Here at GWS, we’re big proponents of having the wedding YOU want. It’s why you’ll find the most unique of days featured on our pages from ceremonies on a boat to circus-themed weddings! For Molly + Josh, the most personal way to say their vows involved the great outdoors, a playful game of rock-paper-scissors, and ditching the traditional wedding wear for something much more comfortable. Because just who said that you can’t get married in yoga pants?! (More power to you, Molly!) Here’s how the idea for their wintry Yosemite elopement unfolded:
When I started thinking about the possibility of eloping to Yosemite, Josh and I had been engaged for 3 years and weren’t really excited about any of the wedding options we’d considered thus far. Our trip to Yosemite originally began as just an opportunity to visit during our Thanksgiving break. After booking the trip and doing a little research on what we’d do while visiting, I started to consider the possibility of eloping! Josh and I love the outdoors, hiking, camping, rock climbing, and snowboarding, so marrying in a beautiful (potentially snowy) meadow sounded like a dream. With only two months to plan what I could plan, we put together a really special day that I would do again in a heartbeat. We had the best day because we got to just play and be together.
The night before their vows, Yosemite was covered in a blanket of snow, leaving behind the fall leaves for a magical winter wonderland. Can you believe the luck?! Thankfully, Priscila Valentina Photography was able to make it through snow-covered streets to capture these two as they laughed, played, and said YES! to all the adventures to come:
Big Day + Lots of Play!
How cute is this!
Look who came to witness the vows! Like a fairy tale!
Just adorable.
WOW, what a shot!!
Can you tell they were having a blast?!
Vows in the Snowy Yosemite Valley
Not even real.
It’s hard to pick one moment because the whole day was spent having fun and exploring a beautiful place together. One silly, special moment was playing rock, paper, scissors to decide who read their vows first. The second most memorable was confirmation that our officiant and photographers made it safely into the park and the wedding would happen!! (Snowy, icy conditions that required tire chains, made the trip much more eventful!)
Looks like Josh won!
Newlyweds!
Now, this is how you celebrate.
What an actual dream!
Please have the wedding you and your partner want. Weddings come with a lot of expectations from other people but it’s your love, your wedding, your marriage. More specifically for any couple marrying in a national park, you’ll probably need a permit. Be prepared for a little back and forth paperwork with the special events office.
Since our wedding day was going to be spent outside, exploring Yosemite in late November, we just wanted to be cute, warm, and comfortable. We also wanted to get clothes we knew we could wear again and again. Josh wore his wedding pants on a business trip this week! We did get to have our fancy, dressed up moment at the end of the day, though, when we took some photos around the Ahwahnee and had dinner.
Dressed up or dressed down, these two were totally made for each other! All our congrats to M + J and your positively FUN Yosemite elopement!
photography: Priscila Valentina Photography // venue name: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, California, USA