Outdoor Summer Wedding at The Hideout, Kirkwood
Helena and Dylan's wedding was truly unique and special. They first met at Stanford and reconnected years later at a company event. The couple had lived in San Francisco for ten years and frequently visited Tahoe for skiing and summer fun. Just before the pandemic, Dylan decided to buy a cabin in the Sierras as a getaway. The cabin, located in West Point, CA, is about a 40-minute drive from Kirkwood. When the pandemic hit, they moved to the cabin full-time and came to know and love the area. They often went skiing at Kirkwood and hiking in the Mokelumne wilderness, making getting married in Kirkwood especially meaningful for them.
They found their wedding venue, The Hideout, through Dylan's manager at Google, who had gotten married there ten years ago and highly recommended it. Given Helena and Dylan's close connection to the Kirkwood area, the venue felt perfect.
They had many personal touches planned for their wedding. They intended to include a sage "smudging" ceremony, a Native American tradition from Helena's father's side of the family. Their main wedding cake was to be a Swedish Princess Cake. The day before the wedding, they planned a rehearsal dinner followed by a "Dylan and Helena" trivia game to see who knew them best.
The couple envisioned their wedding as a summer camp experience for their guests, providing a chance to relive childhood memories and enjoy the outdoors. Guests participated in various camp activities such as swimming in the lake, canoeing, and trying their hand at archery. The reception dinner was personalized with handwoven friendship bracelets as seat assignments, and tables were named after California outdoor landmarks, adding to the camp theme.
The beautiful Lake Tahoe venue at The Hideout was the perfect setting for this camp-themed wedding. As Lake Tahoe photographers, it was a joy to capture the essence of such a picturesque outdoor venue with the couple and their guests as they celebrated this special day together.
Photographer: @vildphotography
Venue: @thehideoutweddings
Wedding Planner: @blueskyeventstahoe
Videographer: @lake_full_of_pictures
Dj: @miltonmerlos.wedding
Hair & Makeup: @lunabellebeautyco
Caterer: @blendcateringreno
Dress Designer: @watters
Rental / Decor: @celebrationseventrentals
Photobooth: @tahoephotobus