Dancing Pines is a beautiful, intimate location among the trees that you and your guests will have all to yourselves. As someone who photographs weddings in the mountains, I love this remote and intimate riverside setting. During this wedding, I captured a collection of candid photo of the guests as well as portraits of the couple. Here are a couple of my favorites from the day!
Getting Ready
Dancing Pines is a wedding venue that lets you enjoy your big day outdoors, surrounded by majestic trees. Since there aren’t any accommodations onsite, most brides and grooms spend the morning getting ready at a nearby family cabin or vacation rental. There is, however, a small tent cabin that serves as the bridal suite. This is where you can put on your dress and make final adjustments before the ceremony.
Wedding Ceremony
The wedding ceremony site at Dancing Pines sits beside the Truckee River, with the reception area very close by. The stone pathway that connects the reception and ceremony site serves as an aisle, and it allows me plenty of time to photograph the bride and her dad walking down to the river.
During the wedding ceremony, I move around to photograph wide-angle views of the scene, as well as close-up photos of the bride, groom and wedding party. As a photographer, my job is to capture your wedding in a way that helps you relive these incredible memories. I use a documentary approach that is perfect if you want tons of great candid photos from your wedding.
In the mountains, the sunlight tends to be bright. Especially during summertime. Most wedding ceremonies in the Lake Tahoe area are scheduled for the late afternoon, when the light is softer and more flattering for photos. With so many trees at Dancing Pines, the shade from the forest reduces the brightness a lot. This, combined with my careful choice of angles and shooting positions make this a very picturesque place to get married.
Bride and Groom Portraits
At every wedding that I photograph, I create portraits of the couple which showcase the location, light, and their connection with one another. Late afternoon and sunset are good times for these photos because the harsh mountain light here in the Lake Tahoe area always improves later in the day. These portraits are perfect for enlargements that you will hang on the walls of your home, and most couples include them in their wedding album.
Wedding Reception
The outdoor reception area at Dancing Pines lets you enjoy the natural scenery and forests of the Sierra Nevada mountains with all your wedding guests. The reception area is just a few steps away, set in an idyllic clearing among the trees. After you exchange vows, the party begins! Most weddings at Dancing Pines transition straight into cocktail hour, while I photograph portraits of the wedding party and family. The afternoon light by this time of day is softer, and creates a golden glow for everyone to enjoy.
Most Dancing Pines wedding reception include a dance floor that is positioned in the middle of the dining tables. Summer evenings in the Sierra Nevada tend to be warm, making this the perfect place for an outdoor party in the woods!
Chris Werner Photography
Are you getting married at Dancing Pines? I would love to be your photographer! Head over to my contact page to get in touch, or check out more weddings at this venue at my Dancing Pines Wedding Photography page. Or, check out my main portfolio.
