About Fairytale Elope - Our Story & Philosophy

I’m Nate — an ecologist, photographer, and nature-focused storyteller with more than 20 years of professional experience behind the camera. In 2014, I bought this forested property in the Sierra Nevada foothills with one dream in mind: to create an open-air photography studio where people could be photographed in a place that actually felt alive. I named it Waterfall Portraits.

Very quickly, something surprising happened. Couples who came for engagement sessions began asking if they could simply get married here. They loved the forest, the waterfall, and the quiet. They were overwhelmed by traditional wedding planning, frustrated by the costs, and wanted photographs that felt genuine — not staged.
They didn’t want a huge event. They wanted this place… and a few close family members.

One couple became two, then three, and eventually it became clear:
This wasn’t just a photography studio anymore.
It was an elopement venue waiting to be named.

In 2025, we made it official.
Waterfall Portraits became Fairytale Elope.  

The land here is peaceful, private, and varied — a rare blend of wildness and intimacy. It includes:

• A year-round waterfall, flowing clear and steady even in summer
• A quiet forest clearing, shaded and soft under towering pines
• A canyon overlook where sunsets spill across the valley
• Seasonal flower gardens where couples may pick small bouquets
• Gentle reflection pools, rope swings, ferns, natural stone
• Winding footpaths, birdsong, and quiet corners perfect for portraits

It feels magical because it is. Nothing is fake. Nothing is overly staged.
It’s nature doing what nature does — with room for you to step inside the story.

My background as an ecologist shapes everything here. I’ve spent years restoring this property - thinning overcrowded saplings, encouraging old-growth trees, improving forest health, and nurturing native plants. Fallen branches are reused, old cedar trunks become benches for guests, and even storm-fallen limbs find new purpose.

We host only small groups to protect the land and maintain the quiet atmosphere couples come here for. The waterfall, gardens, trails, and overlooks are all cared for gently and intentionally — not overly manicured into something artificial, but tended with respect so they remain healthy and welcoming for decades to come.

This is not a industrial wedding complex.
It is a living landscape, and I am its caretaker.

Elopements here are not the rushed courthouse stereotype — and they’re not big weddings either.

A wedding is the ceremony plus a large party, vendors, décor, and a full production.
An elopement — at least the way we define it — is something beautifully different:

• A real ceremony in nature
• A small circle of your closest people (or none at all)
• Space to breathe and be yourselves
• Time for beautiful portraits in a place that feels genuine
• Zero pressure for timelines, receptions, or grand performances

We handle the ceremony space, photography, and guidance.
You bring your closest people and the love you’re here to celebrate.
You’re free afterward to linger in the forest, enjoy a small picnic, or head off to a restaurant or reception elsewhere if you want to continue the celebration.

It’s simple, meaningful, and real.

While most of your experience happens outdoors, we do offer a few thoughtful indoor conveniences:

• Two indoor restrooms available to you and your guests
• A dedicated bridal dressing room with a vintage vanity, mirrors, soft lighting, and enough space for a few close friends to help with finishing touches
• A small staging area for personal items, bouquets, touch-ups, and anything else you need to prepare calmly before the ceremony

These amenities support your day without distracting from the natural experience.

Meaning over production.
Many of our couples come to us after realizing they don’t want the noise, scale, or pressure of a large wedding. They want a ceremony that feels grounded and honest - a moment shared with the people who matter most, held in a place that doesn’t need decoration to be beautiful.

A peaceful outdoor setting that feels private and alive.
Our forest, waterfall, seasonal gardens, and canyon overlook give couples a chance to exchange vows in a quiet, magical setting. There are no competing events, no strangers watching, and no forced timelines - just you, your partner, your closest people, and the woods.

Photography with experience and heart.
With more than 20 years of professional photography experience, I know how to work with natural light, natural places, and natural expressions. Your photos won’t feel staged or over-posed — they’ll feel like you.

Personal guidance from someone who knows the land.
I’m your host and photographer. I know every trail, every patch of light, and every season of this forest. You won’t be handed off to assistants or staff. You’ll have someone who cares deeply about your comfort, your images, and your experience.

Sustainability and respect for the land.
As an ecologist, I designed Fairytale Elope to be light on the landscape - small groups, gentle use, and a strong focus on preservation. Couples who value nature often choose us because they want their ceremony to reflect their principles as much as their love.

The average cost of a traditional wedding in the United States is now over $30,000, with California weddings often landing between $35,000 and $45,000.
In the Tahoe area, full weddings commonly reach $50,000–$80,000+, once venues, catering, rentals, lodging, and vendor minimums are added.

For many couples, that doesn’t feel joyful - it feels overwhelming.

Elopements, by comparison, are beautifully simple:

• A basic elopement here - the couple, two guests, a one-hour ceremony with photography - is $600.
• Most couples who add a small group of guests, extra photography, or some relaxed time on the property still spend around $1,500 total.
• There are no hidden fees, no vendor minimums, no rental requirements, and no pressure to “upgrade” anything.

Couples often tell us they feel relieved - that choosing an elopement lets them celebrate their love without debt, without stress, and without losing themselves in the logistics of a huge event.

We’re not here to compete with big weddings - they’re wonderful for the people who want them. But many couples realize they want something else: a ceremony that feels like them, in a place that feels genuine, intimate, and naturally beautiful.

Fairytale Elope offers that alternative:

• Personal
• Peaceful
• Private
• Beautiful
• And within reach

A day that feels real.
A day without pressure.
A day that lets nature - and your love - be the centerpiece.

At Fairytale Elope, love is love — and every couple deserves a place where they can feel safe, seen, and celebrated. Our forest venue is a welcoming space for all identities, all orientations, all races, all body types, and all belief systems.

We embrace couples from every background and walk of life, including:

• LGBTQ+ couples seeking a private, affirming place to exchange vows
• Multiracial and multicultural couples blending traditions or creating new ones
• Couples planning a simple, meaningful ceremony outside the pressures of a traditional wedding
• Families of all shapes and sizes, including chosen family
• Couples with kids, older couples, and those eloping for the first or second time

What matters here is your connection - not how you look, how you identify, or what others expect of you.

Nature welcomes everyone without judgment.
So do we.

Whether you’re eloping quietly with just the two of you, or bringing a small circle of loved ones, you’ll find a private, affirming, peaceful space to hold your ceremony and capture beautiful memories among the trees, waterfall, and gardens.

If you’re looking for an inclusive elopement venue in Northern California, we would be honored to host your day.

Many couples choose us because they want a venue where they can be fully themselves - without crowds, without pressure, and without anyone looking over their shoulder. Our private forest setting creates a gentle, welcoming atmosphere where you can focus on what truly matters: your vows, your people, and the love you’re here to celebrate.

Because we host only one elopement at a time, you never share the space with other events. From the forest clearing to the waterfall, the gardens to the dressing room, the entire experience is designed to help you feel relaxed, supported, and free to express yourselves.

If you’re looking for something different—something quieter, more meaningful, and deeply connected to nature—you’ve found it.

This isn’t a wedding venue. It’s a forest. A garden. A canvas. A love story in progress.

I’d be honored to help you write your next chapter here.