Elopement Planning Tips | Wedding Planning Tips

wedding planning tips


congratulations, you’re engaged!

This is a VERY exciting time for you and your partner. It’s new, it’s fresh and you probably feel like you can’t wait to start planning your wedding. Once all those newly-engaged butterfly feels whirl away, you’re ready to get down to wedding planning business. Everything that goes into planning a wedding may seem overwhelming and intimidating for a lot of couples who don’t know where to start.

I have talked with SO many couples who are in the beginning stages of planning their wedding and they feel like there is just so much to do. Truth is, there is a lot that goes into a wedding, but we don’t need to think about all those things all at once, it’s overwhelming. Keep it simple, take one step at a time, and make a plan.

Here are a few key points to think about when you begin to plan your wedding:


– Wedding or Elopement?

What does your wedding look like? Will you have a traditional wedding, micro wedding, elopement, or an adventure elopement? There are so many types of wedding styles these days and you’ll find that your traditional wedding isn’t so common anymore. Depending on the type of wedding you want, it will help you find the wedding planning tips that fit your needs.

Yes, huge weddings still happen all the time, but couples who aren’t big on huge parties, or don’t want to spend $50,000+, seem to be taking an alternative route to getting hitched and that is with elopements, or adventure elopement. Elopements are 20 people max. Check out 4 Reasons to Elope in Lake Tahoe and my Lake Tahoe Elopement Guide.


All Inclusive Elopement Packages (Up to 20 people) – Let’s Adventure!

We offer all-inclusive elopement packages, where we plan it all, photograph it all, and marry you too! Let’s have an adventure! Couples book our All day adventure elopement package. Check out 4 Reasons to Elope in Lake Tahoe and my Lake Tahoe Elopement Guide.


The Ultimate Elopement Experience

An All Day Adventure with Us!

Imagine hiking to your dream spot to say “I do,” or spending the day being chauffeured around by us to different locations, while we capture it all!  Let’s adventure together, we’ll make your intimate elopement fun and unforgettable.

We’ll plan it all, photograph it all, and marry you too!

  • Elopement planning
  • Elopement Guide and Checklist
  • Timeline Assistance
  • Easy Communication 
  • 9 hours of Photo Coverage
  • Two Photographers
  • 1000+ edited, High resolution images
  • Online private gallery for download
  • Printing rights
  • Location scouting and research
  • Permit Assistance
  • Officiant
  • Vendor recommendations
  • Romantic picnic catered to your vibe
  • Music for First Dance after Ceremony
  • All travel fees included





Wedding Photography

Are you ready to have the big wedding of your dreams!? We can bring you a husband and wife team for your dream wedding! We always have so much fun with our couples!

“I really wanted someone that was going to make my pictures fun while taking them and that’s exactly what I got.
Kristin and her husband made the experience so fun and got so many amazing pictures, some that we didn’t even know were captured. I loved that we were able to capture so many amazing pictures and that our vision for them was exactly what we got.”

– Hailie and Justin






wedding planning tips

An intimate Elopement at Sand Harbor.


– Adventure Elopement

Let’s adventure on the trail! An adventure elopement is exactly what it sounds like.. an adventure! Naturally, we feel connected with nature one way or another and I have worked with so many couples who say that their “happy place” is outdoors. Now I’m not saying everyone is into the wilderness vibes, but a lot of couples are and choose to explore nature and get married all in one experience.

The types of couples who want an adventure elopement or wedding, are the couples who love to explore and love to travel. If this sounds like you, you may want to consider an adventure for your wedding day. The best thing about an adventure elopement or wedding is, you can do whatever you want and your photographer (hopefully me!) will capture the entire adventure along the way.

lake tahoe elopement photographer

Adventure Elopement in Lake Tahoe

– When to take engagement photos

I always suggest to have the engagement photos done sooner rather than later. Now, I’ve had couples want to postpone their engagement sessions because they wanted to have it done during a certain season and this is totally fine! If you are not on any kind of time constraint, like needing photos for Save the Dates (which go out one year in advance), then you have the flexibility to do the session whenever you want. I have booked “last-minute” weddings and did the couples’ engagement session 1 month before their date. Now, if you want your photos back in time to send out for invitations, you’ll want to do your engagement session at least 6-7 months before, this way you can aim to have your invitations out 5 months before the wedding.

Engagement photos at Folsom Lake – 90 Minutes from Lake Tahoe. A lot of Sacramento couples elect to have their engagement session in their area and then have their adventure elopement in Lake Tahoe!


– Budget

Here is the subject that all couples love talking about (not really!), the wedding budget. What is your budget for your wedding? What are you willing to spend? $25k? $50k? $75k+? Do you have any money saved to put towards your wedding? How much do you want to be paying for your wedding after its over? So many things to think about when it comes to wedding spending, it can add up very quickly!

Once you start looking at different venues, you’ll get an idea of how much everything is going to cost. There are many DIY options, but its important to decide what is MOST important to you on your wedding day. Keep in mind, cheap is not always the best route as you do get what you pay for.


– I have an idea of what my wedding budget is, now what?

