Snowy Lake Tahoe, California Cabin Elopement - Kept Record
snowy lake tahoe cabin elopement
If you’re dreaming of an intimate elopement wedding that takes place high in the mountains in a cozy cabin, surrounded by tall pine trees and just a handful of family members, you’re going to love Katie + Taylor’s snowy, winter Lake Tahoe cabin elopement! Katie and Taylor’s small mountain wedding was such a beautiful, emotional day + made even more memorable with their unique Airbnb wedding venue. Lake Tahoe - and the surrounding area called the Tahoe Basin - is truly breathtaking and their Airbnb overlooked endless forests of massive trees with a perfect view of the sky-blue lake.
Katie + Taylor had a whirlwind romance: they met through mutual friends, and instantly realized the connection was like nothing they'd ever felt before. Within a few months they became inseparable! During a Thanksgiving game of Monopoly (one of their favorite ways to spend time together), Taylor slipped in a few custom pieces: a card asking Katie to marry him! Originally they'd planned a large wedding in Lake Tahoe to celebrate with friends and family from around the country. Ultimately because of COVID, they made the tough choice to keep their date, and downsize their venue + guest count to include the folks they simply couldn't imagine getting married without! They were ready to start the next chapter in their lives together - not only as newlyweds, but as parents: Katie and Taylor will be welcoming a baby boy in April 2021and I am so thankful and honored to have captured this precious moment in their lives!
This intimate, emotional day was a joy to photograph + film and I am so excited to share it with you today! Ready more about Katie + Taylor's story and learn all about Lake Tahoe for planning your own winter wedding here!
Here’s the highlight film I created from Katie + Tayor’s epic Lake Tahoe wedding day:
Katie + Taylor’s snowy Lake Tahoe Cabin Elopement wedding Vendors:
photo + video: Kept Record, officiant: Ceremonies by Meredith, dress: Pronovias, florals: NoovoBloom, bride’s shoes: Dolce Vita, bride’s headband: Leletny, Groom’s suit: Ralph Lauren, rings: Amir H. Mozaffarian Fine Jewelry, embroidered pajamas: SSWeddings, reception venue: Edgewood Tahoe, ceremony arch: Wild Heights Events, jean jackets: ASOS, pins + patches: Ellis and Eliza, Cheshire’s Chest, planning: groom’s sister, Sydney Angel.
Despite feeling totally secluded and private this gorgeous, large cabin was convenient to major shopping at Heavenly Village Shops, restaurants like locals-favorite Red Hut Cafe (one of Katie’s go-tos during any visit to Lake Tahoe), Sunset Bar + Grille at Zephyr Cove Resort, and Montbleu Casino. Visitors flock from all around the globe to Tahoe all throughout the year for world-class adventurous activities like skiing, parasailing, scuba diving, and hiking.
The couple had their first look, ceremony, and first dance at the cabin, followed by an intimate reception at the quintessential Lake Tahoe Lodge: Edgewood Tahoe. Here, Taylor’s parents shared a Jewish prayer and a beautiful evening with the newlyweds and their closest friends. This wasn’t the wedding Katie + Taylor dreamed of when they began wedding planning, but it was so heartfelt and stunning nonetheless. There wasn’t a doubt in anyone’s mind that this day was extraordinarily significant to everyone involved - and there wasn’t a dry eye to be found!
Where Exactly is Lake Tahoe Located?
Lake Tahoe is an alpine town located deep in the Mountains, stretching across the California-Nevada border. The lake has about 72 miles of shoreline - about 2/3 in California and 1/3 in Nevada. The Lake Tahoe area is divided in two main parts: Tahoe North and Tahoe South.
To get to Lake Tahoe, the most convenient airport to fly into is Reno-Tahoe International. From there Tahoe South is just about a 1-hour drive. From San Francisco International, it’s roughly 3.5 hours to drive to Tahoe from the Bay Area. If you’re driving, Tahoe is about 440 miles north of Los Angeles, about 8 hours. If you have time to do a road trip on your way there or back from LA (or both!), I highly recommend it: you could plan your trip around stopping at places like Yosemite National Park, Death Valley National Park, Big Sur, or San Francisco!
WHERE TO GET MARRIED IN LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA
Whether you’re looking for a lakefront wedding venue, or you want to have your ceremony on an epic moutain peak, you’ll have plenty of options. If you’re looking for a more traditional wedding venue in Tahoe, there are several ski resorts that host weddings in the Lake Tahoe area - you can even ride the tram in your wedding dress! If this sounds like your jam, check out Heavenly Lakeview Lodge (scroll down to see a few photos!)
For more intimate ceremonies and elopements, you can get married on a beach, a boat, a mountain, or even in an Airbnb cabin like Katie and Taylor - the world is really your oyster! Eloping couples will definitely want to check out Emerald Bay Lookout or for something more off-the-beaten-path, Donner Summit in Truckee!
Ready to elope in Lake Tahoe?
Contact me or grab your free elopement planning kit to get started today!
What to do while you’re in Lake tahoe:
There’s literally A MILLION fun things to do in Tahoe, but it definitely depends on what time of year you visit! Known as one of the premiere skiing + snowboarding areas in the world, some areas in Tahoe Basin receives as much as 500 inches per year! There are more resorts here per square mile than anywhere else in the U.S. - and you can even get married at them too, like this Heavenly Ski Resort Wedding I shot with Mindful Media KC in 2019.
Even within ski resorts, there’s tons of variety - check out Sierra At Tahoe, Squaw Valley, or Northstar for plenty of options!
With over 300 days of sunny weather, Tahoe is beautiful nearly any time of year, but in the summer you’ll be able to hop on a boat, go kayaking, or even scuba dive on the Emerald Bay Maritime Heritage Trail, California’s first underwater trail!
During my family’s vacation to Lake Tahoe, the beaches at Tahoe South were fairly crowded but we took my husky-malamute mix Lucy kayaking and she was absolutely mesmerized. We can’t wait to get back on the lake with her again soon! For more ideas on fun things to do during a summer Lake Tahoe visit, check out this roundup post by Trips To Discover.
Wanna learn more about me + my little family? Click here!
Tahoe Unveiled, a digital blog catering to adventurous couples getting married in Lake Tahoe, featured images from Katie and Taylor’s cabin elopement in the categories of “Best Elopement of 2020” and “Best Dress of 2020!”
Pin this blog post to save all the winter wedding inspiration!
MORE INTIMATE WEDDING + ELOPEMENT INSPIRATION and resources:
Heavenly Lakeview Lodge Lake Tahoe Wedding
Eloping in Colorado: Allie + Sam’s Aspen Elopement
What it REALLY means to elope (and 10 elopement lies you’ve heard)
I’m Morgan Pirkle + I am so glad you’re here!
I’m the lead photographer + founder of Kept Record.
We’re a wedding photography company specializing in planning + documenting intimate weddings and elopements, helping couples celebrate in with a different + daring wedding experience. I’m part photographer, part guide, part seamstress (I did once sew a groom’s pants mere moments before a ceremony!) and always part cheerleader.
In 2018 my husband and I eloped. Exchanging vows - unheard by any other human on earth - was one of the most profound experiences of my life. After that, I began to focus more of my business on helping couples seeking a nontraditional wedding experience navigate the process too! I love sharing resources, inspiration + tips. Check back on the blog for more, or grab this free elopement planning kit + you’ll receive tips and advice straight to your inbox!
