Featured California - Northern Wedding Elopement Photographers
Planning for a small marriage ceremony in California - Northern? The best California - Northern wedding and elopement photographers are members of the Wedding Photojournalist Association. Search this site for links to award-winning, documentary-style wedding images, links to venues, and view photographers by region to find info on their rates and packages.
Page Last Updated September 27th, 2023
The groom turns back to offer encouragement to his wife as she descends the wet stone stairs in front of a dazzling waterfall and misty rainbow at Yosemite National Park, California.
This hiking-loving couple originally planned a big wedding, but cancelled it when it just didn't feel like them. Instead, they planned a month long road trip to the west coast to tour all the National Parks, and decided to elope in Yosemite halfway through the trip. The couple was up for anything, in all...
The bride wipes away a tear as the groom's emotional vows are read.
Emma and Damian chose to elope in Yosemite National Park, just the two of them, on a beautiful spring day. Not one for tradition, Emma chose to wear a sparkly black gown and Damian wore a velvet green tuxedo. They shared a sweet first look in the forest and a deep hug, then hiked into a grove of huge sequoia trees to say their vows. More emotions leaked out of their eyes as they tearfully read their words of commitment...
Sarah and Nick exchanged rings and a handfasting on the shore of Mcleod Lake in Mammoth, California. The colorful water was the perfect background for their nature-themed elopement.
Surrounded by the crisp mountain air and 3 curious deer, these two said their vows privately at sunrise. This allowed them to be themselves and not feel watched during their most intimate moments. Since they spend so much time hiking and enjoying the outdoors, they chose to say their vows in their outdoor...
Onlookers toss snow over the newlyweds at the top of Mammoth Mountain.
Sara and Kunyu tied the knot at a lakeside ceremony in Mammoth Lakes one morning in April. They spent the rest of the day doing all the activities they love together. They even included their two dogs and two cats in everything!
This elopement took 9 years to plan, but most of it was done in the last ten days :) The long term pair chose their dating anniversary to be their wedding date and arranged to be in...
The bride laughs at the groom making a joke while they enjoy time on Speedboat Beach at Lake Tahoe, California after their wedding ceremony.
Chuck and Sylvia both worked together, but didn't date for a while. However, Sylvia was checking Chuck out from the beginning. She finally decided to make a move one day while leaving work. She honked at him and basically cat-called him, which just shows how playful and fun this couple is.They had a small ceremony at their mountain home in Kings...
On a small outdoor patio at a private estate outside of Truckee, California, an intimate elopement occurs in the woods of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.
A lot of mountains had to be moved for Jenny and Tom’s Covid affected Martis Camp elopement to happen. The largest of which was that Tom’s parents live in Israel and were worried about being able to attend at all, despite the fact that they were both vaccinated...
A romantic portrait of the bride and groom that really showcases the bride's gorgeous white dress, the emotional and deep love that the couple share, and the glorious green and lushness of the Tahoe National Forest. The trees loom high overhead, the big leafy ground cover is lit up by a touch of sun that has made its way through the tree opening, and the sky is bright blue with the few fluffy clouds that have made their presence.
These two lovely people reached out to me wanting to do...
The bride and groom pose for an intimate portrait on their wedding day, in which their love, affection, and devotion to one another was on full display.
If the COVID-19 pandemic taught anyone anything, it was that it's so important to live in the moment. Pooja and Akash decided to take that approach to the global crisis, and the couple took advantage of the opportunity to plan an intimate and romantic elopement at the Golden Gate Outlook in San Francisco, California. However, the...
Kevin steals a quick yet passionate kiss from his soon-to-be bride before they meet with their wedding officiant.
For Jocelyn and Kevin, becoming husband and wife was less about the pomp and circumstance and more about confirming that their love for one another would last a lifetime. In the midst of the global pandemic, this couple decided to begin their marriage with an intimate ceremony at Seal Cove Inn, Half Moon Bay in Moss...
Typically a popular destination for tourists and locals, this cool afternoon was very quiet.
Inspired by the natural beauty of the San Francisco Bay Area, Monika and James had originally planned a Napa Valley wedding but first came the pandemic, then wildfires which nearly destroyed their venue and filled the bay with smoke for over a month. Needless to say, the wedding plans were off. Still madly in love with each other and their new nome, the couple reached out to us to capture some...
The ceremony site was in the main garden directly behind the historic Gamble Garden House. It was just the perfect time of day, with the setting sun streaming over the top of the house. It was also really lovely the way Jeanne and Charlie's immediate family (their only guests) fit perfectly in one row of seats in the open space. Most everyone was wearing face masks during the ceremony due to the pandemic.
Gamble Gardens is a...
The bride and groom share a few minutes together before the wedding ceremony.
