Lake Tahoe Adventure Elopement Photographer
Elopements, fully planned. Days, fully lived.
Based in Lake Tahoe. Traveling to Yosemite and beyond.
Full Planning · Photo + Video, with 35mm Film as an Add-On
I handle the permits and logistics. I document every day in photo and video, with 35mm film available on select packages.
Your elopement shouldn't feel like a production.
You want a day that feels like the two of you — no timeline anxiety, no posing for the camera, no wondering if the permits came through. Just the place, the light, and each other.
That's exactly what I build every elopement around. You show up. I handle everything else.
IN THEIR WORDS
Couples who showed up and just got married.
A few notes from people who planned their day from far away — and stopped worrying about the parts that weren’t theirs to carry.
★★★★★
" What a pleasure it was to meet AJ. From the beginning he was hands on figuring out what all we needed for our big day ...We shared laughs, he took us to amazing spots in Yosemite National Park."
— Rachelle + Jerome
★★★★★
"We had an amazing experience working with Armando. From the beginning he was very responsive with coordinating our shoot. The pictures turned out spectacular! If I could give more than 5 stars I would!"
— Lexi + Michael
★★★★★
" Armando was amazing. He captured everything exactly the way we pictured it for our elopement and we could not be happier. He was very flexible in the destinations and unknowning since it wasn’t traditional, and he helped the day go by with ease."
— Michaela + Brandon
HEY, I’M ARMANDO
I don't just photograph your day — I help you live it.
I've spent years learning how to disappear — how to be present in a room without changing what happens in it. I shoot on film because it slows everything down and forces me to wait for the real thing, not a version of it.
I'm the only photographer in the Lake Tahoe area who shoots hybrid — Photo and video as a complete record of your day, with 35mm film available as an add-on — and handles every logistic as part of the process. Not because it's a selling point. Because the two things are inseparable. You can't be fully present in your day if you're worried about what comes next.
★★★★★
“What can I say about Armando? Only the absolute best things! Not only was he extremely professional and efficient, but he is a joy to work with! The work he delivered is breathtaking and I know we will always have the best memories because of him!”
— Mar + Carlos
Everything your day needs. Nothing you have to figure out.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Photo + Video
I shoot your day on digital and video — not as two separate things, but as one complete record. Photo catches the quiet glances, the fast ones. Video holds the sounds, the pauses, the vows as they actually sounded. 35mm film is available as an add-on: it slows things down, makes every frame deliberate, and folds into that same complete record for couples who choose it.
Full-Service Planning — Always Included
Permits, timelines, vendor coordination, location scouting — I build all of it into every elopement I take on. There’s no add-on tier. No extra fee. I include the planning because it’s the only way the day actually works the way it should. The logistics are the wall between you and being fully in it. I remove the wall.
Location Expertise — Lake Tahoe & Beyond
I know Lake Tahoe the way you only can after years of working here. The light at Emerald Bay at 6am. Which trails close in October. Which permit offices take three weeks to respond. That kind of knowledge isn’t something you can research from a distance — and it changes everything about what your day looks like.
THE PROCESS
Here’s what happens when you reach out.
01
Reach out
Fill out the short form and tell me a little about what you’re envisioning. No pressure, no commitment — just a starting point.
02
Consultation
We get on a call. I want to understand your day, your location, what matters most to you. You’ll leave knowing exactly how this works and whether it’s the right fit.
03
I build your custom plan
I handle the permits, the timeline, the logistics, the vendor coordination. Every detail, confirmed and ready before your day arrives.
04
Show up and get married
That’s it. Everything else is already handled.
FAQ
A few things couples ask me first.
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It depends on where you want to go — some locations require permits through the US Forest Service or California State Parks, and a few have additional restrictions. I handle all of this as part of the planning process, so you don’t need to figure out which office to contact or how far in advance to apply. It’s already on my list.
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Yes — and that’s not optional. Every elopement I take on includes full planning: permits, timeline, vendor coordination, and location logistics. I don’t offer photography-only. The two things work together, and separating them doesn’t serve you well.
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Not at all — most of the couples I work with are planning entirely from out of state. Part of what I do is translate the location for you: the best spots for what you want, the light at different times of year, the logistics of getting there. You don’t need to have been here before. That’s what I’m here for.
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As early as you can. Permit timelines vary by location, and popular dates fill quickly. Six months to a year out is ideal, but reach out regardless — I’ll tell you honestly what’s possible for your timeline.
FEATURED GALLERIES
Real Days, Not Highlight Reels
Every gallery here started the same way — two people who just wanted the day to feel like theirs.
Logan Shoals, Two Weeks' Notice — Dawn & Jon
A wedding built fast, for a couple who knew exactly why the timing mattered.
Zephyr Cove, Sunset Cruise — Cara & Shawn
A beach ceremony, a private charter, and a thunderstorm that became part of the story.
Sand Harbor, From a Cabin — Sarah & Alex
Vows read among the pines, decided by a game of rock-paper-scissors.
NOT READY TO REACH OUT YET?
Start Here.
If you’re still picturing what your day could look like, these are good places to start.
How to Elope at Lake Tahoe
What a Tahoe elopement actually takes to plan, from permits to timing the light.
How to Elope in Yosemite
Permits, timing, and the locations worth knowing before you plan a day in the park.
Real Days at Yosemite
A few of the elopements I’ve documented there, and how each one actually went.
Let's start planning your dream elopement.
I work with a small number of couples each year, and I want every one of them to feel like the day was built specifically for them. If that’s what you’re after, fill out the form and we’ll figure out the rest together.