Lindy and Jon planned their winter Lake Tahoe elopement all the way from the East Coast. Since a small adventure wedding like this requires far less planning than a big wedding, it didn’t take long for us to work out all the details. Here is how it began. Lindy explained that even though they live in Massachusetts, Jon always dreamed of being in Lake Tahoe during the snowy season. So, they decided to elope here in winter. She admitted that they are both fairly introverted, so a big wedding was never very appealing. They wanted something personal and intimate. Lindy wanted photos to capture their own adventure elopement here in Tahoe. They also wanted to meet before sunrise!
One of the best things about eloping in Lake Tahoe is that you have so many incredible outdoor locations from which to choose. Based on the location of their cabin rental, I sent them a few ideas. Most importantly, I explained that they didn’t have to make a firm decision until right before the date. Since they wanted to marry in a snowy landscape, I suggested that we wait and see what the weather brought during the next two months. As it turned out, Tahoe did its sunny California thing. By the time they reached Tahoe, there wasn’t much snow on the ground below 7000′. Fortunately there was snow up high. And the views are better up there, anyway! We settled on a location and made plans to meet before the sun came up.
Brrr! A winter morning in Tahoe can be cold. Especially when there is a breeze blowing. Lindy and Jon exchanged vows as the moon set and the sun came up. Lindy’s sister and brother-in-law “officiated” which set the perfect tone for their small elopement ceremony. Next, we took a small break and warmed up in our cars. After feeling returned to everyone’s fingers, we explored the area a little to make sure they had some photos that captured the incredible mountain environment.
Eloping In Lake Tahoe
It is important to note that the definition of an elopement is changing. In the old-fashioned sense, it meant to marry without telling your parents. Times are changing! Nowadays, eloping generally means a small destination wedding. For some people, a small wedding is just a bride, a groom, an officiant, and a photographer. To other people, a few immediate family members, or maybe close friends might be the right number.
This Tuolumne Meadows elopement in Yosemite stands out as one of my favorite adventure weddings ever. I also loved this intimate Sand Harbor wedding when a rainstorm began right after opening champagne bottles. This recent North Lake Tahoe elopement was another standout for me, mainly because the bride and groom’s 4 year old son played such an important role on their special day.
