Why You Should Split Your Yosemite Elopement Between Sunrise & Sunset

So you’re eloping in Yosemite National Park?! I am so excited for you! Yosemite is one of the most beautiful places on Earth and eloping here is an absolute dream. As a Yosemite elopement photographer one of my favorite types of Yosemite elopements are split day elopements and I definitely recommend them! This is where couples take advantage of both the sunrise and the sunset and capture the best moments. From capturing the sun rise during your ceremony to golden hour portraits, split day elopements help capture the beauty of Yosemite, Christy and Alex’s elopement is a perfect example on how great a split day elopement can be! 

A couple dressed in a wedding gown and suit stand embracing on a rocky cliff edge at sunset for their Yosemite elopement
A couple dressed in a wedding gown and suit stand embracing on a rocky cliff edge at sunset for their Yosemite elopement
A couple dressed in a wedding gown and suit stand embracing on a rocky cliff edge at sunset for their Yosemite elopement

What Are Split Day Elopements 

Split day elopements is when you split your elopement photography coverage between two main parts, sunrise and sunset. With this split, you are able to have a beautiful sunrise ceremony, take a break, go have lunch, or do activities in the park, then take advantage of golden hour and sunset for your portraits in the afternoon! 

A bride and groom stand together on a rocky cliff with a mountainous landscape in the background, sunlight creating a soft glow for their Yosemite elopement
A bride and groom stand together on a rocky cliff with a mountainous landscape in the background, sunlight creating a soft glow for their Yosemite elopement

A bride and groom stand together on a rocky cliff with a mountainous landscape in the background, sunlight creating a soft glow for their Yosemite elopement

First Part of Your Elopement During Sunrise

I always recommend having your ceremony at sunrise! You’re able to enjoy a peaceful quiet morning in Yosemite! As well, there are little to no people during sunrise which calls for a more private and intimate ceremony. The sun peaking through the two of you as you exchange vows create such a romantic atmosphere. After your ceremony, we can explore the different parts of the park and take your portraits in various stunning locations in Yosemite! 

A bride and groom stand facing each other with an officiant between them during an outdoor wedding ceremony with a large mountain in the background in Yosemite
A bride and groom stand facing each other with an officiant between them during an outdoor wedding ceremony with a large mountain in the background in Yosemite
A bride and groom stand facing each other with an officiant between them during an outdoor wedding ceremony with a large mountain in the background in Yosemite

What to do For Your Midday Break

The best part of having a split day elopement is having the break in the middle! During this time you can have lunch with your guests, your partner or some fun activities! Here are some recommendations! 

Degnan’s Kitchen – Sandwiches, salads, pizza, breakfast, coffee, and more.

  • The Loft at Degnan’s – BBQ chicken, wings, ribs, and more. Great lunch or dinner option!
  • Village Grill Deck – Burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, and salads. Seating is outside on deck.
  • Village Store – General store with lots of things from groceries to meals you can cook

Yosemite Valley Lodge Eateries: The lodge has 2 places to eat:

  • The Mountain Room – A more luxurious dining option, but a nice steak dinner option
  • Base Camp Eatery – A food court at Yosemite Valley Lodge which includes a Starbucks coffee bar, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Curry Village Eateries: Lots of eating options for those lodging in Curry Village, near Half Dome:

  • Pizza Patio – A great outdoor option for some quick and delicious pizza on the patio
  • Coffee Corner – The place to get coffee and a quick breakfast in the morning for Curry Village. 
  • Curry Village Pavilion – The food court of curry village. Lots of options for dining depending on the day.
  • Meadow Grill – Burgers, sandwiches, salads, and other vegetarian options

HIKES:

