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Lake Tahoe Wedding Photographers

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Lake Tahoe Wedding Photographers

Our Lake Tahoe photographers also provide documentary-style coverage in: Truckee, Sierra Nevada, Carnelian Bay, Incline Village, Kings Beach, Northstar, Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Tahoe City, Homewood, Meeks Bay, Stateline, Meyers, Kirkwood, Heavenly, Zephyr Cove, Glenbrook, Sand Harbor

Lake Tahoe Wedding Photography, Engagement Photo Sessions + Elopements

Intimate Wedding Photography in Lake Tahoe - Capturing the Joy of Small Celebrations - Discover the best Lake Tahoe photographers specializing in intimate marriages. Couples are embracing the trend of smaller, more meaningful celebrations. Let our talented photographers capture the happiness and closeness of your romantic, unique, casual, or at-home wedding.

By planning a simple Lake Tahoe elopement, couples are able to stay present in the moment and fully absorb the impact of their wedding day. With many couples feeling more comfortable and relaxed in intimate settings, it is not surprising that some of the most sincere and touching wedding photos are captured at smaller celebrations.

The WPJA has an abundance of top-ranked, Lake Tahoe documentary wedding photographers available right now who understand that some weddings can’t wait. Find yours today!
Recent WPJA WedElope Story Awards
The couple said their vows at a small ceremony at the Register Office, then walked the streets together, the bride was smiling big
Boz Green
At the end of the reception party, the happy couple wowed their guests by dancing together in the sparkler-lit venue
Penny McCoy
A newly engaged couple embraces on a wooden dock, cherishing their love. Surrounded by loved ones, they share a heartfelt moment as they prepare for their wedding journey
Furkan Akarsu

Lake Tahoe Photographers for Large or Small Weddings

Shooting an elopement or small Lake Tahoe wedding event is a wedding photojournalist’s dream: a fairly open schedule with lots of breathing space for creativity – it’s just the photographer, the couple, the officiant, and perhaps a few select companions.

California - Northern WPJA members are ready to document any civil ceremony, civil union, city hall, or any other type of elopement wedding, even if it is a Monday-Thursday ceremony. Search for the “Can Shoot Weddings on Short Notice!” message on the listings below.

10 Lake Tahoe Wedding Photographers...

Adventure marriage images by Nicky Byrnes of Nemus Wedding Photography

Nicky Byrnes, an elopement photographer, is well-versed in documentary wedding photography with a lifelong passion for capturing moments. Armed with a photojournalism degree and recognized work in both print and online magazines, she brings a unique artistic perspective.

Nicky Byrnes

Carnelian Bay in California, US *Now booking Lake Tahoe weddings.
48
1
7
3900 (USD)
Adventure weddings and elopement photography by Lauren Lindley

Lauren Lindley - Traveling wedding photographer specializing in capturing unforgettable moments. Enjoys people and gets them to feel comfortable in front of the lens.

Lauren Lindley

South Lake Tahoe in California, US
74
7
41
4200 (USD)
Capture beautiful moments on your special day with the talented wedding photographer Chris Werner in Northern California's stunning Lake Tahoe.

With over 25 years of professional experience, Chris Werner specializes in wedding photography, capturing the unique love and personalities of engaged couples. He began studying black and white film in 1994 and developed a fine art approach to photography over the years,...

Chris Werner

Truckee in California, US *Now booking Lake Tahoe weddings.
49
3
30
3850 (USD)
Adventure wedding and elopement photography by Kimmi Cranes

Kimmi Cranes is a California and Nevada wedding photojournalist and portrait photographer with a Bachelor of Fine Art degree from UC Santa Cruz, specializing in elopements. With over 10 years of professional experience, she is skilled at capturing the essence and emotions...

Kimmi Cranes

South Lake Tahoe in California, US
11
2
3
52
2000 (USD)
Kevin Sawyer for Elopements and Weddings and Engagement Photography

Kevin Sawyer is an award-winning, destination wedding and elopement photographer. With a passion for capturing unforgettable moments, he specializes in creating artful and photojournalistic images of weddings.

Kevin Sawyer

Lake Tahoe in California, US
58
1
67
3000 (USD)
Black and White Headshot of elopement, engagement and wedding photographer David Braun

David Braun is an artistic wedding photographer with a background in portrait art. With an artistic approach and extensive freelance experience, he excels in capturing the natural and unforgettable moments of wedding ceremonies. His expertise lies in anticipating and...

