Merging histories, cultures, and their love story, Leah and K brought their friends and family from across the US and the world to their their Billings Historic Depot wedding in Billings, Montana. It was a beautiful October day (and unexpectedly warm for October, too!). The trees outside the depot were just starting to sport the changing colors of the season, and it truly couldn’t have been a more perfect day for Leah and K to vow their love to one another.

Their journey began in college at Yale, where they shared an internship at the Yale Art Gallery. Fast forward a few years to their wedding, and they had the most amazing blend of Armenian and Native American traditions. They pulled from Leah’s Armenian and Arab heritage, and K’s Native American Little Shell and Crow roots to easily and joyfully merge the two cultures, creating a space where love and happiness were center stage.

Leah’s uncle in his judge robes, adorned with a stole beaded by K’s mother, officiated their ceremony. And what a ceremony it was! There were happy tears, raw emotions, and so much laughter — especially when Leah tried to steal an early kiss, which K ducked! Everyone in attendance absolutely howled with laughter, as did Leah and K! Soon it was time to officially, OFFICIALLY seal it all with a kiss, and everyone cheered as the newly married couple walked down the aisle together, hand-in-hand and beaming.

Their grand entrance into the dining and dance hall was nothing short of spectacular. Leah, K, and their entire wedding party danced and wound their way through the tables to the dance floor as they performed a line dance to a traditional Armenian wedding song. Soon everyone joined in, held hands, and the dance floor was rocking! Boots stomped, people laughed, and it wasn’t long before K led everyone in a traditional Native dance, too. As someone who loves all sorts of music and dance, I was absolutely blown away by how incredibly beautiful this was to witness.

Continuing the blending of cultures, beaded bolo ties and earrings (crafted by K’s mother), adorned each member of the wedding party, including Leah’s father. The rugs, a gift from Leah’s parents and a family heirloom from Leah’s great-grandmother Leila, added layers of personal history to the celebration. Incorporating Native American traditions, a prayer was offered for Leah and K, followed by a giveaway where the couple bestowed blankets, fabric, tobacco, and money to their loved ones. The favor bags for guests were adorned with a flower designed by K’s mom and the words “thank you” in Ojibwe, Armenian, and Arabic.

Leah and K’s family shared so many beautiful, emotional toasts that had everyone laughing, and perhaps with a tear or two in their eye. The shoe game, masterfully orchestrated by Leah’s aunt Susan, added a healthy dose of extra fun to the evening, and everyone continued to kick up their heels on the dance floor as the tunes spilled out from the open doors into the indigo evening.

Leah and K! Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for inviting me to document your wedding. What a truly incredible day it was for two incredible people! Your friends and family are *chef’s kiss* stellar, and I loved every second of your day. Here’s to you and what I know will be a fabulous future together!

Vendors for Leah + K’s Billings Historic Depot Wedding:

Photographer :: Kristine Paulsen Photography, Missoula, Montana
Venue :: Billings Depot, Billings, Montana
Catering :: Mas Taco, Red Lodge, Montana
Florals :: Mac’s Floral, Billings, Montana
Coordinator :: Planning Everyday Events, Billings, Montana
Videographer :: Elevate Media, Belgrade, Montana
Cake :: Sweets by Sam, Billings, Montana
Spirits :: Magic City Casino Catering, Billings, Montana
Decorator :: Better to Gather, Billings, Montana
Hair :: Samantha Law, Billings, Montana
Makeup :: Makeup by Alexa Elise, Billings, Montana
DJ :: Magic City Productions, Billings, Montana
Officiant :: Thomas Barbar (Leah’s uncle)
Leah’s dress :: a Mikaella by Paloma Blanca design from Vows Bridal, Watertown, Massachusetts
Wedding party dresses :: from Azazie Bridal
K’s attire :: from Bindle & Keep, Brooklyn, New York
Wedding party suits :: from Suitshop

On the docket:

Portraits! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Ashley and Nick celebrated their Missoula Montana brunch wedding with a picturesque autumn ceremony at the Missoula Country Club. It was a bit of a chilly morning, and we laughed together that the cloudy sky matched the sky from their engagement photos!

But the cooler temps didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, especially since Ashley and Nick’s ceremony was so delightful. It was filled with sweet, funny moments that had everyone grinning and laughing together.

The decision to opt for a brunch wedding is a testament to Ashley and Nick’s shared love for excellent food — especially breakfast and brunch goodies! (Can I get a heck yes?! ) The brunch spread was an absolute feast for the senses.

