Tag Archives: lake tahoe wedding photography

So this happened: I got a new camera! And the technology in it is incredible. Without boring you with the technological details, I’ll just tell you that the geek in me is very happy. And my couples are happy as well!

Imagine this scenario: used to be my couples would ask me to take a couple cell photos so they would have something right away to show their family and friends and post on social media. Now, cell phones are nice and all, but they still really don’t stand up to a well made professional image. It never sat well with me to send my couples off with a couple cell phone photos when I had all those beautiful photos in my camera.

WELL! That’s changed. Because now I have those beautiful photos in my camera and guess what? Through the new technology in that camera, those photos get copied immediately to my IPhone, and I can then text a photo or two to my couples! So now they can have a sneak peek right away, AND go off on their honeymoon with a couple of photos to tide them over while they wait for the rest of them!

I am so grateful to be able to use this technology this way, and my couples are too! Check out the Elopement Special package on our packages page and make your reservations today!

Wedding couple at Lake Tahoe

Here it is August already! The summer is not yet over but we have certainly enjoyed officiating weddings at so many wonderful places! Here are some of the places we have been: Wellington, Nevada; Reno, Nevada; Carson Valley, Nevada, Genoa, Nevada, Incline Village, Nevada, the Tahoe Biltmore in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Tahoe Vista, California, Truckee, California and private homes in both California and Nevada. We've been to meadows, beaches, overlook points and hotel rooms; we have even done a wedding in a parking lot and next to a trolley car!

About 95% of the work we do is with smaller, more intimate weddings, and we like it that way. Not all of our weddings have professional photography done, so we don't have photos of all of them. But when Image Angels does the photography, you can bet we've got some awesome photos!

This particular wedding was held in July, in Lake Tahoe, on a bluff overlooking the lake. The photography was done by Image Angels, with Pete Rezac doing the ceremony photos and Karen Linsley doing the portraits.

I really enjoyed being with this couple. We were making chit chat as we progressed along doing the photos, and at one point I asked the bride what she wanted to do for a living. She replied, with an impish little grin on her face, "I want to be a trophy wife!"

Cute couple, all the way around. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Most folks in the wedding business are a bit slow this time of year. The wedding business is definitely seasonal. This is the time when web sites are typically updated, advertising is chosen and implemented, marketing programs designed and begun. And most vendors are also booking weddings right now. With couples having gotten engaged over the holiday season, many are now making arrangements for their weddings to happen this summer, spring or fall. I've noticed a plethora of posts about receptions: the latest cake trends, information about DJs, decorating ideas and themes. And while I can appreciate a donut wall as much as the next person, the truth is that most of the weddings we are privileged to officiate at and photograph do not have receptions. Some of our weddings are the couple only, some have a few guests, and most never have more than twenty or so guests. Why is this? It's our specialty. We specifically market to those folks. I believe that even elopements deserve great photography and a heartfelt ceremony. Gone are the days of tacky "quickie" weddings. Well, actually there are still some folks who do provide those kinds of services, but we aren't one of them. We just want to see our couples have a great wedding experience, and awesome photos to back it up. You might say that our weddings are intimate. It's a good word for it. So if you are seeking a special kind of wedding, one in which the ceremony will be tailored to fit you and one in which you will have awesome photography to preserve those memories and show the family and friends left back home, check us out. We will go just about anywhere to accommodate you, and can help suggest some places if you are stuck or unfamiliar with the area. We will treat you the same as if you were one of those big production weddings, with dignity and willingness to be of service. We do same gender weddings, weddings with dogs, weddings in the snow, weddings on the beach, weddings with horses. We have done weddings with young couples, and weddings with couples in their golden years, and everything in between.

Here are some photos of recent weddings.

Now that winter has arrived we are beginning to do snowy winter weddings!  Winter weddings have their own unique form of beauty that consists of SNOW!

Remember to wear your long johns and snow boots, and your wedding can be just as beautiful as a summer wedding.

Here are few shots of some of our winter weddings:

Venues:  Edgewood, Heavenly, Logan Shoals Vista Point, Zephyr Cove

Elizabeth and Marc came to us wanting an intimate elopement in Lake Tahoe.  Family would have meant a very large wedding, and while they love their family, they preferred to experience the intimacy of an elopement and have a reception with the family later.  They wanted a religious ceremony, and, luckily, didn't care what the weather was!  Elizabeth told me a snowy day was PERFECT!

They arrived and we got started on the wedding license.....

Then we headed out to the bluff for the ceremony, accompanied by me, the photographer and the videographer, who signed as witnesses on the wedding license.  It cleared up nicely for their ceremony.

Afterwards we took photos and did some more video, walking around the area to take advantage of the different views.  Even though we couldn't see much of the lake, it was still beautiful!

Me, showing the groom how to pose!

I think they had a wonderful time, I know we did!

Venue:  Logan Shoals Vista Point

Photography:  Image Angels, featuring Karen Linsley, Cr.Photog, CPP and Pete Rezac, M.Photog.Cr, CPP

Video: Go West PhotoBy the way, David sent us the link to the video he produced, here it is!

Hair and Makeup:  Tahoe Wedding Salon

I think Elizabeth and Marc made a great wedding couple!

This has been one of the busiest Julys in a very long time for Chapel of the Pines!  In the last few weeks we've been to the Top of the Tram at Heavenly in Lake Tahoe, Emerald Bay, Sand Harbor, Logan Shoals Vista Point, a private home in Reno and Revive Coffee and Wine in South Lake Tahoe to do weddings.  We've done two same gender weddings and one last minute elopement.  Yep, they called in the morning and we did the wedding in the evening.  We've done religious weddings and not religious weddings and some in between.  Some  had Sand ceremonies included.

We've done large weddings, small weddings and weddings where we needed to provide a witness for the wedding license.

It doesn't matter where  you are getting married, or whether you are planning a year in advance or eloping, we will come to you and deliver a personalized wedding ceremony, custom tailored to your specifications!

I just had a MoB (mother of bride) call and ask about our services. Seems her kids were thinking of getting married at a drive through place, and she really didn't want to see that happen. Yes, she was talking about where you stay in your car, drive up to a window, someone does a canned ceremony and you are married. For $150. I happen to think weddings should be much more special than that. Weddings are a metaphor for a relationship that is rich in all kinds of yummy stuff: the commitment changes people, the promises free them, the day to day life together teaches them things. The ritual of the wedding ceremony is....or should be, as rich as the marriage will be. Does it cost more? Yes. But years later you will only remember the specialness of the day, not the cost. If you get married at the drive through, what will that say about the marriage years later?

Contact us if you want a special wedding ceremony that will provide  you with fond memories for years to come.

Leisa and Terry came to Chapel of the Pines about a month before they wanted to get married, and, after some discussion, decided they wanted to get married overlooking beautiful Lake Tahoe on a great spring day in May.  Well, spring in Lake Tahoe isn't like spring in other areas.  Terry called five days before the wedding expressing his displeasure with the weather.  Not to worry, since it was just the two of them we were able to reschedule the ceremony and they ended up with an absolutely gorgeous day!  Good thing, because the next day it did indeed snow during the time they had originally scheduled.  I love it when it works out like that!

Both Terry and Leisa said they were both believers in second chances, and since their courtship was founded on a second chance, we incorporated that into their ceremony as well.

They knew that a few snapshots were not going to be sufficient, saying they wanted special, so we scheduled Image Angels to come out and photograph the wedding.

Congratulations to Terry and Leisa!