hey hey

Kelsey + Nathan got engaged and even now haven’t started planning a wedding yet. Which I love. It’ll all happen when it’s supposed to. For now they were planning a big move to San Diego just because they simply want sunshine and their toes in the sand! I’m so obsessed with how they’ve simplified life and go for just what they want.

As they prepared for their move Kelsey knew that even though they weren’t planning their wedding yet, she at least needed to have engagement photos in Seattle before they left. She messaged me asking about going out to Snoqualmie Falls, she loved the ferns in the forest along the trails and of course the waterfalls. I haven’t done a shoot down there in a while and was stoked to get down there again. It turned into more of an adventure than I had anticipated but ohmygosh the photos are sooooo pretty. SO freakin’ worth it! Nathan was so funny and just didn’t want his outfit to ever make him look like a pirate?!?! HAHA! No, dude, you definitely do not look like a pirate in these photos!

Planning sunlight in little canyons can be tough and that day the clouds rolled in. But as we wandered in the forest and ran through more spider webs than I want to remember, the sun peaked through the trees and I about died. Then again at the waterfalls the sun kissed the top of the waterfall and rock wall giving the coolest colors and tones behind them. Once again, another freaking dream session! I still have to pinch myself that these two asked me and we created such magic in these photos.

Kelsey + Nathan, congratulations you two! On your engagement, and your next adventure in life together!!! I have no doubts you’ll have more and all will be absolutely amazing!

XOXO, J.

This session and experience with Kaitlin + Steve is one I’ll just never forget. I had planned this mini vacation away with my daughter, a last hoorah before she started school. As I planned everything I decided last minute to leave a day later than I had planned. I didn’t know why just had a feeling and booked an airbnb a day later and figured whatever I’d stay home and pack. The next day Kaitlin messaged me on insta and said her and Steve were coming to Montana and was I available any of her days there. The only day that worked was the day they were flying in. That day I had decided not to go on vacation. As she explained her vision I started to feel like this was meant to be. This was the reason I suddenly felt that I should hang back from vacay for a day. This was it.

We planned this idea to hike out a little over a mile in Glacier for this certain mountain view. I spent days trying to figure out the sun just right. When and where it would set if we were surrounded my mountains. I felt this was gonna be so good and with that felt pressured to nail the lighting. It totally worked out. We planned it perfectly with when to meet, how long it’d take to get to trailhead, hike, out and get the light we wanted the whole time. I’m still so stoked that we got it perfectly. And a goat briefly joined us in the beginning haha!

And these two. WOW. They’re love is just beautiful. Every embrace, every laugh, every move you could just feel it.

I lost it. It felt like a panic attack of joy not fear. I couldn’t contain my happiness and just felt so overwhelmed with them and how perfect they are. I’m so excited to share these images with you guys. I’m beyond obsessed! This session will always be a highlight for me!

XOXO, J.

Alexis and Joshua came all the way from New York to do engagement photos way up in the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park. Well ok actually Joshua’s family has a house nearby in Whitefish and they’re getting married up there next summer so they wanted to have engagement photos in the park this summer and it was so much fun!

These two are sooooo good looking! Ohmygosh! And they brought the best outfits. I love the juxtaposition of formal wear in nature. It’s so pretty! And they didn’t mind a thing climbing up hills and out on cliffs, down trails. It’s such a cool area up there.

Traffic in Glacier this year is INSANE!!! Everyone from everywhere is visiting. And because of that we started a little late since traffic isn’t usually something I have to tell couples we should factor in lol! But this day it was something and the park is the ultimate disconnect as you have no cell service and no wifi. You’re out there. So we actually started a bit later than planned and honestly on the inside at first I was a bit nervous as we had planned everything specifically for a certain type of light and look. That’s what happens when you plan too much 😉 Or what happens to me, I’m all about plan little and go with the flow and it’ll work out right?! We didn’t even take one photo before the sun had set!!!! This entire shoot was done after sunset. I can’t believe we were able to shoot as long as we did and I’m in love with the photos!!!!

Can’t wait for their wedding next year, it’s gonna be GORGEOUS!

XOXO, J.

