sits by a large window, sunlight illuminating hairspray with boats visible on the lake outside.
  • A bride gets her makeup done while getting ready with friends in robes at a cozy Everline Resort and Spa living room.
  • A bride and bridesmaids joyfully sing with a cover band at an Everline Resort wedding reception under purple lighting.
  • Bride and groom enjoy a chair lift at their lively Chalet View Lodge wedding reception under glowing string lights.
  • A couple sits on fallen logs in Lovers Lane, San Francisco, smiling at each other along a winding forest path.
  • A couple smiles during their engagement photoshoot, framed by the grand columns of the Palace of Fine Arts in black and white.
  • Two flower girls in white dresses and crowns smile at a West Shore Cafe Wedding, holding baskets and looking up at the groom.
  • A joyful bride and groom celebrate, lifted by cheering guests under string lights at Olympic Valley Lodge wedding.
  • A couple wearing winter clothes and snowshoes walk on a snowy dock by a lake, at a Lake Tahoe wedding proposal.
  • A bride and groom smile as women hold a veil and decorative cloth above their heads at a Persian wedding ceremony.
  • Two people stand on a rocky Lake Tahoe shore under a vibrant sky—an artistic engagement photo with distant mountains.
  • A couple holding hands walks on snowy ground at sunset during a Tahoe engagement photoshoot amid pines and mountains.
  • A bride hugs a crying bridesmaid and a smiling groom outdoors at a Tahoe Mountain Club wedding at PJ's restaurant.
  • Artistic silhouette engagement photo of a couple embracing on rocks beneath a dramatic, sunlit sky.
  • Woman in a floral dress plays air guitar with crutches at lively Olympic Valley Stables wedding reception, people dancing nearby.
  • A newlywed couple smiles and waves aboard a Thunderbird Yacht, surrounded by water and forested hills.
  • A groom and his mother embrace emotionally at a warmly lit indoor event during their mother-son dance.
  • A bride and groom share a first dance outdoors at their V. Sattui Winery wedding reception under glowing string lights.
  • A bride and groom laugh joyfully together sharing bites of their beautifully decorated cake at the reception.
  • A smiling couple sits together on a swing outdoors, with Donner Summit’s mountains and trees in the background.
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LGBTQ winter elopement in Lake Tahoe.

“Chris so perfectly captured who we are – our love, our silliness, our personalities. We couldn’t have asked for a more amazing human to be part of our day. Gorgeous!”

Angie + Kourtney

Meet your local LAKE TAHOE wedding expert

With my experience of weddings, my knowledge and love of the Lake Tahoe mountains and my ridiculous attention to detail, I promise you’re in safe hands when it comes to celebrating your special day.

Enter your details below to hear more about my unique approach to wedding photography, and find out how to make your Lake Tahoe wedding the very best it can be.

Getting married in Lake Tahoe?

I’D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU’RE PLANNING!

I’m a Lake Tahoe wedding photographer specializing in candid, documentary-style images. I focus on the real moments as they happen, while helping you navigate timing, light, and locations so everything feels natural and easy.

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Outdoor headshot of Chris Werner smiling in a forest.