Yosemite Wedding
Below I have photos I took from Eric and Cindy's Yosemite Wedding. We took portraits in Yosemite and then they celebrated their reception at the Pine's Resort in Bass Lake. The Pine's Resort is located right outside of Yosemite.
5 of my absolute favorite wedding venues in Yosemite are The Pine's Resort, the Tenaya Lodge, the Ahwahnee Hotel, the Yosemite Chapel (for one's ceremony), and the Evergreen Lode. I'll be discussing some tips about having a wedding at each venue below.
Getting Ready Photos at the Pine's Resort
Yosemite Chapel Wedding Photos
The Celebration at the Pine's Resort, Bass Lake
Yosemite Wedding Photography Permit
Keep in mind that Yosemite weddings and Yosemite wedding photos do require a permit. At any point when one is photographing, a ranger can stop the couple and Yosemite wedding photographer and ask them to show their permit.
A wedding photography permit can be accessed by contacting the Wedding and Photography Permit Office in Yosemite National Park. Keep in mind most Yosemite wedding photographer’s don’t take care of the permit research and costs. So, please make sure to do your research and get your permit in advance. I believe the permit cost around $150 and should be accessed about 2 months before your Yosemite elopement or wedding!
The permit gives you access to have a small wedding or elopement in Yosemite and to take photos there. you’ll be assigned a time and location for your intimate wedding or elopement.
Foe detailed info on grabbing your Yosemite Wedding photography permit, visit this site.
Getting Married Inside Yosemite VS Outside:
When planning your Yosemite wedding, it’s important to figure out if you want to have your ceremony and reception within the actual park. Or, if you’d prefer to get married outside of the park and then have a photo session the next day in the Yosemite National Park.
How to decide the location for your Yosemite Wedding?
It depends on your guest count.
If you’re having a larger guest count, I’d recommend getting married outside of Yosemite and scheduling a photo session in Yosemite the next day.
Why?
There aren’t a lot of options to host larger scaled events in the actual park.
If you have decided to get married outside of the park so that you can have a larger guest count, HERE ARE SOME VENUE RECOMMENDATIONS. Keep in mind you cans still have your wedding photos taken in Yosemite the next day! So you’d get the best of both worlds.
However, if you prefer having a super intimate Yosemite wedding or an elopement, you can find some recommendations for that below:
Where to Get Married INSIDE Yosemite National Park
My favorite option is to have a Yosemite Chapel wedding, which I'll cover below. However, there are also a few other choices.
These next places are recommended for couples who want to get married inside Yosemite national park, but still want a small to medium guest count (20 – 80 people).
1. THE REDWOODS YOSEMITE
The Redwoods in Yosemite is located in Wawona, California, which is inside Yosemite national park. The nice thing about this specific option is that this venue can accommodate up to 80 guests, making it a great choice if you are set on getting married in the actual Yosemite park, but don’t want to compromise on your guest count. The Redwoods in Yosemite includes cozy cabins and spacious log homes, creating a unique Yosemite wedding experience for your guests!
2. THE AHWAHNEE WEDDING
This is the one larger hotel located in Yosemite and let me just say, it is GORGEOUS. I mean, really, it is out of this world spectacular.
This is the only 4 star hotel in Yosemite Valley. It has several different ceremony locations on site. Couples usually have medium to larger weddings here. After the ceremony, I would take the couple outside of the hotel to take couple portraits around Yosemite. They would then return to the Ahwahnee Hotel for the reception.
Also, the dining hall looks like something out of a Harry Potter movie. It literally makes you feel like you’re in the Hogwarts Dining Hall. Simply spectacular. However, the food is very expensive, which is expected considering the ambience, but the thing is, the food just isn’t that great.
I went with a group of 18 people and all ordered different dishes and none of us were impressed. I mean it’s not bad, but it isn’t what you’d expect for the price.
The Pros of this Location
The thing is though, the Ahwahnee is literally right in the center of Yosemite. If you love natural settings, the ceremony lawn at Ahwahnee is incredible. You get a 360 degree view of the majestic mountains, waterfalls, and meadows. It makes me want to cry just thinking about it. That’s how beautiful it is. Places like this is why I love being a Yosemite wedding photographer.
A pro of this venue is you really don’t need much decor as the natural beauty is already so much. Although the Ahwahnee Hotel can use a few upgrades in terms of hotel rooms and food, it really is a remarkable space for a Yosemite wedding.
A fun dream I like to have entails me getting married here, while also being able to photograph myself getting married here. So I would be the Yosemite wedding photographer at my own Yosemite wedding. Haha. Hey – I didn’t say it was a REALISTIC dream!
Half-Dome
Ok, so this location is not for the faint of heart. It is quite a hike, approximately 16 miles round trip. Also, it’s a steep hike. It will be quite the workout. The tip takes about 12 hours to complete.
As of now, a permit is required to hike Half-Dome. This location will of course lead to photo with epic views, but realistically speaking, I do not think it’s the best option for Yosemite elopement or intimate wedding photos. I’d only recommend this for avid hikers and the most adventurous of couples!
Taft Point
I mean…the photos taken at Taft Point are out of this world EPIC. This location is easier to get to than Half-Dome, but it is also quite dangerous to hike to. I mean it. There have been quite a few deaths there from people who unfortunately slipped and fell.
A Yosemite wedding photographer really needs too shoot with caution here. Wedding photographers usually carry a lot of gear, and this location just isn’t that safe for that.
Additionally, I would always advise the couple to stand at least 15 feet back from the edge of the cliff. Safety comes first and needs to be prioritized at all times.