Things just work out in such strange ways, right?! I’m always amazed at the avenues that couples go through to find me and decide I’m the photographer for them! Layne and Mike are from British Columbia and originally had their hearts set on another photographer from BC but they were unable to photograph their Montana wedding and happen to be friends of mine so they referred them to me and the rest is history. I’m always telling photographers that other photographers are not your competition we’re in this together and look what can happen when you become friends!! I get to work with this awesome couple!

Layne’s family has a cabin on this beautiful lake outside Eureka MT that they spend so much time at. It’s always been her dream to get married there and now it’s coming true!! Layne and Mike headed to the cabin to spend some holiday time and plan out wedding details and we decided it was the perfect time to to actually meet and do an engagement session for them at this special place. So we actually planned to shoot right at the same time as their ceremony exactly one year before!

The property is amazing and we took the boat out for a while out to a sandbar and messed around in a canoe with this crazy idea I had in my head. And ohmygosh it totally turned out! I’m obsessed with the canoe photos!!! And brought out their pups for a few. Which I died. Dogs are the best.

These two are so carefree and laid back and willing to try the weird things I come up with but totally don’t look weird in photos lol! I cannot wait for their big wedding celebration on the lake!! It’s going to be absolutely perfect!!!

XOXO, J.

Breanna emailed me one day asking if I’d photograph their upcoming wedding at the end of June…. to which I said YES! We started chatting through what they wanted and needed, timelines etc and I was just falling in love with her, Trenton and their wedding. At the same time my little sister was planning on getting married in Ireland this summer but had not picked a date. I started bothering my little sister that she had to pick a date and let me know cause this summer was booking up. And sure enough my sister picked a date just before Breanna and Trenton’s wedding.

I had to write the hardest email I’ve written to a couple and send it over to Breanna that I wasn’t going to be able to photograph their wedding afterall. Such a bummer to spend time talking and working with a bride and then come back and it just not work out because of ME not them. Breanna was so sweet about it and god damn it bugged me. She actually started working with my best friend so I finally met her in person.  And last week we got together and did some pre-wedding images for them. Which made me feel so much better to get to photograph them a little. And holy crap it was AMAZING. Their images are unreal. We laughed almost every second of it and the sun decided to come out on a week of rain. It was pure magic in such a small amount of time.

I know you guys are gonna die over these images. And to think they were nervous. Any couple that tells me right at the beginning that they’re super nervous and need instruction or are awkward in photos…… generally aren’t. I mean they might be nervous but they’re usually not ones that need instruction and what they think is awkward looks freaking unreal in imagery. This set of photos has quickly become one of my all time faves!

Enjoy!

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This morning I pulled up Paige & Russ’ photo gallery. And appeared these baby faces from a session we did back in 2013. I’ve been photographing them for 4 years and it’s always a highlight of the year. First of all their friends, which just makes it a blast to run around locations being idiots together. Russ really enjoyed the one time I played Taylor Swift the entire session 😉 Also, they’re so damn good looking. And Russ actually doesn’t hate photos or dread them like most guys. Sometimes it’s even his idea that we do them!

They are so madly in love. And clearly best friends. The way they relax and let loose in front of the camera is a photographer’s dream. They try ever stupid idea and the dumber the idea the more they laugh and believe it…. Those are the best photos!

A couple weeks ago we wandered a field together. Running through it, dodging dog shit, and my kiddo, Caterina, was there yelling about what time it was randomly, making us all laugh. I say this everytime but I mean it every time, this was my favorite session with them! Haha!

Hope we do anniversary and couples sessions forever!!!

XOXO!!!

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I photograph my best friend and her man and her twin girls several times a year. Early this summer Amanda & Ryan said I do and Amanda had this vision of beautiful images of the two of them on the tables and around the wedding. But she wanted photos that no one had ever seen of them. So a few weeks before their wedding we ran out one night at sunset and took some photos of them around Missoula MT, at Linda Vista Golf Course and then escaped into a field at Blue Mountain just before the sun set for the night.

We usually don’t take photos for long because these two are so ridiculous and can barely keep it together. Constantly doing weird stuff, making faces, being idiots. And usually shortly after starting someone has either got hurt or we’re laughing so hard that Amanda has messed up her makeup from the laughing cry and it’s over. This time things were the same, full of shenanigans. But at some point we broke through the ridiculousness and pure magic happened with them. We’ve now learned they need a solid warm up period and then they’re the most amazing couple to photograph. But then mix it with the lighting we got that night it was pure simple magic.

