Ashley and Matt were recently engaged and just happened to be here in Northwest Montana for a friend's intimate wedding day. In my extremely biased opinion, they had the magnificent idea to get some engagement portraits done while they were here. After all, it's awfully difficult to pass up the opportunity for engagement portraits at Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park.
I met Jennifer and Eric at the My Montana Wedding Expo & Style Show in Kalispell this past January. They already had an amazing wedding photographer for their big day but weren't able to schedule an adventure session with that same photographer due to scheduling. They were on the hunt for a photographer who offered adventure portrait sessions and was familiar with Glacier National Park. I was happy to inform them that I fit both of those requirements and was more than happy to get them on my summer schedule.
We enjoyed a very hot but no less beautiful late summer wedding day along Going-to-the-Sun Road, getting to know each other, and making some stunning portraits. The session honestly couldn't have gone any better.
Living in an area that is for many people a once-in-a-lifetime destination is a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because it means I get to meet and work with so many couples and families from all over and often witness their first experience with Glacier National Park. The curse comes with the realization that I will not get to hang out with the vast majority of these individuals again.
But every once in a while the stars align, and I get to hang out with people who are now basically old friends. Those stars aligned for Julia and Javier when they were able to return to Montana for their first anniversary, and I got to introduce them to a large portion of Going-to-the-Sun road they never got to experience when they were here for their wedding. A wedding that was beset with absolutely relentless rain for probably 85% of the day but was one of the most memorable weddings I've had the honor of being a part of. Memories aside though, the rain prevented the appropriate amount of couples portraits that they—and the handmade dress Julia's friend made her—deserved.
I'm not sure what it is with so many of my family portrait clients who are vacationing from places I have deep ties to, but the Feckes were no exception. They were visiting from Northern Illinois, which is where my mom is from, and where many of my friends from my time at Eastern Illinois University live. I'm not mad about it, it's always fun to compare and contrast the geography of Western Montana—majestic mountains everywhere—and just about anywhere in Illinois which is decidedly lacking in majestic mountains, though there is often a small hill or two. In addition to getting family portraits, they also used it as an opportunity to snag individuals of each kiddo, as well as some 'senior style' portraits of their oldest.
Lauren, the eldest of the Hamilton daughters, was fortunate to be working as a seasonal employee at Glacier Raft Co., and even more fortunate that her family was able to come to visit her here! They spent time traipsing around Glacier National Park, and naturally—since you're seeing this on my website—took the opportunity to get some family photos in the Last Best Place.
I met Leah and Hans at the My Montana Wedding Expo and Style show this past January and they booked me on the spot. They were planning a "backyard wedding" at some property of family friends on Halfmoon Lake just a hop, skip, and a jump from Glacier National Park in West Glacier.
After a quick "fake first look" with the best man standing in for the bride, and then a real first look we hopped into cars and headed into and around Glacier for the wedding party photos before returning to the ceremony and reception location for the remainder of the night.
Venue: Private Residence / Rentals & Decor: Empress Tents & Events / Catering: Josh Auerhammer / DJ: Bradshaw Media / Florals: Bitterroot Flower Shop / Second Photographer: Porsche Jean Photography
I was so fortunate to team up with An Epic Elopement for this sweet little elopement at Avalanche Creek in Glacier National Park. Just Michelle and Tyler, Tyler's parents, Michelle's best friends, myself, and Katie officiating. Michelle made her own bouqet with blooms from Two Kays Flower Farm, we took some lovely photos in a few different spots in the park, and they had dinner at the Belton Chalet just outside the West entrance.
It's a bit of a cliché that the weather here in the mountains can be unpredictable. But sometimes clichés are created for a reason. My evening with the Newman family was a perfect illustration of that. Mid-June temperatures in the 40s? Why not?! It was a bit of a shock for these wonderful folks from Louisiana where the heat index was well into the 100s this past week. They braved the chill though, and the clouds, sun, and sky couldn't have been more cooperative for some truly amazing evening light.
It's not every day I get to hang out with a family from Texas, and some newly minted University of Texas alumni. While photographing the Wyat family, however, that was just the case. They were visiting from Northeast Texas—a small town I was surprisingly not familiar with already—and two of the grown children are now former students from the campus where I spent a lot of time growing up.
As bad luck sometimes does, smoke from recent wildfires in Western Canada blew into Northwest Montana the few days before our session, and decided to hang around. That said, I think you'll agree it did nothing to make the backdrop any less amazing than it would normally be. Different? Yes. But Montana rarely disappoints.
A few weeks ago I got a text from my friend Katie with An Epic Elopement to see if I was available on a Tuesday for a quick elopement in West Glacier. As it turned out I was available and was happy to jump at the chance to once again work with her to document a lovely couple's nuptials.
Why only two weeks in advance? Well, Carly and Steve just happened to be in the area helping some friends move to the Flathead Valley, and decided they'd go ahead and get married while they were here. They've been together for years and engaged for several of those years. After getting engaged people would ask Steve when the wedding was and he would respond "Tuesday." Turns out, he's been telling the truth all this time.
We met up at the old Belton Bridge outside Glacier National Park for a sweet ceremony, celebrated with tequila shots afterward, and then headed into Apgar Village just inside the park for some portraits on the shores of Lake McDonald.
Planner: An Epic Elopement / Officiant: Raul with Best Day Officiants
