yosemite national park wedding photographers
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Yosemite Wedding Photographers | Planning Your Wedding

We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen, a husband and wife team of Yosemite wedding photographers specializing in capturing adventurous couples in the beautiful places they choose to get married. While we are now based in Colorado, our vast Yosemite National Park experience means we still love to travel for adventurous love.

Below we discuss tips and tricks for planning your Yosemite wedding, elopement, or engagement photos as well as share our recent Yosemite photography pictures. Be sure to contact us to check if your favorite mountain wedding photographers have your date available.

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yosemite engagement photography glacier point sunset
Yosemite Wedding Photographer Yosemite Falls View

Yosemite Wedding Planning Guide

Welcome to our Yosemite wedding planning guide! We use our cast knowledge and experience in Yosemite National Park to help you have a wedding day with epic views. As wedding photographers, we want to capture intimate moments in incredible backdrops.

Yosemite National Park does not disappoint! Even on it’s crowded days, you can escape for some intimate wedding portraits. But my best advice is to avoid crowded days at crowded times.

Consider sunrise during off-peak season and if you’re willing to make some sacrifices your Yosemite elopement will be unforgettable. You may want the popular shots you saw on social media, but consider some less-trafficked spots and you might be able to pull off a unique Yosemite wedding day.

yosemite national park wedding photographer
Yosemite Engagement Photos

Yosemite Wedding Photographers (and tour guides)

As Yosemite wedding photographers, we love helping celebrate and plan Yosemite weddings. Yosemite National Park weddings have a certain appeal for adventurers seeking the perfect setting to kick off their marriage.

A Yosemite wedding photographer is in a unique position to share tips and tricks. We can help you with where to go and what time to be there for the best light.

When it comes to getting great Yosemite wedding photos it’s all about telling the story of the people, place, and experience. You want to return to that moment when you look at your Yosemite wedding pictures.

yosemite national park wedding adventure
Yosemite Engagement Photos
adventurous yosemite engagement

How to get great Yosemite wedding photos (rely on the setting and your experience)

Luckily, due to the beauty of Yosemite National Park, photographers have no excuse. There are so many epic views to capture. However we do have a few tips for making sure you get the Yosemite wedding photos you dream of.

If you’re looking for photographers in Yosemite for your elopement or engagement photos, chances are you’ll benefit from a sort of tour guide. One of the benefits to a Yosemite elopement or engagement is that you have less time restrictions that a typical wedding might have.

Think about the experience you want to have ,not just the photos you’re looking for. Do you want to hike to escape the crowds? How about a cute airbnb to drink your morning coffee as you get ready?

wedding photographers in Yosemite
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Elopement / Engagement Photos Yosemite (freedom and flexibility)

If you’re not planning a big wedding you’ll learn that an intimate wedding or elopement fits right in with Yosemite National Park wedding photography. A smaller shoot allows you to plan about the perfect time of year and time of day, without worrying about the constraints of a traditional wedding day.

As Yosemite elopement photographers, we can plan the whole day around exploring all the best parts of Yosemite National Park at the best times. Your wedding photography will take your breath away and so will your memories. We’re here to help with the entire planning process,

We like to keep things simple and focused on your experience. Whether we’re hiking to Taft Poing or standing under a waterfall, we want you to be present in the moment despite the epic location.

Half Dome Wedding at Yosemite

How to Have Your Wedding at Yosemite

To have your wedding at Yosemite, you need a wedding permit. There are a variety of Yosemite ceremony sites that the National Park service allows you to choose from depending on the size of your wedding. You can also have a ceremony at a wedding venue.

When picking your favorite ceremony spot, you will want to consider the location in the park. Pay attention to how it relates to where your guests might stay, your reception might be, and where you want to take portraits! Your yosemite wedding photographer can go other places with you for portraits beyond just this list of official ceremony sites.

taft point yosemite wedding photographers
  • Yosemite Ceremony Sites

  • Cascades Picnic Area

  • Lower Yosemite Fall Paved Trail

  • Swinging Bridge Picnic Area

  • Cathedral Beach Picnic Area

  • Sentinel Beach Picnic Area

  • Bridalveil Fall

  • Glacier Point Amphitheater

  • Chilnualna Falls Trailhead Parking Lot

  • Tenaya Lake Beach

  • Tuolumne Meadows Lodge Area

  • Tuolumne Grove

  • Merced Grove

Cathedral Beach Yosemite Wedding

If you decide that you can’t fit your group or logistically work our having your wedding day in Yosemite National Park, you can always just plan your wedding portraits in the park. As I mentioned, you’re not limited to these locations for portraits

Half Dome Wedding Yosemite

Wedding Venues in Yosemite National Park

There are a lot of great wedding venues in Yosemite National Park, check out our favorites below. The venues vary in location and beauty so you’ll want to decide what is most important to you when looking at places to get married. Price, proximity, size and convenience are a few factors to consider.

