hey hey

Travel isn’t always as pretty as the idea sounds. It’s often uncomfortable.  At times it even breaks your heart. But I’ve decided that it’s ok. Each journey changes us, and it should.

Since the end of last wedding season I’ve been racking up the frequent flyer miles. Travel is incredible. It’s takes everything out of you and then… it can breathe all of life back into you. Since September I’ve been to Palm Springs, Vancouver BC (3x), Kauai (3x), Norway, France, Ireland, and scorching hot Mexico. I am so blessed especially since a lot of those trips could include work in some way. That my “job” could take me places like this. I hate calling it a job. It is. But it’s my passion. What I love. Fuels my heart. It’s my life. Not just a job.

The trip to Mexico it all caught up to me. The uncomfortable part of travel. Until then the uncomfortable was just not being able to sleep on a plane. Drugged or not… I can’t do it. And because of it I’m the one wrapped in a hoodie with her flip flops thrown out on the ground, bags scattered, hat over my face and passed out asleep on a heater (literally ON a heater) in the Toronto airport. Exhaustion settled in. I live the fast life. Which for now I won’t stop doing. It’s too short not to.  But I’ve realized that within that fast life there needs to be slower moments. Because if I can’t have time to reflect on the fast portion can I really appreciate all that happened? I came home at the end of April and decided it was time to stay home a bit. For so many reasons. Sooooo many. It was just time to slow it down. Honestly, it’s been 3.5 weeks and I’m about to lose my mind!!! The itch is back to just GO. But I’m gonna hang in there and chill cause it’s about to be crazy time.

But I’ve had time to look back over the last couple seasons. And man were they beautiful. I vowed to myself this year to step in front of the camera more. It took time to do it and get comfortable doing it often. To not just photograph where I was, but who I was with and us LIVING in it. Although I’ve spent time with so many people in my travels, Meg, has been there on a lot of those trips. So grateful to have such a close friend (really she’s like family) on a similar path in life and able to travel so much. I’ve sat here reflecting on our whirlwind of an “off-season” and I couldn’t be more proud of the women I see in the photos. The transformation from last year to now is amazing. I see myself and love her. Who she is. Where she came from. Where she’s going. I want this for EVERY woman… to be empowered by other great women, but really to empower yourself. To love yourself is a incredible gift.

Words are so powerful. I’m obsessed with good words. I have quite the pinterest board for them even. All intentionally chosen. But, there is one quote that I read and I say it to myself. Not as if someone else thinks it about me. If they do… great. But it’s a line to myself.

“She is delightfully chaotic; a beautiful mess. And loving her is a splendid adventure.” – Steve Maraboli

 

 

 

 

Meg and I forced ourselves to get dressed and take some photos of us living. What an incredible hand we’ve been dealt in life. Lets preserve it. It kinda seemed like a burden and we really just wanted to nap and read on the beach in Mexico. But we pulled our shit together and let the camera be in front of us. And I’m grateful. Life is precious, I know this too well. And the only way to stop time and live through it again, revisit it, share it, is to photograph it.

Thank you Meg for photographing me, just as me. Here are a few of my favorites. Not just me, but also of my beautiful friend.

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I’m always excited to upload my second shooters images. One, I can’t wait to see what they got from their point of view while we shot all day. Two, how big of an ass did I make of myself today? …

I could have added a zillion photos to this post but I decided to pick just a few. This is really what’s going on….

Hanging off ledges. Taking over Las Vegas streets. Testing light… aka dancing. Meditating. Taking Selfies.

I assure you taking a photo like this is completely normal.

Nevermind. Who wants to be normal.

As if this groomsman doesn’t know he’s a little tall I clearly felt the need to inform him that he was. Even though I couldn’t accurately show him how tall.

And my short girl problems continue…..

And I’m a butterfly catcher!! I swear I had that little butterfly on my finger.

The one time there was just that one string sticking out there and it would not stay down. No scissors to be found. We did what we had to do.

What do you want from me Schenaye?!!! Yeah. Just look the other way Matt! Ok really what is going on here?! HA!

Seriously what do you people want from me!

Pterodactyl…. NAILED IT!

I guess I use my arms when I talk. But this group is listening. So it works!

This group……. they aren’t listening to me are they? Maybe I should have used my arms then.

I’m pretty sure I lost this battle with this child. He’s gonna stand where ever he wants. I appreciate your confidence, kid.

So I took a different approach with this kid.

And when things are slow and we’re all hanging out waiting around you should get comfy. House slippers anyone?

As the summer went on I started to realize that I really do my best to always be attractive. You’re welcome.