Laughter echoed through the venue as family and friends started up games the couple had placed at each table. And I’ve got to say, Ashley and Nick have such a wonderful group of friends and family surrounding and supporting them. There were more than a few moments that had everyone cracking up! (But I’ll let you scroll down to find a few of those photos yourself. ) The positive energy was contagious, creating an atmosphere filled with love, joy, and an unmistakable sense of camaraderie.

Ashley and Nick! Thank you again for such a fun-filled day with you and your family and friends. I just adore you both, and I’m so grateful our paths have crossed. Here’s to a brilliant future together, filled with all the best things — good food, great company, a whole lot of laughter, and last, but not least — goats galore!

Vendors for Ashley + Nick’s Missoula Montana Brunch Wedding:

Photographer :: Kristine Paulsen Photography, Missoula, Montana
Venue + Catering :: Missoula Country Club, Missoula, Montana
Cake :: ArtcakeMT, Missoula, Montana
Makeup :: Tres Chic Hair and Nail Salon, Missoula, Montana
Wedding dress :: from Bliss gown
Bridesmaid dresses :: from Azazie Bridal
Men’s suits :: from Men’s Wearhouse, Missoula, Montana

On the docket:

Portraits and weddings! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Surrounded by a stunning autumn landscape, Jasmin and Conn celebrated their Philipsburg Montana ranch wedding with their friends and family — a unique blend of Montana charm and Texas warmth.

Their ceremony was filled with pure, beautiful emotions. Jasmin sang to Conn at the altar, her melodic voice filling the air, and I spied a few misty eyes in attendance. Conn wrote his vows in poem form, and read them to Jasmin, choking up at points, which again had people reaching for their tissues. Their dog, Santino (who goes by Sunny), also joined them at the altar. His presence was fitting, since he’s their best bud and travels with them everywhere. Jasmin and Conn sealed their vows with a kiss, and soon everyone was enjoying a delicious meal, toasts and all sorts of great dancing.

Jasmin and Conn brought their love for nature into every detail of their wedding. They embraced the chilly weather and the beauty of golden leaves, reflecting their passion for the great outdoors. Some rain moved in, but that didn’t dampen spirits; instead, it became an unexpected delight for the kiddos, who had an absolute blast playing with umbrellas, or directly in the rivulets streaming down from the tent.

As the rain died down a bit and the sky turned a deep indigo, friends and family got a bonfire roaring. The kids had a great time roasting both sticks and s’mores, and laughter and joy mingled with the light rain, turning the bonfire gathering into another highlight of the day.

Folks kept the celebration going, moving in between the bonfire and dancing. Even the dogs made the dance floor their own, too, as they reveled in the joyful atmosphere.

What a beautiful, fun day, Jasmin and Conn! Thank you again for inviting me to document your love for each other, your family and friends, and the beautiful Montana landscape. Here’s to you two, and a wonderful married life together!

Vendors for Jasmin + Conn’s Philipsburg Montana Ranch Wedding:

Photographer :: Kristine Paulsen Photography, Missoula, Montana
Venue :: Private ranch, Philipsburg, Montana
Coordinator :: Epic Events, Missoula, Montana
Catering :: Crave Catering, Missoula, Montana
Florals :: Sāj Floral Design Studio, Philipsburg, Montana
Hair + Makeup :: Glacier Beauty Co., Kalispell, Montana
Cake :: ArtcakeMT, Missoula, Montana
Spirits :: Montana Mobile Bar, East Helena, Montana
DJ :: RMF Entertainment, Missoula, Montana
Restrooms :: Montana Pretty Potty, Missoula, Montana
Officiant :: Jessica Leslie

On the docket:

Portraits and weddings! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

The third time was the charm for Lauren, Garrick, Quinn, and Burke’s snowy Missoula family photos! The weather had a mind of its own and kept misbehaving and raining, but things got a bit colder and turned to snow, so we went for it, and were treated to that in-between time in the autumn where the leaves are still brilliantly colored, but there’s snow on the ground.

Quinn, nearly 3, was a big fan of the colliding seasons and had a blast playing in the leaves, while also making a (face-down!) snow angel and some snow balls. She was absolutely beyond excited for our photo session and was all about running hither thither and yon. She especially loved racing her parents and playing red light-green light.

It was a bit breezy the day of our session, so baby Burke (8 weeks old) remained bundled up and cozy in his chariot until he made a fashionably late entrance to participate in some family photos. He was a trooper and wasn’t too upset to be removed from his cozy cocoon, and was exceptionally curious about what Quinn was up to.

Quinn also showed us how to best throw rocks into the creek, and how to balance on wobbly rocks in her new boots! When she wasn’t throwing rocks, she was busy bargaining with her dad to be tossed high into the sky to catch some air. And did she ever! She was absolutely thrilled and full of giggles afterwards.

