Yosemite Vow Exchange at Sunrise

For their Yosemite vow exchange, Garrett and Jared got to explore every corner of this national park! Their day was filled with adventure and was the perfect picture of a couple who ditched traditions and planned an elopement day their way. Keep scrolling to see more from their Yosemite vow exchange adventure.

How Garrett & Jared Decided on a Yosemite Vow Exchange

After getting married at San Diego City Hall, Garret & Jared continued the celebration with a post-elopement vow exchange in Yosemite National Park. When I asked the couple what had led them to choose Yosemite as their location, they told me, “We both come from very traditional families, and with our love story being outside the “norm,” we love the idea of celebrating a little differently for this special moment in our lives.” Hearing them talk about their vision for the day got me so excited as I love it when couples decide to celebrate in whatever way makes sense to them.

Yosemite proved to be the perfect place because neither Garrett nor Jared had ever visited the park before and it checked the box of being a unique elopement location, while also allowing the couple to get to explore a new place together. Together, the three of us planned their Yosemite vow exchange and took advantage of all the scenic viewpoints this park has to offer!

Garrett & Jared’s Elopement Vow Exchange in Yosemite National Park

Sunrise Vow Exchange at Tunnel View

Garrett and Jared’s elopement vow exchange started bright and early! We woke up before the sun rose and met at Tunnel View. We eased into the day with some blue hour lantern photos followed by the couple’s private vow exchange overlooking the valley. The morning air was crisp and cold and there was even some snow on the trails, but Garrett and Jared braved the weather so we could create some magic.

Adventure Photos in Yosemite Valley

After the sun came up we made our way down to the Yosemite Valley floor for more adventure photos in El Capitan Meadow - if you’re ever in Yosemite, stop is a must!! Make sure to look up at how tall El Cap is and if you’re in luck, and visiting during the right season, you may just see some climbers on the face of El Cap (people are so awesome!!)

After spending a bit of time at El Cap Meadow, the couple changed into their second outfits for a more casual look, and we continued exploring the meadow. Later in the morning, we also witnessed the solar eclipse, which was incredible and made for an even more memorable Yosemite adventure. This was the solar eclipse day when some states were in the Path of Totality, which, if Yosemite/California were in, it would’ve been so great to see - but we still managed to see something and get creative with some eclipse photos!! We ended the session in front of Yosemite Falls, which truly allowed the couple to experience so much variety within the park!

One of the most significant things about this elopement vow exchange in Yosemite was the location. Because it was their first time visiting Yosemite, Garrett and Jared wanted to experience as much as possible. I was able to guide them through some of the park’s most incredible viewpoints while also capturing their love and joy.

4 Ways to Plan a Non-Traditional Wedding

Your wedding or elopement day does not have to look just one way. There are many ways to make your day unique. Here are a few non-traditional wedding ideas to consider.

Commitment Ceremony

The biggest difference between a commitment ceremony and an elopement or wedding is that commitment ceremonies are not legally binding. They can still include things typically at a wedding or elopement, such as personal details, couple photos, personal vows, cake, etc., but no paperwork is involved. These ceremonies are a great way to express your love and commitment without including any legal aspects.

Elopement or Intimate Wedding

An elopement or intimate wedding is one of the best ways to create a wedding day around the things that matter most. There are so many ways to celebrate, whether you want to have an elopement with just the two of you, an intimate wedding with your closest loved ones, or a multi-day elopement that includes a mix of both! Want to learn more about elopements? Check out more of my resources below.

What is an Elopement?
Intimate Wedding vs Elopement: What’s the Difference?

Multi-Day Elopement

Why stop at a one-day celebration when you could have two or more? If you have multiple locations you want to explore or you plan to invite guests to your wedding, a multi-day elopement can allow you to have the best of both worlds. If this is an idea you haven’t thought about for your day, check out the link below to learn more about this option!

Top 9 Reasons to Plan a Multi-Day Elopement

Post Wedding Session

Like Garrett and Jared, a post-wedding session or vow exchange is a great way to focus on telling the story of your love. After officially getting married, these two ditched traditions and spent a full day uniquely celebrating their love. They focused on carving out intentional moments and prioritizing their experience, making for a joy-filled and memorable day.

Garrett and Jared’s elopement Yosemite vow exchange was so smooth and easy-going! These two were fully present and enjoyed exploring Yosemite together for the first time. Not only did they learn a few new ways to “pose” together, but they also crossed one of the best National Parks off their list while creating core memories in such a beautiful place! The way they kept the focus on creating joyful memories and being completely in the moment together made this day so special!

Want to learn more about eloping in Yosemite? Check out my complete guide below!

How to Elope in Yosemite

Kind words from the lovely couple:

“We were so happy that we chose Will as our photographer for our post-elopement photo session. While we considered several photographers whose work was good, our interactions with them felt more transactional. In contrast, our communication with Will felt genuine and personal from the start. Initially, all we knew was that we wanted an adventurous vow exchange in nature, but we were unsure about the exact location. After our first FaceTime session with Will, his insights about ideal April weather locations made our decision much easier.

As our date neared, our second FaceTime meeting with Will further reassured us. With other photographers, we felt hesitant to ask questions and didn’t want to take up too much of their time. However, with Will, the conversation flowed naturally and without pressure to have decisions already made. We even enjoyed discussing topics beyond the photography and our vow exchange.
On the Vow Exchange day, the word that best describes our experience is "FUN!" We braved the early morning cold to catch the sunrise in Yosemite. Although we were unprepared for how cold it was, Will had hand warmers ready for us. He was prepared and even helped us climb a cliff in our formal attire. I mentioned that I was a little scared of heights, and Will scouted out areas that appeared to require a lot of hiking experience to get to but were very safe and secure. Throughout the day, he shared cool tidbits about our locations and was just a cool guy to chat with.

Will provided clear instructions at each site and navigated each of the areas with such ease to get shots from multiple angles. A funny takeaway was the advice he gave on how to kiss for photos... kiss with your teeth! Don’t worry, he will explain, and you’ll clearly see the difference in the photos! :D It’s obvious he loves what he does and enjoys working with people. Towards the end of the session, we had our hearts set on a shot under a waterfall, and Will took the initiative to scout the perfect spot while we waited so we wouldn’t get completely soaked prior to the pictures – those were fun pictures. Also, despite crowded areas, he managed to capture shots that made it seem like we were alone or found secluded areas that were off the beaten path, making us feel incredibly comfortable in front of the camera.

Our time with Will went beyond the scheduled time as we took some creative shots. There was a solar eclipse that day and Will wanted to make sure that was a part of our memory. This just further, reflects Will's commitment to the experience over rigid time constraints and we were so thankful for that.

We can't praise Will enough! We've seen a sneak peek of our photos and are absolutely thrilled. Choosing which ones to display in our home will be a delightful challenge. We look forward to possibly working with Will again in the future. When another significant life event calls for photos, we won't hesitate to reach out to Will to capture our life and love. Thank you, Will!”
-Garrett & Jared