David Braun

South Lake Tahoe in California, US
1
4
1
1250 (USD)
California wedding and elopement photographer Annie Bang

As a wedding photojournalist and creative engagement portrait photographer in California, Annie Bang brings a background as a former journalist and Associated Press reporter. With a focus on documenting real moments and emotions, she uses documentary and photojournalistic...

Annie Bang

Los Angeles in California, US *Now booking Lake Tahoe weddings.
164
1
21
2500 (USD)
Northern California wedding photography by Drew Bird - Creative Storytelling

Drew Bird is a San Francisco Bay Area-based wedding photographer with years of experience. His focus is on telling stories through photographs, capturing authentic and unscripted expressions of beauty, love and connection.

Drew Bird

Oakland in California, US *Now booking Lake Tahoe weddings.
23
3
15
12
7
3500 (USD)
Lifestyle street portrait of Danette Chappell, a Nevada & California wedding photographer

From her humble beginnings as an intern in the vibrant city of Chicago to her current role as a documentary wedding photographer, Danette Chappell has perfected her craft, creating captivating visuals that immortalize love stories in NV and CA.

Danette Chappell

Reno in Nevada, US *Now booking Lake Tahoe weddings.
1
1
1
1225 (USD)
Reno Nevada & Lake Tahoe California Wedding Photography by Rachel Gazes

Wedding photographer and officiant Rachel Gazes, based in Reno/Tahoe, with nearly a decade of experience. Skilled in photography and ceremony officiating, she excels at working with families, pets, and calming nerves on wedding days.

Rachel Gazes

Reno in Nevada, US *Now booking Lake Tahoe weddings.
1
1
2600 (USD)

Map of Wedding Photojournalists Serving Lake Tahoe Couples

Lake Tahoe Wedding, Elopement and Engagement Images by WPJA Photographers

Below are some Lake Tahoe wedding photography samples from the world’s best wedding photographers of the WPJA. Some of these Lake Tahoe marriage pictures might be artistic portraits, details, or documentary-style images that have come from getting ready sessions, wedding ceremonies, reception venues, or Lake Tahoe engagement portrait sessions with couples.

A couple enjoys their dog at a picnic under the trees at Valhalla Estate in South Lake Tahoe, CA. The engaged pair, with big smiles on their faces, are captured in this fun engagement portrait.
An adorable surprise during the wedding ceremony at Stateline Brewery in South Lake Tahoe, CA: an infant joins the bride and groom on stage.
A couple shares a joyful moment on a snowy balcony at Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort, raising their glasses in celebration of their special day.
Sand Harbor, Lake Tahoe, Nevada: Newlyweds wander amidst colossal granite boulders overlooking the turquoise waters of Lake Tahoe, capturing serene natural beauty.
Lake Tahoe, NV: A couple walks hand in hand along a beach with the glow of the sunset and Lake Tahoe behind them. Creative portrait by a NV wedding photographer.
A couple portrait by a Lake Tahoe wedding photographer, featuring a couple holding hands and looking at each other surrounded by rugged rocks on the beach of Lake Tahoe. This image captures a romantic scene in a fine art style.
Sand Harbor State Park in Nevada provides a stunning backdrop as a couple embraces on the boulders of the shore of Lake Tahoe. Captured by a Nevada wedding photographer, this image showcases the beauty and romance of the couple in a natural setting.
At Valhalla Tahoe in South Lake Tahoe, an award-winning wedding photographer captured a close-up shot of a bride carefully selecting from a variety of bangles for her special day.
The Lake Forest Beach in Tahoe City, CA sets the scene for a captivating lifestyle couple portrait. Embracing on a bridge, the couple is off center in the frame with the picturesque expanse of Lake Tahoe behind. A playful leg lift adds a touch of romance.
Lifestyle couple portrait at Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, CA. A couple joyfully celebrates their love, popping champagne together on the bow of a boat, framed in the center of the picture.
High Camp Palisades Tahoe, CA: A touching moment shared between the bride and her mother during their reception dance, bathed in natural light on the bright dance floor of Palisades Tahoe.
Engaged couple, elegantly dressed, stands atop Cave Rock in Glenbrook, NV, surrounded by a vibrant sunset sky and the serene expanse of Lake Tahoe. - Eternal Love: Mountain Summit Romance

