Lake Tahoe Mountain Wedding
Hillarie and Bobby are a cute couple but when you scan the images, you’ll see the ring bearer and flower girl stole the show at this Lake Tahoe mountain wedding!
Still, there are many beautiful aspects to the ceremony and you can see why the couple could easily let their joy shine through. A stunning bouquet and table centrepieces that were so impressive, cupcakes in the colour scheme on a tiered stand, and lights over the guest tables were just a few of the details that made this wedding spectacular.
Details of a Lake Tahoe Mountain Wedding
A Lake Tahoe mountain wedding is all about the setting. It should be scenic, but unique to the personality of the bride and groom. That means couples can opt for a black tie formal wedding or a casual, flip flops (or even barefoot) wedding event. Brides may opt for a forest setting, a beach setting, or a beautiful garden wedding with twinkling fairy lights in the background for a romantic effect. There is no wrong way to host a Lake Tahoe mountain wedding!
Whether you choose an indoor or outdoor venue, you’ll want decor that is inspired by Mother Nature. In fact, those who love the great outdoors may want to make that the theme of the wedding, adding elements of favourite outdoor hobbies. A Lake Tahoe wedding may be held any time of year, but spring and summer are the best times to plan for this type of event.
What to Look for in a Venue for a Lake Tahoe Mountain Wedding
The Lake Tahoe mountain wedding is one that is perfectly at home in either an indoor or outdoor venue. Should you decide upon an indoor venue, then you’ll want lots of natural-inspired decor to really play up the beauty of Lake Tahoe. Outdoors, choose a wooded area, the beach, or a beautiful garden setting. Some couples will enjoy a rustic cabin setting like those at local ski resorts or state parks.
One thing you’ll need to do no matter what type of venue you choose for a Lake Tahoe wedding is to ask the venue representative about what is included in the rental of the location. Many venues provide the use of furniture, linens, or A/V equipment, while others allow for a destination wedding where you and your guests stay on the grounds. This could positively impact your budget as you plan for your Lake Tahoe mountain wedding.
Colour Palettes for a Lake Tahoe Mountain Wedding
The colour palette for a Lake Tahoe mountain wedding can vary as much as brides would like. Some brides will choose colours based on the venue, while others will have a sub-theme such as rustic vintage, and they’ll choose the colour palette based on that.
With a main colour of burgundy, you can choose to add antique white and blush colours to the palette. Ecru is a beautiful colour that can be added to these shades of red and pink, as well as navy blue.
A Lake Tahoe mountain wedding that takes place near the beach might see eucalyptus as a base colour. Add bright white, gold, teal, and a dark blue-gray for the accent colours. These colours would also fit a winter Lake Tahoe mountain wedding colour palette.
Wedding Dresses for a Lake Tahoe Mountain Wedding
First, decide whether the nuptials are a casual or a black tie event. Once that important issue is affirmed, you can choose a wedding dress that fits your personality as well as the formality of the event.
Some brides opt for a long-sleeved, A-line long dress for the big day. This dress is semi-casual but formal enough for the ceremony. Brides can look for a floor-length gown, or choose one that is tea-length or knee-length depending upon how formal the day is intended to be. Scoop-neck and v-neck dresses are also appropriate for the Lake Tahoe mountain wedding dress.
Some brides are also opting for a maxi dress for their wedding day. The maxi dress can be dressed up a bit with lace and pearls, but it is flowing and long enough for a fall Lake Tahoe mountain wedding.
Groom Style for a Lake Tahoe Mountain Wedding
Grooms’ wear should match that of the bride as far as formalities go. If the bride is dressing in a very formal dress, the groom will want a suit or a tuxedo. A vest is great to pair with the jacket, and, if the groom would prefer, he can ditch the jacket once the ceremony is done and enjoy the reception in his suit pants and vest without appearing too casual.
However, if the bride is going casual, this gives the groom and the members of his party the ability to do so as well! Grooms can opt for linen pants, a button-down shirt and more casual shoes. Navy suits are also nice.
