Hiking Elopement Style Vow Renewal In Lake Tahoe

It’s Never Too Late To Plan Your Vow Renewal in Lake Tahoe

This styled mountain vow renewal near Lake Tahoe has a very special place in my heart. Not only did we hike 7miles with all of our gear and decor, but we also planned and witnessed Dorine & Jeff’s vow renewal.

When I first asked Dorine & Jeff to model for our styled hiking elopement shoot, they were ecstatic because they’ve been married for 2 years and never had their wedding portrait taken. This shifted my whole original plan and decided to give them a Vow Renewal experience to celebrate their love as husband and wife. 

They both absolutely love the outdoors and enjoy hiking together so when they heard the new plans, we were all excited!!

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Searching For the Best Places To Renew Your Vows In California

This vow renewal location is 45min away from North Lake Tahoe and there was a lot of research that went into picking a location that was secluded, not too difficult, and a bit of adventure. I spent at least 3-5 days looking for locations and I saw this one location with a swing and in my heart, I knew this was the location.

The amazing things about this location was:

  1. It had very few reviews but they all had something amazing to say
  2. Images I saw were breathtaking
  3. SWING!!!
  4. Easy access from the main road

These are the elements I spend time looking over when I do my research for my couple’s Location List and it all comes down to “is it realistic”

I’ve had so many locations that I had to pass because I value the experience more than the epic scenery. Even the most popular locations like Yosemite have a downside! It’s all about weighing out your options and deciding what’s most important to my couples!

If you are looking for a Lake Tahoe elopement photographer or planning to elope in Lake Tahoe, I’d love to help! Check out my Lake Tahoe Elopement Packages to see if we are a good fit!

Lessons I Learned From Hiking In High Elevation

This was my first time hiking up into high elevation and it was a very different experience than hikes I’ve done in higher elevation! We gained 750ft of elevation in 3.5miles and it was a challenging but rewarding experience. I was not prepared on how hungry we would get losing so many calories from the hike and we all shared our snacks and water to stay hydrated and energized.

I realized even if I have experience hiking, I should always pack a little more and anything you bring is useful! Jeff’s beloved hiking boots decided to give out in the middle of the hike and we had to find anything we had to secure one of his boots to continue the hike.

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Lake Tahoe Hiking Adventure!

We started our hike with our comfortable hiking attire and simply just enjoyed spending time exploring the place! I originally anticipated 1.5 hours to our destination but it took us 2.5 hours because we simply had a blast seeing the wildlife, native plants and making small stops and to take breaks. 

We reached our destination and could not believe our eyes. It was fire season at the time and we were worried about the air quality and I kept checking every day to make sure we would be safe. It turned out to be a beautiful day and the haze from the leftover smoke created a beautiful colors to the mountain range

THE SWING

The swing!! If you love riding on the rollercoaster, you have to try this swing! We were in high elevation and it felt as if you were literally flying in the air! It is very safe but it felt like I was going to burst out into the vast openness of the staggering mountains.

Intimate Vow Renewal In Lake Tahoe

We had a great team that hiked the 7miles trail with us and I really couldn’t have done it without them! We had an elopement planner, wardrobe stylist, and makeup artist that came and delivered an amazing experience to our couple!

After the amazing makeup and wardrobe styling was done, we started with a first look to set the mood of the day. Right before Jeff saw Dorine, I told Jeff to imagine their courthouse wedding 2 years ago and remember the experience and to imagine how you felt that day.

It was emotional, intimate, and beautiful.

We all felt a rush of emotion coming through and we felt so honored to help them recreate their wedding day. Their hiking vow renewal ceremony brought all the elements of who they are and we were all excited to make every little detail perfect. All of us were so honored to witness and be a part of their beautiful unity ceremony. We all cried and laughed as they screamed “I LOVE YOU!” to the vast mountain range.

It’s Never Too Late To Renew Your Vows

Maybe you didn’t have the best wedding experience or didn’t have the budget at the time to hire a photographer or experience that you wanted, but it doesn’t have to end there!

It’s never too late to renew your vows and commit to your best friend all over again! 

Your marriage and your relationship with your partner changes over time and as it evolves, you get closer to the true meaning of love. Take this opportunity to rediscover your love for another and make new memories to cherish a lifetime!

Amazing Vendors

Elopement Design & Planning: Lovewonweddings

Wardrobe Stylist: Eyzhuh

Makeup: Verohna

Florals: Grace Collins

Dress: The Kindred SoulReclamation

Catering & charcuterie: Etre Toi Events

 

If this vow renewal in Lake Tahoe resonate with you and sounds like what you’ve been looking for, LET’S DO IT! 

Let me help you bring all of your ideas to reality!

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Check out other elopement tips & Resources

The Ultimate Guide to Elope in Yosemite National Park

The Only Big Sur Elopement Guide You’ll Need 2026

A Complete Redwood Elopement Guide for 2025/2026

california elopement photographer julia mina

Meet Julia

Your Photographer and Planning Guide

I am all about making your day as smooth and fun as possible! Helping couples plan their dream wedding day brings me so much joy and it’s surreal that I’m able to capture it at all. Planning a wedding is overwhelming— big or small! Not all of us are natural born planners (if you are, you do you!!). This is where I come in and bring all of my knowledge and resources to the table so all you need to do is envision your dream day!

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