Summer Hiking Elopement in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

V + K are two outdoor enthusiasts who pretty much spend every available weekend exploring all the things that mother nature has to offer. They love hiking, backpacking, fly-fishing, and climbing pretty much anything. Their sweet pup loves to join them on their expeditions and will lie down in any amount of water available to her — she’s the cutest!!

Read more about V + K’s love story on Dancing With Her!

HOW DID WE CHOOSE A LOCATION?

When we started talking about possibilities for where to hike and camp overnight, the Sierra Nevada mountains quickly became our favorite area, particularly the mountains and lakes south of Lake Tahoe. After discussing many different trail options, we honed in on one that seemed to have it all: a hike that was scenic and beautiful for the entirety of the trail, less than five miles each way, included two picturesque lakes, dog-friendly, and reasonable on the elevation gain.

Take your time, ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE.

One thing we wanted to make sure we had plenty of: time. We didn’t want to feel rushed during the hike or feel like we had to run up the mountain to get to our destination. We decided to focus on taking our time on the hike up and enjoying our surroundings which gave us lots of time to play and take photos along the way. It’s important to note that the sun sets much earlier in the mountains than it does at sea level, so keep that in mind if you’re planning to elope and camp out for your wedding celebration.

LESSONS LEARNED.

For myself, this was my first overnight backpack shoot and I definitely learned a lot from the experience. First: HYDRATE! Cannot stress this enough. Drinking water while hiking is so important, but doubly so when you’re at elevation and carrying extra weight (camera gear + a heavy pack). I also learned the importance of not neglecting to give your body fuel; this may be obvious, but don’t skip any meals and be sure to keep your electrolytes up. Also, big takeaway: trekking poles are amazing! This was my first time using them and I can’t recommend them enough whenever you’re doing a backpacking trip. They help so much with balance and also prevent your hands from swelling.

Another important lesson learned from this experience was that even with all of the online research available, you never really know how a location is going to look and feel once you’re there in person. We knew this location would be beautiful, but we didn’t, and couldn’t, fully appreciate just how beautiful until we arrived and got to experience it firsthand. I had so many pre-conceived ideas of where and how we were going to shoot (oh, this specific area on this side of the lake) and while it was good to have some ideas ready to go, we ended up doing something totally different and it was even better than I had imagined! My point is: go into a situation like this prepared, but be flexible so that you’re ready to shift your plans as needed.

Once camp was set up, V + K took a short break to relax while I captured some details. I absolutely love this wildflower-inspired bouquet by Soulflower Design Studio!

Aren’t their rings beautiful? Both bands are engraved with the coordinates of where they first met in Yosemite! Not surprising to hear that this outdoorsy couple met while backpacking in the Yosemite backcountry.

V + K then helped each other get dressed (those hard to reach zippers and buttons!) just as the sunset alpenglow was hitting the ridge behind their camp.

Hands down my favorite thing about photographing in the mountains is the ALPENGLOW!

Say hello the cutest “flower girl” ever! Such a great way to include your dog in your wedding celebration!

After staying up late to stargaze and take in the Milky Way (and the Neowise comet), we woke up early to enjoy the sunrise and some more alpenglow on the mountain ridges above the lake. K + V celebrated by popping champagne, enthusiastically spraying bubbles everywhere and then toasting the sunrise together.

Pro tip: In the northern hemisphere, the Milky Way is best viewed during clear nights in the summer months.

General location: Sierra Nevada Mountains
Dresses: Lulu’s + JJ’s House
Florals: Soulflower Design Studio