Heartfelt Winter Elopement at Little Redfish Lake in Stanley, ID
- Karlie Larson
- Mar 6
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 22
Caleb and Rachel's Winter Wonderland Elopement Adventure in Southern Idaho at Little Redfish Lake
After dreaming of this day for over a year, it was finally time for Caleb and Rachel to hop on a plane from Alabama and fly into the wintery mountains of Idaho for their Heartfelt Winter Elopement at Little Redfish Lake in Stanley, ID. Hoping for all the snow they could get, the weather timed itself perfectly as it snowed nearly all day for them - making this day a truly memorable experience from beginning to end.
Welcome to part two of my elopement trip to Sun Valley/Stanley Idaho where I got to photograph 2 wonderful elopements in the snow! This elopement was the epitome of a winter wonderland elopement - it was dumping snow the morning of the elopement while they were getting ready, and we even got to finish the day at a winter festival where it was snowing like crazy! All the adventures and activities of the day were so heartfelt and special, from driving to Stanley to trudging through snow to say their vows in front of the Sawtooth mountains, to going sledding at Galena Lodge and eating some great food and cake back in Sun Valley, this day was quite the snowy adventure for us all! ❄️
Getting Ready While Watching the Snow Fall
This day started on a very snowy morning in Sun Valley. It was dumping snow when I arrived - Caleb was outside on the deck with his cigar and Rachel was inside having a relaxed morning doing her hair and makeup at the kitchen table. The snow acted as the perfect backdrop as they got ready in their cozy condo - we even saw a cute little bunny hopping around in the snow on the ground below!
Sun Valley is a great place to consider for extra lodging options and local amenities. And since Rachel and Caleb got ready together in the same space, it made for such a relaxed morning! Once Rachel was in her dress we then drove separately to the Sun Valley Barn for their first look!
Emotional First Look at the Sun Valley Barn
First looks are such a fun part of the day to photograph, you get to see your person all dressed up in their wedding attire for the first time! It's such a great way to get the jitters of the day out, and then the rest of the day will just go by so fast!
We loved this barn that said Sun Valley on it, it was the perfect representation of where they were getting married - plus it looked stunning with the snow coming down. Rachel and Caleb had a happy yet emotional first look experience together, it's the moment everything seems real!
Up next was the drive to Stanley to Little Redfish Lake for their heartfelt commitment ceremony in front of the snowy Sawtooth Mountains.
Private Vows at Little Redfish Lake
While were walking up and trudging through snow to get to Little Redfish Lake, the mountain views we saw on the way in were absolutely stunning! As we rounded the corner in the road on the way to the lake, I was worried that the mountains were gonna be covered in cloud, but there was a spot where it was clear - perfect for the background of their private vows! Rachel picked out gorgeous blue and gold vow books to complement the surrounding scenery!
My couple then shared their heartfelt vows to each other in the mountains of Idaho, I'm sure it was everything they dreamed of and more! We of course had some backup locations in Sun Valley in case we couldn't make it through the mountain pass by Galena, but we were able to make it to Stanley - and I loved seeing them experience it for the first time! Just imagine the song Idaho by Gregory Alan Isakov playing while you look through these pictures!
Why Little Redfish Lake is Great for a Private Ceremony
Since it was wintertime, we had to walk in to access the lake. While Redfish Lake tends to be the more popular spot, it's quite a ways further in to get to if you're just walking/snowshoeing in the wintertime (since the road is closed for vehicles). Little Redfish is only about half a mile in from the main road, and the views are (if not even more stunning) than the views at Redfish Lake, so this made it the perfect spot to still have some privacy while not having to hike in too far!
Sledding at Galena Lodge
After their private vows and bridals at Little Redfish Lake, we stopped by Mountain Village Restaurant to change clothes and prep for sledding at Galena Lodge! Once we arrived at the lodge, me and Rachel picked out magnets and stickers from the shop, and then we were able to just walk outside and sled - for free! They had a variety of sleds and saucers to choose from and Rachel and Caleb picked the saucers!
✍️Planning tip: Galena Lodge is located up on a mountain pass in between Stanley and Sun Valley. Depending on weather conditions, the road up can be a bit sketchy (as we were driving up the first time to head to Stanley, only a narrow strip of road was plowed). We thankfully made it through safely, but keep things like this in mind when booking your lodging and activities. Also having a higher clearance vehicle with 4WD is definitely helpful!
More Winter Elopement Activities
Snowshoeing
Snowmobiling - Check out snowmobiling at Smiley Creek Lodge!
Ice Skating
Hot Cocoa Picnic
Intimate Cake Cutting at Airbnb
After having a blast sledding at the lodge, my husband and I (my husband was able to tag along for this elopement to help me drive and navigate) suggested a restaurant that we went to previously since we were all hungry by this point, so we drove back to Sun Valley to Grumpy's to warm up with some hot food! This restaurant is a hit and was very popular, the food was so delicious and the perfect place to warm up, and I'm so glad we were able to share this experience together with my husband and my couple!
Then after Grumpy's, Rachel and Caleb and I went back to their Airbnb for some cake, and I was so excited to take photos of this gorgeous mountain cake! I always bring a picnic kit with me and I recently added a wooden base and cake cutting utensils, which came in handy for my couple to cut their cake with! We enjoyed some cake and warmed up for a bit before the winter festival started later that evening.
Sun Valley Tree Lighting Ceremony
December 14th was not only my couple's elopement date, it was also the day of the Sun Valley's Tree Lighting Ceremony, where they had vendors and all the lights put up in the village! It was also dumping a ton of snow, but it seriously made the experience that much better! There was tons of colorful lights that lit up the falling snow, and vendors and music, ahh it was so fun! I'm so so happy that my couple from Alabama got to experience an Idaho snowfall on their wedding day!
Tips for a Winter Elopement
Plan Ahead - with Stanley being at around 6000 feet in elevation, extra planning when travelling in the winter is required - checking road conditions and closures often is a must, especially if you hire vendors a couple hours away from Boise, for example.
Weather and Visibility - not only important when driving, but the views from the location you pick do have a chance of being obscured by cloud cover and fog, so keep an open mind when planning to elope here in the off season!
Rent a Vehicle with 4WD and Higher Clearance - along with good tires in case you get stuck in the snow!
More Winter Elopement Tips can be found here!
Idaho Winter Elopement Inspiration
Idaho Elopement Vendors
These elopement vendors made this elopement for Rachel and Caleb come to life! From the gorgeous long, lace sleeves on Rachel's dress, to the colors they picked for their mountain elopement with the blues and golds on the vow books, and of course their wedding cake with decorative snowy mountains, every little detail really came together to tell the story of this winter mountain elopement!
Photographer: Karlie Larson Photography
Cake: Hank and Sylvie's
Dress: Bridal Bliss Homewood
Floral: Fern and Sun Palm
Vow Books: Etsy - xoxoSugarplum
Idaho Elopement Packages
Here's a quick overview of my Idaho elopement packages! All of my packages come with the following to ensure you have a memorable and meaningful adventure for your wedding day (even in the snow):
Booking + Day of Gift
Sneak Peek Images
Beautifully Edited Final Images
Access to High Quality Print Products
Free Phone Consultation or Zoom Call
Timeline Creation
Leave No Trace Guide
90+ Page Planning Guide
Vendor Recommendations
Unlimited Planning Assistance
My Travel is Covered
Idaho Elopement Photographer
This winter wonderland elopement included 10 hours of coverage, which was the perfect amount of time to explore the local area, adventure to a secluded spot, come back and change, and do some fun evening activities together. I always make sure to add in buffer time to the timeline as well - especially to account for slower driving due to weather and road conditions.
Being a local Idaho elopement photographer helped me to make sure we had backup locations in place, buffer time, a range of activities in the snow, and more for my couple who flew across the US to Idaho for their Heartfelt Winter Elopement at Little Redfish Lake in Stanley, ID.
If this is what you're looking for your elopement, reach out to me here and let's plan your winter elopement in Idaho!
Interested in planning your elopement in Stanley? I've got a whole blog on how to elope in Stanley Idaho if you're looking for more helpful information on this location!
Caleb and Rachel's Review from Working Together:
"Choosing Karlie as our photographer was easily the BEST decision we made as part of our elopement. She is so much more than a photographer. She helps you every step of the way from your first phone call, up until the very end! She thinks of all possible details, she communicates well and is organized. Having her there on our elopement day felt more like having a close friend, than just some photographer we hired. She has incredible talent and passion for photography! Please if you are wanting to elope, choose Karlie as your photographer, I promise it is something you will not regret! I could not say enough wonderful things about her! Also her husband was pretty cool, helping us out in a pinch."
You can also read more about the experience of working with me as your photographer and the services I offer here!
More Winter Elopement Inspiration
Looking for some more winter elopement inspiration? Here's some real winter elopements in Idaho for you to get more ideas from:
