Friday the 13th Yosemite Elopement with Waterfall Vow Exchange and Taft Point Sunset Bridals

Yosemite Waterfall Vow Exchange with their Dog witness

When I first spoke with Bryanna & Alex about their dream Yosemite Elopement vision, the most important detail for them was including Ariz, their dog with them as their only witness to their Yosemite Elopement Ceremony. The problem was, most places inside of Yosemite National Park don’t allow dogs, and legally, you’re not allowed to have pet present for any wedding ceremony inside the park. So, instead of paying $150 for a wedding permit, we cooked up a perfect waterfall elopement at a location just outside of Yosemite’s South Entrance.

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Picnic Break on the Trailhead

After exchanging vows at a waterfall at this secret location (reach out to me if you’re interested in eloping here, and I’d be happy to share it with you!) the happy couple setup a cute picnic at the top of the trailhead to eat some charcuterie and enjoy some champagne before dropping off their fur baby at their AirBnB so we could head into the park for some photos!

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Taft Point for Sunset on Friday the 13th

After they dropped off their dog Ariz at their cabin, we drove into Yosemite to end our evening with some epic sunset photos at Taft Point. Bryanna wore her gorgeous gown as we hiked along the trail and stopped at some scenic areas in the alpine trees on the way to Taft Point and the Fissures. When we arrived at Taft Point, we snapped some photos of them enjoying champagne at the point, before Bryanna surprised Alex with an outfit change into a black gown, which I thought was just perfect for Friday the 13th! When we arrived at Taft, the park officials were doing a prescribed burn down in the Yosemite Valley, and the smoke plumes drifted up to create a really unique scene, especially for a Friday the 13th Elopement! I was so happy with the shots we got at blue hour, capturing the burning embers in the valley below, with Bryanna and Alex holding their lanterns as the sun sank further below the horizon.

A Note on Taft Point Elopements

There has been a huge surge of elopements in Yosemite due to social media popularity, and Taft Point is at the top of the list for most couples. If you wish to elope here, we recommend planning for a weekday. Sunsets are absolutely a phenomenal way to spend a Taft Point Elopement, but if you’re hoping for intimacy, then this might not be the best location. We often see upwards of 5-10 other couples here with the same idea, so just keep that in mind when planning if you have your heart set on having a more intimate Yosemite Elopement. We are firm believers that these epic views are 100% worth sharing the location with other tourists and Yosemite elopement couples, but we want you to have all the information you can to make sure that a Taft Point Elopement is the right choice for you! If you need some inspiration on more intimate and private places to exchange vows in the park, we LOVE helping our couples find the perfect spot in Yosemite for your elopement ceremony. In fact, we include a Yosemite Location Guide with over 50 pages of Location Information to help you plan your dream Yosemite Elopement, and we’d love to help you plan! Inquire using the links at the bottom of the page.

Need Help Planning Your Yosemite Elopement?

get some of our favorite Yosemite planning resources

Click to read How to Elope in Yosemite

Looking for the best places to stay in Yosemite?

Click here to read an article on our top 3 picks for Yosemite Lodging

Looking to stay somewhere close to Yosemite, that offers a bit more of a night life, dining, shopping, and activities?

Click here to hear more about our favorite town to stay just outside of Yosemite.

Looking for more inspiration for your Yosemite Elopement?

Click here to see another Yosemite Elopement at Swinging Bridge in Yosemite Valley

Yosemite National Park Resources

Click here for more information on Peak Season Yosemite Entrance Reservations

Click here for more information on Yosemite Weddings

Click here for Yosemite National Parks official list of Wedding or Elopement Ceremony Locations

Meet your Yosemite Elopement Photographer

Hey! I’m Salisha, your Yosemite Elopement Photographer. I fell in love with photography as a child roaming around the forests in my mountain home just outside of Yosemite, and my love for the art of photographing only grew during my years as a college student in North County San Diego where I took various film and digital photography classes. During my 28 years as a resident in a small community just outside of Yosemite National Park I have explored all over the Sonora Pass, Yosemite, and the Sierra Nevadas to find the most gorgeous spots to elope. Trust me, Yosemite is just the tip of the iceberg! There are so many places here in the high sierras, and I’d love to help you find the best one for your dream elopement! Click here to inquire with me!

See more images from this Yosemite waterfall and Taft Point elopement: