Yosemite Adventure Elopement
Brittany + Brian
Sierra Nevada Mountains of California
Brittany and Brian contacted me wanting an adventure elopement at Yosemite National Park and I was ecstatic because it was a dream bucket list location for me! Yosemite is beautiful in all of its seasons and is a prime location for stunning views, and epic hiking.
When we met up in the middle of Yosemite Valley, it was a bright blue sky day and perfect weather. We met in Cook’s meadow where their ceremony was going to be, and marveled at the sight of half dome. To start their Yosemite elopement, they had an intimate first look in the meadow. Then we planned for epic sunset pictures at Glacier point once their ceremony was over. My creative process for these pictures was to make sure the landscapes and nature were included along with the intimacy between Brittany and Brian. They both love the outdoors and wanted that to be a part of their hiking elopement, as it has been a big part of their lives so far. It was intimate, personal, and a perfect representation of the two of them.
From Brittany + Brian: “We had been following adventure elopement photographers through Instagram for a while and had fallen in love with the idea of a National Park elopement. As a couple, Brian and I bond over anything and everything outdoorsy. Not to mention the struggle we experienced every time we tried planning a full-blown wedding – nothing quite felt like us. We wanted intimacy and to 100% enjoy our day without the stress and expense of a 100+ guest wedding. We live simply and aren’t super glamorous or formal people, so a fancy wedding didn’t make sense to us. To be honest, neither of us enjoyed the idea of being the center of attention, being overwhelmed with the hectic mess of a wedding, or being swamped with greetings from guests. It would have taken away from us bonding and sharing our day, moment by moment, together.”
“During the ceremony, we missed having friends and family there to celebrate with us. But to be honest, the day was still perfect. Our advice for couples who are considering an elopement is that at the end of the day, just be sure to put yourselves first. Do what makes you happy as a couple. Our day was carefree and felt so natural because we were in our element. It didn’t surprise people that we eloped in one of the most beautiful places in the world.”
Thank you Brittany + Brian for the greatest experience. This Yosemite Adventure Elopement was also featured on Wandering Weddings HERE. You can see more images and and read the handy guide if you are looking to elope too!