5 Wedding Planning Tips from a Mammoth Lakes Wedding Photographer
Anj and Kenny’s wedding day at Convict Lake Resort was a perfect example of how a traditional wedding and an adventurous experience can exist together. Their day took place on June 30, right at the start of summer in Mammoth Lakes. The weather was beautiful, the lake was calm, and the mountains felt especially alive.
With around 30 guests, their wedding felt intimate without feeling small. They had an outdoor ceremony, a tented reception, and an adventure hike built right into their wedding timeline. It was truly the best of both worlds!
As a Mammoth Lakes wedding photographer, days like this are always a reminder that your wedding doesn’t have to fit into one box. You can have structure and spontaneity, and tradition and adventure can coexist.
Below are a few planning tips inspired by Anj and Kenny’s wedding day.
Tip 1: You Don’t Have to Choose Between a Traditional Wedding and Adventure
One of the things I loved most about Anj and Kenny’s day was how intentionally they blended experiences. They wanted a classic wedding ceremony with their people there. They also wanted time to explore and take epic photos somewhere.
Instead of choosing one or the other, they planned for both. We built in time during the day for an adventure hike, which gave us space to step away from the wedding crowd and create something completely different from the rest of the day. The result was a gallery that feels unique and expansive!
If you’re drawn to adventure but also love the idea of a traditional wedding setup, you don’t have to compromise. With the right location choice, you can have both.
Tip 2: Small Guest Counts Create Breathing Room
With around 30 guests, Anj and Kenny’s wedding felt relaxed and intentional. Smaller guest counts naturally create flexibility. There’s less pressure to rush, fewer moving parts, and more freedom to step away for moments that matter to you.
That breathing room made it easy to plan an adventure hike without the day feeling disjointed. Guests were comfortable, the timeline stayed smooth, and the couple never felt pulled in too many directions.
From a photographer’s perspective, I love smaller weddings! Things always unfold naturally when there’s space in the schedule.
Tip 3: Convict Lake Resort Is Ideal for Easy Flow
Convict Lake Resort works beautifully for intimate weddings because everything is close together. Ceremony, reception, and photo locations are all within a short distance, which makes the day feel grounded and calm.
Anj and Kenny’s outdoor ceremony took advantage of the natural setting, with the lake and mountains doing most of the work visually. Their tented reception followed, creating a seamless transition into the evening without needing to relocate guests.
If you’re considering this venue, I have a full Convict Lake Resort wedding post that dives deeper into the location and what makes it special. This day is a great example of how well it supports both structure and flexibility.
Tip 4: Build Your Timeline Around Light and Experience
Because this was a late-June wedding, we had long daylight and beautiful evening light to work with. That allowed us to plan the adventure hike at a time when the light felt best and the temperature was comfortable.
As a Mammoth Lakes wedding photographer, I always encourage couples to think about how they want their day to feel, not just when things happen. Adventure sessions work best when they feel like a highlight, not an interruption.
When the timeline supports the experience, everything feels intentional.
Tip 5: Let the Location Shape the Day
Mammoth Lakes and the Eastern Sierra naturally invite exploration. Even when couples choose a traditional wedding format, there’s often an opportunity to step just a little outside of it.
Anj and Kenny leaned into that. Their day honored tradition while still making space for adventure. The result was a wedding that felt authentically them and a gallery that reflected it.
Your Mammoth Lakes Wedding Photographer
We’re Angie and Lee, a Northern California wedding photographer and videographer duo. We are experienced Mammoth Lakes wedding photographers who specialize in documenting weddings that feel intentional and experience-focused. Whether you’re planning a fully traditional day, an elopement, or something in between, we’d love to document it. You can get in touch here or fill out the form below to start the conversation.
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If you're thinking about eloping or getting married in NorCal, our blog is an excellent resource for inspiration. We've got sneak peeks of recent weddings, tips for eloping in Northern California, and more. Let The Adventure Begin is the perfect place to start planning.
