Intimate Wedding Goals Near Sand Harbor

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We fell head over heels in love with the details of Chelsea and Mike’s intimate wedding near Sand Harbor.

The couple’s relationship has been fueled by rock ‘n’ roll and a keen sense of adventure. Though both were New York-based, the couple met at the SXSW festival in Austin in 2016, where Mike’s band performed. Chelsea, on the other hand, was facilitating a pop-up for work. Even though sparks didn’t fly immediately, it sure did a few months later when the company Chelsea worked for hired Mike’s band for a party back in New York. And the rest is, as they say, history. A few weeks into dating, Chelsea surprised Mike by flying out to Colorado while he was on tour with the Indigo Girls. It was the boldest, most nerve-wracking grand gesture she’s ever made! Fortunately, it turned out to be a great surprise. Back in Brooklyn, they’ve made a loving home together and added another member of the family in 2018 — a Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix named Stanley Banana.

After postponing their wedding twice due to Covid, the couple hatched a plan to drive cross country in their Subaru Outback with their dog and elope in Tahoe. Chelsea’s parents live in Truckee, and she hadn’t seen them in a year and a half since the pandemic began. So the trip would be an epic chance for the couple to get out of their cramped Brooklyn apartment, where they’d been quarantining and explore more of the US. In addition, Tahoe has been an extraordinary place for the couple throughout their relationship — so this new plan felt highly sentimental.⁠

The duo got ready for their big day at Chelsea’s parent’s house in Tahoe Donner. They opted for a first look in the backyard and then headed to Lake Tahoe to make it official. With the help of the incredible VILD Photography, they narrowed down options for an intimate elopement on the lake and landed on Memorial Point near Sand Harbor. And, of course, the day of the elopement was unseasonably chilly for June, and it forced everyone to bundle up around the lake! The pair had also chartered Grand Tahoe Charters‘ iconic Wild Goose II for a post-ceremony send-off. Even though the conditions on the lake were too rough to launch, the lovely folks at Grand Tahoe Charters were kind enough to let the couple swing by the dock for a few portraits on the boat.

The wedding was filled with unique elements. Chelsea wore the dress she initially had picked out for her rehearsal dinner. It ended up being the perfect relaxed elopement dress. Her “something borrowed” was a special bracelet of her mother’s. On the other hand, Mike wore a custom suit featuring a hidden monogram under the collar that said “Talkin’ Tahoe” — a reference from one of the couple’s favorite shows, Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Ready to get swept off your feet? Check out the full gallery below!