A little high five action for my bro, cause his wife is lookin’ HOT on her wedding day and he’s bout to see for himself!

Veil dancing. Similar to ribbon dancing, a little bit of a different technique. It’s a real thing.

Just follow me my peoples!!!

But really, the best is all the laughing that happens with my peoples.

What’s real fun in life if you can’t spend some time laughing at yourself. There is so much ridiculousness I could share, but there are more shenanigans to be had. So until it’s time to share those. Peace!

 

 

 

 

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About a month and a half ago after a night of a few drinks Meg and I sat on the floor of her parents condo in Kauai Facetiming with her sister, Steph. Steph half jokingly said we should meet her in Paris in a few weeks. Without hesitation Meg and I, probably in sync, said “Yeahhhhh!! We’ll be there!” And so the Eurotrip planning began. We couldn’t JUST go to Paris. Not our style. There were discussions of stopping in Iceland or Norway first. Iceland, cause why wouldn’t we? Norway, cause we’re both VERY Norwegian. Ultimately Norway worked out the best. Don’t worry Iceland we’re coming for you, eventually.

I drove up to Meg’s parents house outside of Calgary the night before our trip and she flew in from Kauai. After a good nights sleep (the most we’d get for another 2 weeks) we had some breakfast, tried to pack as much as possible into our bags (including a tripod we would never use, but you know, just in case), climbed in the car and made our way straight to the airport and the bar for a drink before hopping to the otherside of the pond.

We started the journey in Oslo, the capital of Norway. It’s a cute little town with fun little streets all dressed up for Christmas. We had tried our best to stay up as long as possible to get on track with time but only made it til 8:30pm. Which inevitably had us up at 4:30am, wide awake. And hungry. All we had was licorice. So we started the day at 4:30am with licorice 🙂 Classic.

Oslo was beautiful but we were itching to get to the other side of the country, fjord country. So the first morning in Norway we hopped on the train, The Bergen Railway. And went Bergen. The train ride was AMAZING!!! If you go to Norway, it’s so highly recommended. 7 hours of amazing views across the country. And with the sun rising at 9:30 and setting at 3:30 we didn’t miss a sunrise or sunset! Well really we only saw the sun rise as it rained almost our entire Eurotrip. Til Ireland… can’t wait to share that one with you. But watching the sun rise over the snow covered Norwegian countryside…. stunning.

I fell in love with Bergen. All of the tiny little tall houses connected to each other, winding staircases, cobblestone streets, markets and delicious coffee. Such an incredible little town. We rented a little apartment right in the heart of the Bryggen district. Had one of the best meals of our lives. A 7 course meal at a local seafood restaurant. Reservations are required, however in true fashion Meg and I managed to get in and get served, without a reservation. If you go check out Restaurant 1877. BOMB! And so worth $100 each, ha!

Our last full day we rented a car. Not cheap in Norway but exploring for us requires a roadtrip. We just started driving. Through a million tunnels. And found ourself in an area that I think Christmas comes from, haha. Winter wonderland. Our rental car had great snow tires, thank God!! And then onto an overlook of Sognefjord, called Stegastein. So beautiful. And into the smaller towns below. You realize just how big this world is and how small you are when you stand at the bottom of a fjord looking up. But even as small as we are, we have the power to change the world. It’s surreal to just stand there.

I feel like one of the luckiest. To have a good friend on a life journey so similar to mine, at similar times in life, that can pick up and travel the world with me. To dance around the world together. And not kill each other. There are just some people that no matter how much you love them, you can’t travel together haha. We’ve come to realize we’re perfect to travel with each other. We don’t have to talk every second. We’re up for anything, why wouldn’t we? We like the same music. We’re not that interested in touristy sites, we’d rather hit the road and just see what happens. If nothing, we always end with a great story and lots of laughter. After something incredible happens we just want to sit for a second (or an hour) and relive it while editing the photos we took of it, however long that may take. We can somehow get by with no sleep, as long as we have each other and a good playlist. I’m so grateful for her. May we continue to dance through life, even when life takes us down, the other is there with a hand to bring you back up.

This was a whirlwind of a trip and we moved at hyperspeed. Only a few days in each place. And next came France!!!  Wait for it 😉

Check out Meg’s version of Norway over on her blog!

 

 

 

 

*The photos are a mix of mine and Meg’s from our cameras, GoPro, and iPhones. Ok, mostly from our iPhones.*

See our next stop, France, HERE!

