Madhura and Veer’s adventurous Yosemite elopement began with a funny twist. In 2018, while hiking Lower Yosemite Falls, Veer fell and broke his elbow, leading him to stay with Madhura for a month. During that time, they realized they were in love. As photographers, they returned to Yosemite many times, and one night, while watching a meteor shower from Glacier Point, they imagined their wedding under the stars. That vision became reality on their big day—the peak night of the meteor shower—making their elopement truly magical.

With the iconic El Capitan as their backdrop, they exchanged vows in the valley. Just as the ceremony ended, it began to rain—adding a touch of good luck to their day! Instead of letting it dampen their spirits, they embraced the moment and had their first dance in the rain. Later, they headed to Glacier Point for sunset photos, where they were greeted by thunderstorms that made for some incredible wedding shots. They chose this day mainly to witness a meteor shower, but with cloudy skies, their hopes were low. However, as they reflected on the day’s events, the sky cleared, revealing an amazing star show just for them.

From the bride’s classic yet sophisticated dress and the groom’s distinctive brown suit to the earthy tones of the wedding party and the organic, locally sourced guest favors, every element harmonized with the mountain setting and the natural colors of one of the most breathtaking locations in the U.S. Captured beautifully by Dani Purington, these photos will inspire you to start your new life together with a truly unforgettable adventure.

The Couple:

Madhura and Veer

The Wedding:

Yosemite National Park, California, United States 

DIY Magic and Heartfelt Moments at Their Adventurous Yosemite Elopement

We had two weddings; one was this elopement, and another was an Indian wedding in Jaipur, India. Since we already have a huge planning team for our Indian wedding, we thought it would be so cool if we did everything by ourselves for this elopement. I DIYed and curated locally sourced wedding favors. Our officiant was my childhood best friend. She crafted such a personal and moving ceremony that blew us away. We wrote our own vows, and reciting those vows to one another under El Capitan was incredibly touching. Our friends, who are also photographers Anindita, Neeraj, and Rahul, captured all the photos and videos this entire weekend. Our photographer for the ceremony was Dani Purington. I have been following her for so long that I knew only she could do justice to capturing the aesthetics and emotions we wanted for this special day. Our friends Nikhil and Saarish played and sang “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” for Veer’s entry. I had selected my wedding entry song ever since I was a kid. I entered to my Maid of Honor Anindita singing “Thousand Years” while our friend Manny played the guitar live.

Handcrafted Invitations and Meaningful Details

Our invites were extra special as they were made by an artist, especially for our big day. All the paintings in the invite were made from the pictures we’ve taken in Yosemite over the years. We used to write each other handwritten letters during our long-distance relationship. That’s why we incorporated that fun routine into our invites. It also had a postcard, which guests had to mark yes or no for their RSVP and mail to the couple. Our wedding cake was made by a local Yosemite baker who matched it perfectly to our color palette. Our vows books were customized with Yosemite Peaks designs. My wedding shoes had this written on them – “something blue, something borrowed, something old, something new,” an old custom that brings the couple good luck.

How Nature Shaped Their Adventurous Yosemite Elopement

We chose a cozy cabin nestled in the valley, surrounded by forest, to spend the weekend with our closest 20 friends. Though we meticulously planned every minute, nature had its own surprises. Our elopement day began with an incredible sunrise over the mountains, leading to an afternoon ceremony. Dramatic clouds rolled in just before we exchanged vows, but the light remained beautiful. The moment the ceremony ended, rain began to fall—bringing us good luck. Instead of letting it dampen our spirits, we embraced the moment, sharing our first dance in the rain. When we arrived at Glacier Point for sunset photos, we were met with thunderstorms that made for some epic wedding shots. Then, out of nowhere, a huge rainbow appeared over Half Moon Bay—a rare and surreal blessing. Just when we thought the show was over, nature delivered one last spectacle: a stunning sunset with vibrant oranges and pinks, painting Yosemite in a fiery glow. We chose this date mainly to witness a meteor shower, but the cloudy skies had dimmed our hopes. However, as we reflected on the day, the sky cleared, revealing an unforgettable starry night. We watched hundreds of meteors streak across the sky from our Airbnb, with the Milky Way arching above us. It was truly the most magical day we could have imagined.

Starting Their Journey with a Symbolic Olive Tree Ceremony

From the beginning, we were clear that our wedding should reflect “us” and that we should do customs and rituals that make sense to us and not just follow social norms. Given our love for plants, we chose one symbolic ceremony to start this new journey with. We planted an olive tree on our elopement day, eventually finding its home in our backyard. The Olive Tree is often referred to as “the tree of eternity” due to its evergreen canopy and ability to thrive in all conditions, living for hundreds of years; the average age of the Olive Tree is 800 years old. Like this olive tree, we hope our love flourishes and lasts for eternity.

Planning with Purpose for a Unique Elopement

We wanted our elopement to be intimate, so planning was relatively straightforward. However, we took the time to add meaningful details, which made the process more involved. My advice is to prioritize what matters most to you as a couple and allocate your budget accordingly. While others may offer budgeting advice, it’s ultimately a personal decision. For example, instead of focusing our budget on the venue and decorations, we chose to elope in a national park and invested in a great photographer and memorable experiences. Be ready for the unexpected—when it rained on our wedding day, we embraced it and had our first dance in the rain. Planning every detail ourselves made the experience more fulfilling, especially with our bridal and groom parties involved in the execution. It created a homely and heartwarming atmosphere, allowing us to spend quality time with our friends throughout the wedding weekend. We wanted a unique experience for both our wedding day and night, so we chose a date during the peak of the meteor shower season. We watched thousands of meteors over Yosemite with all our guests that night, making it an unforgettable experience.

Congratulations to Madhura and Veer on their adventurous Yosemite elopement. A big thank you to Dani Purington for beautifully capturing the intimate moments that made their big day truly special. 

If you’re considering a private celebration over a traditional wedding, check out our ultimate elopement planning checklist to get started. Whether you envision a sunrise ceremony in a national park or exchanging private vows on a beach, your elopement is all about you and your partner. You get to decide how and where you want to say “I do”!