Wedding Cake Ideas for a Lake Tahoe Mountain Wedding
A Lake Tahoe wedding cake should be chosen based on the number of people who will be attending the event as well as the formality of the event. We like Hillarie and Bobby’s idea of cupcakes, too!
For a small wedding, a one tier cake that is simply designed and topped with flowers is lovely. Cakes with multiple tiers and lots of elaborate scrollwork fit in well with the theme also. Hosting a more vintage wedding? Consider having the icing more of an antique white colour rather than bright white, and using burlap or ribbon to wrap around a portion of the layers.
Outdoor Wedding Ideas for a Lake Tahoe Mountain Wedding
Consider a venue that offers views overlooking the mountain range. This type of venue requires little in the way of decor; simply add an arch draped in greenery. Mother Nature provides the perfect backdrop for an outdoor wedding in the Lake Tahoe mountains. Another outdoor option involves a wooded area filled with tall, lush trees overlooking the water. Again, Mother Nature is your decorator, and she always does an excellent job.
There are beach areas where one can host a Lake Tahoe mountain wedding. Simply add a ceremonial arbour laden with flowers, and the decorating is complete!
Wedding Invitations for a Lake Tahoe Mountain Wedding
The invitations for a Lake Tahoe Mountain inspired wedding may depict a mountain scene or one on the water. Depending upon the venue, you may want to choose the scenery that best fits your location.
Some brides will depict a mountain scene in watercolour paints, which is the perfect way to introduce the theme of the wedding. Be sure to use the evergreen trees native to the Lake Tahoe Mountain area.
A nice idea is an actual photo of Lake Tahoe to illustrate the wedding invitations. This could be paired with a rustic, post-card look for more vintage wedding themes. Another option could be a watercolour depiction of the national park near Lake Tahoe.
Ceremony Decor for a Lake Tahoe Mountain Wedding
Because the scenery near Lake Tahoe is so breathtaking, depending upon one’s venue, decorating may be at a minimum. Outdoor weddings should really play up the natural beauty of Lake Tahoe and the mountain range near there.
Often, brides marrying in the great outdoors of Lake Tahoe mountains simply use the beautiful trees, the scenic mountain views, and the beaches nearby. Add an arbour or a ceremonial arch draped with twinkling lights, organza fabric, or floral garlands.
Marrying indoors? Bring the beauty of Lake Tahoe inside. Do this by using lots of greenery and floral garlands.
Reception Decor for a Lake Tahoe Mountain Wedding
The reception decor for a Lake Tahoe Mountain inspired wedding should be laid back and fun. Most brides will keep decor at a minimum, utilising a few florals from the wedding.
Opt for long, rectangular or round tables for the reception venue. These tables should definitely hold floral centrepieces, and use mason jars for vases. Add tea lights to the clear jar for a romantic effect.
Drinks may be iced down in wooden or tin tubs, and setting up an easel with an engagement of a photo will add to the rustic look of the reception.
Lake tahoe mountain wedding
From Mandy Ford Photography – “This enchanted forest wedding with rich cranberry tones, mauve accents, and gold sequins, paired perfectly with the dark evergreens of the Reno Tahoe mountains.
Hillary and Bobby wed on the edge of a mountain, at over 7,000 feet, overlooking the Washoe desert valley below at the cosy Tannenbaum Event Center. The floral designs were easy-going and dripped with lush, loose accents. Quality Event Design constructed a unique centrepiece on each table, with focal points ranging from glass cloche and candles, to unique, oversized lanterns. Gold and glass textures were a striking contrast to the natural, earthy textures covering the tables!”
THE PROPOSAL
From Hillary – “After 9 years of being together, one house, two dogs, and on our way to buying another house Bobby decided to propose. He and three other friends got together and planned a weekend away in a cabin in the snowy mountains of Truckee, CA over New Years Eve weekend. Three other couples joined us for this memorable weekend where we played card games and cozied up by the fire.