Rachel and Tyler originally planned to have their big dream wedding - over 100 guests, a huge bridal party, assigned tables, dance floor, the whole thing. They had already booked the Lake Tahoe Golf Course in preparation for their big wedding. Alas, the Covid-19 pandemic hit earlier this year and forced them to change their plans.
Within weeks, they had canceled all the reservations for their big...
Captain Steve officiates their wedding ceremony on the bow of his boat, overlooking Vikingsholm Castle in Emerald Bay State Park. Vikingsholm Castle was constructed in 5 months in 1929 for Ms. Lora Knight and modeled after Scandinavian architecture.
For Julieanne and Mark, boats had always been central to their relationship. Mark had proposed on the Queen Mary and...
As the ceremony was nearing its conclusion in the middle of this mystical redwood forest, I knew that I wanted to capture 'the kiss' from a distance in order to show some of the context of the forest. So, I scrambled up through the gorge over slippery rocks and downed trees (with two cameras in hand!). I got to my spot just in time and turned around to see this magical scene.
The wedding ceremony site was in the middle of an incredible and massive redwood grove. As the ceremony started...
With panoramic views of the Hot Baths of Mammoth Lake surrounding them, Steffy and George hold hands as their wedding ceremony begins.
Anyone who planned a wedding in 2020 likely has a bittersweet story, and Steffy and George were no exception. The couple had originally planned a large, traditional wedding in October 2020, but knew in March that they would have to redesign their wedding plans. They opted for a Labor Day elopement at their favorite vacation destination, Mammoth Lake....
The couple shares their first kiss at their intimate garden elopement as wedding guests gather around during their outdoor ceremony.
Hannah said after planning multiple weddings and having all their plans change: “Not going to lie, being a covid bride is probably number 1 on my ‘do not recommend’ list, but dear universe sometimes you have it so figured out…”
When Hannah and Max’s Washington wedding was canceled due to Covid, they came up with an alternative plan…or five. Like so...
Slow dancing to the jazzy performance at the station exit.
The weather on Claudia and Steve's wedding day was quite dramatic. It rained the night before, and on our way to San Francisco, it was still pouring. But just when we arrived in the city, the sky cleared up with a nice blue sky, sunshine, and beautiful white clouds.
The time was a bit rushed, as always with every wedding, but the ceremony at City Hall was just perfect. After the ceremony, we walked around the city...
Here, the bride and groom, surrounded by a few close family members and friends, stand before their officiant during the ceremony in an ornate marble room in the SF City Hall.
This charming bride and groom, who have known one another for 10 years, say that they are best friends. They couldn’t wait to finally get married and chose to have a small elopement ceremony with only a few guests before...
Aashna and Ben were supposed to have their grand wedding this year in August, but due to these unexpected current events, their desired venue was shut down by the government. They didn’t let this stop them, though. They decided to still have their intimate and emotional wedding ceremony on the original date they had planned and will have their celebration with their full guest list later in 2021.
Here we can see the bride and groom dressed in traditional clothing and sitting on a bench...
The couple found the perfect spot at Taft Point in Yosemite National Park, California to get married.
These guys came all the way from Illinois to get married in Yosemite National Park! They started planning this three months prior to the initial stages of COVID. The park was temporarily closed and travel was uncertain, but they kept their eye on the goal of getting married at Taft Point.
Everything was planned and...
Jenny and Kiet pose for a stunning portrait outside of the San Jose City Hall after their wedding ceremony.
Jenny and Kiet had planned a double wedding with the bride’s sister and her fiance. It was originally scheduled for May of 2020, but the pandemic quickly changed their plans. Once the California governor allowed weddings inside...
After the ceremony, the bride and groom recede down the aisle. Guests throw rose petals as a symbol of showering the bride and groom with love. Flowers provided by LR Farm, Rosa Wyglendowski.
The historic Heritage House Resort and Spa on the Mendocino Coast is literally a Hollywood movie set of a cliffside inn with multiple, beautifully restored units over...
The big moment when they were about to be announced as husband and wife.
It was a stormy night before Stella and Wailun's wedding day, but it turned out amazingly beautiful the next day in San Francisco. The couple had a small ceremony at the San Francisco City Hall with just their close families and friends. It was quite emotional, especially for the bride. And coincidentally there was a group of...
This couple enjoyed a romantic and sweet wedding at the San Francisco City Hall. There were no fancy decorations, no crowds of guests. Instead, the only two things present were the love and joy between the couple—simple and sincere. The simple elegance of the day allowed the two to share an intimate and private day together, making their wedding all the more memorable. In addition to being Lilian and...
Kierney and William ride bikes to the County Clerk's Office, the ONLY acceptable form of transportation on their wedding day.
Kierney and William had a large outdoor beach wedding planned for September 2020, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they decided a few weeks that what they really wanted was to just be married. Kierney and William are incredibly relaxed, adventurous...
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