Every so often a wedding day comes along that just flows. No rushing, no chaos, nothing forced. Taylor and Trevor’s romantic backyard wedding in Auburn, CA was exactly that kind of day, and these two are the couple I’d clone if I could. Down to earth, wildly in love, and so present in every single moment. They valued being there for each other over everything else, and it showed.
The whole thing took place at Taylor’s dad’s house on Cinderella Lane, and the name fits. Picture a pond, big California oak trees wrapping around the property, a tented reception, and fairy lights strung up everywhere you looked. It was magic from beginning to end.
A backyard wedding under the oaks
The setting did the heavy lifting — California oaks, the pond, and a tented reception with fairy lights surrounding the area. The florals kept it classic and lush: white blooms and greenery against crisp linens and white chairs. The pops of color came in small, intentional touches, like the napkins on the tables and the dresses of their closest friends. That was really the extent of the decor, and it didn’t need more. As the light dropped and the fairy lights kicked in around the tent, the entire place turned into something out of a dream.
What made this romantic backyard wedding work wasn’t a massive budget or over-the-top design. It was that Taylor and Trevor spent on what actually mattered to them and kept the rest simple and intentional.
No wedding party, just their people
Here’s a choice I loved: Taylor and Trevor didn’t have a formal wedding party. No official bridesmaids or groomsmen, no lineup, no assigned roles. Instead they had their closest friends, who got ready alongside them and grabbed a group photo with them. That was it.
And when it came time for the ceremony, it was just the two of them standing at the altar with their officiant. No one flanking them, no distractions. Just Taylor, Trevor, and the words they were about to say to each other. There’s something so intimate about that setup, and it kept every ounce of focus exactly where it belonged.
If the whole bridal-party production feels like more than you want, know that you can absolutely skip it. Your people can still be right there with you, getting ready and celebrating, without the formal structure.
The private vows moment I want you to steal
Taylor and Trevor did something I love: they shared private vows first, then repeated them again at the ceremony.
If you’ve never considered private vows, hear me out, because there are so many beautiful ways to do it:
- Share them at your first look. I can be right there to document it, or I can grab a couple of close-up frames and then slip away so you get the moment truly to yourselves.
- Share them at your first look AND repeat them at the ceremony, like Taylor and Trevor did. Hearing your vows twice really locks them in. The second time around, you actually HEAR what your person is promising you.
- Save your vows for your couple portraits if you want your first “look” to be down the aisle. We sneak away after the ceremony and you read them just the two of you.
- Read them the night before or the morning of, over coffee, if you want them completely private. Some couples even save them for the honeymoon.
- Or keep traditional vows at your ceremony and write each other letters to read while you’re getting ready. Same emotional gut-punch, zero pressure at the altar.
However you do it, the words matter — so if you’re staring at a blank page, my 5 tips for writing your vows will help you get started.
An easy, joyful day from start to finish
The best part of Taylor and Trevor’s day was how unhurried it felt. Nothing was rushed. There was room to breathe, room to actually be present, room for the small unplanned moments that end up being your favorites. That ease is a direct reflection of who they are — best friends first, madly in love, and completely themselves the whole way through.
And I have to talk about the cake. Taylor’s cousin made it, and I need you to understand that I am a serious cake person. I fully judge a wedding by its dessert. This one has been living rent-free in my head for eight months. Best wedding cake I have ever had, full stop, and I do not say that lightly. A family member making the dessert, and it being genuinely incredible? That’s the kind of personal, spent-where-it-counts detail that makes a day feel like theirs and nobody else’s.
This is the kind of wedding I live for. A romantic backyard wedding that’s less about impressing anyone and more about two people who just really, really wanted to marry each other.
Two photographers, so nothing got missed
Bonus – I brought my girl Alley along for this one. The security of having a second set of eyes really helped set the tone for the day, making sure nothing got missed. That’s a big part of why the day felt so unhurried — when nobody’s scrambling to catch it all, everyone gets to just breathe and be in it, me included.
Dreaming of your own romantic backyard wedding?
If a relaxed, intimate day under string lights and old oak trees sounds like your kind of wedding, let’s talk. I photograph weddings across Auburn, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and beyond, with travel always included. Inquire and let’s make something magical together.
Want to see their engagement session? Check it out here: A Baldwin Beach Engagement Session in Tahoe
Vendor Team:
Photo: Yours Truly
Second Photographer: Alley Shulz of Alley Rose Co.
Venue: Private Residence in Auburn, CA
HAMU: Bride did herself
Florals: DIY by Bride
Dress & Tux: Always Elegant Bridal & Tuxedo
Cake: Vintage style cutting cake by Tin Roof Bakery
Desserts: Bride’s Cousin
Catering: Grill & Fire Kitchen
DJ: Dj Dom
