Nestled in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, Hailey and Nate’s Seattle Washington wedding at The Lodge at St Edward Park took place on a late August day, surrounded by the serene beauty of nature. And it was a truly perfect day for them! One might say, a “Goldilocks” kind of day — not too hot, not too cold…juuuust right.

Hailey and Nate, a couple whose connection is rooted in the great outdoors, welcomed friends and family from all corners of the globe to witness their union. Against a backdrop of blue skies, tall trees, and the majestic expanse of St. Edward Park, their wedding day unfolded like a dream.

The ceremony was a symphony of joy and elegance, with flower girls scattering petals along the aisle and a charming ring bearer stealing the hearts of all in attendance. Laughter flowed freely as heartfelt toasts were raised to celebrate the newlyweds. The air was filled with the aroma of delectable cuisine, and their cake cutting was a moment of shared delight. It was soon followed by a lively dance floor and gales of laughter as everyone kicked up their heels to celebrate Hailey and Nate.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the festivities were far from over. Guests savored late-night desserts, gathered around the outdoor bonfires, and exchanged stories under a starlit sky.

What makes Hailey and Nate’s journey even more enchanting is their history – a connection that dates back to a camping trip in 2018, orchestrated by a mutual friend. From that moment, Hailey and Nate’s bond flourished, nurtured by their shared love for the outdoors. Hiking, skiing, camping – they embraced every adventure, creating a bond that eventually blossomed into love. Their story of connection is a testament to timing, patience, and destiny.

As I clicked away, capturing so many sweet moments, I couldn’t help but reflect on the beautiful full-circle experience their wedding was for me. You see, I used to babysit Hailey and her brothers when she was just a tiny girl, and our families were neighbors. To witness her transformation from a precocious child to a radiant bride was an absolute honor. (I was grateful to have my camera in front of my face, because, I *cough cough* got a little choked up a few times!)

Their Seattle Washington wedding at The Lodge at St Edward Park wasn’t just a celebration of Hailey and Nate’s love; it was a celebration of nature’s beauty, shared connections, and the awesome journey that is life. Hailey and Nate! Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for inviting me to document such a special day in your lives. I absolutely loved getting to reconnect, and had such a wonderful time meeting those you hold dearly. Here’s to you, your marriage, and your bright future ahead!

Vendors for Hailey + Nate’s Seattle Washington wedding at The Lodge at St Edward Park:

Photographer: Kristine Paulsen Photography, Missoula, Montana
Venue + Catering: The Lodge at St. Edward Park, Kenmore, Washington
Planning + Florals: Kevin Bradford Design, Seattle, Washington
Cake: Honey Crumb Cake Studio, Seattle, Washington
Videographer: Bogle Productions, Seattle, Washington
DJ: Seattle Parties, Seattle, Washington
Officiant: Gavin Brand, Trinity Church Seattle, Seattle, Washington
Hair + Makeup: Sweet P Beauty, Renton, Washington
Wedding dress: a Maddie Lane design from Bellevue Bridal, Bellevue, Washington
Bridesmaid dresses: from Azazie Bridal
Men’s suits: from Suitsupply

On the docket:

Portraits and weddings! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Dimitri and Jenn, along with their immediate family, traveled up to Montana from California for their September Triple Creek Ranch elopement. And boy, was it ever a perfect day for these two to promise their love to each other!

We started the day out by zipping around to some pretty sweet vistas overlooking the Bitterroot mountains, and were treated to a blue sky day — a bit of a rarity during a fairly smoky summer! Autumn colors had even started to pop in amongst the greenery, which made the most stunning backdrop for some fun portraits of the soon-to-be-married couple.

After making our images (and kudos to Dimitri and Jenn for navigating some seriously steep rocks in slippery dress shoes!), we all headed back to the ranch where Dimitri and Jenn got ready to say their “I do’s.”

