Candice and Kyle's wedding at Sunnyside Lodge
A Saturday in late October on Lake Tahoe's west shore, with the water a few steps from the aisle.
He didn't get through it dry.
Kyle turned around, saw Candice, and that was that. It took a while before either of them could speak.
When they could, they read each other the vows they'd written — just the two of them, before anyone else had seen her, before the day properly started.
The Day
Getting ready
[Where they got ready. Sunnyside has 23 rooms on site, so plenty of couples stay and start the morning there — did they?]
The first look
Kyle saw Candice for the first time, and it took him a minute. Once he could talk, they read their personal vows to each other privately, standing on the west shore with the day still ahead of them.
That's a choice more couples should consider. Reading your own words to each other with nobody watching is a different thing from reading them to a hundred and fifty people, and it means the ceremony can be about everyone else being there.
The ceremony
One of their closest friends officiated, which changes the temperature of a ceremony more than any other single decision. The lake sat directly behind them.
The weather held — a clear late-October Saturday on the west shore, which is not something you can count on that far into the season.
Portraits
[Where and when.] The west shore faces east, so the last light of the day lands on the mountains across the water rather than over them. [What you did with that.]
The reception
Fifty guests, and the dance floor never emptied. First dances ran the way you'd hope, and then everybody stayed on it.
That's a thing that happens at fifty and doesn't reliably happen at a hundred and fifty. There's no fraction of the room sitting it out, because there's no fraction of the room — everyone knows everyone.
The film
There's a highlight film from this wedding, and it's the fastest way to understand what the day actually felt like. Some of it — Kyle at the first look, the dance floor at the end — isn't something a still frame holds on its own.
About Sunnyside Lodge
Sunnyside Lodge sits directly on Lake Tahoe's west shore just south of Tahoe City, on Highway 89. What separates it from most Tahoe venues is simple: the ceremony happens at the water's edge, not at a distance from it. A lot of lakefront venues around Tahoe are lake-view venues. This one is on the water.
The property has 23 guestrooms and suites, so couples and guests can stay on site across the wedding weekend. The Lakeside Dining Room handles rehearsal dinners looking out over the water, from $60 per guest, and day-after brunches start at $30 per person. For smaller weddings there's a partial buyout option at roughly half the cost of a full buyout, with a discount on the newlyweds' room.
The venue blocks the first week of July, the second weekend of August, and December 24 through January 31 for event bookings. Confirm current capacity, rates, and blocked dates directly with them, since all three move year to year.
What that means for photography. The west shore faces east, so the sun sets behind the lodge and over the Sierra crest, not over the lake. The payoff is on the opposite side — the last twenty minutes of light hit the mountains across the water and the far shore goes pink while you're standing in shade. If you want that in your portraits, you're shooting toward the lake at a very specific point in the evening. [Add what you'd tell a couple about timing.]
On late October. This is the tail end of the Tahoe wedding season, and it's an underrated time to book here — the summer crowds are gone from the west shore, Highway 89 is quiet, and the light gets long and low much earlier in the day. It's also cold once the sun is off the water, so an outdoor ceremony needs a plan for guests.
Questions About Getting Married at Sunnyside Lodge
Where is Sunnyside Lodge?
Sunnyside Lodge is located on the west shore of Lake Tahoe just south of Tahoe City, California, on Highway 89. The property sits directly on the water, with Lake Tahoe a few steps from the ceremony site.
Can you get married at the water's edge at Sunnyside Lodge?
Yes. Sunnyside holds ceremonies at the water's edge on Lake Tahoe, which distinguishes it from the many Tahoe venues that offer a view of the lake from a distance rather than direct access to the shoreline.
Does Sunnyside Lodge have rooms for wedding guests?
Yes. Sunnyside Lodge has 23 guestrooms and suites on the property, so couples and guests can stay on site through the wedding weekend rather than travelling in. There is a discount on the newlyweds' room with a wedding booking.
What is the Sunnyside partial buyout?
The partial buyout is an option for smaller weddings that provides the venue's setting and space at approximately half the price of a full buyout, and includes 20% off the newlyweds' room. It is aimed at couples with lower guest counts who do not need the entire property.
Can you host a rehearsal dinner at Sunnyside Lodge?
Yes. The Lakeside Dining Room overlooks Lake Tahoe and hosts rehearsal dinners starting at $60 per guest. Sunnyside also offers a private day-after wedding brunch starting at $30 per person, so a full wedding weekend can happen in one location.
What dates are unavailable at Sunnyside Lodge?
Sunnyside does not take event bookings during the first week of July, the second weekend of August, or from December 24 through January 31. Individual Saturdays are also occasionally closed to weddings, so availability should be confirmed directly with the venue.
Can a friend officiate your wedding at Sunnyside Lodge?
Yes. Sunnyside Lodge is in Placer County, California, which runs a Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a Day program allowing a friend or family member to be deputized to perform one civil ceremony. The couple must purchase their marriage license in Placer County, the license is issued on the appointment date, and the ceremony must take place within 90 days. The deputization fee is $40, with a public marriage license at $57 or a confidential licence at $60. The ceremony must be civil rather than religious. Confirm current requirements with the Placer County Clerk-Recorder.
Is late October a good time for a Lake Tahoe wedding?
Late October is the end of the Lake Tahoe wedding season and offers quieter conditions than summer, with lower traffic on the west shore and long low light much earlier in the day. Temperatures drop quickly once the sun leaves the water, so outdoor ceremonies in this period need a warmth plan for guests.
Which direction does Sunnyside Lodge face?
Sunnyside Lodge sits on Lake Tahoe's west shore and faces east across the water. The sun sets behind the property rather than over the lake, so the final light of the day falls on the mountains of the east shore. This affects how a wedding day timeline should be built around portrait light.
Planning a wedding at Sunnyside Lodge?
I've shot on this shore and I know exactly when the light lands on the far side of the lake. Send me your date and I'll tell you honestly whether I'm free — and what I'd do with your timeline.