January 5, 2023 / Elopement
Lake Tahoe Elopement at Sugar Pine Point State Park
Lindsay and Ahmad’s Lake Tahoe Elopement is a beautiful example of how an elopement can include more than just the couple themselves. Today’s modern elopements are often called intimate weddings when including your closest friends and family.
Regardless of what you call it, a small intimate ceremony can be so magical, especially when you’re surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty and your favorite people!
This couple may look familiar from their Big Sur Engagement photos I recently shared. Since we worked together before, when I arrived to photograph their marriage, it was like working with friends, and I absolutely love that!
I’m so excited to share photos of their Lake Tahoe elopement! Let’s get into it!
Lake Tahoe Elopements at Sugar Pine Point State Park
Lindsay and Ahmad chose Sugar Pine Point State Park for the Lake Tahoe Elopement venue. As you’ll see from the photos, it’s a stunning location. It has beautiful beaches, tall trees, and breathtaking views. The park also boasts large areas of maintained woods, trails, and manicured grass and has some “wild areas” that are a little off-the-beaten-path!
The park is also home to the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion, where the intimate ceremony was held. While it’s not suitable for large weddings, it’s perfect for small intimate weddings and elopements.
There isn’t a dedicated reception area inside the mansion, but it does have a small rustic gazebo outdoors, which was perfect for the cake-cutting ceremony! If you do plan to get married here, you’ll definitely need to bring tables and chairs if you need to set up an area for cake cutting or something similar.
If you want to get married at this dreamy location, you will need to join the wedding lottery (waitlist) to have a chance to have your elopement here. I’ve linked the info here regarding permits, fees, and other important info.
The Loose Timeline of This Dreamy Lake Tahoe Elopement
One of the best things about elopements and small weddings is that they’re not tied up with a strict timeline. The day is meant to be flexible and really allow the couple to build their day from scratch based on their priorities and adventure levels!
But to make sure I capture everything that’s important, I make a rough outline of what I’ll photograph for the day.
Here’s a loose timeline of how Lindsay and Ahmad’s dreamy Lake Tahoe Elopement went!
- Getting ready photos
- Photos of the beautiful venue
- Ahmad with his guys
- Lindsay with her girls
- First look (OMG, the sweetest ever!)
- Ceremony on the dock!
- Family and Group Photos
- Cake Cutting Celebration
- Lindsay and Ahmad Solo Couple’s Photos
After we wrapped up the couples’ photos, they went to dinner with family at a local restaurant!
Now, let me show you some photos from each of these special moments!
The Getting Ready and Group Photos
I always, ALWAYS get a photo of the wedding gown hanging up if I can! The backlighting here added a flair of drama, and I’m here for it!
The First Look
Lindsay and Ahmad wanted to share an intimate moment together before their ceremony began. And I must say, this was one of the most touching first looks I’ve photographed.
Lindsay’s dad walked her to Ahmad for their private first look. It was an incredibly sweet moment, and as they embraced, it felt like time stood still.
After their intimate first-look photos, it was time for their
Lake Tahoe Elopement ceremony!
Lindsay really wanted to have the ceremony on the dock. It was a tight squeeze, but with a little creativity, and a lot of balancing, we made it work! I must say, it made for a beautiful backdrop for the wedding.
During the ceremony, the couple had the same loving and focused look that they had in their engagement photos – as if no one else was there. It was clear that they are deeply in love.
Meredith, the officiant, was a warm and calming presence leading the ceremony. I’d highly recommend her to other couples, and hope to work with her again someday!
After the ceremony, we took photos with the couple’s family and friends on the dock. The tall pine trees made the most gorgeous backdrop to this already beautiful group of people!
Then we celebrated with a cake-cutting under the rustic gazebo.
Finally, we wrapped up the magical day with romantic photos of Lindsay and Ahmad alone!
Lake Tahoe Elopement Photography: Capturing The Magic!
Some couples really want every detail photographed of their wedding day, and others don’t. But here’s the thing – I photograph the details anyway because so much planning goes into the details. And all of my couples love these pictures once they see them!
You’ll remember the big moments of your day pretty easily. But I want you to remember the tiny details too! Such as the invites, vows, wedding bands, bouquets, and cake decorations. These all tell the story of your wedding.
The guys had some cool “matching” socks, I like to call them FUN socks! So naturally, I had to capture that detail too, because it’s a funny memory for the couple to look back on!
The Sweet Couples’ Photos
Oftentimes during elopements, we’ll move from one location to another. It’s one of the fun parts about them! But this location was so amazing that we didn’t have to leave the part at all!
We captured gorgeous photos on the beach and at the dock. We even found some Redwood trees in the park! Sugar Pine Point State Park is definitely at the top of my list for Lake Tahoe Elopements!
The Final Product: A Gorgeous Wedding Album
While it’s not required, I always encourage my wedding clients to invest in a professional wedding album. The albums I create are made from the best archival materials, meaning they’ll last for generations.
I use software to create custom album layouts that my clients can review and give feedback on. This allows for complete customization of the album to make sure it fits the couple’s personal style.
All of the photos are on thick pages, with deep matte prints, and include customizable linen or leather covers. The quality of these albums is better than anything you’ll find on websites like Shutterfly.
If you want a wedding album that’ll last for generations and be passed down as a family treasure, a professional album is worth the investment.
The Dog Saving Hero (I Joke, Kinda!)
Every wedding has an “Oh Shit!” moment, right? Well, that happened when Lindsay and Ahmad’s husky snuck out prior to the ceremony. Everyone stopped what they were doing and began frantically searching for the dog.
Fortunately, I found him near a road, and I tackled him (gently) to the ground!
Did I also get dirty? Yes.
Was it 100% worth it? Also, yes!
The couple thanked me so many times on their wedding day and again during their album design. They jokingly referred to me as the “dog hero”. While it was a stressful moment at the time, it has now become a lighthearted memory.
So, the real question is this: Should my credentials say Anastasia, Photographer & Dog Hero now? I think it has a nice ring to it! JUST KIDDING!
If you’re planning a Lake Tahoe Elopement or wedding, I’d be honored to document your day! You can contact me here to get started!
If you’d like to check out more Elopements that I’ve done, you can view two of them below!
