Portia and Trevor fell in love with Yosemite when visiting for their anniversary. While on their trip, they watched another couple get married at Glacier Point, which started the vision for their Yosemite wedding day. Instantly, they knew that they too wanted to get married with the majestic half dome behind them.
After planning a date with their closest loved ones, they reached out to me. As a lover of Yosemite I was so excited to help bring their glacier point wedding vision to life! I worked with Portia and Trevor to create a timeline for their wedding day to visit a couple of the park’s stunning locations.
Keep scrolling to watch their special day unfold… and if you make it to the bottom I’ve included my top tips to planning your Yosemite wedding at Glacier Point!
Their Yosemite Wedding Day
Portia and Trevor had the typical wedding morning jitters and couldn’t sleep. So they started their morning with an impromptu drive up to Glacier Point to watch the sunrise over half dome. They enjoyed their slow morning getting ready at Tenaya Lodge together.
Despite getting ready together, they still wanted to have a first look moment with each other all dressed up. So once it was time to put their suit and dress on, the nerves started to kick in. You can never fully kick the wedding day nerves even when it’s just the two of you. But Portia said she felt more excited than anything!
I helped set up a first look moment on the lawn at Tenaya Lodge for them before we loaded up the car to head down to Yosemite Valley.
These two wanted to spend their day visiting a couple of the valley’s most stunning and iconic locations. So we made our first stop at tunnel view to take in the park and kick off the celebration!
Then we headed to El Capitan meadows where we watched the climbers scale the giant rock face, and enjoyed the sun before it dipped behind the mountain.
Glacier Point Wedding Ceremony
Finally, it was time to head to Glacier Point where we would meet their families and make this official! We started with some quick family photos before the sun dipped behind the trees. Then set up a casual ceremony at Glacier Point Amphitheater, one of Yosemite’s ceremony locations in the park.
Portia’s dad walked her down the “aisle” to Trevor, while their closest family members surrounded them. These two shared some tears and laughs during their heartfelt vows.
Once declared Mr. and Mrs. they sent their family off to their warm cars for some private time. We explored the space around Glacier Point while Half Dome turned orange to pink as the sun set.
After our fingers and toes started to go numb, we called it an evening and went our separate ways. Portia and Trevor met up with their family for dinner. And I headed back to my Airbnb to start putting together some sneak peek photos for these two.
After Thoughts of Their Yosemite Wedding Day
When asking Portia about her Yosemite wedding day she said, “our favorite part of the day was waking up early in the morning to watch the sunrise at Glacier Point. We brought a thermos filled with coffee and talked about the day ahead of us and our future. We talked about how amazing it is that one day we can bring our kids to this exact spot and tell them about our wedding day. We were also able to talk through some nerves and have a really meaningful and grounding start to a great day together.”
Her biggest advice to other couples wanting to get married in Yosemite is “to book with Bri! A photographer that knows their way around the park can help you plan times, locations, and logistics. Bri is so incredibly helpful, especially during the planning process.” I feel SO honored hearing this and am so happy I was able to make the planning process easier for them!
Tips for Planning Your Yosemite Wedding at Glacier Point:
- Plan your ceremony on a weekday… even better, at sunrise! Even if you’re not morning people, Glacier Point is worth it at sunrise. There’s nothing like watching the sun come up behind half dome and it’s always nice to have a little extra privacy. Portia & Trevor chose to forego the early morning and get married at sunset, but the lighting at sunrise is absolutely magical!
- Start planning early and have a flexible wedding date. Glacier Point is the most sought after ceremony location in Yosemite. The park only issues one permit here per day between June and September. So if this is your dream, apply for a permit ASAP and be open to changing your date for whatever is available!
- Book a cabin in Yosemite West: This is the closest place you can stay to Glacier Point, which will make that early morning wake up call a little bit easier. There are tons of cozy cabins on Airbnb that are tucked in the trees. It’s such a lovely and peaceful place to spend your wedding week in Yosemite!
- Lastly, as Portia said… book with Bri! I will show you all the best spots in the park, help you plan your timeline so your day is fun and stress-free, and I will give you memories that you can cherish for the rest of your lives. Reach out to me and let’s chat about your Yosemite wedding!
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