Kristine Paulsen Photography – Lifestyle Portraits, Editorial and Wedding Photography in Missoula Montana

It’s an understatement to say 2011 has been an absolutely wonderful year for weddings in so many ways. I don’t have words to express how thankful I am to have met so many amazing people, and to have shared such beautiful, touching moments with you all. So, thank you, thank you, thank you!

And now, here’s a little video to showcase the very best of 2011 – your smiling faces, the love in your hearts, and moments that have changed your lives. Thank you for inviting me to document this for you. It’s truly been an honor.

On the docket – portraits!

Cheers,

-Kristine

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It was a bit of a rainy, overcast day for Katherine and Mike’s Missoula “rock the dress” session, but that didn’t dampen anybody’s spirits, least of all their dog, Buck, who was happy to jump into the river, and come bounding towards Katherine and Mike for wet “hello’s!”

Katherine very much rocked her dress – we had a wonderful time strolling through the tall grasses, drinking in the beauty that is autumn in Missoula, and making some fun images in the rain.

We were joking that Katherine and Mike have hit almost all of the seasons during their photography with me – winter/spring for their engagement session, summer for their gorgeous ranch wedding west of Missoula, and now autumn for their rock the dress session.

As always, you two, what a wonderful time! Thank you so much for joining me on a damp day – it really paid off ! :) On to the photos!

On the docket: more portraits!

Cheers,

-Kristine

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It was a sunny, hot Arkansas day – perfect for Bernadette and Jeremy’s lovely autumn wedding (and a bit different weather than we had for their Bob Dylan-inspired engagement session!).

Guests strolled through the dappled sunlight streaming through the oak trees in Park on the River in Maumelle, Arkansas. Cicadas hummed, a soft breeze blew, and guitar notes floated through the air as the wedding party walked down the aisle, smiles on their faces as they greeted Jeremy and waited for Bernadette to make her grand entrance.

And grand it was! She sailed down a hill on her cruiser bike to the tune of “Home” by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, bouquet in the front basket, waving at cheering friends and family as she slowed down to meet up with her mother who walked her down the aisle.

There was so much joy in Bernadette and Jeremy’s wedding – their vows were wonderfully unique and full of love, their joining of the wine ceremony was sweet and touching, and the pure love in their eyes as they gazed at one another and pledged to be husband and wife was definitely worthy of a few happy tears.

Guests continued the celebration by signing stickers and affixing them to a vintage suitcase, enjoying home-brewed beer (brought from Montana by Jeremy’s good friend, Nick), dining on a delicious dinner and tasty cakes, and imbibing in a bit of bubbly. And they danced to beat the band (funny props included)!

Such a wonderful, wonderful day – thank you, Bern and Jeremy, for inviting me to photograph such a special day in your lives. I am STILL smiling and will be for quite a while. I wish you two the very, very best in life together – and who knows, perhaps I’ll see you in Arkansas again. :) And, if not Arkansas, you know where to find me in good ol’ Montana. Love to you both!

Vendor Information:
Venue: Park on the River, Maumelle, Arkansas
Hair: Katherine Grant Salon, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Makeup and Guitar Music: Alicia Baylor, Missoula, Montana
Officiant: Nick Burk, Boulder, Colorado
Florist: Fairytale Florals, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Caterer: Shay Richardson, Little Rock, Arkansas
Cakes: Mickey’s Special Affairs, Little Rock, Arkansas (bride’s), Cakes by Catie, Conway, Arkansas (groom’s)
Home-Brewed Beer: Nick McClure, Missoula, Montana

On the docket: portraits!

Cheers!

-Kristine

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I met up with Chris and Kelcy a day after their gorgeous Missoula wedding for their super fun trash the dress/rock the dress session. It was roasting hot, but we all had a blast making some really fun images of the two of them doing something they mutually dig – jeeping! I hadn’t ever been in a jeep before (I know, I know…I’m a woman of small, deceptively tough cars) and I’ve got to say, it was definitely a good time! We also made some stunning non-jeeping images of the two of them, and Chris definitely won the award for best veil assistant ever. With a veil as long as Kelcy’s, it liked to grab onto twigs and such, and Chris was always there to help her out. :)

Thanks again, you two! What a fun session! You rocked it!

On the docket: weddings and portraits and weddings galore!

Cheers,

-Kristine

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We are so darn lucky to live in Montana. I mean, just look at what our eyes get to feast upon on a daily basis! Lauren and Jeff took advantage of the exceptional natural beauty of the Two Feathers Ranch where they were married and met up with me a couple days after their wedding to have fun rocking their creative bridal session.

It really couldn’t have been a more gorgeous evening – we caught the tail end of a summer storm, so we had some beautiful clouds in the sky and golden light towards the end of our evening. We got to hang out with their horses as well, who were exceptionally curious about my cameras. (See outtakes towards the bottom of this post.) To top the evening off, Lauren even braved the cold creek running through the property and absolutely stole the show.

You two were just awesome! Thanks so much for doing this unforgettable session with me!

And now for a few outtakes: these are just too hilarious not to share. Jeff and Lauren’s horses were INCREDIBLY interested in what on earth I was up to with those weird gadgets in front of my face, so they decided to investigate by sticking their noses straight into my lenses. They absolutely cracked me up and we got a nice goofy nose shot because of it.

