Kristin Smith Photography

10/29/2026

Closed out my last elopement of the season by jumping into Lake Tahoe. Hiking shoes on. Clothes on. Cameras still on my hips. 😂

But let’s back up.

Hesham and Megan’s Lake Tahoe elopement started with a morning hike to an overlook where they exchanged vows, just the two of them. Me and my husband Rick behind the cameras, and along for the first part of the day for touch-ups and an extra set of hands to help carry stuff, which she's amazing at BTW!

After the hike, we ditched our layers, grabbed coffee at , then wandered down to the beach for more photos. Then came our first Detroit-style pizza and OMG. Already need to go back, and future couples, I have a pizza spot for you. 🍕

Next stop: Sand Harbor. NO ONE WAS THERE. Not even anyone at the entrance kiosk. 😂 We had cake, a toast, their first dance on the beach, and so much room to explore.

Hesham loves fishing, so naturally, he needed a photo holding Megan’s bouquet like a fish he’d just caught to show his friends. Between him and Rick throwing jokes back and forth, we were laughing ALL DAY.

Then came the ch*****ne spray on the rocks… followed by the bouquet taking a tumble straight into the lake.

I saw where it landed and knew I needed to GO. No time to take my shoes off. Just walked right in, cameras and all. Bouquet saved. Cameras fine. Shoes and pants very wet. 😂

You wouldn’t even know those flowers had been dunked in Tahoe. A solid advertisement for the faux bouquets I always include. Apparently, they also come with retrieval services.

We stayed through sunset and into blue hour, soaking up the last of the light together.

But something I’ll remember just as much as the bouquet rescue was Hesham thanking us during their toast. There was plenty of humor involved, obviously, but hearing how much it meant to have us there got me. 🥹

That’s how the whole day felt. Hanging out with two friends, laughing until our faces hurt, and getting to photograph them being completely themselves.

Hesham and Megan, what a freaking good day to end the season on. ❤️

My only complaint? My geese friends didn’t show up. No people feeding them, no reason to clock in, I guess. 😂

10/25/2026

Sent off Lexis and Jason’s sneak peek! 😍

I am so excited to share more photos from their Sand Harbor fall elopement!

These two started their day with a first look and private vows in a little gazebo before heading to the lake to get married with their family and dogs.

And yes, the pups absolutely got their photo time too. 🐾😉

After the ceremony and some photos, they headed back to their Airbnb to get the dogs settled back in, then met us back at Sand Harbor for cake, ch*****ne, and the evening by the lake.

I freaking love that we had time for all of this. The family moments, the dogs, popping ch*****ne, wandering around the park—and then going back to the exact spot where they got married for their first dance.🥹

Also, a little reminder if you’re planning your elopement: we can build a break into your day! You can spend time with your family, we'll stop for your favorite food, and come back for sunset photos. We’ll figure out a timeline that makes room for it all.

We photographed those bright Tahoe blues, played on the rocks as the light changed, and stayed until it was time to pull out the lanterns.

Lexis and Jason, I’m so excited for you two to relive all of this. There’s SO much more coming. 🤍

10/23/2026

After photographing sooooooooo many weddings, I finally met a bustle that kicked my ass. 😂

Please enjoy this behind-the-scenes moment my husband captured of me sitting on the boardwalk in Tahoe, cameras hanging off me, fully losing a battle with a wedding dress.

You’d think after helping with that many bustles, I’d have seen it all. Apparently this one had something to teach me. 🤣

Also, a little love for my Spider Camera Holster because I freaking LOVE this thing. I can sit down like this and work on a bustle without worrying about my cameras banging on the ground. I loved having both hands available to figure out what the hell was going on with this dress. 😂

A little wedding day tip: have someone record a video of your seamstress showing you how to bustle your dress. Those tiny loops and buttons have a real talent for disappearing when you need them.

Saving this photo for the next time someone asks what being an elopement photographer and planner looks like. Sometimes it looks exactly like this. 😂

10/19/2026

Lexis and Jason, congratulations!! We loved spending the day with you two 🤍

So.. that glow behind them? Dust. My husband was kicking up dirt behind them for this one! Anything for a fun, creative photo, but next time, more dust! 😂

Lexis and Jason got married Saturday at Sand Harbor with their family and their pups, and I have so much to share from their day!

After the ceremony, they took a little break to bring the pups back to their Airbnb, then we met back up at Sand Harbor for cake, a toast, and the rest of their evening.

And let me tell you, midday light and evening light here are WILDLY different. We had those gorgeous bright blues for their ceremony, then got to photograph the lake all over again as the light softened. Same park, completely different look, and I love that we made time for both.

We strolled through the park taking photos, then headed back to the spot where they got married for their first dance on the beach. A few hours earlier, they were saying their vows there with everyone watching. Now they were back, dancing together by the water 🥹

Then we climbed around on the rocks, played with the light, and put Rick to work kicking up dust. These two were so playful together and up for getting creative with us, which made this part of the day so freaking fun.

We ended on the beach with lanterns at blue hour, squeezing in those last photos as the daylight faded.

This is why I’m always talking about giving yourselves TIME on your elopement day. You can take a break, get your pups settled, eat your cake, dance on the beach, and stay out long enough to see the light completely change. There’s so much we can do when we have time to enjoy it.

And if you want that bright turquoise water at Sand Harbor, you HAVE to go midday when it's super bright outside.

Fun Fact, the water is so clear here, that this is one of the best spots for underwater photos (besides a pool, lol). Already ready for next summer! 😂

10/15/2026

Just sent off my last elopement timeline of the year, and I’m a little sad about it. 🥹

Two more elopements to go, and that’s a wrap on my season.

I spend so much time planning these days with my couples, getting excited about the locations, figuring out all the little details… then suddenly we’re here, and the season is almost over.

And those timelines? There’s a lot more to them than picking a random ceremony time.

We’re figuring out when each location gets the best light, how long it actually takes to get there, and leaving room for food, celebrating, and a few unplanned stops along the way.

If you’re planning an elopement wedding, give yourselves more time than you think you’ll need. A short ceremony doesn’t mean your whole wedding day has to be short, too. You can have a slow morning, share your vows, go out for lunch, and end the day watching the sunset together.

Still two more elopements to look forward to over here. And I’m going to soak them up. 🤍

10/07/2026

Evan hung with us for SJ and Dave's elopement. He is a freakin wizard at video, check it out!

This is "SJ + DAVE" by Evan Risucci on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

10/06/2026

SJ and Dave’s full gallery went home today, and I’m over here reliving their entire summer Lake Tahoe elopement. 🥹💙

These two had one goal: HAVE FUN.

So we started with vows in the forest, stopped in Kings Beach for lunch and ice cream, made time for a first dance, and enjoyed Sand Harbor for sunset.

Then we got in the freaking lake. 😂

SJ had been waiting for that swim ALL DAY. Wedding dress and everything, she went right in—and later told us it was her favorite part of the day.

Rick and I were in there with them, cameras in water housings, getting tossed around by the waves and laughing right alongside them.

And now they have the whole story to look back on. Their vows. Their ice cream stop. Their first dance. The way they looked at each other before getting soaked. All those little moments that made this their wedding day.

This is why I love full-day and multi-day elopements. There’s time to get married AND spend a day doing things you actually enjoy together.

Want forest vows, good food, and a sunset swim of your own?

I’ll help you choose your Tahoe or California locations, bring together your team, and plan a day with room to enjoy it all. 💙

www.kristinsmithphotography.com

10/02/2026

Why walk over to your bride when you can hop? 😂

Barefoot on a Lake Tahoe beach, marrying your favorite person, and bringing a little extra personality to the photos. These are the little moments I love keeping. 🤍

Planning a small wedding in California? You can have an intimate Lake Tahoe wedding with family AND leave time for an elopement-style experience together.

Celebrate with your closest people, enjoy lunch, then head off for beach photos and a sunset swim. Or take a scenic drive, grab ice cream, and spend a little time soaking up the fact that you’re MARRIED.

Eloping with guests doesn’t mean you need a packed schedule. And an intimate wedding doesn’t have to squeeze your whole celebration into a quick ceremony and a few portraits. You can make a full day of it!

As a California elopement photographer and planner, I help couples with location ideas, permit guidance, timelines, and photography for small celebrations in Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Mount Shasta, San Francisco, and along the California coast.

There’s room for your favorite people AND some time for just the two of you. 🥹

10/02/2026

One thing I wish more couples knew before planning their California elopement: a 15-minute ceremony doesn’t mean you only need 15 minutes at your ceremony spot. 😂

There’s getting there, finding parking, walking to the location, getting everyone settled (if you have guests), exchanging vows, hugging your people afterward… and taking a minute to realize you’re actually MARRIED.

Those little pieces need room in your day, too.

Here are a few things I look at when building a California elopement timeline:

🌅 Start with the part you’re most excited about.
If sunset photos by the water are a priority, I work backward from there. If you want a slow morning together or a long lunch with family, we make space for that first.

🚗 Count more than the drive.
A 30-minute drive can become a much longer transition once you add packing up, parking, walking and bathroom stops. That’s especially easy to overlook when you’re choosing several photo locations.

👨‍👩‍👧 Plan around your guests’ comfort. (or have NO guests!)
Can everyone comfortably walk to the ceremony spot? Will they need a place to sit? What will they do when you leave for photos? These details help your people enjoy the day, too.

🥪 Give food an actual spot on the timeline.
“Eating whenever” is an easy way to end up hungry halfway through your wedding day. Make room for lunch, bring snacks and keep water handy.

🤍 Leave some breathing room.
You might want to stay at the lake longer, spend a few extra minutes with family or take a quiet break together. A packed timeline makes those moments harder to enjoy.

My biggest tip? Choose a few things you’re really excited about and give yourself time to enjoy them. You don’t have to fit every beautiful location into one day, that's why multi-day elopements are becoming a thing.

What’s one thing you’d want plenty of time for on your elopement wedding day?

10/01/2026

An intimate Lake Tahoe wedding with an elopement twist. You can have both. 😊

I just delivered Allegra and Mason’s full wedding gallery, and I love how much LIFE is in these photos.

Their day started with a beach wedding ceremony at Round Hill Pines, surrounded by their closest family and friends. Gorgeous Lake Tahoe views, their favorite people, and a few geese who decided they were part of the wedding too. 😂

After their ceremony and beach portraits, we headed to Riva Grill for lunch overlooking Lake Tahoe, first dances, and parent dances.

Then it was back to their Airbnb to hang out with family and friends, enjoy time together, and cut their ice cream wedding cake.

That cake was SOLID. Watching them try to cut through it while cracking up was one of my favorite moments. 😂

They got the intimate wedding ceremony, family celebration, and wedding traditions they wanted. And they still had an entire evening to enjoy Tahoe together.

During lunch, Allegra was hot and DONE with her wedding dress. Our original sunset photo plan started sounding a lot less fun than getting into the lake.

So I suggested a golden hour swim.

Immediate YES.

After spending time with everyone at the Airbnb, they changed into comfy clothes. I’d bought myself Tahoe shorts and a tank from the gift shop, and we headed to the beach for a sunset dip.

It was their first time swimming in Lake Tahoe since arriving, and they kept saying how happy they were. 🥹

Of course, I was right there in the water with my camera, photographing every laugh, splash, and hug.

This is what an intimate Lake Tahoe wedding and elopement day can look like.

A beach ceremony with your people. Lunch with a lake view. First dances and cake. Time to hang out with family. Then a sunset swim, just the two of you.

As your Lake Tahoe elopement photographer and planner, I can help build the rest of your day around the plans you may already have and the things you’re excited to do. We’ll create a timeline with room to enjoy it all and change things when something else sounds even better.

Now booking 2027 California elopements and intimate weddings.
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