I am SO excited to share a little bit about our wedding day in Yosemite National Park with all of you.
I hope you’re on a decent internet connection because I couldn’t bring myself to narrow down the number of pics any more than I did! Sorry not sorry. :)
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Planning our wedding
I first got the idea to have an intimate wedding/elopement many years ago. The idea immediately felt right to me, and the more weddings I attended, the more sure I was that the traditional American wedding just wasn’t my cup of tea. Thankfully, Mr. AA isn’t much for fanfare either, so he was immediately on board with the idea of opting out.
We ended up with just 7 guests. We spent a few days in Yosemite, so we were able to spend a lot of time with our families hiking around the park and just spending time together. Although it was a little sad not to have all of our close family and friends attend, we ultimately decided that the financial and logistical strain on our (extremely!) spread out loved ones would have been somewhere between “ridiculously stressful” and “insurmountable.” Thankfully, our loved ones were understanding and supportive of our decision.
Surprisingly, one of the most common responses I got when I told people our wedding plans was “if I went back and did it again, that’s how I’d do it.” I can certainly see why–I have no regrets about choosing an intimate wedding.
The idea to marry in Yosemite was also something I’d had in mind for a long time. It was first sparked by seeing this video one day while I was hanging out with my brothers. I love the mountains, and the scenery in Yosemite is unlike any other. We’d also talked about a wedding at Moraine Lake in Alberta or Big Sur in California, but Yosemite ultimately won out.
The next piece to fall into place was our photographer. I discovered Carl a couple of years ago through his work for another couple who eloped in Yosemite. The photos he created for them gave me actual chills. More of his work showed that he’d shot numerous wilderness-oriented elopements and could expertly leverage the scenery around his subjects, both of which were important to me. So, when wedding planning came around, he was #1 on my list, and I was understandably pretty stoked that everything worked out. I think these photos prove exactly why.
My look
Since this is a style-oriented blog, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my thought process for my bridal look.
Shopping for a bridal gown was tricky since I had a short timeline (about 5 months) and a modest budget. I knew I’d be hiking a lot, so I needed something that was neither heavy nor stiff. You know me–I want style, but I also want comfort and function. Turns out, that’s pretty hard to find in the bridal world. On top of that, I was quite particular about the style and fit I was looking for, which made my quest all the more challenging.
I’ve talked a lot on this blog about how much I love the resale market, and I was not kidding. After trying on a couple dozen dresses, I ultimately purchased my gown from a secondhand website. It was admittedly nerve-wracking, but I went with my gut, and the gamble totally paid off! It was unquestionably my favorite dress out of all I tried on and was one of the least expensive to boot, coming in at well under $1000. You’d never guess it was a “bargain” buy–it looked and felt so much nicer than the dresses that were several times the price.
Despite its delicate appearance, the dress was a trooper. Throughout the day, I hiked about 5 miles(!!) and literally climbed onto boulders, but the lace still doesn’t have a single tear.
Since nature kindly provided most of the wedding day decor, flowers were one of the only decorative elements I had to pick myself. I chose a deep berry palette for my flowers to fit the season and the scenery. My florist, Haewon, created the perfect look that was natural and wild yet elegant. Ranunculus are one of my all-time favorite flowers, and I love what they add to the bouquet. And those dahlias? To die for.
Since I didn’t want to wear a veil, and since I’m patently obsessed with flowers, I decided to go out on a limb and wear a flower crown. I’m so glad I did. It really tied the whole bridal look together without looking overdone. Haewon made two crowns for me, one more full and one more minimal, so I switched them out halfway through the day since I loved both.
As a side note, when I told our guests they could wear anything, my mom really took it to heart. She surprised me by wearing a pair of Werkshop New Zealand crops for our wedding day. We honeymooned in NZ after the wedding, so this was the perfect tip of the hat to my love of workout clothes as well as my love of NZ.
