The McWatts - Family photography Yosemite style

The McWatt's contacted me just a few days before they planned to arrive in Yosemite. It was their first trip to the park, but a special one; they were coming to celebrate their tenth anniversary and renew their weddings vows. And the best part was that their four year old daughter was going to officiate the ceremony - how cool is that?

Those of you who know me, know that I generally shy away from family photography. It's not that I don't enjoy it (I really do), but generally speaking my photographic vision doesn't line up with traditional family photography clients and I don't like do work that doesn't inspire me. When the McWatt's first contacted me, they made it very clear that they wanted me because of my style photography and how it matched their family. Now we're getting somewhere.

We met up late in the afternoon at the Ahwahnee Hotel and traveled around the park for a few hours. Their family has a lively personality; a mother and father deeply in love, son and daughter wild with life. Their personalities are honest and true. That is what drives and makes the photos, the McWatt's. It's all about them.

















It was a great experience being able to spend the day with such solid family and get to know them. I look forward to seeing you guys next year!

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Bridgette and Tommy - Yosemite Elopement in the Snow

Outdoor adverturers through and through, Bridgette and Tommy traveled from Lake Tahoe to marry in Yosemite. It was a planned elopement with two of their closest friends in one of their favorite spots on earth.

These two are some of the most down to earth people I have ever met. Some people might be upset by snow on their wedding day. For them it made the day; the scenery took on a new beautiful look, created a totally unique wedding for them, and the snow definitely meant fresh powder for them the next day at Badger Pass.

I met up with Bridgette and her friend Shannon as the prepared for the wedding in their Ahwahnee Hotel room where Carol of Bellissimo was putting on the finishing touches on their hair and makeup.





Meanwhile downstairs, Tommy and his friend Tim were relaxing with a beer. It was immediately obvious to me by Tommy's attitude how much he cared for Bridgette; he sat in quiet contemplation of his coming wedding and lifetime with his wife.



I was busy snapping a few portraits of Tommy, when his bride stepped out of the elevator and they caught their first glimpse of each other (a moment, I am sure they will never forget).




After a few minutes of heartfelt embraces, we headed outside to take some photos around the park before the ceremony. It was cold and the weather kept switching between snow and rain, but they came prepared with art-deco umbrellas. We traveled through the park in two cars, the girls in one and the guys with me. I bring this up only because the whole time Tommy was in the car with me, he couldn't stop talking about how beautiful his bride was. Love, baby.







Just like the week before, I had the bride and groom duck into the tunnel to get out the the elements while I continued to shoot. This one's for you Carol!



The clouds opened up and beautiful light came through just long enough to let us get this shot. None of us could stop talking about how beautiful the park is in the winter.



Eventually we made our way down to the Yosemite Valley Chapel, where Rev. Autrey Nassar held a ceremony in the open meadow. As luck would have it, this was the exact moment that the temperature dropped and the pouring rain turned to dumping snow.





This picture has the perfect ratio of snow, love and tears of joy.



As soon as the ceremony was over, we headed back to the warmth of the Ahwahnee to sign the marriage license and take a few more photos around the hotel.








To close off the night, everyone gathered for a drink inside the Ahwahnee's bar and an impromptu crazybooth-sans-booth appearance.




As I shoot more and more elopements, I am beginning to understand that they are less about escaping the rituals associated with a wedding and more about free you to have your wedding. It's a state of mind, not a statement. Congratulations again Bridgette and Tommy - a truly unique wedding adventure to start your new adventure together!

Hair and Makeup: Bellissimo
Flowers: Sweet Pickens
Officiant: Rev. Autrey Nassar
Photographer: Patrick Pike (but you knew that)

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Kathleen and Stephen - Yosemite Elopement In the Rain

An elopement is the ultimate in wedding freedom. When Kathleen and Stephen first began to plan their Yosemite wedding, they suddenly realized all of the wedding details that demanded answers. It wasn't long, they told me, that they knew that the freedom of an elopement was right for them. All at once, questions about the appetizers and musicians melted away leaving them to have their wedding. When you're having a wedding on your own terms, you only see each other, not the seeming obstacles.

That's why when I first saw the weather forecast for their wedding day, I knew the wedding would not be postponed. Kathleen and Stephen were not going to let a little bit of rain and sleet stop them. Instead, we embraced the rain and moved forward. The way that they looked at each other as the rain drenched them was simply poetic.

We started the day in the Ahwahnee Hotel, for a few quick portraits before we stepped into the rain.



We crossed the Merced River and held a small ceremony at the base of Yosemite Falls. The ceremony was uber-quick; they exchanged their vows and rings before a passionate kiss.





After the ceremony we traveled around the Valley for a while shooting in the rain.





We headed up to Tunnel View, hoping the clouds might open up as the storm passed, but we didn't get that lucky immediately. Instead, we went into the tunnel to stay dry. I've been wanting to shoot in this tunnel for quite a while, but normally there is a lot of traffic here. Thankfully this day there were only a few cars (and snowplows) that we had to dodge. Hey, no one said this photography thing was totally safe.




Finally, the sky opened up for us to gaze across the valley.



After the sun went down, we stopped for just a few more photos.






For me it was a challenging day to say the least, I've never shot all day in the rain. In the back of my mind I kept wondering what a "weatherproof" camera really meant. But not even once did I have to tell Kathleen or Stephen to force a smile or look happy. And for your family Kathleen, I was there and it did happen - they got married!

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Planning a Yosemite Elopement

There are many reasons to elope, some practical, some personal. Elopements are very special and bring the focus of the wedding directly to the love between a man and a woman, and nothing else. Ultimately, whether or not to elope is entirely your decision. But the truth is, despite being much easier to plan than a full wedding, elopements in Yosemite do require a bit a special planning.



Planning a wedding from a distance is difficult to say the least. With an elopement in Yosemite, you do have freedom to have the wedding at the location of your choice, you are no longer restricted to venues or locations to suit large groups. I have created the guide below to help take care of some of the issues that might come up.

1. Pick a date. One of the first things to consider is exactly when to get married in Yosemite. Each season has different opportunities. Spring has fresh growth and waterfalls. Summer brings warmth and easy access. In the fall, the waterfalls dry up and the changing colors are spectacular. Winter brings snowfall and a winter wonderland. All that being said, if you have the opportunity, plan your wedding for a weekday to avoid crowds and get better rates with vendors.
2. Find a location. This can be difficult to say the least because of the overwhelming beautiful places to get married. Think about what aspects are the most important to you when you think of Yosemite (waterfalls, open meadows, grand vistas, etc.) and start your search there. One other issue to consider is the influence of tourism and crowds. If your weddings is going to be over 10 people in size, you should view the park's recommended sites as you will be limited to these.
3. Choose an officiant. Check through our list of officiants here and see who fits your needs and personality. I recommend talking with a possible officiant to see if they are right for you. With their experience, they will also be able to help you choose the perfect location for your wedding.
4. Marriage License. You can start the process at your local county clerk's office, or contact Mariposa County's office. The County of Mariposa charges a $50 fee for the license. I can recommend working with Mariposa County as it is a smaller office and moves quickly.
5. Park Permit. Yosemite National Park requires you to have a Special Use Permit for your wedding in the park. You can find detailed information on the park's website or by contacting Chris Thorpe at 209-379-1858. You will need to supply a planned location (although not necessaryily spot specific) as well as $150 for the permit fee.

If you have any other questions please feel free to ask any questions!

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