Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
Whether you envision an intimate dinner party in the middle of a meadow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, see yourselves getting married on skis at the top of Heavenly, or picture being wed under a full moon over Lake Tahoe, Christa Deane of Mountain High Weddings will help you create a unique ceremony to declare your love and promises to your chosen partner in the most beautiful place on earth.
Christa Deane
Wedding Officiant & Founder of Mountain High Weddings
I’ve lived on Tahoe’s beautiful West Shore since 1988. My path to becoming an officiant started after working in a flower shop for a few months and realizing there are A LOT of weddings in Tahoe — and for good reason! This truly is an incredible place to get married. I thought to myself, “What a wonderful job it would be to celebrate marriage.” I found out what it took to marry couples and I started in May of 1998. I was ordained by the Universal Life Church, which believes we are all one; no matter what religion you or I may be, we all live in this world together.
As a marriage officiant, I am excited to be a part of bringing people together. I believe marriage is the ultimate commitment between two people who share goals, ideas, values, and most importantly, love. I also believe the wedding ceremony is one special time when you get to declare your feelings, promises, and dreams to your chosen one, in front of your loved ones.
I know marriage is worth celebrating and I also know that the pre-celebration can be stressful — in that space is where I found my calling. With my many years of experience, I have brought hundreds of couples together, and with that experience, I’ve been able to accomplish keeping the ceremony calm and stress-free. Becoming a marriage officiant has blessed my life in so many ways. I’d be honored to marry you and your partner.
“My now-husband and I decided to elope to Lake Tahoe! After finding Christa on Google, her reviews and prices are what influenced our decision to have her marry us — and it was definitely the RIGHT decision! From planning to execution, our wedding day went off without a hitch — and we have Christa to thank for that!”
“Christa made this experience by far the most beautiful and stress-free day ever. She did everything for us; all we had to do is show up. She had great ideas and was very professional. She helped me surprise my wife and made our wedding a dream come true. Both my wife and I would recommend Christa if you want a stress-free wedding. Thank you, Christa.”
Mountain High Offerings
Marriage license (& a certified copy) included in all packages – one less thing to worry about!
Travel Fees: for weddings outside of the Tahoe Truckee area, travel fees of .75/mile plus $20/hr apply. If requesting a National Park (i.e. Yosemite) or location that requires traveling 3+ hours one-way, park fees and/or overnight accommodations are required.
Chairlift Rides and/or Hikes: Extra fees may apply for chairlift rides and hiking given that more of my time is needed.
ELOPEMENT CEREMONY
CUSTOM CEREMONY W/ REHEARSAL
JUST THE CEREMONY, NO REHEARSAL
VOW RENEWAL
TABLE CEREMONY
A LA CARTE
Photo Gallery
See the happy couples on Instagram.
