Meet Ariel I. Vega

“She’s more than just your photographer. She’s the one cheering you on, calming your nerves, fixing the little things, and making you feel completely confident the whole day.

Part guide, part planner, part built in adventure bestie… she’s there for everything that matters.”

yosemite elopement photographer

Hey, I’m Ariel Vega

Your Elopement Photographer and the One Who Helps You Dream Up Your Picture Adventure Wedding Experience

Before photographing elopements, I photographed many traditional weddings.

Beautiful weddings.
Well planned weddings.
But also weddings filled with stress, timelines packed too tight, and the weight of everyone else’s expectations.

So many couples spent their day managing logistics instead of actually living it.

And I realized something important.

When you choose to elope… you are choosing yourselves.

You are choosing presence over pressure.
Connection over performance.
Experience over expectation.

What Sets Me Apart

Over 30,000+ Miles on the road. I Live This Life

National parks are not just where I work.
They are how I live.

I grew up exploring the Sierra Nevada and still spend months each year on the road chasing seasons, light, and quiet places.

Elopements aren’t just something I photograph.
It’s what I believe weddings are meant to feel like.

Eloping takes more than choosing a beautiful view.

You deserve an experienced guide who knows how to make the entire experience smooth and stress free.

20 + Years of Real Local Experience

Years of exploring Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite in every season have taught me:

• how mountain weather really behaves
• when and where crowds shift
• hidden quiet locations
• how light changes throughout the day
• realistic travel times between places
• backup plans that actually work

This isn’t just planning.
It’s lived experience.

17 National Parks and Counting

Thousands of miles of road trips.
Countless sunrises and trail days.
Endless real world problem solving.

Real lived in experience. Not learned from guides. Not from travel planners. But on my own. Hours of research done for you.

Every adventure shapes how I guide yours.

A black-and-white photo of two people running on a beach with wind-blown trees on the hillside in the background.

I Chose An Intimate Wedding Too

My husband and I chose an intimate wedding with just 12 guests in a place that meant something to us. A place tied to one of our first adventures.

We didn’t want a production.
We wanted an experience.

So I truly understand choosing something personal and intentional.

When I’m not photographing love…

Collage of outdoor nature scenes with mountains, lakes, and people posing for photos in various scenic locations.

I’m probably on a hike!

A collage of five outdoor scenic images depicting road trips and nature. The top left image is in black and white, showing a person in a car looking out the window with mountains in the background. The top right image shows two people walking along a trail in a forest of tall redwood trees. The bottom left image features a wide river valley with a mountain range and blue sky with clouds. The bottom center image shows a winding two-lane road through green fields with a single deer grazing. The bottom right image depicts a white SUV parked on a rainy, wet road with snow-capped mountains in the background.

Or on a roadtrip with my forever travel partner!

A collage of nine photos depicting various outdoor landscapes and activities. The photos include snow-capped mountains, a person standing by a lake, a forest of tall trees, people walking in a wooded area, and a natural rock arch formation.

Or Exploring a National Park

Love Letters from clients turned friends <3

A woman smiling in front of giant redwood trees in a forest

I’ve Learned This By Living It

Not from guidebooks.
Not from travel planners.

From years of exploring together.
From early mornings, long drives, and quiet moments that stay with you forever.
From more than 30,000 miles of shared adventure.

• Real trips
• Real planning
• Real mistakes
• Real memories that changed us

Everything learned while exploring with the person who means the most to me.

And now I share everything I’ve learned so you can feel fully immersed in your experience.

  1. Sequoia National Park

  2. Kings Canyon National Park

  3. Yosemite National Park

  4. Redwood National Park

  5. Death Valley National Park

  6. Zion National Park

  7. Lassen Volcanic National Park

  8. Grand Canyon National Park

  9. Arches National Park

  10. Bryce Canyon National Park

  11. Yellowstone National Park

  12. Grand Teton National Park

  13. Glacier National Park

  14. Mount Rainier National Park

  15. Great Basin National Park

  16. Rocky Mountain National Park

  17. Crater Lake National Park

National Parks Explored

NOT SURE HOW TO START PLANNING YOUR ELOPEMENT?

I guide couples through the entire experience from planning and permits to location selection and timeline design so your wedding day feels effortless, meaningful, and fully present.

You don’t just visit these places.
You experience it deeply, intentionally, and without stress.