Against a backdrop of evergreens, a pond, and a lush floral arch, and in front of their beloved family, Dimitri and Jenn shared their vows, some laughs, and some tears with each other. As Jenn’s father officiated, and while Dimitri’s mother and grandmother shared readings and words of wisdom with the couple, dragonflies flitted about, adding even more magic to a very special day. Dimitri and Jenn sealed it all with a joyous kiss, and celebrated with champagne toasts that had everyone laughing, smiling, and hugging one another.

Dimitri and Jenn! It was so nice to meet you both, and I wish you a lifetime of happiness together — and many more Montana visits! Here’s to you two and your bright and brilliant future! Congratulations!

On the docket:

Portraits and brand sessions! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

It was one heckuva gorgeous Montana day for Alexis and Joe’s Bowman Lake elopement in Glacier National Park. We had a bluebird sky above, pristine reflections on the lake in front of us, and oh so much sun! Suffice it to say, Montana really pulled out all the stops for Alexis and Joe’s special day!

These two originally met in Denver at a bluegrass show and moved to Missoula a little over two years ago. Because they love their time in the outdoors (camping and hiking especially), Joe proposed to Alexis in Glacier. So it was particularly fitting that they tied the knot there, too!

We started out the day by meeting up at their Air BnB just outside of the park, and then hopped in the car to make the trek to Bowman Lake. Along the way we made a quick pitstop in Polebridge so Alexis could change into her dress, and so we could make some fun images. (Because one must always stop in Polebridge if passing through, amiright?)

Eventually, after driving the winding, bumpy roads, we arrived at the lake and, honestly, couldn’t have had a more spectacular view. We immediately began making portraits to take advantage of our light (and also dry eyes, just in case tears started up during their ceremony!). And I swear, our faces hurt from sharing so much laughter and giggles together.

Soon it was time for Alexis and Joe to say their “I do’s.” Their dogs, Bodhi and Copper (who are great pyrenees mixes) were their “best people,” Alexis’s sister, Izzie, officiated, and their friends Hannah and TJ stood up with them as well. As Izzie got the ceremony started, there was plenty of laughter, a few tears, and so much excitement as Alexis and Joe made it all official with kiss!

Even the nearby bystanders cheered for the newly married couple, and Bodhi and Copper danced about, too, excited for their humans. Everyone signed the marriage license to officially make it official, and then we all meandered back to the vehicles where the last, and essential thing to do, was to toast and share a few shots together (and of course, more laughter).

On our way back to the AirBnB, we passed through Polebridge again, and this time, everyone picked up a few of the Merc’s legendary huckleberry bear claws as a celebratory sweet. (Who needs cake when you’ve got huckleberry bear claws?!)

Alexis and Joe! Thank you so much for inviting me to capture these moments for you! I wasn’t kidding when I said I was about to smile my face off, and I truly appreciate our time together and fun conversation on those gravel roads. Here’s to you both! I hope you have a lifetime of Glacier adventures ahead of you, and I cannot wait to document your reception in June, too! Woot woot!

On the Docket:

Portraits and editorial work! Don’t miss ’em!

Cheers,

-Kristine

I knew the moment that Danielle and I first started chatting on the phone that we’d have such a wonderful time working together at her intimate Gibson Mansion wedding in Missoula. And that really is such a huge understatement because she and Clay are the sweetest of people with such big hearts.

They both grew up and live in Casper, Wyoming, but knew they wanted more of a destination wedding and the Gibson Mansion fit the bill perfectly for them. They love food so they celebrated their day with both a tasty brunch as well as a scrumptious dinner.

Their wedding ceremony was early that morning, and, as weather this year would have it, it was pouring! But that didn’t thwart Danielle or Clay from thoroughly enjoying their day and they just went with it, getting married beneath the tent outside as the rain came down all around us.

To listen to Danielle and Clay share their vows with one another was so special – I don’t think a single person had a dry eye after we were privy to such true love and heartfelt emotion. But smiles broke out once again as soon as it was time to exchange rings and seal it all with a kiss!

Brunch was on the docket soon after, and, as the day moved along, the weather cleared up and treated everyone to some sun, just in time for dinner and dancing!