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It’s really the greatest honor when my friends ask me to photograph them. That they pick me. Then they always want to work around my work schedule whenever it works for me. They just want me to photograph them. It’s the greatest honor.

These two… Amanda is my best friend. I won’t get all sappy about her here cause one day she’s gonna get married and if I say it all now, what will I say then?! Haha. We came into each others lives just about the time we were going to need each other. Without even knowing it. And we’ve become each others biggest supporters over the last year and a half. And we’re pretty inseparable. Even if I leave town we make sure to have lunch and dinner the day before I go. And we get together as soon as I’m back. In the last year-ish Ryan came into her life. He is perfect for her. I have never seen her this happy, which makes me extra happy. And recently they took a big step and moved into a new apartment together. So naturally they needed some photos of them together to put up in their new place.

Trying to photograph them is sometimes a little crazy as they’re constantly making faces, jumping on each other (in not cute ways), and making more faces. If it’s not Amanda, it’s Ryan. We took photos for maybe 20 minutes. There was so much ridiculousness between them and my daughter was sitting behind me making up her own songs. Amanda was laughing so hard she was straight bawling. Makeup running everywhere. We had so much fun we had to stop cause she couldn’t pull it together. But I love that we cut photos short because we were having fun. Who wouldn’t?!

The sun was perfect. It was starting to feel like fall in Missoula MT. And laughter was abundant. I have to share their photos!

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They laughed. Real hard. And they cried. Just the way I think it should go at a wedding 😉 After many struggles and injuries Trista and Hank were married at family property with the help of Mike Massey Law – Injury Law Firm in St Regis .You can also visit https://webuyhousesinatlanta.com/canton/ to know more about it.Montana and every bit of it was stunning.

On a day as special as a wedding, it’s heartwarming to witness the presence of loved ones and the memories they hold. Trista’s mother may not have been physically present to assist her in getting ready, but the support of her grandmother filled that void and created a truly touching moment. Such moments remind us of the strength and resilience of couples who navigate the wedding process without a parent by their side. Amid joyous celebrations, it’s essential to prioritize emotional well-being and seek support when needed. Jackson Heights GYN clinic, for instance, offers a range of healthcare services, including emotional support and counseling, to individuals who may be experiencing the complexities of life transitions, such as planning a wedding without a parent. These clinics can provide a safe space for couples to address their emotional needs and seek guidance, ensuring that they can fully embrace their special day with a sense of love, support, and healing.

I drooled over her Nicole Miller dress. The way it fit her, the fabric, the appliqués. Every bit of it. Trista’s mother passed almost 2 years ago after a battle with MS. I’m so touched by couples who go through this process without a parent. I did it once. And it’s not easy. But her mom’s presence was definitely felt. As most brides have their mom’s there to button or zip up their dress, Trista didn’t. But she has two beautiful grandmothers who stood in. Such a touching moment of her day. Did I mention how good she looked in that dress?! It was made for her.

Hank wins the award for most excited groom to com down the aisle. It’s a prestigious award, ps. 😉

Their wedding ended my summer wedding season and I can’t think of a better wedding to end the season with. I’m so excited to share these that I edited them this morning at the SeaTac airport and I’m posting them from 30,000 feet right now! Vacation can wait, these are good!!!

Trista and Hank, ENJOY your new adventure. Alaska is lucky to get you two! You two will conquer this!!! XOXO!

I have to end this with a HUGE thank you to my second shooter Sara! She rocked out this wedding with me and I most definitely couldn’t have done it without her. I have been fighting a head cold, sinus infection and body aches for a while and well there aren’t sick days on wedding days. Shooting a wedding took all of the energy I had while sick and taking meds and not eating is a bad idea!  Thank you, thank you, thank you Sara for all of your amazing help. From second shooting, to running for pain meds, covering things so I could curl up in the fetal position behind the food truck any minute I could, getting me drinks, food, and that amazing massage before the ceremony. I would have surely not survived without you 😉 THANK YOU!

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I first met Sarah at Kelsie and Johnny’s wedding last year. She’s Kelsie’s cousin and was one of her bridesmaids. I literally jumped for joy when her and Nick asked me to photograph their wedding. I LOVE their family. Earlier this summer met them while they were in Helena MT at her parents for their engagement session. Which turned into an afternoon of wakesurfing and 90’s hip hop. Instant friends for life.

These two have so much enthusiasm for life. And it’s contagious. Energy levels are always high when these two are around. And their love for one another is seen by everyone. In the way they look at each other, talk softly to one another and simply can’t keep their hands off of each other. They inspire us all.

Their wedding was so much fun. Their family and closest of friends in Sarah’s parents back yard. A sweet ceremony where the tears flowed. Drinks flowing. Late night popcorn. And her cousins lighting fireworks off the dock. Is there any other way to celebrate such an incredible day in life?!!!

Sarah and Nick, you are family. I adore and love you. And your families. I’m sooooo excited to see where you two go in life. Keep going after every thing you want. We’re excited to come along for the ride!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Sarah & Nick didn’t want to see one another til the ceremony. But they had written some letters to each other and rather than send a maid of honor and best man to deliver them they decided to take a moment, with each of them on one side of the door and read the letters where they could feel the presence of the other. Such an incredibly sweet moment between them.

This bridal party was SOOOOOO much fun. I love groups that are absolutely ridiculous. Too excited to listen to me. Up for anything. And straight up a bit rowdy. Freakin’ love it. I can’t even make this stuff up people. I don’t think I even said anything, this craziness just happened and I just kept taking photos 😉 And then they ended up on the roof of the boathouse, that’s when you know the party is getting started!!!

I love my brides to the ends of the earth. My heart is so full to have these two not only as brides but good friends. Sisters from other misters. MWAH!

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I could hear the laughter and stomping of David and the guys upstairs playing beer pong as Liz jumped into her dress. Literally. She pulled and jumped  so hard she popped a button off the ass of her dress. And we all laughed hysterically. The boys playing drinking games in the middle of the afternoon and my girl bent over laughing so hard about popping a button off had me pause for just a split second and know… these are my people. Not a worry or care in the world. Just moments of laughter and fun with the people nearest and dearest to them.

You can tell a couple is loved when they get married half way across the country and every single guest had to travel just as far to get there. But even more so when you’re loved enough for 165 guests to travel that far to be a part of such a day. One hundred and sixty five people. They came to what they called the “middle of nowhere” … it almost is ( Red Lodge MT ) 😉  For me, that says such soooo much about these two. Their character and how they love and give love.

Tears were not lacking. And the laughter was boisterous. Just the way I like it. Liz throws her head back in hysterics when she laughs. I love it. And David lost his pants at one point during photos. During photos. Literally they came down. He was just feeling it. So it happened. These two are full of energy and all about a good time. Spending the day with them I understand why almost two hundred people wouldn’t miss their wedding.

And the dancing. Most DJ’s are trying to get and keep people on the dance floor. This dance floor wasn’t big enough. Even on those slower songs where people stop and take a breather. Nope, they all just found a partner. Breaks are overrated.

I could go on forever and ever and ever about them. Liz & David, and your families, and your bridal party…. thanks for being my people. Adore you all!! CHEERS to you two!!

And now for the rest of the goods!!! Your wedding was hard to ‘summarize’!!!!

 

 

 

 

I’m so obsessed with the girls dresses in pale pink hues all their own and the guys tan pants with the navy blue blazers. This crew has got style!

The way she laughs. I love it!

And Liz was such a stunning bride I just have to show her off a bit. I know David doesn’t mind, at all.

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I have sat here for hours trying to narrow down the images for this blog post. Hours, not even exaggerating. And I really feel like anything I say won’t do their wedding justice. Won’t do them justice.

There was a book at their wedding about them. There was a page that had a part giving reasons for why they are better together. Some of the reasons listed were –

‘Amanda tells Tyler when he needs to stop spending money, and Tyler tells Amanda that we can’t go to the grave with it.’

‘Tyler takes Amanda to outer space and Amanda brings Tyler back to down to Earth.’

‘Anything is possible, and together, we will make it happen.’

They have a love the rest of the world just dreams about. They don’t hold back. They’re all – in. Everything is worth trying once, together. Amanda takes care of everyone. Tyler makes everyone laugh. They have the biggest hearts, not just for each other, but everyone around them.

After spending 15.5 hours with them on their wedding day in Red Lodge MT and Billings MT, I held back tears at the end of the night as I wasn’t ready for it to end.

Amanda & Tyler, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. For including me in your special day. For making me feel like part of your family and friends. For the laughs. Some of the best hugs of all time. Fist pumps and high fives. Being an incredible example of what a relationship should be. With your spouse, your friends, your family, Bella. I am so very blessed to know you.

 

 

 

 

Before we get too far into this. High fives to Tyler. Nice work buddy. Your lady….. oh my she’s stunning!

As I photographed Tyler’s daughter, Bella, and Amanda I told him to get in there and get some photos on his phone. C’mon. What a lucky guy to have these 2 gorgeous ladies in his life. Blessed, indeed!

