Unique Yosemite Wedding Photo Ideas You Can Incorporate on Your Wedding Day

A Yosemite Wedding is probably one of the best places to have an intimate wedding day with your closest family and friends. We think Yosemite National Park is one of the best places to elope, and we also love how many wedding venues are positioned around the park.

If you’re planning an elopement together, then we suggest you check out our Yosemite elopement guide packed with tips and an epic elopement story to inspire you as you plan. However, if a small wedding is more of your plan, then we have the perfect Yosemite wedding photos for you.

Ready for Some Epic Yosemite Wedding Photos?

Jump to these couples to see how they styled their wedding day at Yosemite National Park with their family and friends.

• Leahmai and Chris – Sunrise Elopement at Glacier Point and Taft Point
  
• Irene and Eric – Welcome Sign Ceremony

How to Plan a Wedding at Yosemite National Park

Planning an intimate wedding at Yosemite is actually quite simple. You only really need to consider 4 steps to get your wedding plans started.

1. Decide When You Want to Get Married.
2. Pick Your Yosemite Wedding Venue.
3. Make Sure to Apply and Obtain a Yosemite Wedding Permit.
4. Team Up With an Amazing Yosemite Wedding Photographer.

Are you interested in eloping? Then check our guide on how to elope. 

When to Get Married in Yosemite

This national park is gorgeous, but can also become very crowded during peak seasons. We recommend May and September if you’re looking for cool weather and smaller crowds. 

If you’re interested in planning a winter wedding at Yosemite, then you should keep in mind many trails are closed starting as early as October due to snow. If you have a specific month in mind, then we suggest teaming up with one of our Wandering Weddings members to help plan your special day. Besides time of year, you also need to decide what time of day you would like to get married. We personally love both sunrise and sunset photos at Yosemite. If this is something that interests you, then talk to your photographer and videographer about full-day coverage. 

Yosemite Wedding Venues

We love Yosemite weddings for a handful of reasons, including the epic spots to plan your ceremony together. 

You can plan a ceremony in a remote location like the couples we feature below, or you can contact venues nearby including the Yosemite Valley Chapel, Tenaya Lodge, or Victory Lodge to name a few. 

If you rather say “I do” in a remote spot, then Yosemite has gorgeous options within the park including: 

• Taft Point
• Glacier Point
• Half Dome
• Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Wedding Permit

Planning your wedding at Yosemite requires a wedding permit. This permit costs $150, and you must submit your application before your special day. It’s important to note that even if you’re only planning on taking wedding photos at Yosemite, you still need to apply for a Yosemite Wedding Permit. 

If you have your heart set on having a gorgeous Yosemite wedding, then their ceremony location list is a great place to see the individual rules and regulations.

Here are some tips to remember:

• You’re limited to 2 hours at all locations, and these locations are also first-come, first-served.
• No pets are allowed during any wedding ceremonies.
• If you have fewer than 11 people in your wedding party, then you can plan your ceremony in other locations not included in the list we linked to, with the exception of open meadows and riparian environments. 
• Please remember LNT (Leave No Trace). It’s important to clean up after yourself and avoid disturbing the park’s plants, grasses, and tree roots.
• The park does get multiple visitors a year. To avoid crowds, we love sunrise and sunset elopements. 

 

Leahmai and Chris

Leahmai and Chris had a ceremony at Glacier Point with their closest friends, one of them officiated the ceremony. We love how romantic, adventurous, and care-free this wedding day was. They even took wedding photos at Taft Point at the end of their day. 

Some ideas we love from this wedding:

• Champagne Showers. No wedding day is complete without some epic shots of you popping some bottles!
• Custom Jean Jackets. We love how Leahmai and her bridesmaids styled their bridal outfits with custom jean jackets. This is a great way to get unique photos and stay warm if the weather gets a little chilly. 
• DIY Picnic. These two shared mini cupcakes instead of a wedding cake. Consider bringing along some snacks and drinks to celebrate your special day and enjoy the view together. 
• Custom Doggy Socks. Since dogs are not allowed during your wedding at Yosemite, this is a great idea to incorporate your furry friend. 
• Matching Undies. If you want a unique photo prop to document, then matching undies should be your go-to!
• Just Married Signs. This couple had multiple signs they incorporated. We love how they tagged these signs to their backpacks as they hiked throughout the park. 

Other Vendors:

• Wedding Dress: BHLDN
• Suit: J Crew
• Bouquet: Blue Orchid Creations
• Jean Jacket: Dearly Threaded

Photos From This Wedding:

     

Irene and Eric

Irene and Eric originally planned their Yosemite wedding at RushCreek, but due to covid-19, their wedding day had to be postponed. Instead of getting upset, these two planned an adorable and simple ceremony at the entrance of the park. 

Some ideas we love from this wedding:

• Custom Jean Jackets. This couple also incorporated custom jean jackets, but we love how their theme with “the mountains are calling” written on the back.
• Adorable Mugs. This is a great way to drink your celebratory drink if champagne isn’t your thing. You can share some cider like these two did or a cup of coffee.
• Custom Vow Books. Irene and Eric wrote their vows on adorable books. If you’re looking for a guide on writing your vows and a similar book option, then head to our wedding vow guide. 
• Charcuterie Brunch. This is the most delicious spread we have ever seen. This idea makes for a delicious snack and a gorgeous photo opp. 
• Sparkling Cider Toast from Dad. If your family/friends join you on your adventurous wedding day, then this can be a great opportunity for them to prepare a small toast for the bride and groom. 
• First Dance moments. We love how these two danced together in front of Yosemite’s sign. 

“Irene + Eric were so go-with-the-flow throughout this whole corona craziness. Her wedding dress hadn’t come in yet, so she wore her rehearsal dress… her wedding ring hadn’t come in yet, so she used her engagement ring… and every time she received a rejection from venues, she continued to come up with new & creative ideas to make it happen!” [Toni]

Other Vendors:

• Florist: Botanique Floral 
• Custom Jacket: Mimosa Bridal 
• Charcuterie: Easyylivin
• Macrame: CreatedBySomeonesMom
• Watercolor/Calligraphy Invites: @ireyiu (the bride)
• Wedding Dress: Asos 
• Galaxy Mugs: Coy Wolf Studio 
• Hairpiece: Wild Rose and Sparrow

Photos From This Wedding:

         

Yosemite Wedding Photographers and Videographers

If you’re ready to start planning your wedding at Yosemite National Park, then you need a rad photographer to help you along the way. We recommend teaming up with one of our Yosemite Wedding Photographers. The photographers and videographers below would love to capture your Yosemite wedding day. 

Check out our vendors who specialize in Yosemite elopements.