Kiddos played in the dappled, golden light, everyone cheered as Danielle and Clay cut their cake, ladies eagerly leaped for the bouquet Danielle tossed off the balcony, and soon everyone was laughing and kicking up their heels on the dance floor.

Danielle and Clay! Thank you again for inviting me to document such a truly beautiful, happy day for you and your families! It was so nice to finally get to meet you both, and I’m just so happy for the two of you and your future together! Getting to document your kind of love is why I love doing what I do. Cheers to you both!

Vendors for Danielle and Clay’s Intimate Gibson Mansion Wedding:

Venue and Brunch: Gibson Mansion Bed & Breakfast, Missoula, Montana
Cake: Cakes in the Zoo, Missoula, Montana
Catered Dinner: Notorious P.I.G. Catering, Missoula, Montana
Florals: Habitat Floral Studio, Missoula, Montana

On the Docket:

Weddings, portraits and elopements galore! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Every time I go to Glacier it’s always a little bit different, which is something that I just adore about zipping on up there. Kelsey and John live in Pennsylvania but worked in Glacier for 6 months in 2017 and had many fond memories of their time in the area. So they knew the perfect way to start their married life together would be to have a summertime Glacier National Park elopement.

And perfection it was! John’s sister, Mary, joined them as well as Kyle, John’s longtime best friend, who was also their officiant. We had such a wonderful time checking out the park together, all of us piled into their rented Subaru, and started out at Lake McDonald where they had their official ceremony and exchanging of vows and rings.

After they tied the knot (quite literally – they used some climbing rope!), Kelsey and John exchanged high-fives and everyone shared in celebratory champagne too. The cork ended up shooting off into a nearby stand of trees, but, not wanting to be litter bugs, and because we all subscribe to the “leave no trace” way of existing, we all scoured the ground for the cork, eventually found it (which also was cause for much celebration!), picked up some additional litter that we found (PSA moment…people – don’t litter!!!), and went on our merry way, winding through the park.

Words can’t really do justice to just how much fun it was to make images with these two (and with Kyle and Mary as well!). Kelsey and John were up for anything and easily scrambled over rocks (Kelsey was rocking a pair of Chacos with her dress) to make some beautiful images. We all had a blast laughing together, and in general, just had a grand old time hanging out.

Along the way, because we were all feeling a bit peckish, we stopped to indulge in some seriously giant burritos and sodas together (to which Kelsey and John had treated all of us) with probably the best views one could hope to get to get while scarfing down aforementioned grub.

After filling our bellies, we all continued on, and to our delight, and especially Kelsey’s, we discovered that the beargrass was in full bloom! Kelsey absolutely loves beargrass, and even though the wind had picked up by that point and we were all getting a little chilly, Kelsey and John were game to brave the gusts, and hoooooo boy. Was it ever worth it! The beargrass delicately danced and swayed in the wind, Kelsey’s dress flowed (I’m pretty sure her dress was made to work with the wind), and I nearly lost my mind it was so unbelievably gorgeous.

We continued up higher, gaining elevation and definitely losing warmth, but onward we went, despite the wind (which I think we had determined had things feeling like 40-some degrees). Again, Kelsey and John (and Kyle and Mary) were absolute troopers, and we all made the most of the gorgeous evening, even though I think we may have been on the verge of totally freezing Kelsey. Again, I (and I think everyone else) would wager that it was totally worth it because the clouds parted briefly, we were treated to the most beautiful slivers of sunlight peeking through the clouds to highlight Kelsey and John, and got to check out a bunch of gorgeous Indian Paintbrush, too.

To top off the evening we swung by to a “secret spot” Kelsey and John liked to frequent with their dog when they had lived in Glacier. Not only was the light absolutely stunning, we were even treated to a bumper crop of deliciously perfect huckleberries, which, you know, is always a win.

Kelsey and John! Oh my goodness – how do I even express how wonderful it was to document your day for you, but also get to spend time getting to know you both, as well as Mary and Kyle! I loved every single second of our time together, and I’m so glad that our paths got to cross as you celebrated such a happy day in your lives. Here’s to the two of you, to oodles of adventures in the future, and a steadfast love for each other and for Montana. :) Thank you again for inviting me to document your day!

