Couple at Ecko Lake holding each other before their Sierra at Tahoe Wedding.

A Snowy Sierra at Tahoe Wedding

Julia and Mike’s Sierra at Tahoe wedding was cold, windy, and dusted with snow. While the weather was certainly memorable, it wasn’t what made the day special. They had chosen Sierra at Tahoe for its stunning ceremony site, sweeping mountain views, and the inviting outdoor reception space. The weekend before had been 75 degrees and sunny, so they hadn’t expected to need a tent for the ceremony or to rely on the venue’s indoor spaces. But as it turned out, flexibility was key.

What truly stood out was how seamlessly everyone came together to make the day a success. Julia and Mike rolled with the changes and kept a lighthearted, positive attitude throughout. The Sierra at Tahoe event team was incredibly helpful and easy to work with, and their guests and families took the weather in stride, with zero drama and plenty of warmth, despite the cold.

Preplanning and Using Google Maps to Scout Locations

Before the wedding, I did some virtual scouting using Google Maps in 3D mode. This method of scouting locations is pretty fun and efficient. It is not foolproof, but it usually gives me a good idea of what a place looks like without having to spend many hours in the car. Echo Lake looked like a cool spot, and it was right en route between the getting-ready location in South Lake Tahoe and Sierra at Tahoe.

Getting Ready at the Hotel

I arrived at the Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort on the morning of the wedding, where Julia and Mike were getting ready. The air was crisp and cold, but the sun was still shining—a promising start to the day. Julia was in the middle of getting her makeup done, while Mike was wrapping up a round of disc golf with his groomspeople. When I walked into Julia’s hotel room, one of her bridesmaids greeted me with a warm hello and a big hug. Right away, I knew it was going to be a good day.

Julia and I had exchanged plenty of emails leading up to the wedding, so we checked in quickly about the plan. She and Mike had scouted Echo Lake the day before and felt confident it would be a great spot for some couple portraits. As Julia finished getting ready, Mike arrived at the hotel. I popped over to his room to grab a few quick shots of him tying his tie, and then we headed out together to find the perfect location for their first look.

First Look

I scouted a first look spot with Mike, met up with Julia, and decided on a new spot. The first look scouting and the first look itself took less than 15 minutes. After we were done with the first look, we headed to Echo Lake. The family and wedding party finished getting ready and met us at Sierra at Tahoe for the wedding party and immediate family portraits.

Couple Portraits en Route to Sierra at Tahoe

There’s a pullout on the side of the road with an epic view of Lake Tahoe. Every time I drive through the area, I think about stopping—but I usually blow right past it, eager to get to my destination. This time, with Julia and Mike in tow, I finally made the stop. The weather was starting to turn; wind was picking up, and a light drizzle had begun. It seemed smart to hedge our bets and grab a few portraits while conditions were still manageable.

We pulled over, took some quick photos with the lake in the background, then jumped back into the warm car and continued to Echo Lake. By the time we arrived, the wind had really picked up, and the air was freezing. Julia and Mike braved the cold for a few more portraits. We made two more quick stops for pictures along the way and arrived at Sierra at Tahoe just as the immediate family and wedding party were pulling in.

Immediate Family and Wedding Party Portraits

Julia and Mike made some last-minute Amazon purchases once they were fairly certain that the weather was going to be cold. They bought a box of hand warmers for all the guests and some faux fur shawls for the bridesmaids. Both of these purchases were well used. I was personally so thankful for the hand warmers. While the weather held, we went outside for immediate family and wedding party pictures. The Sierra at Tahoe team pointed out a fun spot for wedding party pictures and helped transport people.

The Ceremony and Everyone Group Shot

Although not what they had envisioned as far as epic views in the background, Julia and Mike’s ceremony was sweet and heartfelt. Almost as soon as it was over, it began to snow. I gathered people quickly for a group shot before everyone hurried inside for some warmth, a beverage, and something to eat. Toward the end of cocktail hour, the Sierra at Tahoe event staff took us up the hill for some couple portraits at the original ceremony site. The snow was coming down so hard.

Reception and Dancing

The reception was held inside (not the original plan). Julia laughed that they had picked Sierra at Tahoe for all of the beautiful outdoor spaces, but ended up doing almost everything inside. I was so glad that Julia and Mike didn’t let the last-minute changes keep them from having a great time. We popped out for a few minutes to take pics at sunset and then got back into the warmth for dancing, speeches, and good times.