And yes, if you were wondering, I get in the water, too, when photographing bridal sessions in creeks. It was freezing at first, but Lauren and I eventually numbed to it and had a great time – and managed to navigate the mossy rocks successfully. Always a bonus!

On the docket: weddings, weddings and more weddings! And, if you’re seeing this session and wish you would have done something like this with your dress – I book these creative bridal sessions (also known as “trash the dress” or “rock the dress”) separately from wedding collections (some collections also include this) – no matter how long ago your wedding day was. If you want to create stunning memories of a dress that’s currently hanging in your closet (perfect for an anniversary gift to your love), then by all means, please get in touch. I absolutely adore these types of sessions. :)

Cheers!

-Kristine

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The sun winked through the fluffy white clouds, the waters of Flathead Lake shimmered, and a baby hummingbird watched from his nest of moss and twigs as Cassie and Cameron spoke their vows in the presence of their friends and family during their wedding ceremony on Flathead Lake’s Polson side.

It couldn’t have been more gorgeous – the grounds, the lake, the happiness of everyone present – all helped make this wedding incredibly beautiful and sweet, made even more so by Cassie and Cameron’s smiles as they walked down the aisle, husband and wife, laughing under a shower of fragrant lavender flowers tossed by their guests.

Thank you so much for letting me share your day with you! What a perfect evening for a wedding and a great way to start a long life of happiness together!

Vendors:

Ceremony Venue: Private residence, Polson, MT
Beauty: Amber Keziah, Missoula, MT
Apparel: Beautiful Weddings, Missoula, MT
Rentals: St-Char-Ro Floral and Event Rentals, Ronan, MT
Florist: Garden City Floral, Missoula, MT
Cake: The Groom’s Mother
Reception Venue: The East Shore Smokehouse, Polson, MT
DJ: Zootown DJ, Missoula, MT

On the docket: A website design announcement, more weddings, and a sweet newborn baby boy! Stay posted!

Cheers!

-Kristine

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It’s been a bit rainy in Montana as you may have noticed. (What is that glowing orb in the sky?) But the sun finally came out, the clouds parted and gave way to a beautiful blue sky and gorgeously sunny evening for George and Emily’s engagement session in Ovando, MT, at the Montana Mountain View ranch that George and Emily adore.

Their dog Billy joined us for the shoot (and kept us cracking up by barking into gopher holes!), and George and Emily’s two horses Linus and Deuce were happy to accompany us into a field of wildflowers (which they gladly ate).

It really couldn’t have been a better evening – we all had a blast – and we finished off the night with burgers and beer and a full moon to knock your socks off. (Thanks for the treat, you two! You seriously rock!)

I am so excited to photograph your wedding, George and Emily! On to the photos – enjoy!

On the docket: weddings, weddings and more weddings!

Cheers!

-Kristine

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Oceans and kites and sun and wind – there really might not be a better combination. I joined Kirk and Katie for a trip to Cannon Beach, Oregon, for their fun little “just because” session. The day was sublime – and Kirk and Katie definitely made the most of the wind and had fun flying their kite high into the blue sky. We also stumbled across some long, snake-like bull kelp (I think that’s what it’s called, but if not, please correct me!), which happened to be just perfect for creating ridiculously cool shapes when snapped. (Kirk and Katie happened to make some pretty sweet hearts.)

Thanks, you two!

On the docket: portrait sessions and engagement sessions! Soon soon!

Cheers!

-Kristine

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“Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!”

Guests read excerpts from this poem by Dr. Seuss to Shannon and Adam towards the end of their ceremony – this gesture was one of the many personal touches added to Shannon and Adam’s beautiful riverside wedding at the Tarkio River Lodge in Tarkio, MT. Water is very important to both Shannon and Adam, and from Shannon’s arrival-by-boat and the gorgeous location of their vow exchange, to the stone-skipping portion of their ceremony (and you could say, even the rain) – they incorporated these personal and beautiful elements into their day.

Thank you both for having me photograph your wedding!

“Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!”

Venue: Tarkio River Lodge, Tarkio, MT
Dress: Beautiful Weddings and Bridal Wear, Missoula, MT
Catering: Riversong Gourmet
Flowers: Habitat Floral Studio and Event Planning

(Shannon, please let me know if I’ve left out anyone. :) )

On the docket: senior sessions, Big Dipper ice cream goodness, engagement sessions, and more!

Cheers!

-Kristine

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Jen and Kyle were married at the Daly Mansion a few days prior to our Trash the Dress/Day After session. (Check out a sneak peek of their wedding photos.) We met up, ready to get a little bit dirty, and boy did we have fun making some beautiful images! The light was to-die-for, the water was pleasantly warm (Jen braved it and got her dress wet – not a requirement, by the way, ladies ;) ), and we just had an all out good time. As Jen said, “I don’t know why everyone doesn’t do this! It’s so FUN and not stressful at all!” (Thanks Jen! I couldn’t have said it better myself!)

Speaking of which, I’ll let the photos do the talking. Check them out! And remember, ladies and gents, a session like this makes for amazing anniversary gifts, especially for your one-year, which is traditionally a paper gift.

On the docket – a super cool photo project announcement that all Montanans can participate in!

Cheers!

-Kristine

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