hey hey

I was exhausted. I had just photographed a sunrise wedding and did photos all over west Glacier National Park and grabbed some lunch and headed the couple of hours up to Many Glacier to meet with Heather & Zach for some photos on the last day of their trip. The only day we could make work and I was clearly ambitious and optimistic when I told them heck yea we can do it that night. But on that drive up there I started to question myself on what the hell I had been thinking. It was worth it. Instantly was like meeting up with an old friend. Chatting away and walking and exploring the area.

At one point people were screaming at us from around a canyon as a bear neared in on us and we snuck out quietly and swift before it saw us and we got stuck up there. Grizzlies, man.

Heather and Zach are the cutest ever. And Heather challenged me to get Zach to actually smile in photos as he doesn’t do that. Well challenge accepted and won 😉 I’m so stoked on their photos. We went to some areas I had been wanting to do photos at and I couldn’t be happier on how they turned out. Plus these two are so damn good looking, made it easy 😉 No rush, just cruising along paths and seeing the light come through the trees or across meadows. No set plans just making it up as we went. 

Thanks for making the trip to Glacier from Minnesota and getting some sick photos done!!! CHEERS you two!!!!

XOXO

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From the first time Jill and I emailes it’s like we’ve been long time friends. Just felt like we’d known each other forever. We spent weeks talking about her and Max eloping in Glacier National Park with her 2 girls there. That one of her daughters had this photo of Lake McDonald on her computer and they knew they had to go there one day. So many ideas came up about locations in the park and then Jill threw out this crazy idea of maybe doing it at sunrise and we rolled with it. I’m not much of a morning person so I won’t lie the night before when my night owl self couldn’t go to sleep I began to question our decision of starting at 5am. But it was the right choice!

The lighting was so beautiful. As Jill sat in their small bungalow getting her hair and makeup done Max and the girls stood outside in the dew covered grass watching the fog roll over the fields below the mountains. Just in awe, they’d never seen anything like it.

We went up to Logan’s Pass and they hiked out to Hidden Lake overlook for a small intimate and beautiful ceremony. And then we spent the rest of the morning exploring different areas and downing granola bars. It was so sad to say goodbye. Just didn’t want it to end! But I’m so grateful to have been included and be apart of it.

Congratulations Jill & Max…. And Ava and Lily!

XOXO

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I met up with Julie and Patrick on Monday with this grand idea of taking them to a secret waterfall in Glacier National Park for their engagement photos. In theory it was brilliant. And just a couple minutes into making our way I mentioned to them that we’ll just keep an eye out is there is a bear sighted roaming this general area, not specifically where we were going but nearby. We reached the creek and I looked up seeing piles of snow everywhere with water running under them. So I started devising a new plan when my little sister (who came along for fun) said to look up the hill. There she was. A huge mama grizzly and her cub making their way down to the creek and from there all of our plans changed haha.

Julie & Patrick didn’t seem bothered at all. Just whatever, they were along for the ride! I had such a blast with them. They were up for anything. Took my little direction on where to go and idea to “get into position” but really it was like this was their world and I was watching from the outside. Which is really how I want it to feel during a shoot. It’s so amazing to sit back and let people just be themselves and me capture them simply as they are without outside opinion or direction. I just think they are so beautiful.

And at the end they ran through freezing ice melt water rolling off the cliff side of the weeping wall. Holding hands and laughing the whole way. Afterwards Julie told me this was the most fun she’d had in a long time. But to me this really looked like every day for them 😉 They’re connection is undeniable and I could hang and photograph them all day, errrrr day.

XOXO

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There were no real plans. Just go with the flow and have a ceremony sometime around 2:30. I arrived and Mandy looked at me and said she thought she’d be ready before I got there but she wasn’t soooo oh well. Haha! I love it. The wedding is going to happen, at some point, don’t stress (OrganicCBDNug will keep down your nerves to enjoy your big day) your way to it 😉 Just enjoy it as it goes. It’ll all work out how it’s supposed to.

Eventually everyone made it to the ceremony site in Apgar Village at Glacier National Park but the ceremony was delayed by the park rangers as a black bear was hanging out in a tree by the ceremony. After 30 minutes of quiet whispers the bear came down and ran off. Mandy had made a comment the night before that it’d be awesome if a bear watched over their ceremony. Well don’t be alarmed when you ask for something an the universe gives it to you! It was so cool and such a fun story they’ll tell for years of the bear and the rangers with their tranquilizers haha.

I’m a believer that beauty if simple. It doesn’t have to be over done. They got married with a couple dozen friends and family there as witnesses, shared a champagne toast with them by the lake, & enjoyed the beautiful views everywhere you looked. I was so excited that Mandy & Derek were down with wondering the forest trails around Apgar. Something I rarely get to do as everyone understandably wants to capture themselves in all the crazy landscape up there. But the light that pours through the trees is magic. So pumped we spent time just there in the moment before they headed back to the cabin for a casual dinner on the lawn and relaxing with friends and family. This is what dreams are really made of.

