Emilie and Noah reached out to me in early August, asking for advice on how they could elope in Yosemite the NEXT month. Couples often don't think this is possible to plan an elopement in such a short timeframe, but there definitely are ways to work around the system to still get the experience you want, while following the rules of the park.
With the limited time to apply for a permit and my experience with permitting in the national park, I did not think we feasibly had time to get the special use permit for their ceremony. So instead, I sent them a list of potential ceremony spots in the areas surrounding the park. They opted to get an Airbnb in a gated residence outside the park, and hike the trails nearby to pick their ceremony spot in the couple days leading up to their elopement.
Their Airbnb is one of my favorites I have ever shot in, creating some of my favorite detail photos I've done. The light in their getting ready room was beautiful, the mushroom art on the walls, and Yosemite information packets. We did their first look in the backyard, and utilized the contrasty corners of the house to create symmetrical shots that showcased the colors of their suit and dress.
Emilie and Noah chose “Pine” as their new last name together. As they were exploring the area surrounding Yosemite, they came across a national forest sign that said “The Pines”, which we obviously had to stop there for photos to announce their new last name!
We ventured inside the park for the afternoon, and ended the day with star photos at Glacier Point. I love when couples opt for the fuller packages that can include star gazing as part of their experience, this was my first time doing star photos at Glacier Point and I am thrilled with the results! I was screaming with joy as we were taking the shots, and every time they glanced at the results they matched my excitement.
I hope you enjoyed reading a little about the planning that went into planning a Yosemite elopement in less than two months. As you can see from the following images, it is very possible to have a full day incredible elopement experience with limited time to plan! Contact me here if you are wanting to get more advice on how to plan an experience like this.