Couples usually just walk right past me as the walk back down the aisle as husband and wife. Tyler and Amanda on the other hand……. love it.

Their ceremony took place at the Wildflower Gardens in Red Lodge but their reception was in Billings. So Amanda ran inside, and switched it up. Threw her hair up, put on another dress, zipped up her Mrs. Johnson hoodie and grabbed her cowboy boots. Then hopped on the back of the harley with Tyler and took off. What an exit, hey?!!!

A storm rolled in right before their ceremony and cut our bridal party images short. We covered the basics and said we’d get shenanigans later at the reception. Shenanigans happened. I told them to get close and love each other and this happens.

And a pyramid, their idea, and I so rolled with it.  This is what bridal party photos should really be. This is what we really do with our friends 😉

I debated adding photos from their reception or not. It was so much fun. But when I started pick I couldn’t stop selecting and then this post would have been the longest of all time. So I chose one to sort of summarize it. Their friends literally snuck into this photo as they were kissing. They are surrounded in life by some of the most loving and down-for-a-good-time people. I loved every second of it.

I hope you two ALWAYS run after your dreams, together.

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There have been moments that I’ve thought, what were you thinking?!  You’re crazy. But honestly it’s getting so crazy that I’m so excited. SO EXCITED.

The next few weeks are insane. And in natural Jackie fashion I started packing an hour ago to leave 10 minutes from now. PS I’m packed. I killed it.

I’m hopping in the car for a little adventure with my daughter up to Glacier. Had to pack her for a weekend of camping up there. And then for a week with her Auntie. Then for the following week with her dad. Then I’m spending some time with my sister. Wedding in Many Glacier tomorrow. And I’m driving home RIGHT after it. All the way, about 5 hours. Get home around 3am. Gather the rest of my things for my birthday vacation and then I’m off to the airport at 4am to catch my 5:30 am flight to Calgary. Meg is picking me up!! Then her and I are roadtripping to Kelowna. Right then. Monday is our birthday and we’re headed to Vancouver! Some fun plans with friends followed by lots of shopping and city life. Back home on Thursday. Get in at midnight. Meetings Friday morning and then I’m off to Red Lodge and Billings for the weekend for another wedding and another shoot!

Got lost in there. Yeah, me too. I’m crazy. But the idea of go-go-go just gets my adrenaline going.

CHEERS to the weekend. Hope you do something ridiculous!

You get one life. Go off!

 

 

 

 

PS. I wrote this and then saved it to upload a photo from our little roadtrip today 🙂  Posting blog posts from my phone?! SICK!

 

 

I make 2 playlists a year. The rest of the time I just listen to my most recent purchases. Over and over and over and over. I can listen to the same song over and over for hours. Cause I pick good music! 😉

At Christmas I make a playlist. Christmas deserves a playlist!  But the other time is summer. Summer needs a playlist and it needs to grow as the summer goes along. And it should include Pharrell and Justin Timberlake. Summer playlists are just incomplete without those two.

This summer I’m alllll about concerts. Especially outdoor events. There isn’t anything like live music, outdoors, cold beverage in hand, surrounded by excited fans, and ridiculousness with best friends. Last Thursday my best friend and I went to The Fray. Thank you Ryan for our tickets!!! If you haven’t seen them live, I highly suggest it. I’m a sucker for artists who sound as good or better in person. And The Fray are better in person.

Although opening acts…. they’re a dice roll. You never know what you’re going to get. Sometimes it’s umm… not good…. but sometimes they knock your socks off.

 

Barcelona came on just before The Fray. Amanda and I are chatting with friends as they started. Halfway through the first song we’re taking notice. Stopping our conversations. Asking others, wait who is this? Second song we’re going YEAH!!! I like these guys. By the third song we’re downloading. They are amazing live. Well amazing, period.  And we hung out with them a little bit afterwards, they’re a fun crowd!

 

Add Barcelona to your summer playlist. Just trust me. Go download ‘Background’, ‘Fall in Love’, & ‘Sick.’ For sure those 3. Then play them over and over and over and over. Soooo good. Then find them on tour. It’s so worth it!

I have some “rules” for life. Ok, really they’re more like guidelines. Rules, suck. 😉 One of them is to indulge in live experiences. And concerts absolutely fall into ‘live experiences.’

I think good music is meant to be shared.

Want to get the best of your summer? Indulge in live experiences. CHEERS to summertime!!!!

 

 

 

 

PS. After seeing these photos (from my trusty iphone & GoPro) of my best friend Amanda and I. We could pull off being sisters. Yeah? No?

 

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