Ashley and Nick truly are two wonderful people — and I was so excited to be able to make Garden of One Thousand Buddhas engagement photos for them, which is one of their favorite places. Ashley shared with me that it’s particularly significant to them because it’s the spot they’d often visit together when they first started dating. (And if there’s one thing I love, it’s being able to make photos in meaningful places for folks!)

Zipping up to Arlee from Missoula, we somehow managed to be treated to one of Montana’s balmier days this winter, complete with a little sun and blue sky, which I think must’ve been timed just perfectly for Ashley and Nick’s session. The universe knew!

If you haven’t been to it before, the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas is a special place, surrounded by stunning mountains, dotted with Buddhas of all shapes and sizes, and permeated by a tranquil, positive energy that we all appreciated. We wandered through the grounds, stopping at various points to laugh and chat and make photos. I think everyone’s faces hurt from smiling and cracking up so much — always a good thing in my opinion!

Speaking of which, Ashley and Nick are just a blast to photograph, and I love to see just how much fun they have together! Even though things were somewhat chilly (I mean, it is still winter after all), the warmth and love they radiated made the temps barely noticeable.

I am just so excited to get to photograph their wedding in October, and I already know we’re going to have the best time together capturing such a special day! (Photo ninja mode, here I come! )

Ashley and Nick! Congratulations again on your engagement, and thank you for being just an absolute delight to photograph! You two are the bees knees, and I’m seriously stoke, stoke, stoked for your wedding! Woohoo!

P.S. Here’s a fun little GIF to enjoy, too.

On the docket:

Portraits! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

From the moment I talked to Kristeen on the phone (and we exclaimed over the fact that we’re both “K” Kristines – woot woot! we’re rare, I tell you!), I knew we’d just have a blast working together! So, when Kristeen called to tell me she and Colt were in Missoula, visiting from their home base in Hawaii, and that they had decided they wanted to take advantage of the snow we had here to do some fun portraits, I was completely game.

We all carpooled together up to Sky Ridge Ranch (which is where they’ll be getting married this summer – such a beautiful venue!), and decided to tromp around in the snow and make the most of the white-capped mountain peaks for their portraits. We had some great ranch horse photobombs, experienced a crazy little mini squall with whipping winds, and then some beautiful, bright sun during our shoot. And, of course, a lot of laughs as well.

Thank you again, you two, for braving that cold, cold wind! It was so much fun getting to photograph you and get to know you even more on our drive to and from the ranch. Can’t WAIT for your wedding day!

On the docket: the first wedding of 2014! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine