Weddings in the Sky - Lake Tahoe Helicopter and Balloon Weddings

Your wedding day is a momentous occasion that will produce an everlasting memory, and to consummate your wedding vows airborne over the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains and historic lake Tahoe can only add to the thrill of the memories of your special day. Getting married while soaring through the sky in a helicopter or floating peacefully in a balloon10,000 feet in the air will provide an unparalleled wedding experience, an adventure you will reminisce forever. If you're an audacious couple looking to walk down the aisle in a slightly unusual way, a wedding in the sky may be just what you're looking for.

Although a helicopter wedding is a bit of an untraditional way to marry, the novelty of the experience will provide a perpetual remembrance. Saying "I do!" while flying in the air over the gorgeous vivid blue waters of Tahoe in the midst of the Sierra's is an astounding way to enhance the excitement of your once in a lifetime event. The infinite scenic beauty of the lakeand surrounding mountains as viewed from altitudes high above the horizon is an incredible sight.

The wedding ceremony is performed in-flight, and the helicopter party typically includes the bride, groom, minister and pilot. Heli-weddings, as they call it, are available year-round, and the price is comparable to outdoor beach weddings that regularly occur along the south shore of lake Tahoe. Once you're pronounced husband and wife you can relax and enjoy the magnificent aerial views of world-famous Emerald Bay, the pristine shoreline of Sand Harbor, the towering peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and all of the neighboring lakes of Tahoe.

An alternate way to partake in a high-flying wedding is to have a balloon ceremony. Imagine yourself floating peacefully in the sky aloft 10,000 feet in the air drifting across an immaculate body of water, and then culminating this dreamy sensation with the one you love as you unite in marriage. The setting is unimaginable, and the experience will be one that is long remembered.

The balloon ride begins soon after sunrise and typically lasts about one hour. Once the pilot reaches the "cruising altitude" your ceremony will commence. The remainder of the trip is devoted to observing the awe-inspiring landscape as you glide over the countryside and drift only where the wind permits. On clear days the view extends well beyond the Sierras, and sights as far as Yosemite National Park can be seen.

Although not as traditional as your typical wedding, conducting a ceremony at elevations of the clouds is quite a fascination for many couples. The idea of soaring through the air in ahelicopter or wandering serenely within a balloon aloft in the winds has an appeal that will provide a most impressive experience on a very special day in your life. Perhaps only for the audacious who seek an adventure, a wedding in the sky will present a thrilling and unique endeavor that can very well be construed as a wedding made in Heaven.

Great Mountain Bike Trails in Lake Tahoe

Are you looking to discover some amazing mountain bike trails in lake tahoe? I've compiled a list of three of the best in the region.

1. Flume Trail: This is one of the most scenic trails in the world! The trail overlooks cliffs that plummet into the pristine blue waters of lake tahoe. If you want to have great overlooks while you ride, this trail is definitely for you! It's a steep climb in the beginning but it's definitely worth it. Most of the trail is singletrack.

2. Kingsbury grade to bench overlook: This trail is a great technical, singletrack ride. There are numerous boulders scattered over the trail in places and it gives you the opportunity to improve your technical mountain bike skills. When you get to the bench at the top of the summit, you have an amazing view of the entire lake tahoe basis. Overall there are a lot of ups and downs on this trail but the climbs aren't very grueling.

3. Mr. Toads Wild Ride: You will find the start of this gem at the top of Luther pass. The trail begins with a singletrack climb, but then it turns into some of the most fun singletrack terrain of your life. Be wary, though. It can be quite technical at some points and there are plenty of opportunities for you to go over the handlebars.

These are my favorites in the tahoe Basin. If you're looking for a more detailed description of any of these, go into any local bike shop. I'm sure they will be more than happy to give you info.

Lake Tahoe Weddings - Lakeside Wedding Locations

If you're thinking about "tying the knot" and desire a beautiful and unique outdoor wedding location, you may want to consider having a Lake Tahoe wedding. The south shore of Lake Tahoe offers fantastic lakeside venues where you can have your ceremony, and there are many romantic beach locations to choose from. Every potential wedding site has its own distinctive appeal, each quite diverse from the other. A pleasant surprise, too, is that you will find that having your wedding take place at the edge of the water's of Tahoe may be far less expensive than you might have imagined.

Regan Beach and Emerald Bay are only but two of the many popular spots in Tahoe for the bride and groom to marry. Regan Beach has several places for the couple to choose from to have their ceremony and post ceremony photographs. You can be right at the waters edge in the sand or slightly elevated above Lake level in a grassy, park-like setting.

Lakeside weddings in Tahoe are relatively inexpensive. A simple wedding without a lot of frills can be as low as $195, which includes the minister at the location, a marriage license, and the notary fees. Also, after the ceremony, the minister will transport the original marriage license he issued to you at completion of the ceremony to the county recorder's office where you will receive a recorded copy of your marriage license.

Additionally, if you are a little flexible with the time of your wedding, you may be able to pick a location of your choice and not have to reserve that particular location you've chosen, which helps keep the cost and any budget concerns to a minimal by avoiding reservation fees. So, if cost is a factor, a little flexibility can save you a bundle.

What other place in the world can you have a wedding that matches the beauty of Lake Tahoe for under $200? Though cost and beauty are only a couple of reasons why many brides and grooms make the journey to the "Lake in the Sky", there are many more. Did I mention it is a great place for a honeymoon too?