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Our day
We held our ceremony at Lower Yosemite Falls. This location was meaningful to us since the falls are below Yosemite Point, where we got engaged. It seemed fitting to bring the whole thing full circle and marry with Yosemite Point watching over us 3000 ft above. Keeping with our not-so-traditional theme, our officiant, Cindie, wrote us a beautiful, totally personalized ceremony. The ceremony was the perfect match for the intimate setting.
Normally, the falls are completely dry during late summer and fall. But, due to an unheard of 3.35″ of rainfall over the weekend, the falls went from bone dry to roaring like a freight train. Our wedding was on Monday, so when I woke up Sunday morning and saw the falls, I nearly cried. I honestly didn’t think there would be enough rain to restart the falls, so I was stunned by the turn of events. The rain continued to add power to the falls all day Sunday and through the night. Much to my relief, the rain finally cleared just a couple of hours before our day began Monday morning.
After our ceremony, we originally planned to go up to Tuolomne, another section of the park, but the weekend storm meant Tioga Pass, the road to get there, was closed. Thankfully, we had a backup plan. Instead, we drove up Glacier Point Road. As you’ll see from the pics, plan B could not have worked out any better.
It was truly such a magical day. Despite my many fears in the weeks leading up to it, everything worked out beautifully.
I’ll let the rest of the photos speak for themselves…
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The details
All four of these talented people did such an amazing job contributing to our wedding day. I highly recommend all of them if you’re ever looking for similar services.
Photography: Carl Zoch
Officiant: Cindie Wilding
Florals: Ha Rue Floral Designs
Rings + bridal jewelry: Olivia Ewing
Locations: El Capitan Meadow, Lower Yosemite Falls, Sentinel Dome, Taft Point
Bridal gown: BHLDN “Yasmin”
Hair + makeup: my own
Her boots: Frye Valerie lace-up boots
Groom’s suit + shirt: Black Lapel
His boots: Red Wing 8111 iron rangers
Blanket: Pendleton lumberman blanket in rob roy plaid
You must be so pleased with everything! Just gorgeous! Put Australia on your list of places to visit. I’m in Brisbane. Queensland and it’s the best :)
Yes, definitely pleased! :) Australia is on my list for sure. We thought about going this time, but NZ won out! Hoping to go back to Aus when we have a little more time–it’s an awfully huge country!!
Absolutely stunning! One of my favourite places on the planet, we visited Yosemite on our honeymoon in August 2015 ? I’m happy for you that everything was as you hoped for.
Yes, definitely one of my favorite places too, it’s just incredible. You must’ve had a wonderful honeymoon. :)
Thank you so much for sharing! Beautiful pictures, GORGEOUS dress- you look so great! This is just like how we had our wedding and we got the same response. It was so perfect for us and it sounds like this was perfect for you two. Congratulations!
Thanks Gretchen! Funny you got the same response. I remember reading about it when you had your wedding, and I’m glad you still feel so positively about it! :)
BREATHTAKING!!!!! I mean, could the scenery be any more beautiful! Amazing photography. How are you going to possibly choose which ones to blow up and hang? Nice problem to have :)
Omg, I know!!! I got a handful for my desk at work, plus we ordered a bunch of little ones, but I have NO IDEA how I’ll choose which ones to blow up… D:
These are gorgeous wedding photos. My niece wants to get married in Yosemite, it’s such a gorgeous place to be. Great post, I really enjoyed all the pictures you shared.
Thank you Lesley! I might be a little biased, but I think your niece should go for it. ;)
Surreal!! Well done ??? thanks for sharing and a big congrats. Most beautiful wedding !
Thanks Reya!! :)
I agree with Sasheen, these photos are breathtaking! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks Kelly! I’m a little biased, but I agree they’re pretty awesome. :)
Your wedding photos are absolutely insane! I do hope you plan on super sizing some of these to hang. I’m talking big like 4 feet by 6 feet. They would look so amazing in print. Mouth dropping! And maybe in 20 years time you guys can do it all over again with another photo shoot. =)
Haha, so true! I joked that I should just make wallpaper out of all of them, haha. I like your idea of repeating it, I’m gonna keep that in mind… ;)
Stunning photos! Thank you for sharing. Congratulations!
