Horses-Fall-Headwaters-State-Park-Family-Portrait-Photography

The other day I was out at the Missouri Headwaters State Park for a Family Portrait Session of Eliza and Drew. For this Three Forks, Montana family, there is no better way to spend a day outside than when they are trail riding with their young daughter Evelyn, horses, and dogs. We decided to incorporate all of their loves into one photography session timed perfectly with the Montana Fall colors.

Fairy-Lake-Bozeman-Engagement-Portrait-Photographer

Fairy Lake, in the heart of the Bridger Mountains, is one of my favorite places in Montana to take destination wedding couples for their engagement photography session.

A few weeks back, I met up with my childhood friend Mark and is lovely wife-to-be Jennie during a stop on their Rocky Mountain road trip in Bozeman, Montana and took them out on an adventure.

The first time I talked with Jennie and Mark was during a video chat and instantly we reconnected over similar interests and many laughs reminiscing about stories from our youth growing up playing hockey together in the Chicago suburbs. It was clear to me from our online visit that these two were the perfect match for each other.

Mark’s tribe has been good family friends with my family for many years now. Despite going our separate ways almost eighteen years ago after high school, we kept tabs on each other through the parental telegram over the years and where I learned of this awesome woman named Jennie he had met. Suddenly here we were picking up where we left off years later planning out their Montana engagement session and the intricate details of their wedding day this upcoming summer in Springdale, Arkansas.

It’s always such a treat for me to photograph old friends. This was going to be fun.

Upon their arrival into Bozeman, we all saddled up into my 1984 Land Cruiser and made our way up into the beautiful Bridger mountains for our engagement portrait session. The Montana Fall colors were in full array and we took full advantage of them.

Here are some of my favorite images from our time together. I’m so excited for these two and can’t wait to celebrate their wedding day next October! Congrats to the newly engaged! -M

Destination_Wedding_Photographer_California_wedding_portrait

About a month ago, this Montana destination wedding photographer ventured out to Murrieta, California to photograph the wedding day of two artistic friends Rex and Tandy.

There are few things in life that bring me more joy than being able to photograph the wedding celebrations of dear friends. This wedding was particularly special for me to document.

Rex and I have been close childhood friends since elementary school. What started as a shared love of artistic endeavors, would go on to foster countless visual creative collaborations in our formal years growing up.

It was with Rex at my side where I first discovered the possibilities of what could be created with a camera. Together we explored our surroundings and even going as far to build a darkroom in my mom’s spare closet. Soon we were off to the races chasing this new creative rabbit hole. Little did I know then that those times with him would be the beginning of my life-long pursuit of exploring the photographic medium. I wouldn’t be the same person without knowing him in my life.

Rex also followed his creative muses through life. He went on to graduate from art school and now makes his living in the Vancouver, Washington area working as a video game designer. A few years back when I heard he had found himself an equally talented creative partner in Tandy, a successful illustrator, I knew he had found his person.

I could not have been more honored when they asked me to photograph their wedding celebration on Tandy’s family property in Murrieta, California a few weeks back.

Their California wedding day was a lovely, intimate DIY wedding staged at Tandy’s mother’s home where friends and family worked together to transform the newly renovated yard into a special and memorable wedding atmosphere. Cute, homemade gray and yellow decorations added a lovely pop of color the green surrounding landscape.

As the sun set over the valley, they said their vows witnessed by their close loved ones and their cheers as they kissed to seal the deal. The rest of the night we laughed, told stories, ate homemade pies and danced the night away.

Here is a selection of favorite photographs I made throughout their day.

To view all of their wedding photos, you can view them here.

I could not be more excited for these two. I wish them a lifetime of happiness! -M