On the Docket:

Weddings and portraits galore! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Fittingly, as I write this post, it’s pouring rain and storming in Missoula. Montana has had a very wet summer, which Kelly, Dustin and I also experienced firsthand during their East Glacier elopement at Lake Josephine. (Though I can’t say I’m complaining – this means we’ve also had little-to-no wildfires and their subsequent smoke to deal with, so I’m all for some soggy weather that’s devoid of lightning strikes.)

As soon as we met up at the trailhead the rain began, but they weren’t going to let a few (or many) raindrops deter them. So we started out on our hike armed with rain jackets, umbrellas, bear spray and lots of smiles.

Soon we came to the shoreline of Lake Josephine and, as the rain began to get stronger, we wasted no time in getting their ceremony started. A family friend of Kelly’s officiated, Kelly and Dustin shared their vows, exchanged rings and became husband and wife with a celebratory kiss as the waves lapped the shore and the wind whipped.

We all cheered, made some fun portraits and then hightailed it out again to gain some tree cover and find a dry place where Kelly and Dustin could sign their marriage license and really make it official.

We didn’t let the weather dampen our spirits, though, (no pun intended), and, as is wont to happen in Glacier, I knew we weren’t far from some sunshine, so off we chased it through the entire park, dodging raindrops, braving large gusts of wind (and some cold temps!), and when we found the sun, BOY did we ever find it!

Despite being soaked (and despite one of my cameras biting the dust due to being waterlogged – this is why you always hire a professional, folks – we’ve got loads of backup gear), Kelly and Dustin were so gung ho for their images and we had such a great time meandering through the park, finding little patches of wildflowers here and there, and that glorious sunshine we were chasing, not to mention a beautiful, ethereal pastel sunset over Glacier’s rugged mountaintops, swirls of low-hanging clouds and mist included.

Kelly and Dustin! What a beautiful, special day for you two! Thank you again for inviting me to document this gorgeous, unforgettable day for you! Here’s to years of happiness for you, in rain or shine, and hopefully some more Montana visits in the future, too! Congratulations! Have fun at your party! :)

On the Docket:

Weddings, elopements, and portraits! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Getting to meet Courtney and Daniel for their autumn Triple Creek Ranch wedding in Darby Montana was such a treat, and despite it being a fairly rainy day, these two didn’t let it faze them one bit. They just smiled and laughed and said it added to the charm of their day, and I couldn’t agree more!

Because it was raining, they chose to get married on a balcony overlooking the valley – and it was such a perfect ceremony. Courtney and Daniel had so much love in their eyes for one another, and were happier than happy after they got to seal it all with a kiss.

Courtney and Daniel both grew up on opposite coasts, but met online about four and a half years ago, and now both live in South Carolina. When I asked them what had drawn them to get married in Montana, Courtney told me that she really wanted an autumn wedding, and after seeing my fall images from the ranch online, it sealed the deal for them.

We all had such a great time going on a tour of the ranch, finding fantastic little pockets of that autumn color Courtney and Daniel love so much, and dodging a few raindrops here and there. (Courtney joked that her dress was getting heavier and heavier as we got rained on more and more throughout our shoot! To her credit, though, you’d never know it – she didn’t let the rain bother her at all!)

I think one of my most favorite things about documenting their day was just how lovingly Daniel looked at Courtney – even when she didn’t notice. That always says so much to me, and to see these two so in love was the icing on the proverbial cake!

At one point we decided to stop over by a horse pasture and say hi to all the horses and foals who were hanging out watching our antics. A mama and a baby became pretty curious about what we were up to, so they began to meander our direction. One little foal had us all cracking up as he refused to eat the treat he’d been given, and instead decided to play with it, and give us a great show, with his teeth and treat as the main attraction. What a hoot!

