Lake Tahoe Wedding : Shana+Joe

Over a 100 years ago, his great-grandmother walked the green acres adjacent to Lake Tahoe. The water was the color turquoise and lapis lazuli, reflecting its colors on the blue sky. She walked back to their newly built home and planted a tree. The land belonged to her and her husband and together they dreamed of future generations loving it as much as they did.

More than a century later, her great-grandson danced with his bride under the shade of the tree she planted. In the background their family house–The White House–shined in the light of the setting sun. Former presidents, famed poets, and a litany of rambunctious children slept behind the solid wood walls, but on a perfect Saturday in July, the family grew by one extra person.

When Joe asked Shana to be his wife, she joined a family rich with history, but even richer with love. She dreamt of walking through the forest as she saw her husband for the first time, Joe was excited to collect his loved ones on a property he's loved since childhood, and–together–they believed their wedding would be a manifestation of their adoration for each other. And it was.

Shana…I know you're in St. Martin right now reading this post (like you swore you would).
Joe…once Shana is done reading this post, you can return to your honeymoon and, finally, relax! 😉
S+J…you made our first Lake Tahoe experience amazing. Both your families are rare gems and they sparkled with love and delight. Thank you for making us feel like a special part of the day. I can't wait to see what the future holds for such an amazing couple. Much Love and Appreciation… j*The day began at the White House where they prepared at different locations…JD was able to capture Joe putting the last-minute touches on his wedding vows…

Shana paid extra attention to all her wedding details to ensure they were a reflection of their love and personalized every step of the way…

Shana looked like a vision, complete with a floral crown to complete the bridal look…

The couple opted to see each other before the ceremony, which allowed for plenty of time for wedding photos…just look how happy Joe is to see his wife!

Their first moments together on their wedding day was tucked in the wooded edge of Lake Tahoe. Shana dreamt of seeing her husband amongst the trees and it was truly a forest dream…

The bride wore her long red hair in loose curls, which highlighted the pops of bright colors in the bouquet and wedding decor…

Three days before the wedding, it was pouring rain in Lake Tahoe (it even hailed the size of golf-balls). Weddings in July along the lake are usually peaceful and glorious in the summer months, so while the bride worried the weather wouldn't cooperate, it eventually did. In the best of ways.

Joe spent his summers in Lake Tahoe since childhood and continues to manage the family's businesses and investments. His family roots go far back in Nevada history; so far back this cabin was the first on the Pony Express trail in the state. A century later, these guys made a log cabin look awesome!

Before the ceremony, Shana was excited to see the floral arch and enjoy some time in the shade with the man of her dreams…

It was so nice to see bright colors used as part of the wedding…I mean, pink, orange, and fuchsia can brighten any day!

The bride chose cute and casual floral-print bridesmaids' dresses…

In the late afternoon, the backyard wedding ceremony started…

Joe and Shana personalized their vows and there were tears, joy…and…

…lots of laughter!

The wedding ceremony was in the backyard of the White House, amongst hundreds of acres of trees…

After the ceremony, the backyard wedding reception was set up by the ever-amazing Crystal of Amazae Events…her entire team brought the day to life!

Guests were seated under a clear tent at long, family-style tables. The mix-matched chairs and wooden tables gave it a warm and personal vibe, which was everything the bride wanted…

An absolutely dreamy dessert bar accompanied an adorable ombre wedding cake…

Lucky for me as a wedding photographer, the couple asked to sneak away from cocktail hour and enjoy time together on their family's private beach. Years ago, their love blossomed in Lake Tahoe and they were ecstatic to share their first married day at such a special place…

I've never seen such beautiful water–filled with a thousand shades of blue–than at Lake Tahoe…it was stunning!

The wedding reception was a labor of love as the bride created and DIY'd a litany of details, which included a personalized beer bar, seating chart, sweetheart table (made by hand), and…

…a custom bar. Wally, the groom's dad, and Shana created the bar from scratch, including the illuminated bar sign of her new last name!

The couple surprised their guests by having their favorite recording artist, Lia Rose, perform a set during the wedding reception…

The couple moved their chair to sit back and enjoy the moment…

…then they decided to enjoy their First Dance…

It was a perfect night for a backyard wedding reception…

Once Joe and Shana hit the dance floor, the party officially began…

They kissed under the light of party lights and the stars of Lake Tahoe…and lived happily ever after.

Many thanks to the following team who helped make this day possible…
Venue: The White House, part of the Edgewood Lake Tahoe
Designer/Planner: Amazae Events
Florist: Petalworks
Stationary Designer: Caitlin Edmunds
Cake Designer: SweetTooth Confections
Bridesmaid dress designer: Paper Crown
Furniture rentals: Archive Rentals
DJ/Band: Main Band: All Star Jukebox
Special Performer: Lia Rose
Caterer: Edgewood
Photographer: Jasmine Star