Zephyr Cove Resort Wedding | Lake Tahoe, NV | Ana + Andrew

Ana and Andrew had me at pizza.

When we first spoke in 2015 about their Zephyr Cove Resort wedding, over a year out, Ana was most excited about the pizza. As a photojournalist, there are a few details that I worry about on a wedding day. I am, frankly, mostly unconcerned with the pomp and circumstance and whether or not you’re going to have any traditions. By all means, cut that cake and I will photograph it, but I’m not going to orchestrate your day or suggest that you do things you don’t want to for a photo’s sake. What I will get behind though: pizza.

The pizza was fantastic.

But the rest of their day, that was fantastic also. From the tear-inducing speeches to the cake in Andrew’s brother’s face, from the coordinated and choreographed first dances (Ana and her father danced to Time Warp!), everything about their daytime Zephyr Cove Resort wedding with a pizza buffet was right up my alley.

This post was updated in 2023, when I photographed Andrew’s father’s Metropolitan Club of San Francisco wedding. Over 10 years into my career, and more than 500 weddings later, the gravity of my job still does not escape me. Wedding photography, for me, is not just about capturing perfect beautiful images that could be in a magazine, but rather, about preserving precious memories of the day and, ultimately, capturing the feeling of the day. Not every wedding is the same – nor should it be – and it’s important to me to always make sure that my images reflect the energy I was encapsulated in. Looking back on Ana and Andrew’s wedding 5 years later, it’s remarkable how quickly I am transported back in time to their day and how much their images really still resonate with their personalities.

At the end of the day, wedding photography is not just for the couple, but for the entire family. Photos are heirlooms. They are moments in time, preserved for future generations. They are love, and joy, and tears, and laughter, and dancing to Time Warp and I’m proud that my images are as classic and timeless as I designed them to be. They are an example of the enduring power of the still image – and to the love and importance of family that this family values. It’s weird to be in a job that feels like you are creating a legacy, but I’m here for it, I’m proud of it, and I, a decade later, still enjoy it.

From Beachfront Ceremonies to Mountain Views: Why Lake Tahoe is the Perfect Destination Wedding Location

Y’all – I don’t live here for no reason. I live here because it’s motherfucking beautiful and to be frank, the beauty NEVER gets old. Lake Tahoe is one of the world’s premier beach wedding destinations in the world. We are practically a wedding mill thanks to the lake’s stunning features, expansive views, majestic mountains, and quiet (ok, mostly quiet) pace of life. If you are extremely lucky you get a vibrant sunset that really sets off Lake Tahoe’s picturesque setting. There are not many beaches in the world that offer a wealth of wedding venues flanked by mountains and when you combine that with the surrounding forests that offer plentiful amounts of shade, it makes for a wide variety for your wedding photographer to choose from.

Second, Lake Tahoe offers a wide range of amenities and activities for your guests that make it an ideal location for a destination wedding, whether you are holding a Zephyr Cove Resort wedding, a Lakeside Beach Wedding, or a Thunderbird Lodge wedding. We have almost too many hotel rooms: from 4-star resorts to charming boutique hotels, to a plethora of Airbnb and VRBOs, Tahoe’s tourist-centric economic focus means that there are accommodations to fit a wide range of budgets. It should go without mentioning that we have lots of outdoor stuff to do: with a wealth of recreational activities such as hiking, boating, skiing, and fishing, Tahoe is the perfect destination wedding location – making it easy for couples to plan a memorable wedding weekend for themselves and their guests. With all of these factors combined, it is easy to see why Lake Tahoe has become one of the world’s premier beach wedding locations.

Tying the Knot at Lake Tahoe’s Historic Zephyr Cove Resort

Zephyr Cove Resort is a unique and, now, widely known place thanks to the wonders of the internet and the large crowds that flock there every year on the 4th of July. That being said, when it’s not a holiday, this historic resort, located on the southeast shore of Lake Tahoe in Nevada, is not only a perfect location for a beach volleyball day but also a popular wedding venue for Lake Tahoe. The resort was established in the 1860s as a stopover for pioneers and travelers heading to the Comstock Lode in Virginia City. In the early 1900s, it became a popular vacation spot for families and tourists, with cabins, a campground, and a beach for swimming and boating. During the Prohibition era, bootleggers that smuggled alcohol across the lake to the Cal Neva and west shore started their journey from the resort’s piers. Today, the resort is bustling with activity from its expansive lodging options, which include cabins, RV sites, and a tent campground. If you want a rollicking beach wedding in Lake Tahoe, a Zephyr Cove Resort wedding may be the perfect fit.