Dreamy wedding along the shores of South Lake Tahoe

Weddings

Jun 20

Young newlywed couple dance at the end of the pier in their wedding attire.

South Lake Tahoe holds a special place in my heart—it’s where my fiancé grew up and it’s where we spend our holidays—and it holds a special place in Sara and Mark’s hearts too for very similar reasons. So when it came time for them to pick a wedding venue, it was a no-brainer for them to choose somewhere in Tahoe. From the sprawling mountains and woods to the blue lake and all of its magical views, it is one of the most stunning locations in Northern California and offers a wide variety of backdrops to any wedding.

Sara and Mark’s beautiful wedding day took place on a cool, crisp October day in 2021 along the shores of Lake Tahoe. The skies were the clearest blue, mirrored by the expansive lake and the couple’s color palette for their wedding. From all of their Disney-inspired details to their sweet friends and family, their day was so uniquely them and full of love.

A classic Lake Tahoe beach wedding

The day started with getting ready photos of the groom at their wedding venue, the Beach Retreat & Lodge at Tahoe, and group photos with his groomsmen and grooms-lady. Despite the chill, everyone was fully invested in taking some quirky, fun shots in addition to the standard poses! Once the groom’s morning had been fully documented, they relaxed and played Nintendo 64 while they waited for the day to really begin!

While the final touches were put on Sara’s hair and makeup, I was able to document some of the beautiful, tiny details of their wedding. In their flat lay, they included their wedding bands and Sara’s engagement ring, their wedding invitation suite, save the dates, Disneyland pins, Sara’s shoes, heirloom jewelry, and a sixpence for luck, longevity, and prosperity. All of which, I styled on top of Sara’s beautifully intricate veil.

Once Sara’s hair and makeup was complete, we made sure to get the classic robe shots on the bed before getting the bride into her beautiful, princess-worthy dress. The mother of the bride helped to put on her jewelry, while her maid of honor and other bridesmaids helped her put on her shoes and veil. Finally, the bride was ready for her first look with her father and some of my absolute favorite photos from the day. It was a sweet moment shared privately on the beach along the tree line.

Finally, the moment had come and the groom walked down to the beach to stand in from of the altar and wait for his bride. Sara walked down the aisle arm in arm with her father, towards her future husband with a beautiful view of Lake Tahoe behind him. It was absolutely breath-taking. There were laughs, tears, and sweet moments as these two shared their vows with their loved ones looking on.

The rest of the afternoon flew by in a blur as we celebrated Sara and Mark and their incredible love. From wedding party photos along the shoreline to hilarious and incredibly emotional toasts by the best man, maid of honor, and family members, we were fully enthralled by their day. There was also lots of dancing and time spent in the photo booth—even a few props made it out onto the dance floor!

And in the end, they closed out an epic wedding with a group dance to I’m Gonna Be (500 miles). It was pure magic and so much fun to capture.

If there’s one thing I learned for their wedding, its make it your own and celebrate how you want! They incorporated details that truly defined their relationship and details that they love. And they celebrate along the shores of a lake where Sara grew up. It was sentimental and beautiful, but more importantly, it was them.

Congratulations, Sara and Mark!