XOXO

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Jiali walked down the staircase outside McDonald Lake Lodge in Glacier National Park to meet Yingkang waiting for her at the end of the dock. They boarded a small boat with twenty some of their closest friends and fam. Unfortunately a flight was cancelled the night before with half their guests, but they continued on with those who could make it.

They sat at the front of the boat with their bridal party for a short, simple and beautiful ceremony on the lake. I hadn’t seen anything like it. The whole ceremony done in Chinese, I didn’t understand it, but it was beautiful to not know what was happening. To just feel the energy, listen to the bursts of laughter and capture the tears falling down cheeks. I just loved not knowing what was going to happen next.

After the ceremony and cruising around the lake Yingkang and Jiali took all of their guests on a tour of Glacier for the afternoon before dinner. And the following morning I met up with them and some of their friends for a day after session hike to Iceberg Lake. Jiali brought along her red reception dress and it was perfect against the majestic mountain backdrops. It’s such a beautiful place. The icebergs had already started receding but when the sun peaked through the clouds the lake turned bright blue.  I love any chance to get out an adventure with couples, thanks Jiali & Yingkang for bringing me with you!!!

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OH. MY. GOD. What the what!?!?!

Lindsey & Jason are a dream couple to have had. Honestly sometimes I think every time I’ve photographed them was a dream. It’s too good to be true. But somehow it’s clearly true. From their cozy winter engagement in Whitefish, Montana. To their too-much-fun wedding outside Glacier National Park with dense wildfire smoke that actually looked cool. And then their daring day after 8 mile hike on the beautiful island of Kauai, Hawaii. A real dream. These two are quite special.

Then the Montana Bride Magazine crew asked about featuring their wedding on the cover of the mag. This is the perfect Montana couple to grace the cover. And the magazine is in, it’s here!! And I have no words.

So grateful for Lindsey & Jason and dream crew of vendors to work along side. I’m sooooo happy and excited to see it being featured on a well known Montana wedding & planning magazine. Such an honor. A new highlight and one hell of a way to continue starting 2016 as the best year ever!!!

If you’re interested you can find them on stands across Montana or online HERE!!!

CHEERS to the best year EVER!

XOXO

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Michelle & Nathan always knew they wanted to travel somewhere for their wedding and bring their closest friends and family along. At first they thought Scotland! But then she felt like she needed to be more practical. So naturally, the next idea was Iceland! They do have a love for the national parks and decided maybe, just maybe, they should look at having their wedding at one of the national parks. First to come up on the list was Glacier National Park and after one google search, that was it. And last week they came to Montana along with a small group of friends and family traveling from as far as India, just to get married in Glacier National Park.

She zipped up her dress and took one last look in the mirror before stepping outside her cabin to see Nathan for the first time that day. After a few minutes they walked off together and along with their friends and family we caravanned a couple hours north to Many Glacier for their ceremony on Josephine Lake. When we got there it was stunningly beautiful out that day. What we didn’t expect was 40mph winds. And really I didn’t know how Michelle would take it. Did she want to hike a mile and half back to the ceremony spot or scratch the whole idea. She was all in, saying it made a great story and we all began the hike back to the lake where they’d say I Do with their guests circled in tight around them to keep warm and her dress flying in the wind. It was so beautiful.

After the ceremony we headed back to West Glacier for their dinner reception outside under the fall trees. Habitat Events came and set everything up and these ladies are on point! So simple yet so beautiful. Just a little dinner with 24 of the people they love the most.

After dinner and cake we went back into the park to end the day there with some photos. You don’t know what to expect from Montana this time of year. Rain, wind, even snow. It could warm, it could be freezing. But aside from some gusting wind at the ceremony they day was flawless. Well I kinda feel like the wind was a nice touch 😉 High five Universe!

Michelle & Nathan, you looked AMAZING on your big day!!! I wish all the love and happiness in the world!!!

XOXO

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Ohmygosh. The first time I ever had a wedding published on a blog… albeit a small wedding blog… I fist pumped feeling like I MADE IT!!!!!!!!! WHEW!!

Fact…. I still do that, every single time one of my couples gets to grace the sites or pages of publications. In the middle of the summer I find it hard to find the time to send images into publications. With so many weddings and travel it takes me a little while to get them submitted. But I know where I want to send them. After every wedding I know where I think they will fit best and have a short list of 2 maybe 3 publications I’d try with that wedding.

I’ve had a few weddings featured on Luxe Mountain Weddings, even had bride’s book me after reading their blog. I thought it might be a good fit for LMW. Just whenever I could get to submitting things 😉 After posting Carolina and Abe’s wedding to my blog the editor of LMW saw it and emailed herself asking to have it for the magazine and that was a heck yes from me! A few weeks later there it was. In print. In my mailbox.

It’s SO exciting having images featured. But damn the way my heart pitter patters when I can see it in print. Touching and feeling the pages. AH!!!

