Elope in Yosemite

The photos don’t lie – eloping in Yosemite is a truly epic elopement experience! From dense forests to sheer cliff sides, it’s hard to compare any other experience to what it is to elope in Yosemite. Given the remote nature of the park, however, it can be incredibly difficult to plan on your own which is how a company like Simply Eloped comes into play – we ensure that from top to bottom that your big day is as stress-free and smooth as you need it to be for such an important day. We make eloping in Yosemite easy!

The only package we currently offer in Yosemite is called our Wildflower Package – or our adventure package. In this experience you, your partner, your officiant & your elopement photographer will set out to your chosen location, be it a waterfall, lake, meadow or rock feature. You’ll explore stunning national spaces together along the way as part of an immersive experience tailored to you. Your ceremony will be in an incredible location incorporating only what speaks to you – and we’ll be there to guide you and document it from start to finish. This package includes four hours of photography, a personalized ceremony, the Yosemite permit, your own Personal Elopement Planner and access to all of our incredible technology (like your dashboard, wedding page, custom payment plan and more!).

We recommend starting to plan your Yosemite elopement at least 2 months in advance, especially if you are planning to get eloped within National Park limits. A permit is required to elope within the park. It can take a few weeks to secure a permit, so it’s best to give at least a couple of months for securing the permit and coordinating details with our vendors.

As you can imagine, there are so many places to elope in Yosemite! You really can’t go wrong choosing a location for your ceremony, it just depends on how you want to get there. Do you want to be able to drive up and take a short walk? Do you want to go for a short hike? Or do you want to hike way out there and spend the whole day exploring the huge rock formations, stunning mountains, and beautiful lakes of Yosemite National Park?

If you are looking for an easily accessible location with restroom facilities nearby, check out some of Yosemite’s public picnic areas. Cathedral Beach picnic area, Sentinel Beach picnic area, and Swinging Bridge picnic area are wonderful ceremony locations. Because these areas are open to the public, it’s recommended to have your ceremony in the morning to have more privacy. Note that these areas have seasonal closures, so be sure to plan accordingly.

If you want to be able to drive to a stunning ceremony location with one of the most famous views in Yosemite, go to El Capitan Meadow [insert venue url]. The meadow is absolutely gorgeous year-round, and has the gigantic rock face of El Capitan towering in the background. Glacier Point offers a different viewpoint from above, with sweeping views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemite’s high country. It’s accessible by car from late May through October or November. In the winter months you can access it by snowshoe or cross-country skis. Washburn Point is on the way to Glacier Point, but it makes for an awesome ceremony location, too. Washburn Point is one of the most accessible viewpoints in the park and has one of the best views of Half Dome.

If you are hiking into your ceremony location, you have lots of amazing options. Mirror Lake [insert venue url] is an easy, scenic hike that looks directly up at Half Dome from its base. The hike to mirror lake is only 2 miles and can be extended to 5 miles by looping around the lake. It’s a great year-round hike, though the water may be super low at certain times of the year. Tenaya Lake is one of the best lakes in the park and a 2.5-mile hike makes it perfect for an elopement. You’ll find great views at one end of the lake and a sandy beach at the other. Though it’s farther away from Yosemite Valley, it’s still a favorite so plan accordingly if you want to dodge crowds.

Lower Yosemite Falls [insert venue url] is an iconic elopement location. The entire waterfall is 2,425 feet high — the tallest in North America and one of the tallest in the world. The lower falls are accessible by a short half-mile hike and very close to Yosemite Village. The falls are the most full in the spring and tend to dry up quite a bit by the late summer. If your ceremony needs panoramic views, go to Sentinel Dome. It’s accessible by a fairly easy 2-mile hike in. The viewpoint is an excellent choice if you want to try to avoid crowds but still have spectacular views.

Yosemite National Park is open year round, but sees the most visitors from May to October. There may be a certain time of year that is best for you, depending on what you want to see, specific places you want to access and the overall vibe you want for your elopement.

November through April is the best season to avoid crowds. The weather can be wintery and some roads are closed at this time, but if you want a winter wedding you’ll get the added bonus of solitude. Be aware that holidays can see an increase in winter visitors.

If nice weather is your priority, visit between June and September. The weather is gorgeous this time of year, wildflowers are blooming, and pretty much every trail and road will be passable. Though you may run into crowds at some of the more popular destinations like Glacier Point, there are ways to keep your elopement private like having a sunrise ceremony or weekday wedding.

October is a wonderful month to visit the park if you don’t mind slightly cooler temps. The crowds are low and though it’s not known for showy fall colors, you can get a dose of fall foliage in late October.

Yosemite is beautiful at any time of day, so choosing the right time of day for your ceremony depends on a few things. First thing to consider is what kind of vibe are you going for? Are you and your lover morning people or night owls? Are you planning to get hair and makeup done? Are you set on avoiding crowds?

Sunrise ceremonies are incredible in Yosemite and especially pleasant in the summer. It’s a great way to avoid summer crowds at locations like Glacier Point, though not guaranteed. If you are getting your hair and makeup done before your sunrise ceremony, it would mean getting a very early start since you will have to drive up in the dark to catch the sunrise. Down in the valley, you can get soft morning light in some areas and buy yourself a little more time for getting ready in the morning since you won’t have to travel quite as far before the sun rises.

Afternoon ceremonies allow you to spend the morning getting ready or doing whatever you want to do before you tie the knot. It’s also when crowds are at the max as people are out exploring during the summer months. When the weather is more sunny, afternoon light can be harsh for photos. In the winter, the afternoon could be the ideal time for a ceremony when it’s a bit warmer and brighter.

As you can imagine however, eloping in the evening in Yosemite takes the cake! There are many valleys so be sure you’re not equating sunset with what’s listed on a site like Google. In the instance of a valley, you’ll lose light much earlier than that. Reach out to us about the date you’re considering and we’ll tell you what we advise for lighting and timing!

A special use permit is required for any wedding in Yosemite National Park. We’ll apply for the permit on your behalf and can be reserved up to one year in advance and more than 21 days prior to your ceremony.

As soon as you have completed the application process, the clerk will give you your license immediately and you are ready to get married! Marriage licenses in California are valid for 90 days, so make sure to plan accordingly with your elopement date.

Go to any county clerk’s office in the state and bring $100, one form of government-issued identification per person, and proof of any prior legal separations. You may also need to bring copies of your birth certificates depending on the county. We send a marriage license guide with more specific details once you book with us!

In California you are required to have one witness present during the ceremony. There is no age requirement in California for witnesses, but any witnesses you choose will need to be old enough to sign their names on the marriage license. Your photographer can definitely act as a witness on your behalf if you have no guests. 🙂