Yosemite Intimate Wedding Ceremony
Photo credit: Ryan Alonzo Photography
The Meaning of Yosemite
Meaghan always had a vision of tying the knot in Yosemite National Park. She grew up in San Francisco and spent her summers as a camp counselor. She’s completed most of the day hikes and has plenty of tales to tell about her adventures in the park.
John Muir wrote, “Yosemite Park is a place of rest, a refuge from the roar and dust and weary, nervous, wasting work of the lowlands, in which one gains the advantages of both solitude and society.” For a quick history on the national park system and Yosemite, check out this 4-minute rundown from the History Channel.
It is important to note that Yosemite is the traditional territory of the Ahwahnechee peoples, who have been stewards to this land since time immemorial, and we extend our thanks for this hospitality.
Meaghan and Emmie spent their summers hiking in Yosemite when they were off-duty camp counselors.
The Meet Cute
For Meaghan and Andrew, their love story began in November 2018 with a first date to see the movie Bohemian Rhapsody. The date was going well so they kept hanging out and quickly discovered their shared love of the outdoors. Andrew introduced Meaghan to the snowy hiking world of New England, and Meaghan introduced Andrew to road cycling.
In the Spring of 2019, Meaghan was preparing for the 500 mile AIDS Lifecycle ride from San Francisco to LA. Andrew didn’t hesitate to support her by hopping on his very slow and heavy mountain bike and joining her for training rides throughout Boston. All while realizing they were falling in love. On one of these training rides they discovered the Harvard General Store and it quickly became a special place to pitstop after a long ride from Somerville. Throughout their relationship they’ve discovered the secret to a lifelong partnership is vulnerability.
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope empathy, accountability, and authenticity.”
Brené Brown says that, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope empathy, accountability, and authenticity.” But damn. It’s sooo scary to reveal your hurts, histories, hopes, dreams, fears. All the many faces that make you, well you.
Over the past four years, they’ve taken the time to really get to know each other. They’ve found balance in the ways that each of their personalities differ, learned to lean on one another, ask for help, and be responsive to each other’s needs. Things were going so well that on June 27, 2021, Andrew surprised Meaghan right in front of that general store on a beautiful day in the company of great friends with a sign that said, "Meaghan, will you marry me?"
Andrew popped the question at one of their favorite cycling pit stops, Harvard General Store.
She said, “Yes”!
Meaghan and Andrew began planning their wedding in the peak of the pandemic. We can all agree that was a very stressful time to plan any type of gathering.
With Meaghan’s dream of having a Yosemite wedding, some of these concerns were negated. The biggest hurdle was getting everyone there safely. Meaghan and Andrew waited until the summer of 2022 with hopes that conditions surrounding Covid would improve. Fortunately, the wait was worth it. Everything finally came together and they were able to have the intimate wedding they’d always dreamed of.
A storm rolled through right before the ceremony.
A permit is required to get married in Yosemite.
Teneya Lake Ceremony
The weekend finally arrived. The stress, most of it anyway, had dissipated. It was time to celebrate! One of Meaghan’s biggest wedding day concerns was the organization of guests for the ceremony, directing them as they arrive, and creating a sacred space for everyone to gather.
That’s where my expertise comes in. Generally during elopements and intimate ceremonies there are two vendors on site: the photographer and the officiant. Within my role, I offer support with coordinating the ceremony from processional to recessional. This includes rallying your people in the parking area, helping with last minute touches such as boutonnieres and easing everyones’s nerves when weather is a little iffy. In fact, it rained right before the wedding and we hid amongst the pines and firs of the shoreline.
A little rain didn’t distract from the joy of the moment. As soon as it passed, the ceremony began and it was just magical.
“Our wedding truly felt like “us,” in a place that was inspiring and meaningful, and with our closest friends and family. Amanda’s grounding, calming and confident presence helped everyone stay connected to the meaning. ”
Adventure Elopement Photography
The images you see in this post wouldn’t be possible without a talented photographer - Ryan Alonzo. Choosing your photographer is a big deal, especially if you’re planning an adventure elopement or ceremony in a national park. You wanna hire someone who’s an expert in this area. They’ll help you navigate permits as well as offer various locations they’ve pre-scouted for your ceremony and portraits.
Over the past three years, I’ve worked with dare I say…hundreds of photographers. For Meaghan and Andrew’s ceremony, I had the pleasure of working with Ryan. He has nearly two decades of experience in Yosemite, residing in the area since 2003.
What stood out to me though was his calm demeanor. Even when the weather was shifty, he remained at ease. He was respectful of my process as the officiant and it felt truly collaborative. His skill can be illustrated in both his candid and documentary style images as well as the group portraits. No one will dispute that Yosemite in general possesses a magic that is indescribable but Ryan was able to hold that moment in time through his photos.
You can check out more of his work on his instagram: Yosemite Wedding.
Portraits taken after the ceremony with a humbling view of Half Dome.
Notable Mentions
The Welcome Party
Meaghan and Andrew had a welcome party in leui of a rehearsal dinner. Since they were already having a limited amount of guests attend, they wanted to maximize the time they were able to share with everyone. Around the Horn Brewing hosted and catered for them.
The Reception Venue and Lodging
There are very few lodging options on this side of Yosemite. Of course you could camp but if you want to shower and dry your hair before the wedding, you may opt for more luxurious accommodations. Meaghan and Andrew blocked off rooms at Rush Creek Lodge located conveniently just outside of the Yosemite gate. After the ceremony, guests returned to Rush Creek for the reception.
AirBnB
I opted for a private stay in Groveland, CA at Yosemite’s Front Door. I’m writing about this because I would definitely stay here again and my only regret was not staying longer. While it is a private room off of a home, the owner, Susan, is the sweetest. She’s not a superhost for nothing! 10/10 would recommend.
P.S. Meaghan and Andrew gave an exceptional review of Happily Ever Asheville that can be read here.