Courtney and Daniel! Thank you again for such a lovely afternoon with you both! I absolutely adored getting to meet you and had a blast with you as we got to make these images for you! Here’s to you two, an incredibly happy lifetime ahead, and perhaps more Montana visits in the future! :) Congratulations again to you both!

Vendor Information for Courtney and Daniel’s Autumn Triple Creek Ranch Wedding:

Venue: Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, Montana
Florist: Flower Happy Floral, Hamilton, Montana

On the Docket:

Weddings and portraits! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Things I learned at my brother’s wedding: 1) It’s incredibly difficult to photograph when you have tears streaming down your face and you cannot see through your viewfinder. 2) It’s incredibly difficult to edit said photos when you have tears streaming down your face and you cannot see your computer screen. And 3) It is incredibly difficult to write a blog post about said wedding when you have tears streaming down your face as you are attempting to type coherent sentences. Suffice it to say, the emotions were REAL and raw and beautiful at Kirk and Erinne’s Trask River wedding in Tillamook Oregon. And it was an awesome weekend for the two of them and their friends and family.

Their wedding weekend all started on the Friday before their wedding day when a group of Kirk and Erinne’s friends joined them on the North Trask Route to bike all the way from Portland, Oregon where they live, to a little spot out in the Tillamook State Forest on the Trask River. Which was a 52, yes FIFTY-TWO, mile trip with 4,200 feet in elevation gain on gravel roads. This was no small feat, even for dedicated bicyclists like the ones in this group. (Kirk and Erinne, for one, go everywhere by bike – they don’t own a car!) They rolled into camp that evening, dirty, sweaty, and tired, but with smiles on their faces, happy they made it, and ready to enjoy the festivities.

The next day couldn’t have treated everyone to a prettier afternoon. Because it’s Oregon, we got rained on here and there, but nothing torrential and nothing that put a damper on any of the celebration. Kirk walked barefoot down the aisle alongside our parents (which nearly opened my teary floodgates right then and there) and was soon joined by Erinne, barefoot and on her parents’ arms as well. But it wouldn’t have been Kirk and Erinne’s wedding without the addition of Cordi, their corgi, who played the part of flower dog and leaped into the air upon reuniting with Kirk and Erinne, orange flowers and petals flying everywhere.

As their ceremony moved along, friends and family were treated to tons of laughs, and holy moly, buckets of tears. Erinne’s vows to Kirk were so sweet. And Kirk’s vows to Erinne (which he said as he choked up with tears in his eyes) had me absolutely bawling they were so perfect (thank goodness for that giant camera in front of my face!). He quoted from a favorite tune of theirs from Neutral Milk Hotel (with a few adjustments):

[Verse 1]
What a beautiful face
I have found in this place
That is circling all round the sun
What a beautiful dream
That could flash on the screen
In a blink of an eye and be gone from me
Soft and sweet ;)
I vow to hold it close and keep it here with me, me

[Verse 2]
And one day we will die
And our ashes will fly from the bicycles under the sky
But for now we are young
Let us lay in the sun
And count every beautiful thing we can see
I vow to be
In the arms of all I’m keeping here with me, me

[Verse 3]
What a curious life we have found here tonight
There is music that sounds from the trees
There are lights in the clouds
Our friends’ voices all around
Your voice as it’s rolling and ringing through me
Soft and sweet
How the notes all bend and reach above the trees

[Verse 4]
What a beautiful face
I have found in this place
That is circling all ’round the sun
I vow to hold it close and keep it here with me, me

Thankfully I wasn’t the only one with tears in my eyes – I was in good company as I’m pretttttty darn sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the forest. (I heard afterwards from one of Kirk and Erinne’s friends that even though she doesn’t like weddings AT ALL, she was still touched by this one. Another friend of hers piped up and pointed out to her, “I saw YOU crying TOO!”)

But the tears were happy ones, and soon Kirk and Erinne had tied the knot, sealed it all with a high five and a kiss and were walking down the aisle, hand in hand, barefoot together, and beaming and ready to give hugs to everyone in attendance.