As a wedding officiant, I sometimes need to keep secrets. 😏 This Adventure Elopement needed to be kept under wraps as Tiffany and Ed wanted a private ceremony to make it legal while keeping it a secret to share with family when they had a larger beach wedding planned a year out. 🤫
So, on December 15th, 2023, with the help of @imagerybyruthannez, Tiffany and Ed planned the ultimate Tahoe adventure, beginning with renting a lakeview cabin in South Lake. On the day of their elopement, one of the first storms of winter rolled in, so the temperatures dropped but it made for a true adventure! ❄️
For their ceremony, they wanted to incorporate burning sage and a handfasting, so I made a chord for them. Since Tahoe has very few options for ribbon, I went to @alpenglowsports and bought some climbing rope; that, along with my craft bag ribbon, made the perfect chord for their Tahoe elopement. Little did I know that Ed enjoys climbing, so it was even extra special. With every chord I make, I braid blessings and intent for a happy marriage. 🥰
We issued the paperwork in the car before we headed up to a beautiful overlook for the ceremony. The storm was literally blowing in, and one of the coldest ceremonies I have ever done, but we got the vows read, the sage burned, and the hands fasted before sealing it with a kiss! 👩❤️💋👨
The weather calmed down after the ceremony and Ruthanne did her magic capturing it all. 📷️ 💫 She also acted as their tour guide and drove them around to all of her secret spots, so they got to enjoy all that Lake Tahoe has to offer. What a day! 🏔️ ❤️ ✨️
#winterwedding #tahoewedding #tahoeadventure #adventureelopement #elopementadventure #mountainhighweddings #mountainwedding #laketahoe #tahoelove #beauty #nature #winter #love #winterwonderland #elope #elopetoday #elopetomorrow #handfasting #sageburning #specialmoments
As a wedding officiant, Skylandia Forest is always one of my top recommendations for locations to get married in Lake Tahoe. No matter the weather, the landscape and beauty is always stunning . . . and, of course, a peek inside the Gnome House is always necessary and makes it extra whimsical. ✨️
📷️: @ajphotographynv
#winterwedding #winterwonderland #winterelopement #tahoeweddingofficiant #weddingofficiant #laketahoe #tahoeelopement #tahoewedding #letselope #elopement #elopetoday #elopetomorrow
Most of the time, I`m a wedding officiant for couples I`ve never met before and that`s a beautiful thing on its own -- but it`s extra special when I get to be the officiant for a friend or family friend, like last weekend at Nate & Cassidy`s wedding @sunnysidetahoe. 🥂
This time around, I stayed for dinner, dancing, and toasts, which isn`t the norm if I`m not also friends with the couple. I had a wonderful time -- and then, of course, had to after-party with my NY friends, so I ended up butt-to-butt with one of my besties on the couch of their VRBO. 🥰
Looking forward to sharing more about the ceremony when I get the professional pics from the amazing @hollyshankland 📷️
#tahoewedding #sunnysidewedding #weddingofficiant #tahoeweddingofficiant
Although I`m not a wedding planner, I am a wedding officiant and a long-time Tahoe local who has deep roots and is inextricably connected to the community here in Lake Tahoe. Because of that, it is my pleasure to help my couples with vendor referrals and anything else they may need to plan their wedding in Lake Tahoe. 💍 Rubi and Clarisa`s elopement was extra special as Tahoe is a special place for them . . .
They had their first date here, their first kiss here, got engaged at South Shore, and now -- were married here! 💗 When they reached out to me, I suggested staying @thecottageinntahoe on North Shore due to its locality to some wonderful spots and to offer something a little different than South Shore to make their wedding feel even more special -- and they loved it. 🏡 I suggested some photographers and they chose the wonderful Ashley with @shininglightphotography. 📷️ She also doubled as their witness, which was perfect for the intimate ceremony they wanted. It was a beautiful weekend, so I took them to one of my secret ceremony spots and they were thrilled with the beauty and privacy.
