Why They Chose an Intimate Elopement in the Mountains:

Tristan and Carson saw others go through the stress of dealing with lots of people when planning big weddings and they knew they didn’t want that for their wedding experience. They’re also not fans of being in front of crowds or speaking in front of people, so the idea of vows in front of a 200-person audience did not sound fun. They both love the outdoors, so an elopement was the perfect fit for them.

They saw our helpful planning content about Yosemite online and fell in love with the majestic mountains of the park. As certified nature-lovers and as well as Magic the Gathering fans, they made sure their wedding day reflected those unique parts of who they are.

Checkout our full Yosemite National Park Elopement Guide to learn how to plan your own elopement!

How We Helped Plan Their Elopement

From our first planning call, we knew Tristan and Carson needed a day that balanced intimate moments with celebrating alongside their loved ones. We crafted them a timeline and chose locations that would give them the private, meaningful experience they craved.

Locations We Chose and Why:

• Their cabin property for getting ready separately and private sunrise vows, perfect for the best early morning light.
• Sentinel Beach for their ceremony with about 18 people. A great option for larger guest counts because it has lots of room, and October is a great time for it because there are much fewer people and beautiful fall colors in the distance.
• El Capitan Meadow for portraits, one of our favorite meadows in the park to frolic around and dance in the sunshine.
• Taft Point for sunset, the best place for sunset in the park, hands down.
• Glacier Point for stargazing, very nearby to Taft Point, and we were able to let it get dark while we hiked back from Taft Point since you have to wait about 1-2 hours after sunset to take really good star photos.

Securing Their Wedding Permit

Every wedding ceremony in the park requires a Special Use Permit. We walked Tristan and Carson through the entire application process and connected them with the permit office. Starting early is crucial, we always recommend beginning 3-6 months out since park staff can take time to process applications.

Building Their Timeline

We built them a timeline that included private vows since we knew that would be a great fit for them, and we chose early in the morning for private vows, then Taft Point at sunset, to get the best sunrise and sunset light.

Their Elopement Day: From Sunrise to Starlight

First Look and Private Vows

Their elopement day started right at sunrise with getting ready in their separate cabins, then a beautiful first look on the property and private vows as the sunrise broke through the trees. It almost felt like we were back in Tuscany, it was beautiful and such a holy and precious moment. We’re so glad they got to say their vows in a private way that was perfect for who they are.

Ceremony at Sentinel Beach

They had their ceremony at Sentinel Beach, where their pastor spoke all about the beauty of how love in marriage is a picture of how God loves us: unconditionally and sacrificially.

El Capitan Meadow

After splitting up for them to share a meal with their family, we met up again at the gorgeous El Capitan Meadow. They frolicked around, danced in the leaves, danced in the sunshine, laughed and enjoyed their first moments of marriage in this beautiful place with the towering mountains on either side of them.

In El Capitan Meadow, we focused on photographing them illuminated by the light shining through the trees and over Cathedral Rock to give an ethereal and fairy-tale-like glow.

Taft Point Sunset

Then we went to Taft Point for sunset, the best place for sunset, hands down. They had an amazing time frolicking, exploring the cliffs, and taking in the stunning views. We captured so many incredible photos from tons of different angles at this viewpoint. They shared an intimate first dance, and we invited them to share some special and intimate words of affirmation for each other as the sun went down.

Stargazing at Glacier Point

Then we hiked back and drove to Glacier Point where they played a truly magical game of Magic the Gathering lit by lanterns underneath the stars as we waited for it to get dark. Then we took some absolutely stunning star photos with Half Dome in the background.

Photographing the First Look and Ceremony:

Having two shooters lets us capture multiple angles of the first look, a nice full body shot and a close-up reaction at the same time. The same multiple-angle approach applies for the ceremony where we’re able to capture special once-in-a-lifetime moments from different perspectives.

Taft Point Photo Safety & Communication:

At Taft Point, there are a few very specific places to get the best photos, but oftentimes it requires us as the photographers to be very far away from the couple. This is why we always come prepared with walkie-talkies in order to communicate with the couple far away so that we can capture stunning photos. We always make sure to stay extremely safe at Taft Point, it’s entirely possible to stay safe and away from the edge while still capturing these stunning photos.

Taking Elopement Star Photos:

For the astrophotography portion, we used a star map app to look at where the best stars would be as well as utilized long exposure to capture the stars and the couple. We used wide-angle lenses because the wider the lens, the lower the shutter speed can be without blurring the stars.

From sunrise all the way to stargazing, Tristan and Carson’s day perfectly captures what makes elopements so special: the freedom to create a wedding day that’s completely authentic to who you are.

Checkout our full Yosemite National Park Elopement Guide for more info on how to plan!

Thinking about eloping? Let’s make it 100% YOU.

Photos From Their Amazing Elopement:

Yosemite Vendors for Your Elopement:

• Photographers: The Chaffins
• Dress: ??
• Suit: ??
• Personalized Ring Dish: The Painted Press

Want to start planning your elopement or intimate wedding?