Thank you! Glad you liked them, too. :)
Just gorgeous – in EVERY aspect! Many, many congratulations. I have to confess to blubbing a little as I looked at them all – you just look so radiantly happy! <3 <3 xx
Aww thanks Claire! They’re pretty incredible, aren’t they??
Wow, these photos look absolutely stunning! I got married in November and actually thought about doing something like this as opposed to a traditional wedding! There’s something so beautiful and intimate about it! Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures with us and congrats!
Thanks Ro and congratulations to you! I hope your wedding was everything you hoped and dreamed too. :)
You couldn’t have chosen a more beautiful location, however, I am biased to Moraine Lake, AB since I live in Alberta and love that location as well.
You and Mr. AA must be thrilled with your wedding pictures, each and every one are breathtaking. Thank goodness neither one of you is scared of heights as those pictures of the two of you on that ledge are positively stunning. I also really like the one of you smiling “The Look” pic shown at the top of the post.
I can’t get over how you were able to find the most perfect dress that fit you to a T and fit the setting so well. So tastefully elegant and feminine in design.
These are pictures that when you look back on them 10, 20 years from now you won’t be saying “oh what was I thinking” as these pictures are timeless. Thank you for sharing.
If it’s of any comfort, one of the reasons we shied away from Moraine Lake was because of the added complication of being across the border. ;) I’m hoping to visit in the next year or two though, it’s one of the top on my list!! Also, yes, timeless was definitely what I was going for in both clothing and photo style, so I hope they do stand the test of time! :)
AA, thank you so so so much for sharing these. Particularly since your wedding was such a private, intimate affair, I appreciate you sharing it with your devoted fans :)
Agree with everyone – Yosemite is the best, these pictures are the best, and BHLDN is the best (I nearly cried with relief when they released their first collection shortly after I got engaged…)
My favorite pictures from my wedding (in Santa Fe) are the ones full of mountains and sky with tiny little “us” somewhere off center in the background, swallowed up by the majesty of it all….
Congratulations again, and I am so glad your planning worked out and produced such a wonderful day and endless magical moments. Sigh…
Thanks Carrie! I couldn’t really help but share, for reasons that are probably obvious. :) And I agree, I really like the photos that are mostly the scenery, and we just happen to be there. I think most people don’t really love staring at a closeup of their face anyway, haha.
Thank you for sharing the magical and stunning experience with us! The wedding has your signature style written all over it. Congratulations to you and to Mr AA!
Thank you!! :) I spent a lot of time stressing over how to infuse some style/personality into the day so I’m glad all that hand-wringing paid off. ;)
I absolutely LOVE this! Your wedding looks stunning, simple, and perfect. It seems like we have similar tastes <3
Aww thank you Katherine! Those were definitely three words I was going for. ;)
Congratulations!!! Everything about the day is stunningly beautiful–the scenery, your dress, your flower crowns, the flowers, your mom’s outfit (perfect!!!), and the photography. Sounds like truly the perfect day for you!
Thanks Jennifer!! Everything really did come together so nicely, even my Mom’s outfit, lol. :)
Gorgeous, happy photos! Made me all teary-eyed…
Awww thank you so much! It really was gorgeous. <3
So many congratulations! I’ve followed you for some time, but this is my first comment – how could I not tell you how absolutely amazing your photos are?? My husband and I eloped in Banff (Canada) with 6 days notice and had 11 family and friends. It was the best way to start our marriage! I wish you both a lifetime of happiness and love ❤️❤️
Thank you so much!! Sounds like our wedding strategies were very similar. ;) Your day must’ve been amazing, too. Since Banff was on my list, too, I can only imagine how beautiful it must’ve been! Thanks for taking the time to chime in. <3
Everything is so beautiful! My fiance proposed in El Cap meadow, and Yosemite is a super special place for us. We’re planning a regular wedding right now, but, man you make a Yosemite elopement look so appealing.
