Welcome Back!

We are thrilled to welcome visitors back to Lake Tahoe after the recent Caldor Fire. Thanks to the tireless work of all the front-line heroes and agencies who worked to protect our town and forests, Tahoe South is open and thriving. It’s the perfect time to secure your wedding date!

Lakeside weddings have been a growing trend over the past few years for several reasons, one of which is the sheer beauty a wedding on the shore brings to your joyous day. And lakeside weddings in Tahoe South are over-the-top beautiful. News flash: Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Not only is it surrounded by the majestic Sierra Mountains and towering, fragrant pine and cedar trees, its crystal clear, blue-green-turquoise water is second to none. So, pick a venue with a private beach (see: Edgewood Tahoe, Beach Retreat & Lodge at Tahoe, Zephyr Cove Resort, The Landing), or a wooden pier, or a grassy lawn and start planning the lakeside wedding of your dreams. Since we host thousands of weddings in Tahoe South, we’ll give you a few of our favorite ideas to incorporate into your own lakeside wedding:

Beach Retreat and Lodge at Tahoe Boathouse Lakeside Wedding

The Boathouse at Beach Retreat & Lodge at Tahoe is an idyllic setting for a cocktail hour or even a pre-wedding day dinner. Photo Credit: Beach Retreat & Lodge at Tahoe

 

A lakeside wedding with cocktail hour in a boathouse

Kick off your wedding festivities with a swanky cocktail hour in a boathouse on the lake. Work with your wedding coordinator to design a special drink menu and apps to offer guests. Beach Retreat & Lodge at Tahoe has just the setting to pull this off with The Boathouse, situated along Lake Tahoe’s south shore.

Pick a beautiful beach for your lakeside wedding ceremony

What would a lakeside wedding be without a little sand between your toes? The Lake Tahoe shoreline offers a one-of-a-kind mix of sandy beaches, ginormous boulders, and of course, the signature turquoise waters encircled by majestic mountains. Set up rows of traditional chairs for guests or come up with something truly unique that speaks to your relationship or plays on your wedding theme.

Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel beach lakeside wedding

A lakeside wedding on a beach in Tahoe is classic. Photo Credit: Indigo Photography | Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel

 

The Landing lakeside wedding in Tahoe

Tahoe South has numerous beautiful beach options for a lakeside wedding ceremony and photo ops. Photo Credit: Photojournalist Monique Sady | The Landing Lake Tahoe Resort & Spa

Exchange vows on a dock or pier

While the beach is a no-brainer for a lakeside wedding, you could also avoid the sand and set foot on a dock or pier and say your “I Dos.” One of the unique aspects of a lakeside wedding is all the beautiful shoreline choices for your ceremony, so feel free to think outside the beach.

Ridge-pier-dock-lakeside-wedding

As an alternative to a beach ceremony, why not exchange vows on a pier or dock over the lake? Photo Credit: Melanie Underwood, Underwood Photography | The Ridge Tahoe

Say “I Do” aboard a giant boat

One of the more novel advantages to having a lakeside wedding is that you could actually get married on a boat. In Tahoe South, Lake Tahoe Cruises will whisk you and your guests off into the sunset aboard one of their sea-worthy vessels. If vintage is your vibe, check out the M.S. Dixie II paddle wheeler. If posh and intimate is your preference, they also have a luxurious yacht called Tahoe Paradise. Both boats are year-round options for a lakeside wedding in Tahoe South.

Lake Tahoe Cruises wedding on MS Dixie II paddle wheeler

Bring your wedding party of up to 300 aboard the MS Dixie II paddle wheeler for a celebration like no other. Photo Credit: Theilen Photography | Lake Tahoe Cruises/Zephyr Cove Resorts

After your lakeside wedding, go jump in the lake

We’ve seen many wedding couples get wet and wild after the ceremony with a “lover’s leap” into the lake. The choice is yours whether to christen your formal attire or switch to more water-worthy apparel, but it’s a great photo op and can add some excitement and thrill to your day. (And we hear that jumping into Lake Tahoe can be very invigorating!)

 

Edgewood Tahoe lakeside wedding

A fun way to christen your new union is with a leap into the lake! Photo Credit: Theilen Photography | Edgewood Tahoe

 

Make your grand departure on a stand-up paddleboard

In Tahoe South, we do it up big. Okay, so it doesn’t have to be a SUP; it could be a canoe, kayak, jet-ski, powerboat, or pontoon, but what better way to exit your lakeside wedding than via watercraft? It makes for a fantastic photo, plus it’s super fun!

Tahoe South Wedding Sites lakeside wedding SUP

After your lakeside wedding, sail away with your sweetie on a SUP! Photo Credit: Jeff Dow | Tahoe South

Take all the sunset photos

Gauging by the millions of people who post sunset pics on Instagram, we know it’s a favorite photo subject. And we can confidently say that Lake Tahoe has some of the most breathtaking sunsets. So, why not time your wedding festivities to align with one-of-a-kind sunset photo ops? (Note: We could honestly post dozens of amazing sunset shots at lakeside weddings, but we’ve narrowed it down to just a few. But we think you’ll get the idea.)

Edgewood Tahoe sunset lakeside wedding

Sunsets in Tahoe are spectacular! Photo Credit: Theilen Photography | Edgewood Tahoe

 

Edgewood Tahoe sunset lakeside wedding

The bride and groom are beaming — and so is the sky! Photo Credit: Wedding Photojournalist Monique Sady | Edgewood Tahoe

 

tahoe-beach-retreat-sunset-bride-shoreline

A stunning bride, a stunning sunset. Shot captured along the shoreline at Tahoe Beach Retreat. Photo Credit: Bogdan Condor Photography

 

Zephyr Cove Resort Lake Tahoe Cruises sunset lakeside wedding

A whimsical sunset shot with Tahoe Paradise yacht docked in the distance. Photo Credit: Zephyr Cove Resort/Lake Tahoe Cruises

Zephyr Cove Resort sunset lakeside wedding

A wedding couple out for a stroll at sunset. Photo Credit: Theilen Photography | Zephyr Cove Resort