When Covid hits, you pivot and have an intimate wedding in Yosemite National Park! And you make it more amazing than you ever dreamed it would be! That’s exactly what happened with Diana and Justin in September 2020. After their large wedding was put on hold, they quickly changed their plans to have their immediate families only. To add to the mix of uncertainty with COVID, the west coast was suffering from one of the worst wildfire seasons ever seen. Yosemite National Park closed the week before their intimate wedding because the smoke was so bad. But the universe knew this elopement was meant to be and the park opened just in time — literally the evening before!
Want to learn more about having an intimate wedding in Yosemite with us? Check us out, Scenic Vows, or reach out so we can chat!
Intimate Wedding at Cathedral Beach
They decided on an intimate wedding ceremony that took place on a chilly fall morning at Cathedral Beach. If you want to elope in Yosemite, then don’t forget to check out the National Park Service restrictions to see what’s open and allowed. The beach was deserted except for us and the smoke created a beautiful haze to the sky. With El Capitan and their family watching on, Diana and Justin promised to love and cherish each other for the rest of their lives.
Family First
After the ceremony, we explored the beach and captured stunning family photos, some serious and some a bit goofy. These two families radiated so much love and support for Diana and Justin and it shows in the images. Diana and Justin managed to sneak in some fishing for a few minutes! What a great idea for some fun elopement ideas on your wedding day! (Check out some more over here! – 15 Adventure Elopement Ideas)
Champagne Toasts and Deer Photobombs
Even though it was early, everyone agreed that a champagne toast was a must! We made our way to the Superintendent’s Bridge and they popped a bottle of bubbly! Justin made a beautiful toast to his new wife Diana and to their families for being there for them! A family of deer decided they wanted to be included and totally photobombed their photos!
Once the champagne was gone, we took a break for lunch and agreed to meet up later at Tunnel View. One great benefit of van life is that our home is always with us! Sometimes it’s really nice to take a break on an elopement day so that we can back up images, recharge our batteries, and eat some food!
Dancing Under the Yosemite Stars
We made our way to Glacier Point, stopping at the iconic Tunnel View on our way up. Diana and Justin had invited a few friends to spend the weekend in Yosemite with them and they met us at Tunnel View where we snagged a few photos of the group.
We arrived at Glacier Point just as the sun began to set behind Half Dome, which is our favorite time to be up there. Justin and Diana shared so many laughs and jokes throughout the day and their families were so sweet. The whole day ended up being perfect and even though an intimate wedding in Yosemite might not have been their first choice, they let us know how glad they were that they had decided on that.
Working with Intimate Wedding Photographers in Yosemite
If you’re considering having an intimate wedding in Yosemite, we would love to be a part of your day! Collectively, we’ve spent almost 16 years living in Yosemite Valley. It will always hold a special place in our hearts and we love being able to show couples around the park on their intimate wedding day.
Are you ready to plan your intimate wedding or adventure elopement? Get in touch with your Yosemite elopement photographers (that’s us!) so we can dive into planning your intimate wedding day!