Lake Tahoe weddings have provided a lifetime memory for countless couples who have fallen in love, a memory made all within a truly romantic setting. Tahoe's Lakeside venues have been a primary destination for wedding couples for decades and continue to increase in popularity as a favorite spot to wed. If it's a Lakeside wedding with a view you're after, consider the option of an outdoor beach wedding alongside the crystal clear, blue waters of Tahoe as the ceremonial site for your once in a lifetime event.

Emerald Bay - Winter Wedding Wonderland of Lake Tahoe

If a destination wedding is in your plans, you may want to consider one of the hottest spots in America. Emerald Bay has long been a popular place for couples to exchange their wedding vows, and the winter season is no exception. Lake Tahoe weddings take place year-round over the bay regardless of the time of year.

Located along the western shore of Lake Tahoe, Emerald Bay towers 300 feet above the Lake, offering a panoramic view of the alpine "Lake in the Sky" surrounded by the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range. Couples who arrive at Emerald Bay on their wedding day are in awe of the breath-taking views they experience as they climb the path to the wedding location on the bluff.

Though what seems like an area of seclusion, particularly in the winter months, Emerald Bay is not a difficult drive and only about 20 miles from the heart of the City of South Lake Tahoe. It is there on the south shore that many couples prefer to hold their post-ceremony reception and to enjoy their honeymoon since Tahoe has a great deal more to offer once the wedding vows are consummated.

Beautiful resort areas that cater to couples line the main strip, and there are plenty of restaurants and event centers that host receptions. Close to the heart of town is Heavenly Village, comprised of a variety of shops and fine art galleries. In close proximity to the village is the Heavenly Ski gondola that skiers as well as non-skiers ride, available to the newlyweds who desire a scenic voyage up the slope of Heavenly's mountain.

There is an abundance of night life in the general vicinity as well if the couple wants to carry on the celebration into the late night hours. The downtown casinos offer gaming, outlandish nightclubs and showroom performances. In addition to the nightly entertainment, the local casinos offer luxurious honeymoon suites for the newly married.

Keep in mind that when planning a winter wedding in Tahoe on the bluff of Emerald Bay, there is the possibility of road closures due to winter storms. Highway 89 north, the two lane highway that brings you to Emerald Bay, does occasionally close for avalanche control after heavy snow has fallen. However, weddings on the bluff remain to be popular in the winter season, and over the years of performing weddings atop the bay, few brides and grooms have had to change their ceremony plans.

It is well worth mentioning, however, and a great comfort for brides and grooms to know that most wedding coordinators (if you're using one) always have a plan "B" in an alternately beautiful but protected location if winter conditions look threatening. Nevertheless, if the infrequent situation arises, please note that I've never known a married couple to be disappointed with a substitute location, largely due to the excitement and beauty Mother Nature adds to their wedding day.

There are some whopping advantages, though, for braving a winter wedding at Emerald Bay. The wintery atmosphere atop the bluff over the bay with the surrounding white-capped mountains provides a whole different wedding theme. The backdrop alone for the wedding photos is a big plus in favor of a winter wedding. You'll find the winter experience is quite unique compared to other wedding venues, and should a few snowfLakes fall during the vow exchange, it can only add to the nuance of your special day.

If a winter wedding is in your forecast, always remember that Lake Tahoe weddings high on the bluffs of Emerald Bay take place year-round. Through snow or shine, couples in love make the trek to Tahoe to make those promises to each other and exchange the symbolic rings of commitment. Being one of the most popularly photographed places in the world, Emerald Bay may very well be rising in the ranks of popularity for a winter wedding destination, even though the snowy season may seem quite daunting. That very well may be for the reason that a snowy, white wedding has an ambiance of uniqueness and charm all of its own.

Why Is Skiing at South Lake Tahoe So Popular?

Some well known ski resorts in South Lake Tahoe are Alpine Meadows (2,400 acres), Heavenly Mountain (4,800 acres) and Squaw Valley (4,000 acres). Each received, at least, four stars for family friendliness, downhill terrain and nightlife from reviewers on OnTheSnow.com. One snowboarder gave Heavenly Mountain high marks for the quality of the downhill terrain, but lamented that the area for snowboarders lacked rails to protect people from falling off the side.

Alpine Meadows received high marks for its terrain, too, though the person who wrote the review thought it was too small for anyone planning to ski there on more than one day. Another liked the fact that it was less crowded than other resorts. Squaw Valley received high marks for the quality of the snow and the food. The only drawback the reviewer mentioned was the fact that "not much is open after the resort closes at night."

Most of the resorts in South Lake Tahoe were recommended, by reviewers, for beginning, intermediate and advanced skiers. Some, such as Heavenly Mountain, Kirkwood, Sierra at Tahoe, Squaw Valley, and Mt. Rose, are also recommended for experts.

It would appear that one of the reasons skiing in South Tahoe is so popular is because of the overall experience people receive at the South Shore's various resorts. skiing, in general, is an expensive pastime. So, if you plan to go to South Lake Tahoe for your first - or next - ski trip, you will most likely get your money's worth, even if you can only afford to stay for a weekend.

If you're going to South Lake Tahoe for the first time, you will be happy to know that people who reviewed the South Shore's many resorts found their experiences to be above average. Skiing here is so popular because of the great skiing and, apparently, the equally great overall resort experience.