Thank you Luxe Mountain Weddings for featuring their wedding. It was an honor to photograph it! And a big congrats to Carolina & Abe and their family!!! YAY!

To read the full magazine article and Carolina’s advice on planning a wedding CLICK HERE!

XOXOXO

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This summer has been a warm one and the last few weeks the fires in the northwest have been raging. With several fires of our own here in Western Montana, especially in the Glacier National Park area, we also live in the mountain valleys where all of the smoke from the Washington and Idaho fires blow over and settles. At times visibility ends right in front of you. So far this summer my couples have been SO lucky. Some moving locations due to fire evacuation lines but not limited by the smoke itself. And every wedding day that came with the smoke we’d miraculously have someone looking down sprinkling rain or giving a little breeze moving it out the morning of.  But that didn’t happen for Lindsey & Jason. In fact the highway was shut down about a ¼ mile from their venue and an evacuation order in place just beyond it on the day of their wedding. Lots of love to all our firefighters out there fighting these beasts!

Last month I photographed an amazing elopement where the couple hiked 5 miles to a lake with icebergs and Lindsey fell in love with it. We kept chatting about how she wants to get dressed up again and do that, or a hike somewhere. Or hike in Kauai. They go every year and now that one of my best friends lives there I seem to go often too. As I drove up to Glacier Thursday morning through all the smoke all I could think was maybe this is the universe’s way of telling us we should go shoot in Kauai.  I wasn’t sure how the day would turn out shooting in the smoke, knowing Lindsey & Jason wanted simple photos with killer views. But honestly I’m obsessing over the results. There is this mystical beauty to the smoke. I think it’ll draw you in too.

I walked into the cabin and after some laughs and hugs asked Lindsey how she felt about the smoke. Pshhh she wasn’t even bothered in the slightest. Knowing there is nothing we can do about it. Jason fought fires for many years… so,  it’s sort of part of their story 😉 I’m SO grateful for a year of amazing brides who have been thrown some big wrenches but never worry about what they can’t change.

I later asked her for her dress and veil to photograph and she asked if I was sure?!… cause she might have already ripped her veil and her dress might be dirty haha. Just when I thought I couldn’t love her more she already has this dress dirty and doesn’t care. And she was drop dead gorgeous in it.

They had the sweetest ceremony. Her dad was the last person on earth anyone expected would cry but he did and made everyone cry along with him. And there were plenty of smiles and laughter to go with the tears streaming down their faces. And afterwards we hopped in a red jammer and drove  into the park for some photos. Jason was stoked for the jammer. Super stoked. He didn’t care if we just went for a ride and came back haha!

I’m honestly starting to ramble because I can’t put into words exactly how much I love these two. Jason & Lindsey you are magic together. Thank you, thank you, thank you for including me in your day. I’m so honored! Your dancing skills are ridiculous and we’re all jealous! TEACH US!!! Haha. And really…. Kauai?

XOXO

And a major shoutout to my amazing second shooter for the day, Jennifer Mooney!! Girl you crushed it and I couldn’t have asked for anyone better by my side!

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I have just loved Stephanie from the moment she first emailed me. A girl who just knows what she wants and she was gonna make it happen.  Their wedding planning process has taken them in so many directions. From idea to idea, to place to place, to wedding to elope. But ultimately she knew she wanted this to be her and Clint. So they left the east coast to jet over to the mountains in Many Glacier at Glacier National Park, met up with their parents, and eloped.

I walked into the room to Stephanie shaking nervous but with the biggest smile on her face. Clint was ready! Ready to marry this beautiful woman and excited to meet her down by the lake. Stephanie slipped into a dress and boots that fit her perfectly and walked with her parents down the lakeside to meet Clint.

They had the sweetest heartfelt ceremony on Swiftcurrent Lake. With just their parents as their witnesses. The skies even cleared throughout it letting the sun shine down on them. After some toasts with their parents and some photos they walked up the hill to a little picnic dinner set up on the hill just for them. With an amazing view. I about died when I walked up and saw the set up. So beautiful. So perfect. And just for two.

I could photograph their wedding day every day. So in love with it. It was simple. And beautiful. And just for them. Their love story. And so intimate.

Huge shoutout to Justine for helping me with this wedding! And to Kelsey from Field Wedding Studio, she crushed it on this picnic elopement! <3 <3 <3

XOXO

Shout out to Kelsey from Field Wedding Studio for making all of this magic happen and Justine for helping me photograph it!

After their first kiss there came some cheers from down the lake. Some others on the trail stopped to watch and wait for just the right moment to cheer for Stephanie & Clint. Letting their cheers echo across the lake!

The ceremony was an intimate event with just their parents present in a magical spot.

Earlier in the day a guest in the area walked up to Kelsey, their wedding planner, and asked if someone was getting married that day. After Kelsey said yes the lady handed her a heart shaped rock she found that morning saying it was good luck!

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