Not long after their I Do’s, we took some time to make some family photos (thanks again to Kirk’s friend, PJ, who was kind enough to take control of my camera for a few shots so I could exist in some photos with my family!), and then zipped on down to the river to make some fun images in that beautiful spot.

The rest of the evening was filled with barbecued vegetarian goodies, cake, champagne, (shots of Malort – have you ever had that stuff? Yikes! It’s some kind of special! But it’s a wedding tradition among Kirk and Erinne’s friends, so Malort shots were essential in their celebration), camaraderie around the fire, frisbee-tossing, cornhole-throwing, copious amounts of laughter, and plenty of dancing under the stars.

Kirk and Erinne. Gosh. Where do I even start? (Oh dang, here I go again – the tears are creeping up on me as I write! Ok, who am I kidding – they’re a small waterfall.) What an honor to be able to document and capture such a beautiful, heartfelt, amazing day in your lives. It means the world to me that I was able to do this for you, and that you insisted that I do so! I loved seeing you both filled with so much joy and happiness, and surrounded by so many people who clearly think the world of you. We should all aspire to live as meaningfully and intentionally as you both do. Thank you so much for being exactly who you are, always. Congratulations, little brother and new sister. I love you – from the very bottom of my heart.

And, click below to watch a little video I made from their wedding site:

Vendors for Kirk and Erinne’s Trask River Wedding in Tillamook Oregon:

Harpist: Kate Petak
Officiant: Ken Southerland

On the Docket:

Weddings, elopements and portraits! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

I truly, honestly feel like I am the luckiest person in the world getting to do the job that I do. And it’s because I get to meet people like Kate and Tommy. Their smoky summer Glacier National Park elopement was magical, romantic, and chock-full of love, emotion tenderness and true beauty. Their love, their happiness, their joy just filled my soul to the very brim and left my entire being grinning.

But let’s back up a bit. From the moment Kate contacted me about her elopement in Glacier, I knew we’d have a fantastic time. We had such a great conversation over the phone and she told me that she and Tommy first met playing a video game, specifically while in a dragon fight. At the time he was living in St. Louis, and she was in Chicago. They eventually Skyped and realized, oh hey, you’re attractive! When they finally met she told me it was love at first sight. He moved to Chicago and they’ve been together ever since (five years!).

Kate had been to Montana before – actually to Glacier, but it was when she was in 6th grade and she didn’t have clear memories of it. Tommy had never been before, but they both knew it was where they wanted to be married. (They’re avid hikers and love exploring and learning about new places.)

Fast forward to their wedding day. The smoke from Canadian wildfires hung over Glacier like a thin veil, but thankfully, their elopement was literally a week before the latest fires in Glacier started, so we really lucked out and still had access to the Going to the Sun Road.

Though there was some concern about the smoke obscuring the mountain views, Kate and Tommy just went with it and I’m so glad they did because, in my opinion, the smoke just added to the romance and the beauty of their day. And it gave us a bit of an early “sunset” (hey there bright orange sun!), which made for some particularly unique images!

They held their ceremony on the shores of Lake McDonald, and as Kate walked out from the tall stand of cedars, Tommy saw his bride for the first time and he broke out into a huge smile, as did Kate.

Their parents were in attendance, and as these two spoke their vows to one another, there were a few tears, but so much joy and love and laughter. We had a blast making images along the shoreline and even had a family of four Common Mergansers photobomb us by zipping around the lake like tiny, energetic motorboats. (Mergansers are are type of duck, for those of you who aren’t bird nerds like I am.)

From there we toured around the park a bit, encountered a black bear who Tommy spied on the next shoreline away from us, and had a great time finding some beautiful little nooks and crannies of the park in which to make photos. Kate especially loved the old cedar forest and all the mossy rocks and logs in its interior. As we walked around, she told me that she loves moss so much her friends have given her the nickname “Kate Moss” – haha!

I could seriously write pages here, so suffice it to say that it honestly couldn’t have been a more perfect day for these two, and I seriously loved every second I got to spend with them.

