SHELLY ANDERSON

A Sweet Lake Tahoe Elopement | Leila + Aadi

Elopements, Weddings

November 5, 2020

Just like many couples planning to get married in 2020, Leila and Aadi had to postpone their larger gathering to next year. But that doesn’t mean they still couldn’t have a little fun on their originally planned wedding date! The two still wanted this day to be special, so they decided to do a Lake Tahoe elopement!

About the day;

When Leila emailed me and told me their ideas and plan to switch it up and head up to Lake Tahoe for their elopement so they could get the most epic photos, I was obviously excited! Lake Tahoe is so special. While it is more known for it’s winter and summer activities, I was excited to check it out during the peak of fall! The colors were BOOMING! Aspens were yellow and the lake was calm. I met the couple at their cabin on the west side, and I told them the plan for the next day…

Since Lake Tahoe is so large, we wanted to get to all of the most beautiful spots in one afternoon. We started on the west side and headed south towards Emerald Bay. We climbed some rocks and we able to get amazing views of the water below us. When then kept going around the lake counter-clockwise. We found a beautiful aspen grove, which is where the couple privately said their vows to one another. (They both teared up!!)

We then carried on to the east shore. I wanted to show Leila and Aadi the beautiful rock formations on the lake with the sun setting over the Sierras behind the lake in the distance. It’s views like this that Lake Tahoe elopements so special. We did a mile hike down to a secluded beach. We popped champagne on the rocks and watched the sun completely set as the sky went dark. It was the perfect ending to their day. Afterwards, we made a complete circle around the lake and all went out to a nice restaurant as a finishing touch.

Why I love Lake Tahoe for Elopements;

Personally, I’m biased to the state of California and all of it’s beauty, but Lake Tahoe is so unique. Nestled up against the Sierra mountains, this glacial lake is a stunner. It has it all; beaches, mountains, emerald bays, large rock formations, casinos, A-frame cabins, you name it! While it does take a long time to get around the entire lake, it’s worth it to see all this place has to offer!