Thank you Lynn!! That sounds like an amazing proposal. I LOVE El Cap Meadow, partially because El Cap is arguably my favorite feature in the park!! Congrats to you and your almost-hubby! I hope your wedding planning turns out more beautifully than you could imagine. :) <3
These are just STUNNING! Thank you so much for sharing, and for all your work on this blog. I love it! <3
Thank you so much Allie!!! I think they’re pretty stunning too. ;)
Congratulations and thank you for sharing these absolutely beautiful photos!
Thank you!!! :) They’re too beautiful *not* to share!
OMG beautiful! your story and photos make me want to cry….in a good way :)
So glad you shared these. xxx
Awww thanks so much. :) It really was such a beautiful and amazing day!
WOW! Just glorious.
Thank you, Mia! I agree, it was definitely glorious. :)
These are absolutely stunning!!easily some of the best wedding photos I’ve ever seen! Congratulations :)
Wow, thanks for such a kind compliment, Lauren. :) Mother Nature was really good to us that day!!
Amazing! Beautiful! Like Lauren said, this is some of the best wedding photos ever!
And your friends are right – we did the traditional American wedding (fiancé was adamant that “that’s just what you do”) and we now regret it. Good on you for sticking to who you are and having the wedding you both want!
Thank you so much! It’s a bummer to hear you wish you’d done things differently, but at the end of the day, the marriage is more important than the wedding anyway. ;)
Wow! These photos definitely did make me fall in line with the others when I think if I could go back, that’s how I’d do it! So wonderful, intimate and full of love. Happy days ahead to you, Congratulations!
Thank you so much!! It was really just perfect. :)
Just gorgeous! That buffalo plaid is now a family heirloom! Someday we’ll see your babies crawling around on it.
You definitely need to go back in 20 years and recreate some of these photos. I have a friend who did that – they had honeymooned at Glacier and then went back even wearing similar outfits to the original photo. Very cool.
Congratulations!
Oh yes, I’m glad I sprung for a quality blanket that will hopefully last for years and years. I really like the idea of recreating the photos, the main problem is that it will be so hard to wait 20 years, haha. ;)
Beyond stunning! Thank you so much for sharing :)
Thank you!! It really was so beautiful. :)
Amazingly beautiful photos and bride!
Thank you so much! :) <3
Thank you for sharing, Suzanne! Everything is just perfect! ?
Oh yes, how could I *not* share such beautiful pics?? :)
Gorgeous pics! stunning really! I’m a little disappointed that you didn’t find a way to incorporate some activewear into your outfit …lol…but you must be proud of your Mom for wearing the leggings.
Well… I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it. ;) I actually did wear my Alala puffer while we were hiking between photos because it was so cold! That wasn’t planned though, I basically just grabbed it out of pure necessity, lol.
good job! no longer disappointed … lol :)
Fabulous. One of my favorite weddings I’ve seen.
Wow, thank you for such a wonderful compliment! <3
This is so beautiful, I teared up! Thanks to these photos, I really want to visit Yosemite! I’m glad the whole thing was a success :)
Aw thanks so much! I hope you do manage to take a trip there. Even the best pictures just don’t do it justice!
To say your wedding photos are breath-taking and amazing is an understatement! I teared up a wee bit looking through them. Spectacular, gorgeous, blessed in so many ways. You look beautiful – and I love the dress with hiking boots :) Congratulations to both you and Mr. AA! And thank you for sharing with all of us.
Awww thank you so much, Sara!! I couldn’t find hardly any pictures of wedding dresses with hiking (ish) boots online, so I was kind of going out on a limb. I think it worked out pretty well, all things considered. :)
Wow, that’s awesome! You look all perfect with your dress, flower crown, and big smile! I was curious about the shoes you picked, and I must say, great choice. :D “Everything worked out beautifully”, that’s the least you could say! How perfect that it rained enough to restart the falls all the while not ruining the weather on your wedding day. We visited Yosemite last year and were impressed, but now I’ve seen your wedding photos I’m even more impressed. Makes me want to elope too! We’re from Belgium though, so eloping to Yosemite might be a little over the top. ;) Congratulations btw!
Thank you Birthe!! :) It’s really a magical place, but you’re right, might be a little crazy to elope all the way in California from Belgium, heh. :) Thanks for your comment!