Lauren, Garrick, Quinn, and Burke! Thank you again for braving the chilly weather and bringing the joy and warmth to your session! It was an absolute delight to get to photograph your family and be treated to so many smiles and laughs with you all. Cheers to your fantastic family!

On the docket:

More portraits! Be sure to stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Eli definitely timed his nature and urban Missoula senior photos perfectly, because we hit that autumn sweet spot, right before the temps dropped! And we had such a great time making his photos to celebrate his senior year at Willard. Even his girlfriend, Ivy, and mom, Sam, joined in for a few photos, too!

As we meandered around Missoula to make his images, Eli shared with me that he absolutely loves traveling. After he graduates from high school, he’d love to travel the world and has many places he’d be keen to visit, including the Faroe Islands, Sweden, and Croatia. As he put it, “pretty much anywhere” because he’s got the travel bug! (Courtesy of his mom, he said.) He said he even has some goals to take time to bike pack around some of these places. Which…how cool would that be?! I hope you get to do that, Eli!

Eli was so fun to photograph and such a great sport. He has the brightest smile, and, of course, Ivy and his mom helped bring that out, too!

When he’s not busy with school he shared with me that he loves to go backpacking and hiking with friends. He especially enjoys going up Pattee Canyon. He’s lived in Missoula all his life, so he’s ready to move on from it. Eli said that he’s thinking about heading to Salt Lake with his buddies. And it doesn’t hurt that Moab is right nearby, too — a fact which he really likes.

Eli (and Ivy and Sam, too!) — thank you for being an absolute treat to photograph! I so enjoyed meeting you all and getting to make these images for you. And Eli! Congrats on your upcoming graduation, and here’s hoping that travel bug succeeds in taking a (gentle) chomp out of you so you can explore all those cool places! Cheers to you, your fantastically positive attitude, and I hope you have a very happy remainder of your senior year!

On the docket:

More portraits! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

We had the most perfect evening for Levi’s autumn senior photos in Missoula, and it was so nice to see him again after the first half of his session earlier this summer! Thankfully this time around it was not close to 100 degrees (phew!), so traipsing about in the cool fall air was a relief.

Levi’s been busy with school and scouting since I last saw him. He told me he’s putting the finishing touches on his Eagle Scout project, and is excited to finish that up. It sounds like it’s been a lot of work!

We took the path less traveled and found ourselves down by the water, taking in the view. Levi really enjoyed the area by the water, and when I asked him if he likes fishing, he told me he’s not a big fisherman, but enjoys it here and there. He’s more of a lake fishing kind of guy.

As we walked around to find spots of autumn color, Levi told me he’s also been enjoying hanging out with his friends and watching football when he can. He doesn’t have any favorite teams that he roots for, but he loves the overall camaraderie of getting together with people and eating good food. (I can relate — who doesn’t love friends and food, right? )

He also brought his sweet, sky blue 1972 Chevy along for his session. The truck is his grandma’s, and he absolutely adores it — it’s his all time favorite vehicle. And I can absolutely see why. It’s in such beautiful condition, and it even had a custom wooden bed made for it! A beaut, that’s for sure!

As luck would have it, we caught a bit of some pinkish purple color in the sky, and were able to take advantage of the truck’s cool, retro lights and flip those on for some fun photos. Levi’s only ask — make sure that Chevy logo is displayed!

We had such a blast with these truck photos (thanks again, Levi, for putting up with my unbridled excitement while we were making these images!), and it was the perfect proverbial icing on the cake for some really fun sessions together.

Levi — thank you again for two delightful sessions. I hope you have a fabulous senior year, and congrats again on successfully completing your Eagle Scout badge! Have fun with that cool truck ‘o’ yours, too.

On the docket:

Portraits! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

It was such a beautiful evening to meet up with Logan for his Fort Missoula senior pictures, and I was so excited to get to photograph him with some of his favorite things ever — trains!

As his mom said, Logan’s “a man of few words.” And that’s A-OK, because sometimes not many words are needed when you get to just enjoy a gorgeous autumn evening and explore old locomotives together, walk along some retired tracks, and check out old train cars and stations. It was so nice to serenely wander around the Fort Missoula grounds together, quietly peeking into the windows of the station and train cars to see and exclaim about what was inside. It’s amazing how many books, and even beds can fit into the old cars!

I also love how Logan rocked his unique senior style with immaculate red Vans (perfection!), and a Nickelodeon-themed windbreaker. Those pops of color for his senior photos were smashing!

When Logan’s not admiring trains, he’s busy finishing up his senior year at Big Sky High School. His mom shared with me that he enjoys watching cartoons, playing video games, drawing, and putting together Lego sets. He also really loves train station sets, so getting to hang out with real trains for his senior photos was perfect!

Logan, it was so nice to meet you and your parents and get to look at the locomotive and train cars together! You are such a kind young man, and I really enjoyed getting to make your senior photos for you and see how much you love trains. (I’m in agreement with you — trains really are cool! I wish we had more opportunities to ride them around here!) Congratulations on entering your senior year — here’s to you, Logan!

On the docket:

Portraits! Don’t miss ’em!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Initially Christy and I were planning on photographing her family together. However, one of her daughters had a sports obligation and couldn’t make it to the shoot. And, what’s a family shoot with someone missing? Definitely not the same! So, instead of canceling, Christy decided to invite her best friend, Daisy, to join her for autumn best friend photos in Missoula. And it couldn’t have been more perfect!

We were a little worried we might get rained out, so Christy and Daisy leaned into it, and decided to accessorize with rain jackets, boots, and umbrellas. Honestly — what a fun look they had! Perfect for the overcast day (it didn’t actually rain on us, because of course, right?), and such a brilliant color pop in their images!

As we wandered around, basking in all the golden colors of the season, Christy and Daisy told me that they’ve known each other since they were 9. They met each other and asked if they wanted to be each other’s best friend, decided it sounded good, and they’ve been friends ever since. (Side note: I LOVE this origin story!)

They also shared with me that their kids are about the same age and they both have sets of twins. How about that! They also have sibling dogs and cats.

We had such a wonderful time together making these images. I wish more people would make images with their friends — it’s such a special thing to do for each other. And I can guarantee it’s an absolute blast. We were all completely cracking up over strangely shaped rocks, squirrels that seemed intent on stalking us, and the novelty of fun umbrellas. It was perfection! (Narrator: “The squirrels kept a safe distance away from everyone. )

Christy and Daisy! Thanks again for such a delightful shoot — I loved getting to make these photos to celebrate your fabulous friendship!

On the docket:

Portraits and editorial work – stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

As I write this we’re getting our first real snow of the season, and it sure makes me glad we had such a beautiful day for Emily and Andy’s Missoula Montana autumn engagement photos!

I was so excited to get to meet Emily and Andy for the first time (after having chatted with them for a while), and these two are are just beyond sweet together. There’s an ease, a happiness, a warmth that’s just so wonderfully apparent between them, which is so wonderful to see and document. And it’s immediately clear how much in love they are with each other

We had such a great time making these engagement photos for them, though Andy did admit to not loving being in front of the camera. As they described it when we were initially talking about their wedding photography, “There’s pain behind Andy’s eyes in photos.” And, wouldn’t you know it, I’d guesstimate that 70% of the people I photograph mention something similar. My goal is to make sure there’s nothing of the sort in the images we create together. And Emily and Andy absolutely blew their session out of the proverbial water.

They are so quick to laugh together and be playful, and had wonderful energy in front of the camera! (Which I know isn’t always the easiest thing to do.)

Emily and Andy are both originally from Michigan, and actually met at Michigan State University where they both played trumpet in the marching band. How cool is that?! I love it!

During our session, we had the most comments from passers by that I’ve ever encountered during a session, which had us all cracking up. (I’m glad I’m not the only one who could see just how awesome Emily and Andy are together!)

Emily and Andy! Thank you again for such a stellar session! I absolutely loved getting to make these images for you, and I’m just giddy about your wedding next year! I can already tell it’s going to be such a happy, joyful, wonderful day for you both! Can’t wait!

On the docket:

Lots of portraits – stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

I was so excited to get to meet baby B and document his Missoula baby portraits. And, even at just a little over two months old, he was the most adorable little pro during his session!

B loved to coo and smile at his daddy, and they both especially enjoyed sticking their tongues out at each other. As you might guess, this was basically about the cutest thing in the world to witness. I think we all melted a bit!

Baby B’s got opinions and character to beat the band! B’s micro expressions were so sweet, and even when he was upset, his little jutting jaw was beyond cute.

After making some photos outside with his mom and dad, we moved indoors so B could rest up after all the excitement. He’s got the coolest nursery, packed full of rainbows, clouds, and mountains. As he began to get ready for his nap, he loved cuddling with his little elephant toy, and especially enjoyed being rocked to sleep by his mom and dad.

E, C, and B! Thank you so much for such a delightful session. It was so special to meet little B and make these photos for him. And to see you all as a family — how absolutely wonderful! Cheers to you all and the many exciting adventures ahead for you!

On the docket:

More portaits! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine