Planning an elopement in Yosemite National Park? Here’s a guide to help you through it!
Where to begin?
Whether you are planning a wedding ceremony or an elopement inside Yosemite National park, you will need to inquire and register for a Yosemite wedding permit. The wedding permit costs $150. You can begin this application process as early as one year in advance or as late as 21 days before your selected wedding date. If you are planning on booking with a commercial photographer and/or videographer for your wedding, elopement, or event, you will need to also apply for the film/photo permit. One permit per company.
Places to Stay or Venues to Book
If you are looking into booking your elopement in Yosemite, you will most likely want to stay inside the park the entire duration of your stay. Below are a list of cabin and lodging locations inside Yosemite National Park that are possible to stay in.
Where to elope in the park?
Taft Point
Taft Point is a beautiful location to host your elopement ceremony. The moderate 2.2 mile long distance is relatively quick with only roughly 45 minutes to an hour walking until you reach the point. If you are looking into having a sunrise ceremony at this location, be sure to plan accordingly and leave an hour to an hour and a half before you would like the ceremony to begin. You will most likely travel to your destination in the dark, so be sure to bring a few flashlights. Be sure to pick a vendor team that isn’t afraid of heights. Taft Point sure is epic, but stunning. Having witnessed an officiant begin to feel faint just before beginning the ceremony allows for important information to be passed along. Deep breaths and enjoy the remarkable view.
Glacier Point
If you’re looking for a view that overlooks Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, and High Sierra, then Glacier Point may be the location to have your elopement. Glacier Point also has the perfect view of a gorgeous waterfall across from it. Glacier point can be accessed through the Valley from Glacier Point Road or Four Mile Trail.
Bridal Veil Fall
There are many perks to hosting your elopement ceremony at Bridal Veil Fall. First, it is a short 20 minutes and known to be a fairly easy hike. Second, Bridal Veil Fall is open year-round. The best time of year to visit this location is during the spring.
Should the ceremony be during sunrise or sunset?
This is completely up to you as the couple. There are certainly many benefits to having your ceremony in the early morning, though. Having a sunrise ceremony allows for more time exploring with your vendors for the remainder of the day. Many couples choose to have a sunrise ceremony, take a small lunch break, and continue hiking with your photographer and videographer for amazing sunset footage in the late afternoon. Another great part of having a sunrise ceremony is that there won’t be as many people hiking as there will be in the afternoon and evening.
Recommended Photo-op Locations
Below is a compiled list of locations that are relatively quick and fast photo-op opportunities. These locations are accessible for short, but stunning pit-stops.
- Cook’s Meadow (30 minutes, open all year-round)
- Mirror Lake (1 hour, open all year-round)
- Tenaya Lake (1-2 hours, open June-October)
- Washburn Point (2 minutes, open all year-round)