Such a beautiful write up of a picture-perfect day. I agree, it was hard to choose which photos to include out of all the amazingly gorgeous photos Carl took when I created my blog post about this day. It was truly magical how the weather cleared, the falls were full and it was a sweet and intimate celebration. I couldn’t be happier to have been a part of that magic. Happy to know you both. xo
Aw thanks so much Cindie! I totally agree–magical indeed. We’re so glad you could be part of it too. :)
Wow! You looked stunning and I feel like we might have a lot of common. I too have wanted to elope in yosemite for quite some time and we’re just getting plans rolling to get eloped in FOUR WEEKS! We are considering glacier point or lower yosemite falls to say our vows (with 4 guests max) and was wondering what time you did your ceremony? I hear that it’s best to do it in the morning since tourists tend to flock around later in the day, is this true? Thank you so much for your help! :)
Hi Erica! Congrats on your upcoming wedding. :) We did our ceremony right at mid-day, so we definitely broke that “rule”. At the Lower Yosemite Falls area (the official area designated by the park, that is), you’re a little bit tucked away, not RIGHT next to the main path. People were definitely walking by, but I didn’t notice them during the ceremony. Before and after the ceremony passing visitors would occasionally clap or take a photo, but no one interrupted us or hovered during the ceremony at all. I’m not sure if we got lucky or if most people are just polite enough to know better. I have no idea about the Glacier Point location, though, so I can’t speak for how that one would pan out.
I hope that helps a little! Let me know if you have other questions–happy to try to advise!! I hope your ceremony is even more beautiful than you imagine.
Hello! A random question…I’m planning a ceremony very similar to yours as it looks so beautiful…I wondered what you both and the families did for the rest of the day? Did you hire catering or go to eat in one of park restaurants…and if so, which one? :)
Thanks!
Hi Robyn! Congrats, it will be amazing!! Here is roughly how our day played out.
In the morning, starting around 10a, we took family photos in El Capitan Meadow before the ceremony. We drove back to Lower Yosemite Falls, held the ceremony (12:30p), and lingered for an hour or so to have a toast and some cupcakes. (We poured a bottle of champagne into a S’well bottle, brought some nice disposable champagne flutes, and bought some cupcakes at a grocery store on the way to the park.) Around 2p, we left to drive up Glacier Point Road, which is 45-60 min each way, so that consumed a lot of time. We hiked Sentinel Dome and Taft Point and took photos, and stayed at Taft Point for sunset. This was free time for our families–we just took the photog with us, although we ran into my mom on one of the trails. :) After sunset, we drove back down to the valley and met our families at the restaurant in the Majestic (we made a reservation of course). Since our group was not too large, we didn’t feel the need to bother with catering. Overall, I felt like it was a nice mix of family time as well as time on our own.
I hope that helps! Feel free to reach out if you have other q’s. :)
I loved this article so much! Its super helpful and love all the details you gave us. I was wondering what was your schedule like on your wedding day? What time did you guys have your ceremony, how did you guys get around the park to take photos did your photogrpahy spend the whole day with u?
Hi Lisa! So glad it was helpful. This was our schedule:
10:30a – Gather at El Cap Meadow with photographer
10:30a – 11:30a – Photos in El Cap Meadow
11:30a – 12:30p – Extra time to finish photos, drive to Lower Yosemite Falls, and walk to the ceremony site
12:30p – 1p – Ceremony
1p-2p – Mini-toast, hang out at the ceremony site with family (the tiniest reception)
2p – 6:30p – Drive up Glacier Pt Rd, photos at Sentinel Dome and Taft Point (us and our photographer only, this was free time for family)
6:30-8p – Drive back to Yosemite Valley
8p – Dinner at Majestic Yosemite Hotel dining room with family (the rest of our tiny reception)
We had our photographer for 8 hours so he spent almost the whole day with us! Since we only had a small number of us, we only needed 2 cars at most to get around. The photographer and officiant had their own transportation. I hope that helps! Let me know if there’s anything else I can help with. :)