You know you want to elope in Yosemite. What you don’t know is which package actually fits the day you’re picturing, or how to navigate a $150 NPS permit, a 13-plus-site location list, and a park that changes its vehicle reservation rules year to year. I’ve been photographing elopements here since 2018, and honestly, since I was a kid running around Curry Village with my family, so I’ve had a long time to dial this in.

Yosemite is one of the few places I’ve photographed where the experience itself is bigger than the photos. Couples who do the full Sunrise and Sunset package consistently tell me it felt like way more than a photoshoot. The conversations we had on the trail, the quiet at Glacier Point before the rest of the park woke up, the champagne at Taft as the valley went gold below them—those are the parts they talk about first. The photos come second, and they’re incredible. The logistics are manageable. The park is worth it. And picking the right package means you spend the day actually in it instead of managing it!

These Yosemite elopement packages are built to hand you a day that feels effortless, not another item on your planning to-do list. I’ll handle the permit paperwork, point you to the locations that fit your energy and hiking comfort, and connect you with vendors who already know the park’s quirks, from the Baby’s Breath ban to the no-drone rule.

Yosemite Wedding & Elopement Packages

I offer three Yosemite elopement packages: $4,700 for 4 hours, $6,000 for 8 hours, and $10,000 for 12 hours. Mariposa is the most-booked option, giving you a full day to slow down without the early sunrise alarm the top-tier package requires.

Choose the 4-hour Valley View if you want an accessible, scenic elopement with no early alarms, minimal hiking, and a day that still feels full and meaningful. Choose the 8-hour Mariposa if you want time to slow down, hit multiple locations, and actually feel like you experienced the park instead of racing through it. Choose the 12-hour Sunrise and Sunset if you want the full thing: Half Dome at sunrise, the valley in between, and Taft Point going gold at the end of the day.

• Valley View ($4,700, 4 hrs): Valley floor locations only. El Capitan Meadow, Sentinel Beach, Tunnel View, Cook’s Meadow. No hike needed. Year-round access. Good fit for couples who want iconic Yosemite without a demanding day.
• Mariposa ($6,000, 8 hrs): Mix of valley and viewpoint locations depending on season. Plenty of time for a first look, vows, portraits, and some wandering. This is the package most couples end up booking.
• Sunrise and Sunset ($10,000, 12 hrs): Glacier Point at sunrise plus Taft Point at sunset with the full valley in between. Glacier Point Road is only open late May through early November, so this package has a seasonal window. If those two locations are on your list, this is how you do it right.

The honest version: if Glacier Point and Taft Point are on your list, the 8-hour package probably won’t get you both at the right time of day. The 12-hour package is built specifically around those locations and that light. It’s worth it.

What’s Included in Every Yosemite Elopement Package?

Every Yosemite elopement package includes photography coverage, permit guidance and strategy, location scouting matched to your hiking comfort, local vendor connections, and your full edited gallery. The main differences between packages are coverage hours and how big a day you want.

Here’s some extra detail on what’s included in every Yosemite elopement package:

• Expert Yosemite Elopement Photographer and Planner: I’ll walk you through the NPS permit application, help you pick a site from the 13-plus designated locations before someone else takes your date, and steer you toward quiet corners like Artist Point or Swinging Bridge that most couples never hear about. Permits go first-come, first-served and aren’t transferable between sites, so getting this right the first time matters. Read more in my Yosemite elopement guide.
• Full day coverage: Your day doesn’t stop at the vows. We’ll hike to a viewpoint, grab pizza at Curry Village, or catch the last light hitting Half Dome. A Yosemite elopement is a full experience, not a two-hour photo op.
• Yosemite Elopement Guides & Resources: Unlimited consultations, scouted locations, a personalized timeline, packing lists, and vendor recommendations. I know which falls dry up by August, which beaches close November through Memorial Day, and which trailhead lot fills by 7 am. My Yosemite Elopement Timeline guide maps out how a full day actually flows.
• Online Photo Gallery: Fully edited, full-resolution photos delivered with a shareable link and unlimited downloads.
• Yosemite Permit and Map Information: The $150 NPS fee, the paperwork, the 21-day minimum lead time, all handled. You’ll also get my rolodex of Yosemite-based officiants, florists, and hair and makeup artists who know how to work around park rules like the Baby’s Breath ban and the no-amplified-music limit.
• Next Day Teasers: Sneak peeks in your inbox the morning after, then a custom leather photo album once your full gallery is ready.

Videography, florals, officiant fees, and hair and makeup aren’t included in the base packages, but I can connect you with trusted vendors for all of it. If you’re bringing family into part of the day, read Eloping With Your Family before you build the timeline.

Yosemite Elopement Package FAQ