I am crushing sooooo hard on these two and this freaking shoot! Beartooth Pass is a special place to Anna + Chase and they asked if I’d come meet them and photograph their engagement photos and I bout lost my shit. We planned this epic run up the pass from Red Lodge, Montana over into Wyoming and sometimes plans just remain plans. We can try as much as we want to make it perfect but once September hits Montana weather can be literally anything. This couldn’t have ended up more perfect! Them, the light, the views. AHHHH!!

I picked these two up at the bottom and we started cruising to the top stopping every so often and running through fields to take in the crazy views. You guys I still am losing my mind that we can just drive to all of these spots. We’re not hiking miles into the backcountry. We’re parking the car on the side of the road at almost 11,000 ft elevation and walking 3 minutes. Mountain passes always bring wind but I’m such an encourager of my couples to let it just go. We’ll do our best to situate you in a way that the wind is appealing in photos but the look of motion it gives is just the best and we can’t create that. Hair flips and dress throwing look cool but not as cool as real wind. They were such troopers.

We’d run back to the car totally out of breath swearing we aren’t in that bad of shape but at 11000 ft it’s hard! But views at that height, guys check these out! These two are so freaking cute embracing it all. This was a real dream come true as cliche as that is to say haha!

Who else wants to go here?!?!?!

XOXO

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I have a love affair with what we in the industry call intimate weddings. These small celebrations of the couple and their love. Just them and their family or really close friends. There’s just an energy about them. Sometimes they’re just as simple as gathering together in a location for a ceremony and then maybe dinner at a restaurant and some still want that mini wedding feel with seating, laid out dinner and details but still small and carefree. Everyone is really relaxed and the couples love is always the center of it and it’s so evident.

Kaitlyn + Chase wanted a small destination gathering with their family and chose to head to Glacier National Park and share their personal vows on the lakeshore in Two Medicine. Brought their family out on a trolley!! YAS! Chase told her she knew him better than everyone, and yet, she was still there. Haha! The wind was insane this day, and chilling off the lake. Kaitlyn even put a jacket on mid-ceremony. I loved standing back and seeing it in its imperfectness. I truly believe that’s where beauty is. Jackets on, hair flying everywhere and warm embraces from the ones you love.

They worked with one of my favorite planners, Field Wedding Studio, to create a ceremony space and put together a “picnic” dinner for their family. Nothing grand, just a space to gather. Although I’ve witnessed these girls create picnic dinners and they are another level. I knew Kaitlyn + Chase would freak when they saw it and they did. Kels and her team set it up in a little camp spot protected from the winds by the trees. Just one long table with all the touches and a personalized picnic box for everyone. I want her to make me a picnic dinner!!!

We finished off the night with photos and driving up to Many Glacier for more. Some of my favorite wedding images ever as they embraced all of the elements! Slamming down shitty roads and hopping out high fiving to how awesome that just was hahaha.

The next day Chase emailed me saying hey I lost my wedding band! He made his own ring and it has so much character I was in shock like when did he lose it! We went back through photos and I found a set of images where it was on his hand and without moving locations it wasn’t anymore. I was headed up there to shoot again and crossed my fingers he didn’t throw his arm or something and it went flying. But I found it in less than a minute thank you sweet baby Jesus!

Even as I type this out small things come back to me about their day. They are so incredible together. I had such a good time with them, one of the couples I hate saying bye to. So so lucky! Their images are killer, stoked to share them with you guys!!!!

XOXO

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Vanessa and Matt left Connecticut to visit Glacier National Park and she just wanted engagement photos somewhere in the mountains. Just surround them with mountains. Not a problem in Glacier! I adore these two. She told me so many times that they are so awkward in photos, just totally uncomfortable. I giggle to myself when couples say that. Cause often the couples who think they are so awkward photograph the best. They’re so uncomfortable they just find comfort wrapped in the arms of the one they love or they laugh through the whole thing which really is actually perfect for a photo session haha.

The night before their session my cousin suddenly and tragically passed away. At first I had 2 shoots for this day and figured I could do it. But after only 3 hours of sleep and continuous tears I reached out to my morning couple who were somewhat local and they immediately responded with ‘don’t come we’ll figure this out later.’ But I knew I’d have to pull it together for Vanessa and Matt. They came all the way from Connecticut for this session and they needed it. I reached out to her to just let her know what was going on and my current exhaustion and emotional state. I’m normally a pretty wild one at sessions. So loud, lots of ridiculousness and laughing. But that day was difficult and I knew I had to prepare them for my current state of mind. They were the sweetest, so grateful and so understanding. I showed up totally beat in gym shorts, a tank, no makeup and a puffy crying face. They gave hugs and that whole we’re awkward thing went right out the window as they took the reigns of the shoot with little direction from me and the images are just stunning.

So incredibly grateful for my clients and their sweet generosity and understanding. These two were so in love, all over each other and even had me laughing at times and I’m stoked on the images from it. Not only are they beautiful it’s really them, just them doing their thing. Stunning.

Congratulations to these lovers. So blessed to have this life and these souls to photograph! All my love!!!

XOXO

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These babes have a deep love for the mountains and wildlife so without question once they were engaged and planning a wedding it’d be in Montana. The day before their wedding Brittany text me that she was officially standing in the spot they were going to have their ceremony on the edge of Lake McDonald and it was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen and could not wait for the next day.

The next day I met up with them in that spot. Bryan was already down by the lake with their family waiting for some direction on where to be and Brittany waited in the trees. I asked her if she wanted me to set them up on this grassy area in the sun above the shore or down on the rocks at the lake. She said where ever you think the views are best. I had to inform her there were no views that day ahhhhh. Wildfire season had settled in and the smoke from out of state fires had settled into the valley and the mountains were no where to be seen. But assured her I thought we’d see them later as we had planned to drive up higher. Still a beautiful ceremony by the lake. Cause the the views are only bonuses they aren’t what a wedding day is about. They said personal vows to each other as their parents watched and their son through rocks into the lake non stop haha. It was perfect.

We later headed up the pass and sure enough the socked in smoke turned to just a haze as we hiked back a trail to the most amazing overlook. Bighorn sheep running down the mountain. Mountain goats cruising through our photos. Bryan lost his mind. He was on such a high the whole time just being in the mountains but having all the wildlife RIGHT there. On the way down a little black bear walked out in front of my car and Brittany saw her first bear ever. Who cares about the photos there was so much happening haha. Just kidding! The photos are amazing they put in the extra work for killer views and a chance at seeing all these wild animals and the effort is always worth it. It’s pretty from the road but this is so much better.

We had a blast together. I’m so happy they got married the day they did, the next day lightning started a fire just down the lake from their ceremony location and has pretty much shut down that entire side of Glacier National Park since! Timing is everything 😉

CHEERS!

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