TrailDifficultyDistanceElevation Gain
Bridalveil Fall TrailEasy0.5 mi / 0.8 km (round trip)80 ft / 24 m
Lower Yosemite Fall TrailEasy1 mi / 1.6 km (entire loop)50 ft / 15 m
Cook’s Meadow LoopEasy1 mi / 1.6 km (entire loop)Flat
Mirror Lake LoopEasy to Moderate2 mi / 3.2 km (lake & back)5 mi / 8 km (entire loop)100 ft (to lake)200 ft (loop)
Valley Loop TrailModerate6.5 mi / 10.5 km (half loop)13 mi / 20.9 km (full loop)Mostly flat
Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall TrailsModerate to Strenuous1.6 mi-8 mi /2.5 km-13 km (round trip)400 ft to 2000 ft120 m to 600 m
Yosemite Falls TrailModerate to Strenuous2.0 mi / 3.2 km (round trip)7.2 mi / 11.6 km (round trip)1000 ft / 328 m2700 ft / 825 m
Snow Creek TrailStrenuous9.4 mi / 15.1 km (round trip)2700 ft / 825 m
Four Mile TrailStrenuous4.8 mi / 7.7 km (one way)3200 ft / 975 m
Half Dome TrailStrenuous14 mi-16.4 mi /22.4 km-26.2 km (round trip)4800 ft / 1475 m

RENT A BIKE:

Yosemite Valley Lodge 209-372-1208

Curry Villiage 209-372-8435

https://www.travelyosemite.com/things-to-do/biking/

There are more than 12 miles of paved bicycle paths 

GUIDED TOURS:

https://www.travelyosemite.com/things-to-do/guided-bus-tours/

209-372-1240

FISHING:

Available Mid April to Mid November

SWIM IN MERCED RIVER OR MIRROR LAKE:

https://www.travelyosemite.com/things-to-do/swimming/

RAFTING:

Short window of availability on the summer. Check out https://www.travelyosemite.com/things-to-do/rafting/ 

A person in a formal dress and another in casual attire with a backpack walk along a forest path surrounded by tall trees.
A person in a formal dress and another in casual attire with a backpack walk along a forest path surrounded by tall trees.

HORSEBACK RIDING:

https://www.travelyosemite.com/things-to-do/horseback-mule-riding/

WILDERNESS CENTER:

Located in Yosemite village

PACK A PICNIC:

Enjoy an interpretive Program

Consult the Yosemite guide for daily activities

ART CLASSES:

Art Classes

Second Half of Your Elopement During Sunset

During this time taking advantage of golden hour is key! Consider having your first dance during this time, cut a cake or pop some champagne! Choose one of your favorite locations for this part of your elopement day! 

A couple in wedding attire shares a kiss at sunset on a cliffside for their yosemite elopement
A couple in wedding attire shares a kiss at sunset on a cliffside for their yosemite elopement

A couple in wedding attire shares a kiss at sunset on a cliffside for their yosemite elopement

Christy & Alex’s Yosemite Elopement 

Christy and Alex’s elopement was a perfect example of having a split day elopement! The day started off with them doing a private first look at the amphitheater at Glacier Point. We then walked up to their ceremony site and started the ceremony before the sun came up! The sun started to peak during their ceremony and it was perfect. We did some bride and groom portraits during the perfect lighting of sunrise. Alex and Christy love Yosemite and wanted to get photos on all sides of Yosemite so that’s why they decided on 8 hours of coverage!  We explored all of my favorite spots in Yosemite Valley. It was amazing! While we were taking photos, their family got a picnic ready for them at Cathedral Beach. It was so cute! We then took a break and met up again two hours before sunset at Taft Point. We explored the woods on the way to Taft Point and then saw an amazing sunset together. They wanted very candid and fun photos and I think we got just that! It was such an amazing day. 

A couple in wedding attire holds hands while walking down a sunlit road surrounded by tall trees and mountains in the background at Yosemite
A couple in wedding attire holds hands while walking down a sunlit road surrounded by tall trees and mountains in the background at Yosemite
A couple in wedding attire holds hands while walking down a sunlit road surrounded by tall trees and mountains in the background at Yosemite
A couple in wedding attire holds hands while walking down a sunlit road surrounded by tall trees and mountains in the background at Yosemite

Timeline Example for a Split Day Yosemite Elopement | Christy & Alex’s Timeline 

5:15am – First look

5:45- Ceremony

6:00- Bride & Groom Photos

6:45am- Family Photos at Glacier

7:30-Tunnel View

8:00am- Swinging Bridge

8:20am- Cooks Meadow

8:40am-Yosemite Chapel

9:15am- Yosemite Falls-lower

10:15- El Cap Meadow

10:45- Valley VIew

11:15pm- Picnic

12:00pm- Break

6:30pm- Taft Point Trailhead

  1. First dance
  2. Coke photos
  3. Champagne toast

8:30pm- Photography ends

A couple in wedding attire stand on a rocky landscape. The woman in a white dress drinks from a bottle while the man in a black suit stands beside her holding a bottle.
A couple in wedding attire stand on a rocky landscape. The woman in a white dress drinks from a bottle while the man in a black suit stands beside her holding a bottle.

A couple in wedding attire stand on a rocky landscape. The woman in a white dress drinks from a bottle while the man in a black suit stands beside her holding a bottle.

A couple in wedding attire stand on a rocky landscape. The woman in a white dress drinks from a bottle while the man in a black suit stands beside her holding a bottle.

Christy and Alex’s Testimonial 

We hired Alyssa for our Yosemite elopement and we couldn’t have asked for a better photographer! Leading up to the elopement, Alyssa made sure to understand what we wanted out of the day and executed the day exactly how we envisioned it to be. She made sure we got all the photos that we liked when we were talking about inspiration photos. We took both sunrise and sunset photos, and she was absolutely down to do anything we wanted. She was super nice and sweet to work with and made sure we were comfortable the whole day. When we got our full gallery back (which was in about 3 weeks), we were blown away by all the photos and she captured all the memories and emotions of the day well. I would highly recommend Alyssa for any of your photography needs! 

A couple in wedding attire stands on rocky terrain holding lanterns, overlooking a valley with cliffs and a distant river in Yosemite
A couple in wedding attire stands on rocky terrain holding lanterns, overlooking a valley with cliffs and a distant river in Yosemite

A couple in wedding attire stands on rocky terrain holding lanterns, overlooking a valley with cliffs and a distant river in Yosemite

Looking for a Yosemite Elopement Photographer?

If you’re inspired by Christy and Alex’s split day elopement and would love to have your own Yosemite elopement captured in a similar way, I’d love to help you plan it! See more of my work here! If you think we are a great fit then fill out a contact form! I can’t wait to hear from you!

ALYSSA MICHELE PHOTO | YOSEMITE ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER

Come see this more of this stunning Yosemite elopement below!

bride and groom sharing a first look at Yosemite national park during sunrise
bride and groom sharing a first look at Yosemite national park during sunrise

bride and groom sharing a first look at Yosemite national park during sunrise

A person in a wedding veil faces a group of people standing on a scenic overlook with mountains in the background during a sunrise ceremony in Yosemite
A person in a wedding veil faces a group of people standing on a scenic overlook with mountains in the background during a sunrise ceremony in Yosemite

A person in a wedding veil faces a group of people standing on a scenic overlook with mountains in the background during a sunrise ceremony in Yosemite
A person in a wedding veil faces a group of people standing on a scenic overlook with mountains in the background during a sunrise ceremony in Yosemite

A bride and groom stand facing each other with an officiant between them during an outdoor wedding ceremony with a large mountain in the background in Yosemite

A couple stands with an officiant and wedding party on a rocky outcrop with a sunlit mountain in the background, as three pairs of guests look on in Yosemite

A wedding ceremony taking place on a cliffside with mountains in the background during sunset. The bride and groom stand at the center while a few guests are present, taking photos and watching.

A bride and groom share a kiss at sunset on a rocky outcrop with mountains in the background for a Yosemite elopement

A bride and groom stand on a rocky outcrop, backlit by the setting sun, with mountain peaks and a hazy sky in the background in Yosemite national park
A bride and groom stand on a rocky outcrop, backlit by the setting sun, with mountain peaks and a hazy sky in the background in Yosemite national park

A bride in a white dress and veil smiles while holding a bouquet of flowers, standing outdoors with a mountainous landscape in the background.
A bride in a white dress and veil smiles while holding a bouquet of flowers, standing outdoors with a mountainous landscape in the background.

A group of six people, including a bride and groom, pose together outdoors with mountains in the background in Yosemite for an elopement
A group of six people, including a bride and groom, pose together outdoors with mountains in the background in Yosemite for an elopement
A group of six people, including a bride and groom, pose together outdoors with mountains in the background in Yosemite for an elopement
A group of six people, including a bride and groom, pose together outdoors with mountains in the background in Yosemite for an elopement
A group of six people, including a bride and groom, pose together outdoors with mountains in the background in Yosemite for an elopement

A couple stands on a stone balcony with a mountainous landscape in the background, gazing at the scenery in Yosemite
A couple stands on a stone balcony with a mountainous landscape in the background, gazing at the scenery in Yosemite

A couple stands on a stone balcony with a mountainous landscape in the background, gazing at the scenery in Yosemite

A bride in a white wedding dress and long veil stands on a mountain overlook holding a bouquet, with a backdrop of mountains and sunlight filtering through in Yosemite National Park
A bride in a white wedding dress and long veil stands on a mountain overlook holding a bouquet, with a backdrop of mountains and sunlight filtering through in Yosemite National Park
A bride in a white wedding dress and long veil stands on a mountain overlook holding a bouquet, with a backdrop of mountains and sunlight filtering through in Yosemite National Park
A bride in a white wedding dress and long veil stands on a mountain overlook holding a bouquet, with a backdrop of mountains and sunlight filtering through in Yosemite National Park

A bride and groom stand holding hands on a rocky outcrop with a scenic view of a valley surrounded by mountains and trees in Yosemite national park
A bride and groom stand holding hands on a rocky outcrop with a scenic view of a valley surrounded by mountains and trees in Yosemite national park

A bride and groom stand holding hands on a rocky outcrop with a scenic view of a valley surrounded by mountains and trees in Yosemite national park
A bride and groom stand holding hands on a rocky outcrop with a scenic view of a valley surrounded by mountains and trees in Yosemite national park

A bride and groom stand holding hands on a rocky outcrop with a scenic view of a valley surrounded by mountains and trees in Yosemite national park

A couple in wedding attire holds hands and faces away, standing between two large trees in a forest meadow with mountains in the background.
A couple in wedding attire holds hands and faces away, standing between two large trees in a forest meadow with mountains in the background.

A bride and groom stand holding hands in a meadow with a mountain and waterfall in the background. The bride is holding a bouquet and both are looking away from the camera in Yosemite national park
A bride and groom stand holding hands in a meadow with a mountain and waterfall in the background. The bride is holding a bouquet and both are looking away from the camera in Yosemite national park

A bride and groom stand holding hands in a meadow with a mountain and waterfall in the background. The bride is holding a bouquet and both are looking away from the camera in Yosemite national park

A bride and groom stand holding hands in a meadow with a mountain and waterfall in the background. The bride is holding a bouquet and both are looking away from the camera in Yosemite national park
A bride and groom stand holding hands in a meadow with a mountain and waterfall in the background. The bride is holding a bouquet and both are looking away from the camera in Yosemite national park

A bride and groom stand holding hands in a meadow with a mountain and waterfall in the background. The bride is holding a bouquet and both are looking away from the camera in Yosemite national park

A couple in wedding attire stands at the entrance of a rustic, red-painted chapel surrounded by trees in Yosemite national park
A couple in wedding attire stands at the entrance of a rustic, red-painted chapel surrounded by trees in Yosemite national park

A couple in wedding attire stands at the entrance of Yosemite chapel surrounded by trees in Yosemite national park
A couple in wedding attire stands at the entrance of Yosemite chapel surrounded by trees in Yosemite national park

A couple in wedding attire stands at the entrance of Yosemite chapel surrounded by trees in Yosemite national park

A couple in wedding attire stands at the entrance of Yosemite chapel surrounded by trees in Yosemite national park

A couple in wedding attire stands embracing on rocky terrain with a waterfall cascading in the background at Yosemite falls
A couple in wedding attire stands embracing on rocky terrain with a waterfall cascading in the background at Yosemite falls
A couple in wedding attire stands embracing on rocky terrain with a waterfall cascading in the background at Yosemite falls
A couple in wedding attire stands embracing on rocky terrain with a waterfall cascading in the background at Yosemite falls
A couple in wedding attire stands embracing on rocky terrain with a waterfall cascading in the background at Yosemite falls

A couple in wedding attire shares a kiss beside a river with a scenic mountain and waterfall backdrop. The bride holds a bouquet.
A couple in wedding attire shares a kiss beside a river with a scenic mountain and waterfall backdrop. The bride holds a bouquet.
A couple in wedding attire shares a kiss beside a river with a scenic mountain and waterfall backdrop. The bride holds a bouquet.

A woman in a white dress and a man in a white shirt and tie stand behind a table with various foods and cakes, set up outdoors among tall trees.
A woman in a white dress and a man in a white shirt and tie stand behind a table with various foods and cakes, set up outdoors among tall trees.

a table with various foods and cakes, set up outdoors among tall trees.

a table with various foods and cakes, set up outdoors among tall trees.

A picnic table set for an outdoor meal, covered with a white floral tablecloth and adorned with plates, glasses, silverware, and vases of flowers, amidst a wooded area near a body of water.

A couple in formal attire shares an intimate moment while standing on a log in a dense forest clearing with sunlight filtering through the trees in Yosemite

A couple in formal attire shares an intimate moment while standing on a log in a dense forest clearing with sunlight filtering through the trees in Yosemite
A couple in formal attire shares an intimate moment while standing on a log in a dense forest clearing with sunlight filtering through the trees in Yosemite
A couple in formal attire shares an intimate moment while standing on a log in a dense forest clearing with sunlight filtering through the trees in Yosemite
A couple in formal attire shares an intimate moment while standing on a log in a dense forest clearing with sunlight filtering through the trees in Yosemite
A couple in formal attire shares an intimate moment while standing on a log in a dense forest clearing with sunlight filtering through the trees in Yosemite

A couple in formal attire stands on the edge of a cliff, embracing and looking at each other, with vast mountainous scenery in the background under a hazy sky in Yosemite
A couple in formal attire stands on the edge of a cliff, embracing and looking at each other, with vast mountainous scenery in the background under a hazy sky in Yosemite

A couple in formal attire stands on the edge of a cliff, embracing and looking at each other, with vast mountainous scenery in the background under a hazy sky in Yosemite

A bride and groom sit on a rocky cliff, dressed in wedding attire, sharing drinks from bottles with mountainous scenery in the background.
A bride and groom sit on a rocky cliff, dressed in wedding attire, sharing drinks from bottles with mountainous scenery in the background.

A bride and groom stand on a cliff edge, overlooking a vast landscape with mountains and a setting sun in the background for a Yosemite elopement
A bride and groom stand on a cliff edge, overlooking a vast landscape with mountains and a setting sun in the background for a Yosemite elopement

A bride and groom stand on a cliff edge, overlooking a vast landscape with mountains and a setting sun in the background for a Yosemite elopement
A bride and groom stand on a cliff edge, overlooking a vast landscape with mountains and a setting sun in the background for a Yosemite elopement

A bride and groom stand on a cliff edge, overlooking a vast landscape with mountains and a setting sun in the background for a Yosemite elopement

A couple in formal attire holds lanterns while standing on a rocky ledge overlooking a vast mountainous landscape at sunset.

A couple in formal attire holds lanterns while standing on a rocky ledge overlooking a vast mountainous landscape at sunset.

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