She let me share one photo at the time and then they had to be put into the vault til after their wedding. Which the summer was so full with so many couples I’m just now getting back to sharing these! But they’re a treat and so worth the wait!

Happy Friday!!!!!!

Sidenote – if you wanna see the photos from their wedding check out Justine Russo’s blog! I did not take on the duties of photographer and maid of honor. Just made of honor. Sorry Justine left out most of my ridiculous drunk dancing… we’ll keep those in the vault 😉

XOXO

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The world really is a small place. Quinn emailed me about photographing her winter wedding in Montana and an engagement session in Seattle and as soon as I saw her last name I thought what are the chances this girl is from little Dillon, Montana. Sure enough she is. Her younger sister and I went to school for a while and her younger bro and my younger sister were in the same grade.  It’s so fun having crazy connections with couples.

Jake and Quinn are planning this amazing winter wedding. I can’t wait, it’s gonna be awesome. We started talking about their engagement photos in Seattle and I threw out the idea of hiking in to Franklin Falls near Snoqualmie Pass. Just an idea. And a couple weeks later I asked them what they wanted to do and their hearts were set on this little adventure to the waterfall. I was so pumped and this last weekend headed over to Seattle for it.

Pacific northwest forests are enchanted. It’s so beautiful how green and fresh it always is. The sun shined down after days of rain giving us the most amazing light. It was a photographer’s dream! And then we reached the roaring waterfall. It’s so much taller in person. All of us took a moment to just stand in awe. The mist sprayed so far back and with the sun in the background looks like glitter in the air. I can’t make this stuff up you guys! It was perfect! Then adding in Quinn and Jake, ohmygosh! Jake smiled and laughed the whole time. Also a photographer’s dream to have a guy just having fun and loving it instead of just getting through a shoot haha. I was excited about their wedding before but I’m even more so now!!!

And what the heck I need to explore the Pac Northwest a whole lot more. It’s stunning!

XOXO

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I was so excited when Alysha messaged me and said ok it’s a little secret but she’s engaged and asked if I would photograph her and Jake for their engagement photos. Alysha is a hair stylist and we’ve done a few weddings together and it’s always such an honor when another wedding vendor seeks you out to be their own vendor! So naturally I got excited.

Finally the day came and we had made all these plans. I couldn’t wait to see her cause we didn’t do a wedding together this year so I was pumped to catch up. But after a hug and some quick laughs she looks at me and say “sooooo weird…. But is your dad’s name Korey?”

I was taken aback as my dad passed away over half my life ago and most people don’t know his name unless we’ve been friends forever. So a little stunned I said “Yea it is….. But he died 17 years ago.”

Alysha’s response “I was there.”

UM WHAT?! HUH WHATTA?!

Turns out her and her dad were having some conversation about who was photographing her and Jake and it came to light that he realized I was Korey’s oldest daughter and my dad, Korey, happens to be his cousin. My grandma and her grandpa are siblings. And we start racing through big family events that we both were at and just so weirded out that for years we’ve worked together at weddings and we’re just putting together that yup we’re totally related. And weirdly enough after she said I recognized her face as a little girl on my grandma’s fridge haha.

The whole evening was a blast and so so so much laughter and lots of jokes of “well since we’re related….”

I am so excited for these two they’re absolutely perfect for each other. And now to possibly plan large family gatherings in somewhere other than Lincoln, Montana…… cause none of us live there so no one knows why we ever all go camping there…. Haha.

CHEERS!!!

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Robert would gently grab Chelsea’s hand and slowing guide her down the rocks overlooking Flathead Lake. It was so beautiful and so special to spend some time with these two doing engagement photos. They had just flew in from Chicago for their wedding that weekend but asked to meet up and do an engagement session in Bigfork just a few days before.

It’s amazing how an engagement session relaxes a couple and then when their wedding day happens there are no nerves with photos, just comfort and fun.

It was so great getting to spend a couple of days with them while they were there. Just wandering the lakeside rocks and cliffs at Flathead Lake hearing about their adventures and wedding plans, travel, etc. And knowing we were gonna hang again in a few days for their wedding!  I just adore these images and can’t wait to share more of these two and their wedding in another post!!!

Til then….

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