Every wedding is different and I love that I get to cater my couple`s ceremonies to exactly what they envision. ☺️
#tahoeweddingofficiant #weddingofficiant #laketahoe #tahoeelopement #elopetahoe #loveislove #tahoelove
It was an honor to officiate this ceremony for Shea and Aaron. They came to Lake Tahoe from Oregon to elope with their 4-year-old son, Ash. They stayed at @mlrtahoe, so we had a backup plan if the weather was bad, but the weather ended up being absolutely lovely. @danielcewphoto captured their ceremony and their little family so beautifully. 📷️ After their stay in Tahoe, they headed to Baja, Mexico to celebrate further! 🏖️ 🥳 💕
#elopetahoe #tahoeweddingofficiant #weddingofficiant #tahoewedding #tahoeelopement #familywedding #lakewedding #ido #elope #elopetoday #elopetomorrow #elopement
🤍 3/15/25 🤍
Cody reached out to me in January via email saying he wanted to surprise his future wife, Mege, with an engagement and ceremony at the same time. 💍 🥳 They recently bought a new home and planned to get married, but the stress of planning a wedding was overwhelming, so he came up with a brilliant suprise! 🤭
Since 2017, Cody‘s mom and family has been coming to Tahoe and staying at Zephyr Cove Resort for her birthday. So, for this year`s trip, his master plan to surprise Mege began with "surprising" his Mom with a professional photographer to take some family photos (though she was in on it) -- and me to facilitate it. 😉 After a large family photo, they took some “couples shots” and that`s when he got down on one knee and asked Mege to marry him. -- TODAY! ❤️ She said "yes" to both. I did the ceremony. Everyone was surprised. It was absolutely beautiful. I cried during the engagement and felt that wedding buzz all through the ceremony . . . and beyond! 🥰
Pro photos coming from @brittanysierraphotography. My new ceremony hat is from @laketahoehatbar. 🤠
#laketahoeengagement #laketahoewedding #laketahoeelopement #elopetahoe #microwedding #familywedding #surprise #surprisewedding #laketahoe #love #couplegoals
As a wedding officiant, I often get to marry couples who have had relationships and children before meeting each other. There is something really special about couples who meet in the “Autumn of their lives" and are blessed to share in this season together when they have experienced much of life separately and now get to spend the remainder together. ❤️
Rachel and Mike came to Lake Tahoe from the South, had a private ceremony, exchanged written words and rings, and then had a short handfasting. Ruthanne from @imagerybyruthannez took them around South Lake for photos and exploring. They stayed a few nights in Tahoe before heading down to SoCal to visit their kids and grandkids to share the news. When they got back home, they planned to move to a new state together and start a new chapter. Here`s to new beginnings!
#summerwedding #laketahoewedding #tahoewedding #tahoeelopement #letselope #weddingofficiant #tahoeweddingofficiant #wedding #elopement
🤍 2/25/25 🤍
It was such an honor to be Hanna and Colin`s wedding officiant and seal their love and commitment in such a magical setting. 🥰
They had their immediate family with them in a snow-filled meadow on a beautiful, warm February day at Alpine Meadows . ❄️ ☀️
They got to play in the snow on snow skates after the ceremony and enjoyed an Airbnb with their family. 🥂
See the last reel on my profile that @anniexphoto put together for a glimpse of the fun she captured. Looking forward to seeing more of her pro photos! 📷️
#winterwedding #snowywedding #whitewedding #magicalwedding #winterwonderland #winterweddinginspo #weddinginspiration #tahoeweddingofficiant #mountainhighweddings #mountainwedding #tahoelove #weddingofficiant #easywedding #alpinemeadows #adventurewedding #smallwedding #microwedding #tahoemicrowedding
Hi there! I`m Christa Deane, founder and owner of Mountain High Weddings in beautiful Lake Tahoe, California. 🏔️ 🌲 ♥️
I’ve lived in Homewood on Tahoe’s beautiful West Shore since 1988. My path to becoming an officiant started after working in a flower shop for a few months and realizing there are A LOT of weddings in Tahoe — and for good reason! 💐 This truly is an incredible place to get married. I thought to myself, “What a wonderful job it would be to celebrate marriage!” I found out what it took to marry couples and I started in May of 1998. I was ordained by the Universal Life Church, which believes we are all one; no matter what religion you or I may believe in, we all live in this world together. 🤝 ♥️
As a marriage officiant, I am excited to be a part of bringing people together. I believe marriage is the ultimate commitment between two people who share goals, ideas, values, and most importantly, love. I also believe the wedding ceremony is one special time when you get to declare your feelings, promises, and dreams to your chosen one -- sometimes in front of your loved ones and sometimes just between the two of you. 💏
