Rainbow Ranch Lodge Big Sky Montana Wedding Reception of Stephanie & Skylar

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of photographing the Rainbow Ranch Lodge Wedding Reception of Stephanie & Skylar in Big Sky, Montana.

When the 2020 pandemic set in, many Montana wedding couples were forced to postpone, reschedule, or drastically alter their their wedding plans. With their hearts set on starting a life together, Stephanie and Skylar didn’t want to wait. Instead, these two opted for an online Zoom wedding where their friends and family could view them saying their vows. While it wasn’t the original wedding they envisioned, they knew that the reception celebration with their friends and family could always be hosted at a later, safer date.

After a year anticipation and being five months pregnant, Stephanie and Skylar finally got what they wanted. They were able to host their loved ones for a intimate, rainy wedding reception at the Rainbow Ranch Lodge in Big Sky, Montana.

After five years of dating and one official year of marriage under the belt, it was clear these two share a great love for one another. In coverversation, they both emphasized their mutual love of fostering an adventurous spirit. Whether that be jumping off cliffs, trying new foods, or wanting to seek out new experiences in the world with one another. Over the years, they have traveled a lot together backpacking places like Beruit and skiing Europe and Japan.

Still, it’s the little things that stand out the most.

Stephanie loves Skylar’s big super goofy, silly smile along with his love and support. Affection amplified with his great burst for life. Skylar cherishes Stephanie’s impact on him. She is an even tempered, calming force who also can bring him outside of his comfort zones. He loves her bubbly personality and drive to push herself towards her goals especially when seeking out Type-2 fun.

Rolling with the twists and turns of life is something both have embraced.

In spite of the previous two months of extreme heat and wildland fires in Montana, their Rainbow Ranch Lodge Wedding day had a twist. The day of the reception surprisingly brought consistent rain for the majority of the day. These two shrugged it off with a smile. They knew the rain was a blessing. What really mattered was that they could celebrate their wedding surrounded with the people who matter most. The weather limited where we could explore outside in the mud and rain. In the end, we made the most of the situation and created a variety of fun wedding couples portraits. These two and their fantastic attitudes made it great.

Here are some favorite moments from my time photographing their wedding reception.

To view all of their fun wedding photos, visit their online gallery here.

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

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Maverick Mountain Resort Wedding of John & Nora

A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of photographing the Maverick Mountain Ski Resort Wedding of John and Nora.

Drawn to my candid photographic style and easy-going, cheerful approach, John and Nora hired me to photograph their Maverick Mountain Ski Resort Wedding festivities back in November of 2019. Little did we know it, but their plans were eventually put on pause as the country dealt with the ramifications of the pandemic.

Not ones to worry, they let the disapointment roll off their backs. The additional time to plan gave us plenty of opportunities to get to know one another even more. As their new wedding date approached, John and Nora knew what they wanted. Their DIY wedding would be a complete reflection of the simple things they savored. In their lives that meant being outdoors around great music and honoring their loved ones.

Individually, these two work as geology consultants and spend a lot of time traveling outside in nature.

A wedding day amongst loved ones spent in song and celebration doesn’t get much better.

They first met each other by chance two and a half years ago at a Shook Twins concert in Missoula, Montana. Both were in their social element.

Music has been a strong, shared love in their relationship. Whether that be going on dates to see live music or jamming together with friends around a campfire. They wanted to highlight live music as the most important theme on their wedding day. So naturally when the wedding invites instructed friends and family to convene at their favorite Montana ski mountain outside of Dillion, Montana, their guests obliged. Dozens of friends brought along their musical instruments and talents to play bluegrass music throughout the day. It was awesome.

I loved getting to know these two kindred spirits. In our conversations discovering all the ways their relationship elevated their lives, it was clear that they wore their hearts on their sleeves. I loved seeing the wonderful, deep-loving connection between them.

John commented on how much he cherishes Nora. “She is such a joyous individual showcased by her near-constant smile and laughter,” he said. She’s an artist, singer and a lady that’s handy with a sewing machine. Nora is fearless in how she expresses her creativity. John loves that about her. Furthermore, he loves her ability to hold space for him to talk about his feelings.

Nora beamed about John’s sense of humor and total goofball personality. She appreciates his high intelligence that often challenges her own thinking in positive ways.

“He’s is a man whose actions are anchored in kindness,” Nora said. “He often brings me fresh flowers for no other reason than he was thinking of me.” It’s a sweet gesture that she doesn’t take for granted.

The pandemic ended up delaying their wedding day for a year. When the wedding finally arrived, the coup’d up energy of humans, babies and dogs alike was noticiable. It was a feeling of bountiful joy and a rearing for a good time. Not even the smoke from nearby wildfires couldn’t dampen the spirits of their attendees. How could it? John and Nora’s wedding was complete with great conversations, laugher, great food, microbrews, homemade pan pies, singing, and dancing. Cherished activities that kept everyone thoroughly entertained well into the early morning hours. Without a doubt, a great time was had by all in attendance.

Here are a some favorite wedding photos from their celebration. I could not be happier for these two. It was such a pleasure to be photograph and be a part of their special day. -M

To view all of their wedding day photos, click here to view the photo gallery.

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