Taft Point Address:
Located on Glacier Point Rd., Yosemite, CA. before Glacier Point parking.
Tunnel View
While I don’t think this is the best location for a wedding (it tends to get super crowded), it is an excellent spot to take some couple portraits!
Talk to Yosemite wedding photographer about scheduling a photo stop here!
Yosemite Wedding - El Capitan Meadow
This is one of my personal favorite spots to take Yosemite wedding photos. There is something about it that is absolutely magical. It’s a beautiful meadow surrounded by mountains of epic rock formations.
How to Access it?
It’s in the valley of Yosemite right after passing the Yosemite Valley Lodge. Parking is available on the side of the street.
Yosemite Wedding - Glacier Point
What I love about Glacier Point is that it is easy to access.
One can just drive there, park and walk 50 yards to a half-dome canyon view. This is one of the bet locations for a Yosemite wedding ceremony or elopement.
Glacier Point approximately a one hour drive from Yosemite hour or a 2 hour drive from the West entrance to the park (along the 120). It’s a stunning area and accessiblewith a car. You can actually drive right up to these epic views, no hiking is necessary.
Scheduling for Glacier Point
Please keep in mind, this road isn’t open year round. It’s open during summer time. As for Fall or Winter, is is often closed depending on the levels of the snow. For the most part, it opens up in mid June.
So if you’d like to have a Yosemite wedding or Yosemite elopement and have your Yosemite wedding photography or Yosemite elopement photography at Glacier point specifically, make sure to plan ahead for a mid June, July, or August session.
If you can’t schedule for that time, no worries. Honestly, all of Yosemite is absolutely spectacular. One cannot take a bad picture there, quite literally. So, you can have your Yosemite wedding photos taken in a variety of places. Imagine wedding photos in Yosemite Valley in the snow? Ahh, the beauty! It makes me so happy just visualizing it! And this precisely why I love being a Yosemite wedding photographer!
If you’d like to have a Yosemite wedding at Glacier point in the winter, it is possible. You may even have the entire location to yourself. Just keep in mind, Glacier point at this time is not as easy to get to. This requires a 10.5 hike in each direction. Keep in mind since there is snow at this time, snow shoes will be required.
Be aware that since Glacier Point is a more popular wedding ceremony location, there will be visitors or tourists watching you and walking around your ceremony.
As long as you have a permit though, no-one else will be able to get married there during your ceremony. Having a good Yosemite wedding photographer here is important as he or she will be able to be polite, but also assertive in isolating you both from tourists creeping in on your ceremony and/or photos.
Glacier Point Address:
Located at the end of Glacier Point Road, Yosemite, CA.
Sentinel Dome for Your Yosemite Wedding
Once can access this from the same parking area as Taft Point. Like Taft Point, it also requires a few miles hiking.
Personally, I think Taft point offers better views, but Sentinel Dome allows one to pretty much get a 360 degree view of everything. Another plus is that although this trail is a bit long (like Taft Point), it is easier and safer.
Yosemite Falls & Bridal Veil Falls
Ok – these would make for breathtaking wedding ceremony locations. The only thing is when the water is heavier, it is very loud and would be super difficult for anyone to hear your vows. You can also get soaked from the mist, but man oh man, is it beautiful!
Yosemite Valley Chapel Wedding
A Yosemite Chapel Wedding is dreamy. The ceremony site consists of a tiny chapel in the middle of Yosemite Valley. It really is something special.
For more information, go HERE.
Where to Get Married OUTSIDE OF THE PARK - for Larger Weddings
There are quite a few options for this, however, my personal favorites are: The Pine's Resort, the Tenaya Lodge, and the Evergreen Lode. I'll be discussing some tips about having a wedding at each venue below.
The Pine's Resort Wedding
This venue is located on Bass Lake and is 14 miles away from the ENTRANCE of Yosemite National Park. Keep in mind, once you enter the park, you still have to drive about 60 minutes up to hit the main viewpoints.
What do I like about the Pine's Resort?
It's a beautiful location overlooking the lake. The ceremony site is gorgeous as it overlooks the lake, but is also accompanied by a ton of trees.
I also like that this location makes things convenient for guests as it's also a hotel. There are plenty of super cute cabin accommodations on site.
Tenaya Lodge Wedding
Ok, this venue is gorgeous. It reminds me of Christmas time for some reason. I think it's because it's cozy and pretty magical. This venue is SUPER close to the entrance of Yosemite. I want to say it's about a 5 minute drive away from the entrance.
I like this venue because it overlooks a ton of gorgeous trees and the hotel itself has this beautiful, gigantic cabin-like feel. It's difficult to describe, but it really is lovely. It's also easy for guests to stay here because like the Pine's Resort, the Tenaya Lodge is also a hotel.
Whereas the Pine's Resort offers cabins for guests, the Tenaya Lodge offers hotel rooms.
Evergreen Lodge Wedding
The Evergreen Lodge is tucked in the woods and set among the majestic pines. This is a hidden gem that provides a relaxed mountain setting, with a lot of intimacy and fun!
Yosemite Wedding Costs
The cost depends on many factors. If you elope, there is the $150 permit fee, a $30 car fee, wedding photography coverage, hair and makeup, tux and wedding dress, the officiant, and lastly, your food and drink. You can do this for about under $7,000.
For an intimate wedding or larger scale wedding, costs will dramatically increase. For an intimate 75 person wedding, I’d say 25,000 is a good estimate. If you're having a 100 person wedding, it will cost you an average of around $35,000.
Are You in Need of a Yosemite Wedding Photographer?
If you are, please feel free to contact me HERE.
I would love to be your Yosemite wedding photographer for your special day!
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