Yeang-Shin and Anderson’s romantic outdoor elopement in Yosemite National Park had us ready to pack our bags for a summer road trip to see some of the park’s most iconic locations.
I mean what can we say? This outdoor shoot not only had the most gorgeous sunrise pics but then to end the day, there was the most magical golden hour scenic backdrop that anyone could ask for.
Photographer Meagan Lawler captured the couple’s moments and nature at its best with three different vibes from sunrise to sunset. The day started with Yeang-Shin and Anderson in their formal wedding wear, then donning traditional Chinese garments to honor their heritage, and finally ended with some gorpcore chic looks to hike in and spend some precious golden hour moments in the park.
To see some of their sweetest moments from their Yosemite National Park elopement, scroll through the gallery below!
- Couple: Yeang-Shin Phay & Anderson Ho
- Wedding date: September 13, 2021
- Wedding location: Yosemite National Park
Quick Facts:
- Gifts for one another: Nothing exactly, but we made a playlist for our wedding day.
- First dance song: If there was one, it would be “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran.
How we met…
We met on the dating app Coffee Meets Bagel.
Our proposal story…
We got engaged on October 17, 2020, in the middle of a pandemic. A few weeks prior, Anderson suggested we do a beach day since we’ve been cooped up at home with shelter-in-place. I’m normally the planner, so knowing Anderson, I wasn’t 100% sure this plan was going to happen, so I checked in weekly to see if we were still going to the beach. He was getting annoyed that I asked every week but can you blame me? Haha.
Day of the event, we got to Half Moon Bay, Anderson insisted that we go to the end of the beach where there was a pool of people. It’s Covid and I was trying to be safe but it was his plan, so I went along with it. As we were on the water facing the ocean, he told me to turn around and there it was, all of our closest friends and family who we haven’t seen in months, present to celebrate us. He got down on one knee and the rest was history. We celebrated the rest of the day with some outdoor dining and good food!
Our wedding style…
We’re both a classic-style type of person. I’m a practical person and I knew I didn’t want to buy a wedding dress since I don’t intend on keeping it. So I looked at various wedding dress rental places and eventually found AT Romance. Prior to that, I did go to a few stores to try on wedding dresses so I have a better idea of what I like.
Anderson initially went to Anatoly’s to try on a few suits but he ended up really liking their style and service, so he decided to just go with them. One-stop shop.
As for my Qi Pao, a high-quality Qi Pao would have cost a few hundred dollars and my mom had the genius idea of going to San Francisco Chinatown to find one for a fraction of the cost.
I had two dresses. A traditional white A-line dress with a puffy bottom. A traditional Qi Pao dress to incorporate our Chinese culture. Anderson had a bespoke gray suit and a matching red top that comes as a pair with my Qi Pao.
Celebrating our culture…
We’re both Chinese and since we eloped, we didn’t have our family with us. We wanted to incorporate some part of our culture into our wedding day as a form of respect, but also as a way to remember our roots as we embark on this new journey together. The color red also signifies happiness, joy, luck, and celebration.
Who’s the cutest pup?
Best day ever!
Cue the perfect song in 3…2…1…
Baby, there ain’t no mountain high enough!!!
Nothing can keep me from youu!!!
The best part of our day was…
Ending our day at Taft Point was by far the best highlight for both of us. We almost decided to just forgo going to Taft Point since we’d been up for 14+ hours and we were supposed to catch the sunset at 5 pm.
Our amazing photographer, Meagan Lawler, pushed us on and told us this will be the most amazing highlight. She was right. The breathtaking view of the mountains and the serenity of the moment was truly one of the best memories of my lifetime.
By the end of the day, we just sat down and enjoyed the sunset and felt grateful to be where we were. Core memory unlocked.
Here’s the thing…
Do what makes you happy. Part of why we eloped was because we felt that this was what would make us truly happy. A day where we can enjoy just each other and not worry about what other people wanted and how things should be.
Looking for more stunning outdoor elopements like this one at Yosemite National Park?
Click here!
Vendors:
- Elopement Photographer: Meagan Lawler
- Wedding dress rental: AT Romance
- Wedding suit: Anatoly’s
- Wedding cake: Butter&
- Hair and makeup: Jirehartistry
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