Jessica and Adam were married in South Lake Tahoe mid summer. Their ceremony was at Regan Beach, with the reception at Round Hill Pines.

I recently did a combined business head shot / family session for the amazing Dr. Michael Nelson and his family, Kate, Sky and Kian. It was one of the best days ever at Sand Harbor: glassy deep blue water, warm, no wind, and snow capped mountains in the background. The only other people there were another photographer doing an engagement session, and some divers. Dr. Nelson owns the Sierra Tahoe Laser and Wellness Center.

Theresa and Brian eloped at Emerald Bay on New Year’s Eve. What an absolutely wonderful wedding and couple to finish off our 2011 season! When Theresa first contacted me about their plans to get married in South Lake Tahoe on New Year’s Eve, I told her I was up for the adventure and detailed the possible hurdles they would have with planning a wedding …. in South Shore …. on New Year’s Eve: For some reason, there are usually huge snow storms during the holidays. On the previous New Year’s Eve, we were back country skiing in a few feet of powder off of Incline Peak, with snow falling all night into New Year’s Day. So that was the first warning I gave to her, as the ceremony was planned for Emerald Bay, the possibility that we wouldn’t even be able to get up to Emerald Bay. So a few back up locations were suggested. And then there is the south shore traffic on New Years. The main street next to the casinos, hwy 50, is closed off for the celebration in the evening, with the potential for grid lock cars streaming in all day. Wow, this all sounds so ominous, like I was actually discouraging her from her plans. But she was an absolute adventurer, and was up for whatever the day brought! Well, as it turned out, the snow levels at Tahoe this winter were low, so we ended up with a beautiful sunny day. We all would have wanted more snow on the peaks, but the lake views at Emerald Bay and Timber Cove made up for the lack of snow. And the wedding was early enough in the day that we didn’t get stuck in any traffic on our way back to Montbleu. With a stop at the pier at Timber Cove for sunset shots, the day was so fun! It is an absolute honor to be a part of an intimate wedding like this.

Scott and I worked together on this Resort at Squaw Creek winter wedding for Heather and Eric in March. They decided to see each other before the ceremony for the portrait session, and let me tell you, this was one of the best first looks I have ever experienced. Tears from both of them, and their absolute love and happiness in this moment they were sharing brought a few tears to my eyes too, something that doesn’t often happen during these first look moments for me. Heather was prepared to traipse through the snow, wearing snow boots and hiking up her gorgeous dress. Heather grew up in the Tahoe area, so having the wedding in Squaw Valley with the snowy mountains as a backdrop had special meaning for them. They even had an old KT-22 2 person chair lift that belongs to her parents brought in for the photo “booth” with the twinkling lights of Mountain Run as the backdrop.

Sitting in the makeup chair, Heather tries not to cry seeing her soon to be nieces and sister in law.

Heather looks through a scrap book that her bridesmaids gave to her that morning.

With a wedding party that included 11 groomsmen, 7 bridesmaids, a junior bridesmaid and groomsman, and 1 flower girl, we always try to get them in a few portraits that have depth, instead of just doing the whole line ‘em up thing.

Heather sits inside and waits at the base of the tower before the ceremony.

The girls line up the stairway above the spa deck before the ceremony.

Heather and Eric had an old KT-22 2 person chair lift for the photo booth. Mountain Run at Squaw Valley is lit up in the background.

Vendor links:

Summit Soiree

Bellissima Floral

Julia and Dave had their wedding ceremony and reception at the quaint lakefront resort, Mourelatos at Lake Tahoe. I really like this venue because the whole resort is usually rented out by the wedding party family and many guests, giving the resort a private feel without the general public hanging around. Family and friends hang out together all weekend, enjoying the lake, beach games, and hammocks in the shade. I love the color of the lake here too, on the North shores of Lake Tahoe, the water is shallow, only a few feet, for several hundred yards out, giving it that aqua blue color.