Yosemite National Park, with its iconic granite cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and towering sequoias, stands as a natural cathedral that beckons couples to exchange vows in one of the most breathtaking settings on Earth. Yosemite’s diverse wedding venues offer a range of options, each with its unique charm, ensuring that every couple finds the perfect spot to begin their journey together.

glacier point wedding
glacier point

The Ahwahnee:

Nestled in the heart of Yosemite Valley, The Ahwahnee is a historic and luxurious venue that epitomizes grandeur. Surrounded by the park’s iconic landmarks, such as Half Dome and Glacier Point, this architectural masterpiece provides a regal setting for weddings. The Great Lounge’s floor-to-ceiling windows showcase the valley’s panoramic beauty, while the outdoor terrace offers an intimate space with views of the Royal Arches.

Majestic Yosemite Hotel and Yosemite Chapel wedding

Yosemite Valley Chapel:

For couples seeking a more intimate and rustic ceremony, Yosemite Valley Chapel provides a charming and historical setting. The chapel, nestled among pine trees, exudes a serene ambiance with its quaint architecture. The surrounding meadows and Yosemite Falls in the distance create a picturesque backdrop for a romantic and heartfelt exchange of vows.

Majestic Yosemite Hotel and Yosemite Chapel Wedding

Glacier Point:

Elevate your wedding experience to new heights at Glacier Point, offering a panoramic overlook of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, and the High Sierra peaks. This open-air amphitheater allows couples to say “I do” against the backdrop of some of the park’s most iconic features. The sweeping views and alpine beauty create an awe-inspiring setting for an unforgettable ceremony.

yosemite national park wedding photographer

Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite:

For a blend of luxury and natural splendor, Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite offers a picturesque setting just outside the park. Surrounded by towering pine trees and set against the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains, this resort provides an elegant escape for couples seeking a mountain-inspired celebration. The lodge’s expansive grounds and flexible event spaces cater to various wedding styles and sizes.

Wawona Hotel:

Steeped in history and nestled in the southern part of the park, Wawona Hotel offers a classic and intimate setting for weddings. The Victorian-era architecture and well-manicured grounds create a timeless atmosphere. Couples can exchange vows in the Wawona Chapel or choose one of the outdoor spaces, surrounded by the tranquility of the surrounding forest.

Whether framed by granite peaks, serene meadows, or ancient trees, Yosemite’s wedding venues promise an unparalleled backdrop for couples embarking on their marital journey. Each location within the park exudes its unique charm, ensuring that the natural beauty of Yosemite becomes an integral part of the love story shared by those who choose to say “forever” in this magnificent sanctuary.

Airbnbs and VRBOS:

If you’re having an elopement or smaller wedding and you’re having a ceremony at one of the National Park ceremony sites, there are some great houses you can rent in places like Yosemite West.

yosemite national park wedding photography

How to Get Great Yosemite Wedding Pictures (tips and tricks)

Below are a few tips based on our experience as a Yosemite wedding photographer. With a little planning and preparation, you can make your wedding day or Yosemite elopement for your dream.

adventure yosemite elopement photographer

Make a Plan

If you’re getting married in Yosemite you are in for a treat. One of the things that makes Yosemite an amazing National Park is all of the views that you can see with limited easy hiking, which is great for your Yosemite wedding pictures. Driving the valley loop (or better yet, taking the bus) and stopping at various meadows and trailheads will allow you to see many of the iconic Yosemite views.

Plan your day. You want to know where to go, at what time of day, and how long it will take. Ideally, you can plan to be somewhere when the light is beautiful which can be tricky to predict because of the granite walls. That’s where an experienced Yosemite wedding photographer comes in handy.

Evergreen Lodge Yosemite Wedding

Choose Your Inspiration

If you are planning a Yosemite wedding, chances are you are inspired by nature. It may be an inspiring landscape, but it’s no secret. One of the challenges is avoiding crowds. Consider off-season (non-summer), weekdays, and venues outside the valley.

springtime yosemite wedding majestic hotel

Consider Logistics

Some of our couples choose to get married near Yosemite but not in Yosemite. We often do a portrait session on a different day in the valley. Encourage your guests to make reservations early and once they arrive carpool or take the bus/bike. Afternoon traffic and parking can be difficult so plan and prepare for that.

yosemite national park wedding portraits

Save Time to Explore

If you have more time, there are certain trails worth exploring. As Yosemite elopement and engagement photographers, we go the extra mile and often get to explore places you might not get to on your wedding day. We always recommend that you take the time for Yosemite wedding photos in the landscape preferably at a beautiful time of day.

Check out our tips for National Park Weddings in the wedding planning advice section of our blog with outdoor wedding tips. Here are 3 Simple Steps for a National Park Wedding and 5 Ways to Prepare for your National Park Elopement Photography.

yosemite national park wedding portraits

recent Yosemite wedding photography

adventure yosemite elopement photographer taft point

more on wedding planning:


We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen, a husband and wife photography team specializing in mountain wedding photography and other adventures.

Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know how we can help with your photography needs!

In the meantime, remember to…

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