Kate and Tommy! It goes without saying, but congrats, congrats, congrats again to you from the bottom of my heart! To witness your love and be invited to capture it for you was such an honor. You two are incredible together and I’m so happy you got to make it all official in Montana! Come back to visit soon – drinks are on me! :)

Vendors for Kate + Tommy’s Smoky Summer Glacier National Park Elopement:

Venue: The amazing Glacier National Park
Officiant: Sally Hanger
Florist: Conrad Floral, Bigfork, Montana
Jeweler: Love & Promise Jewelers, Chicago, Illinois

On the Docket:

Weddings, elopements and portraits! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

I’m a total believer in serendipity. And the fact that I got to work with Abby and Austin at their McDonald Lake Elopement in St Ignatius Montana is a testament to the fact that serendipity is a real, true, AWESOME thing! When Abby first contacted me about being their photographer, her message to me was amazing, full of warmth and excitement, and had the greatest story to tell me.

When she and Austin were visiting their friend Tyler in Missoula in the fall of 2016, on their very last day, they zipped up to Glacier. As they were making their way through the park, they saw a couple who had just gotten married, and leaned out their car window to hoot and holler and wish them a happy wedding day.

Fast forward in time bit. Abby was researching photographers for her own Montana wedding and came across my work. As she was perusing my images, she happened upon photos of that very same couple she had shouted a congratulations to in Glacier, who she then found out were Katie and Lee. Isn’t that just the most fabulous story? As she put it, “My fiancé thought that was a one and a million chance and I do believe it is as well!”

Fast forward a little more, and Abby and Austin were ready to celebrate their very own wedding day in Montana. They zipped on up to McDonald Lake and hiked a bit to a spot their friend (and officiant), Tyler, had found for them. It was a hot, beautiful, bluebird day – the lake was crystal clear, little puffs of clouds dotted the sky, and everyone was giddy and excited for Abby and Austin to get hitched.

Not only did their best friend, Tyler, officiate for them, two more of their best friends stood up with them as well – Nick and Tori. Everyone walked out onto the rocky outcrop, and soon it was time to get started.

I’ve got to say – this was one absolutely joyful, heartfelt, emotion-filled, beautiful ceremony. They took turns reading notes of friendship and love to one another, and as Abby and Austin spoke their personal, from-the-depths-of-their-hearts vows, I’m not sure there was a dry eye there (photographer included!).

As Abby and Austin sealed their newlywed status with a kiss, their friends cheered, the sun glinted off the lake, and everyone’s smiles were about a mile wide. At that point, it was time to cheers with some beers and really, really have some fun.

I’ve got to tell you – this group of friends…they’re so tight, have so much fun together, and love a good laugh. My kind of people! They had a blast goofing around with some portraits, and soon, the horse head masks came out. Yep, you read that right. The guys all donned them (mind you, it was EXTREMELY difficult for them to see out of them which just made everything even funnier), and their antics had me in stitches. I was laughing so hard making their photos that I had tears rolling down my cheeks. What a hoot!

But that was just the start. Soon, they whipped out a pair of coke-bottle glasses from a buddy of theirs and decided to make portraits of everyone wearing them. (Nothing against glasses-wearing folks, but those are some GLASSES!) We all doubled over laughing again as everyone took their turn in front of the camera making their best faces.

After a bit we decided to pack out and hike back to the car, but it was just too beautiful of a day to call it quits. So Abby, Austin and I zipped around to make a few more portraits in the surrounding area before they and their friends headed back into town to celebrate their nuptials.

Abby and Austin! Ohmygoodness! What a truly memorable, fantastic, beautiful day! I’m so glad our paths crossed and that you invited me to document your wedding day. It was so much fun hanging out with you the evening before and on your wedding day – you all are such great folks, and I swear, my heart grew two sizes just for having met you all. Here’s to you two and a lifetime filled with happiness (and happy tears!), joy and oodles of fun! Congrats congrats congrats!

On the Docket:

Weddings, elopements and portraits – stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine