Autumn weddings are my absolute favorite, and Hannah and Laura's Missoula Montana Ranch Club Wedding was no exception to this. The sun was shining, the blue sky was filled with beautiful, textural clouds, and these ladies were bursting with happiness and beyond excited to get married (their megawatt smiles *might* have given them away a little). That's pure perfection in my book. Before their ceremony they had a super sweet first look - (see above comment about megawatt smiles). We had a great time making some portraits, and then it was time to hide them both away for their big reveal. Family and friends smiled and teared up as Hannah ...
Rosie + Zach :: Missoula Private Residence Wedding
It was a bit of a chilly and wet day for Rosie and Zach's Missoula private residence wedding, but that certainly didn't dampen anyone's spirits in the least bit. Anticipation was high, smiles were frequent and everyone was excited for the moment that Rosie and Zach got to see each other as she walked down the aisle. That moment came quickly, and Zach, completely moved by seeing his bride, had to blink back a few tears. But the tears soon gave way to laughter as the two spoke their vows to one another and exchanged rings. They were blessed by a Native American smudge ceremony as a nod to Rosie's heritage, and sealed it all with a ...
Sweet Snowflakes :: Alyssa + Adam’s Missoula Montana Winter Wedding
What is it about softly falling snowflakes that just immediately creates magic? I'm not quite sure, but whatever it is, Alyssa and Adam certainly experienced that magic for their Missoula Montana winter wedding. We weren't even certain we'd see snow for their wedding day what with the way Missoula's winter has been behaving. But I think everyone's snow-filled thoughts must've influenced Mother Nature a bit, because we woke up to a dusting on the morning of their wedding day, and then experienced a whirl of flurries later in the afternoon - the perfect wedding day gift to these two who truly love the snow! (Even Alyssa's wedding dress was ...
Married amongst the Mission Mountains :: {Mariah and Erryn’s Sky Ridge Ranch Montana Wedding}
When you plan your wedding in Montana, there's always a risk that mountain views might be obscured by wildfire smoke. Unbelievably, this year, we really haven't had to deal with smoke all that much from our own fires...but smoke doesn't obey state lines, and it drifted over from Canada, Washington and Oregon and planted itself right in front of the beautiful Mission Mountains - and on Mariah and Erryn's wedding day. It's a part of life here, so everyone took it in stride, but we all were secretly wishing and hoping it would dissipate, especially since Erryn's family came all the way from Chicago, and we all wanted them to see just how amazing ...
Running through the Woods :: {Kristeen and Colt’s Rock the Dress Session}
Oh, how I adore rock the dress sessions! They are just so much fun - relaxed, beautiful, playful, creative, and most importantly they take place outside of the wedding day timeline to allow more flexibility with image-making. Don't get me wrong, I love making photos during wedding days too, and Kristeen and Colt's day was certainly no exception, but there's something just so special about doing these types of portraits without time constraints, and simply allowing yourself to go with the flow of the day and just follow the light and let it do its thing. So that's what we did. It happened to be a very smoky day since wildfires in Canada, ...
A Love as Bright and Beautiful as the Big Sky :: {Stephanie and Danny’s Flying Horse Ranch Wedding}
Sometimes Montana weather in June can make us all look up at the sky in bewilderment - it was supposed to be a rainy day for Stephanie and Danny's wedding, but lo and behold, it was drop-dead gorgeous and Mother Nature even decided to go all out and match their wedding colors with bright blue skies and lush green grass. As the girls and guys readied themselves for the ceremony, there was a lot of laughter and giggling, which is always a great way to start the day in my book. The ladies laughed as Stephanie steadied herself as her maids laced up her dress, and the guys guffawed at their slick-soled shoes, and may have attempted some Michael ...
An October Kind of Love – {Jennifer and Brian’s Spokane Wedding at the Roberts Mansion}
There is something decidedly romantic about an autumn wedding - especially when it takes place at a gorgeous mansion surrounded by colorful foliage, and really celebrates an intimate ceremony. When I met up with Jennifer and Brian at the Roberts Mansion in Spokane, Washington, sun streamed in through the stained glass windows as Jennifer readied herself to see her groom. And as she stepped out of the mansion doors and he saw her for the first time, his eyes lit up and a big smile spread across his face. Their ceremony was thoughtful, simple and beautiful. The two held each other's hands and looked into one another's eyes as they ...
An Autumn Love in Majestic Montana – {Lindsay and Paul’s Double Arrow Lodge Wedding}
What is it about autumn that is just so magical? The beautiful colors? The exceptionally golden light as the day winds down? The crisp, cool air? I'm not exactly sure what the answer may be, but I can tell you that Lindsay and Paul's wedding day was magical, too. (Remember their beautiful autumn engagement session?) Laughter and jokes bounced around as Lindsay and Paul got ready with their friends. Soon, it was time to walk down the aisle, and the setting couldn't have been more brilliant. The sun was shining, the mountains were dusted with a fresh layer of snow, and everyone looked amazing in their wedding finery. Lindsay and Paul's two ...
Love Beneath the Big Sky – {Brianne and Colin’s Missoula Ranch Club Wedding}
Brianne and Colin - these two are just so dang sweet. From the moment I met them, I adored them both. We had a blast during their engagement session waaaay back in the Montana snowy season, so I knew that their wedding would be even more amazing. And it absolutely was. Brianne's vision turned out beautifully. Even though the day started out with a few sprinkles, the clouds parted to reveal a bright blue sky and set the scene for a day full of happiness and love. Brianne beamed as she walked down the aisle towards Colin, her veil kissing her shoulders as she made her way to her groom. Laughter punctuated their vows and smiles shined ...
Montana Love Bugs – {Jenny and Eddie’s Missoula Wedding at the Ranch Club}
Love bugs - that's Jenny and Eddie's term for one another - and it's also completely accurate. These two are so in love. When they look at each other, you can feel their love for one another from the tips of their toes to the tops of their heads. It's deep, and happy, and lively and romantic and oh-so-present and beautiful and soft...all at the same time. Their wedding exemplified all of that. They chose to start off their day by seeing each other for the first time amongst tall trees and a rushing creek - a favorite place of theirs. Rain sprinkled on and off, but that didn't dampen their spirits one iota. After having a great time ...