Roxanne: Ignore all of the nasty postings.

I think Yosemite is a fine choice for a small destination wedding. I attended a small wedding at the base of Half Dome a few years ago. A buddy is an attorney and got the right to marry our friends. We rented cabins for the weekend and had a big campfire and sang songs that night. The smores wound up being the big celebration dessert, since the wedding cake wound up forgotten in the refrigerator. It wound up being the most fun and personal wedding I've ever attended.

What a bunch of wet blankets. Eloping may still have an element of secrecy, but nowadays it is not that you are running off to marry an undesirable lover--it is running away from a bunch of fuss-budgets who want to spend thousands of dollars to impress their friends and make you miserable on your special day. People just need to decide if the wedding is for them or a show for their parents to enjoy. Eloping can prevent a family feud, or cause one.

Most of my friends wish they had "eloped" and avoided the expensive pagentry. Ivana, Mr. Marriage, and their other user names have obviously had a bad experience in their teen years.

Roxanne,
Don't let everyone discourage you. Yosemite is a beautiful place. The chapel would make a beautiful setting for a wedding.

I agree that running away from a huge expense is sometimes the reason for eloping - not that you're running away from somebody! Just enjoy the excitement of it! Have a blessed life together!