You have your budget set, now ask yourself, what is most important? Is it the venue, the weddings photos, or the dessert? For example, if having a popular venue is important to you, then you’ll want to have a higher budget. Be sure to get quotes from 3 different venues and compare what each one has to offer.

Once you book your venue, the wedding photographer will be the next vendor you’ll want to book. Be sure to think about what you are willing to spend and the style of wedding photography you’ll want. I would highly recommend having a larger budget for a photographer (yes, it’s an investment!). Especially, if you are getting married at a dreamy venue or doing an adventure elopement in a gorgeous location.


– Remember to relax!

Planning a wedding can be stressful, I get it, but remember it doesn’t have to be. Like I mentioned before, take one step at a time, and don’t try to think about everything all at once. If it all just seems like too much, hire a wedding planner! A wedding planner will take the load off your shoulders which means, you get to relax more.

..Or elope and we’ll take care of everything for you!

wedding planning tips


The Ultimate Elopement Experience

An All Day Adventure with Us!

Imagine hiking to your dream spot to say “I do,” or spending the day being chauffeured around by us to different locations, while we capture it all!  Let’s adventure together, we’ll make your intimate elopement fun and unforgettable.

We’ll plan it all, photograph it all, and marry you too!

  • Elopement planning
  • Elopement Guide and Checklist
  • Timeline Assistance
  • Easy Communication 
  • 9 hours of Photo Coverage
  • Two Photographers
  • 1000+ edited, High resolution images
  • Online private gallery for download
  • Printing rights
  • Location scouting and research
  • Permit Assistance
  • Officiant
  • Vendor recommendations
  • Romantic picnic catered to your vibe
  • Music for First Dance after Ceremony
  • All travel fees included



– Let’s connect and get your date booked!

I would be thrilled to chat with you about your upcoming wedding. Let’s schedule a time to chat and go over wedding galleries together. Get in touch!

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- Holly and Teddy

"Absolutely amazing
photographer to work with!" 

"She is so passionate and excited about your big day. Her photos captured all the essence of everything we are and we had so much fun with her! Seriously cannot say enough nice things!"

- Brecken and Kirsti

" It just feels like you get a friend when you hire Kristin."

"Absolute best of the best. She is super easy going and easy to work with, handled any hurdle we threw at her (and there were a lot), and her photos are beautiful. Quick turn around as well, and honestly, it just feels like you get a friend when you hire Kristin. She helped us feel comfortable for our engagement photos and helped coordinate our wedding day- always going above and beyond. Well worth the cost and then some, no need to look any further for a perfect photographer.

- Hailie and Justin

"Kristin and her husband made the experience so fun"

I really wanted someone that was going to make my pictures fun while taking them and that’s exactly what I got. Kristin and her husband made the experience so fun and got so many amazing pictures, some that we didn’t even know were captured. I loved that we were able to capture so many amazing pictures and that our vision for them was exactly what we got.

- Laura and Terry

"Our pictures turned out so magical. "

"Kristin and her husband did our engagement and dreamy wedding pictures. The pictures turned out magical.  Kristin was communicative and easy to work with. She wanted to deliver based on my vision which I appreciated so much. She worked with us on everything we wanted and was flexible which made it easy for us. She was just as excited as we were for our wedding. Thanks Kristin for capturing our dream photos and all the feelings in our day!"

- Liz and Adam

"She was able to get amazing photos of our big day and was fun to be around."

"Kristin was awesome to work with! She was able to get amazing photos of our big day and was fun to be around, and easy to communicate with. She listened to what we had to say and was able to give great direction."

- Allie and Carson

"She cares about you as a person and listens to what you want. "

Kristin is the best photographer I’ve ever had. She pays such close attention to detail, and is so kind and creative! She has so many ideas and is a natural at what she does! She knows exactly where to place you for the best lighting. She cares about you as a person and listens to what you want. Thank you for making me feel so beautiful, confident, and happy!

- Shayla and Derek

"The photos made my husband cry because he enjoyed them so much."

"Kristin did an Amazing job on our wedding photos! She captured candid photos of other family members too! The photos made my husband cry because he enjoyed them so much."

- Rachel and Will

"Kristin is awesome at what she does and made the experience easy and memorable. "

"She makes her clients feel comfortable, listens to their needs, and produces high quality gorgeous photos. We are so happy with what she did!"

- Mandy and Mani

"The photos Kristin captured were all absolutely stunning,"

Kristin is outgoing, easy to talk to, down to earth, extremely professional, and hilarious!  Throughout the whole wedding, she made sure after every new pose that my dress was fixed, my hair looked good, and my veil was straight. The photos Kristin captured were all absolutely stunning, and I’m so happy that we will get to look at and cherish hundreds of so perfectly captured moments for the rest of our lives. 

- Amanda and Mike

"She literally makes your wedding day a dream!"

"Kristin is the best to work with! The complimentary engagement session helps you get comfortable with her, which isn’t hard to begin with! Then she literally makes your wedding day a dream! There was no fuss to get pictures done and she makes it so much fun!!!

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