The morning of New Years Eve all of the guys managed to slip out of the house while us girls finished getting ready. An alarm on a phone started going off and after minutes of looking all over for the cabin for it, we managed to turn it off and find our first ‘clue.’ From there we were led on a scavenger hunt all over Truckee, we got pedicures, ate brunch and too many laughs to thinking about what these guys were up to.
WEDDING STYLE
“Our vision for our wedding was an enchanted forest with a romantic feel. I wanted guests to enjoy the beautiful tall green trees surrounding us as well as the breathtaking views and to imagine that they were in an elegant fairy tale. It was important to have overhead string lights to cast a beautiful glow on the venue as the sun went down. Our wedding colours were beautiful greens and ivory complemented with rich Burgundy hues and gold accents.
The florals were absolutely breathtaking. I wanted arrangements that had a lot of texture and a whole scheme of our wedding colours not just a couple. The florist definitely delivered! Even the bridesmaids’ bouquets were over the top. One special flower I was drawn to that I really wanted in my bouquet was a Protea, it added a pop to the bouquet and great texture. I also wanted a lot of greenery such as eucalyptus, not only does it smell great but it has a wonderful cascading effect too.”
PERSONAL TOUCHES
“We asked a friend of ours to officiate our wedding since we are not religious, this was the best idea! Our friend was able to talk about us individually and together as a couple because he really knew us and has spent time with us… he was also there when we got engaged!
We wanted to have a unique way of releasing each table to the buffet line so on each table number there was a song title specific to those people who were assigned to that table. For example, several of our friends from small town Fallon, NV (a country/farming type of community) we had a fun country song for them… my mom and her family love the Beegee’s so we had a hit song of theirs play. Guests had to listen to their song and then boogie their way over to the buffet.
As for the seating chart I had my husband make ours because I had a vision I just couldn’t really find. He nailed wood from old wooden pallets together, stained it and placed J hooks where we had vintage skeleton keys hang from with each guests’ name and table number on each.”
FAVORS & CAKE
For favours I had rolled Pashminas and had them in a basket for guests because I knew the temperature would drop a little bit at night in the cool Sierra Nevada mountains. The Pashminas were in an assortment of our wedding colours — Burgundy, gold, ivory and cream. We also had an open air photo booth for guests to enjoy with lots of different props.
For dessert we did red velvet, vanilla and chocolate cupcakes. We didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a cake, it just wasn’t on our list of splurges so these cupcakes were great for guests to hold on to easily and dance!”
MEMORIES & STORIES
The week leading up to the wedding I was slightly panicked over an entire table… because my husband is in the NV National Guard they had been deployed to Texas to help with the Hurricane Harvey Relief Effort. Fortunately, my husband did not have to go, but an entire table at our wedding was asked to go. The guys that went weren’t sure if they would make it back in time, so all I could do was cross my fingers that they would come back safely in time and they did! The day before they flew back into town and they all came to celebrate our big day with us.
The morning of our wedding the bridesmaids and I woke up in a penthouse suite at a hotel in Reno, NV where we had floor to ceiling windows that showed us a view of the city. This particular morning was the famous Reno Hot Air Balloon races so we got to enjoy watching about 50 hot air balloons floating through the city.
Once we arrived at the Tannenbaum I had the perfect view of all of the guests arriving, seeing all these faces come from near and far definitely brought tears to my eyes. I can remember once we all sat down to eat a guest came up to Bobby and I at the wedding party table and told us to turn around to look out at the beautiful view and once we did there was the most beautiful rainbow out in the distance. It was pure magic!
Once the glow of string lights came on as the sun was going down and the dancing began I remember running to the bridal suite really quick to grab something and looking back at the dance floor and not one person was sitting, everyone was up dancing the night away having the best time!”
Credits: Photography: Mandy Ford Photography // Floral & Rentals: Quality Event Design // Entertainment: Epik Entertainment // Beauty: Greco Rose // Wedding Dress & Bridesmaids Dresses: Swoon Bridal // Groom’s Attire: Michael Kors // Venue: Tannenbaum Event Center near Lake Tahoe, Nevada.