Adventurous Yosemite Elopement along the Merced River and Taft Point

Jenna and Alex planned an adventurous elopement in Yosemite National Park last summer. They wanted to have a quiet ceremony along the Merced River with views of El Capitan. It was a hot afternoon with partly cloudy skies and minimal crowds. Yosemite started a reservation system last year due to Covid and it was absolutely a huge positive for eloping in Yosemite. Much less people which provided more solitude and quiet moments. This is usually an uncommon experience to have in such a popular National Park. Wildlife was abundant and the meadows were flourishing. It felt really special!

One of the highlights from their Yosemite Valley elopement ceremony was the surprise guest across the river…a bear!! It was an incredible moment and definitely one of my favorite wedding memories of all time. Scroll down to see a couple of photos. The bears in Yosemite are small and just go about their business. It’s important to give them space and leave them be. It’s their home after all. After the bear sighting we went back to their ceremony and they played rochambeau to decide who would read their wedding vows first. Hahaha. It was hilarious and made me laugh so hard! They said their vows, shed some tears, made each other laugh, and fist pumped before having their first kiss. Truly a unique and unforgettable elopement experience with these two cuties!

After their ceremony along the Merced River we drove to Taft Point trailhead and hiked out to the cliffside overlooking Yosemite Valley. It’s a pretty quick hike and I love grabbing photos in the forest along the way. The more variety you have for your collection of photos the better! Taft Point is one of my favorite locations to watch sunset in California. The soft light infuses the entire valley and the views are just breathtaking! It truly is a one of a kind location and an ideal spot for epic elopement photos!

 

Ready to book your adventurous Yosemite National Park elopement?!
Contact me!