I know marriage is worth celebrating and I also know that the pre-celebration can be stressful — in that space is where I found my calling. With my many years of experience, I have brought hundreds of couples together, and with that experience, I’ve been able to accomplish keeping the ceremony calm and stress-free. Becoming a marriage officiant has blessed my life in so many ways. Thank you for following along with my adventures here! 💍 ⛷️🚠 💕
📷️:: @brittanysierraphotography
#weddingofficiant #tahoeweddingofficiant #laketahoe #tahoelife #tahoewedding #tahoeelopement #tahoeweddingvendor
#elopement #weddingceremony #weddingplanner #weddingtips #adventurouswedding #outdoorwedding #weddingpro #mountainhighweddings
Farewell to February! It’s hard to imagine that tomorrow marks the beginning of March, and the Spring Equinox is just around the corner! Who wants to elope in March? 💍 🌲 ♥️
📷️: @brittanysierraphotography
#letselope #tahoeelopement #elopement #tahoeelopements #laketahoeelopement #mountainhighweddings #tahoeweddingofficiant #winterwedding #tahoewedding #elope #destinationwedding #adventurewedding
“We were very worried about how all of this was going to work out and as far as “eloping in Tahoe” goes, we don’t think it could have been any better. You made our fears go away about getting married in a “cheesy” and unoriginal way. Going from the big wedding to this was scary, but you made us feel right at home and we thank you for that. We’ve been telling friends and family about where you took us, how it snowed during our brief ceremony, how the sun came out when were driving away from the mansion, and most of all, how you really made our wedding day a memorable day that I don’t think can ever be recreated . . . it was just too perfect. Thank you for everything.”
“Christa was amazing! We were looking for someone that could arrange the marriage license and legal stuff for us, in addition to performing the ceremony, as we were living abroad and wouldn’t have enough time to sort everything out ourselves. Christa was on top of everything, a dream to communicate with, has great energy, and came up with a perfect ceremony speech for us. Highly recommend her!”
Preferred Vendors
Once you book your date with me, I’m happy to provide my complete Preferred Vendors list for North Lake and South Lake. My micro/elopements packages also include free planning assistance with my Preferred Vendors.
FAQ
I require a $100 non-refundable deposit to hold your date and time. The remainder is due the day before the ceremony or day-of if you’re eloping. I take checks, Paypal, Venmo, or Zelle. After receiving the deposit, I send you a letter of confirmation that acts as the contract.
Single Religion, Interfaith, Non-religious, Ceremony Rehearsal, Vow Renewal, Civil Union
Yes; I am a Notary Public in Placer County which is one of the few counties in California that allows Notaries to issue a California Confidential Marriage License. I have been issuing licenses for over 14 years and complete a yearly training from Placer County to keep my certification.
Yes. In the state of California, a Wedding Officiant is someone who is ordained by an approved organization and therefore authorized by the state to formally conduct officially recognized wedding ceremonies and to certify the marriage license. I am ordained and certified by the Universal Life Church, believing that we are all one; no matter what religion, we are all in this world together.
Yes! I have done many weddings on skis, snowshoes, hot air balloons, helicopters, paddleboards, but I do draw the line at jumping out of a plane. I am open and excited about pretty much anything else.
Yes; if I have availability, you can come on up the same day! Let’s do this!
I work out of my home, but I know plenty of wonderful local spots that I can take you to and I have plenty of venue referrals.
No; with the license I issue, we don’t need a witness.
For an additional fee, I’m happy to arrange those details for you. Let’s have a quick chat about what you’re looking for and I’ll contact my awesome vendors who’ll meet your needs.
Your ceremony can be as long or as short as you’d like. Generally, they are about 10-20 minutes.
I coordinate with you. If you’re having a formal ceremony, I usually wear a navy or black suit. If it’s Hawaiian-themed, I have a dress for that too. If you’re in shorts and flip-flops, I’ll join you!
Contact
Mountain High Weddings
PO Box 294
Homewood, CA 96141
Cell Phone: (530) 906-5572
WE DO!
There’s no reason you should stress over your ceremony. I’ve got you covered. Let’s do this together.