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can couples find reviews of Lake Tahoe wedding photographers?
A: We call them Client Letters. At the WPJA, we decided more than 20 years ago to avoid incorporating those third-person testimonials and endorsements that are found all too often in advertisements. Instead, we elevated our listings with the use of Client Letters, which represent the actual words and feelings of the clients who booked those Lake Tahoe wedding photographers for their own wedding.
Q: Who are the best Lake Tahoe wedding photographers for small elopements?
A: The WPJA is proud to have some of the top Lake Tahoe documentary wedding photographers for elopements. Our members are able to submit WedElope Stories that take you step-by-step, via a 9 image picture story, through the unique and moving elopements that take place around the world.
Q: How can couples find Lake Tahoe photographers for pre-wedding engagement portraits?
A: The WPJA issues Diamond Awards for Lake Tahoe wedding photographers to showcase their best engagement photography work. These awards are given to photographers who prove that they have an ability to be creative, artistic, and intuitive while working on-location with couples who are newly engaged.
WPJA Communiqué: Featured Wedding Photography Articles
Wedding Economy: The Ups and Downs
We all know that the economy can go through some hard times, and be somewhat reminiscent of past recessions. However, as people cut back on non-essential little luxuries here and there, one constant remains: weddings. People don’t tend to just stop getting married due to a...Read more
Clean background in this photo of the bride walking into her mountain ceremony.
Adventure Wedding Elopements
Some couples, as they begin planning for their weddings, might think that they are limited to the classic locations: churches, gardens, beaches, or even Las Vegas. But in doing so they’re missing out on a multitude of unique options that might suit their personalities much...Read more
jperlman elk cove inn ceremony
Top 4 Types of Small Weddings to Make Your Day Truly Yours
Everyone always says that your wedding day is all about you. But let’s face it; that’s not always actually the case. Many couples stress over guest lists, planning, expenses, and all the frills and traditions of your standard large wedding that they may or may not even be...Read more

WPJA Communiqué: Viewpoints
Elopements: Traditional and Modern
The oldsters among the WPJA ranks no doubt remember when 'to elope' meant, in Merriam-Webster’s definition, “to run away secretly with the intention of getting married, usually without parental consent.” Many wedding photographers have gone on the lam with couples who did just that. However, even Merriam-Webster now acknowledges that “elope appears to have become shorthand for ‘ small destination weddings ,’ a ‘ wedding that is not financially insane ,’ or a ‘ wedding that allows us to not invite all the people we would rather not invite .’” Smaller Weddings are... Read more
What is Reportage?
On Instagram and elsewhere, one can see images labeled as #photojournalism or #reportage when they are, in fact, merely photos. I say "merely," even though photography has been my career's great passion. But it's because of that passion and my respect for the work of actual photojournalists that I am particularly bothered to see wedding photographers call their work "reportage." That word properly used actually means something important beyond just a stylistic conceit. By contrast, however, I'm the lead cheerleader for those practitioners of #weddingphotojournalism ... Read more

RAVES, REVIEWS, AND Lake Tahoe WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER RECOMMENDATIONS

Sarah + Stephen

Photo by Drew Bird

Hey Drew - We went through all the pics last night and I just wanted to tell you again how awesome they are! You really captured some amazing moments and we're forever grateful! I was 3/4 through them and crying lol. It's as if we were replaying a story of the day. SO AMAZING! THANK YOU!!! We've shared the link with some of our guests and they are all raving about them as well! A thousand thanks, Sarah and Stephen

View Photographer

Emily + Zach

Photo by Drew Bird

Hi Drew - These photos are absolutely incredible!! We are speechless. We were looking through them this evening and it was like re-living the whole weekend in the sierra mountains. These are such treasured memories. We feel so lucky to have had you as our storyteller and that you were part of the weekend story, along with all our friends and family. Thank you!!!! -Emily + Zach

View Photographer
Edgewood at Tahoe wedding ceremony photography

LAURA AND SID

Photo by David Braun

Hi David, You were so great to work with and the pictures are really stunning. We will leave you a review ASAP, hoping to get to it this weekend! Thank you for everything!

View Photographer

WPJA contest judges have been recognized by their industry peers, winning top awards as staff picture editors, staff photojournalists, and newsroom mentors while working for these and other leading publications and journalism organizations.