A couple decided to grin and BEAR it when a wild bear gatecrashed their wedding shoot in Yosemite National Park.
Stephen and Kelly Joseph, from Davie, Florida, found something borrowed and something BALOO when a foraging bear made an appearance while they were being snapped.
The couple married at a courthouse ceremony in 2025, and they decided an adventure elopement shoot at a later date would be the perfect way to represent their relationship.
On their hike to Taft Point, their photographer, Ariel, from Smartt Duo Photography, took many shots as sunbeams shone through the trees, creating a magical backdrop on the trail.
But a hiker then stopped the group and informed them of a bear nearby.
Stephen, 37, and Kelly, 32, laughed it off, but it wasn’t until the bear was suddenly behind them foraging that they knew they had to make a quick decision.
Ariel gave the couple the opportunity to back out, but since the bear was occupied, Stephen and Kelly continued their shoot – with the bear in the background – until they all went their separate ways.
The result was a once-in-a-lifetime series of images the couple will treasure forever.
Kelly said: “A hiker had stopped to inform us about a bear up the trail.
“We laughed about it, until the bear ended up behind us.
“We all hesitated for a moment, and Ariel gave us the option to back out.
“Stephen and I laughed and said something like, ‘This would happen to us…. let’s do it!’
“The bear foraged for about 10 minutes without giving any mind to us and we all went our separate ways.
“I was a bit more scared than Stephen was.
“He has had lots of encounters with big sharks as a spear fisherman, so he was excited.
“He stayed calm and that made me feel safe, but I had my head on a swivel.
“We couldn’t have asked, or dreamed, of a more memorable experience.
“Ariel really is that talented: half of our day was unplanned, she sees opportunity everywhere, and her spidey sense for photo opportunities is something worth experiencing!”
