Weddings by Greener Visuals Wedding Photography


Last weekend I had the pleasure of photographing Gallatin River Lodge Winter Wedding ceremony of Amanda & Harley.

It has been such a fun time getting to know these two high school sweethearts over the past year.

They met at the age of 16-year-old. From the get-go, they shared an easy-going sense of humor and appreciation of the little things in one another.

Harley, usually a shy kid, recalled how profound it was that she could always bring him out of his shell and how to completely be himself around others.

Thinking back on what was a difficult childhood, Amanda loved that meeting Harley showed her the possibility of a better life and how to be a kid again.

More often than not, this usually takes the form of dancing and singing to music while cooking together.

Over the next ten years, Amanda and Harley’s relationship flourished.

“We were able to develop around each other and made up for each other’s perceived “faults”, Amanda said.

It was a wonderful, mutual balance of support, love, and acceptance. Each knew they had found their person.

What began with an April phone call, culminated into a really fun and pretty unique portrait photography experience for them last summer.

Through discovering all that they valued in their relationship, we ended up highlighting some of their fondest memories growing up together.

For them, it was going on dates to the historic Washoe Theatre in downtown Anaconda and dining at one of their favorite restaurants in Butte, the Pekin Noodle Parlor – the oldest Chinese restaurant in the country.

The experience was a hoot.

Needless to say, the build-up of excitement for their Gallatin River Lodge winter wedding day could not be overstated.

These two wanted to spread out their wedding celebration so they could highlight the seasons of Montana through their photography.

They loved the idea of having a snowy wedding and opted for a winter ceremony in Bozeman with their immediate family.

Later this summer, they have plans for their wedding reception to be in their old hometown of Butte, Montana.

As their wedding day arrived, unseasonally warm temperatures, unfortunately, melted most of the snow outside but that small detail didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits.

They rolled with it, put on boots along with a good attitude and we were able to make some creative outdoor portraits for them.

After a brief ceremony, the two families came together for a lovely evening to celebrate, laugh and share stories then settle in for a nice intimate dinner.

I look forward to photographing their grand wedding reception in August.

Congratulations to the newlyweds! – M

To view all of their wedding ceremony photographs, click here.

Wedding Vendors:

Venue/food/drinks: Gallatin River Lodge

Flowers: Sola Chic Boutique LLC

Cake: Julie Hoskins and Big Sky Wild Flour

Hair/makeup: Alex McDaniel and Alli Abraham with Running Bare Aesthetics.

Signs: Kayli Renae Designs

Rings: Jewelry Studio and Millers

Videography: Eterna Films 

Photography: Greener Visuals Photography


A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of photographing the 1915 Barn Bozeman Montana wedding day photos of Kathy and Robert.

Initially meeting online, their relationship blossomed over their shared love of animals and hiking around Montana. Four years later they now have a home together complete with their dog “Annabell” and two house cats “Kitty and Binks”.

While Robert cherishes her friendship, honesty and her ability to get his humor, Kathy, loves that he treats her like her father treated her mother. He cares, he believes in her and supports what she loves to do.

Typically in Montana, a late October wedding tends to look more Fall-like with foliage colors golds, oranges, and reds. For Kathy and Robert’s wedding, we had record cold temperatures and it snowed four inches of snow.

It didn’t phase them in the slightest.

While this wedding couple and their guests ventured outside a few times throughout the afternoon to play in the big snowflakes, they could thankfully return to the warm, cozy interior atmosphere of the 1915 Barn.

The rustic barn set up worked perfectly for their small gathering of 100 guests.

For Kathy and Robert, they wanted their small, intimate DIY Montana wedding day to be relaxed where they could just be themselves around their friends and loved ones. Rather than a formal ceremony, they opted for a short exchange of vows and gave a toast of thanks to their guests.

After a great dinner, the tables went to the sides to make way for dancing, socializing, celebrating and games on the ping pong table and bean bag toss. It was their perfect way to spend the evening.

Here are a few favorite photographs from their wedding day.

I’m feeling grateful to have been apart of the wonderful celebration. Congrats to the newlyweds Kathy & Robert! -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

 

Bozeman Wedding Photographer Springhill Pavilion

I’m still buzzing with excitement after photographing the Springhill Pavilion Wedding Day of Allison and Matt this past weekend.

I’ve gotten to know these two Montana transplants over the past year and have been looking forward to documenting their wedding day for some time now. Both got their Ecology graduate degrees from UC Davis, a place where I used to live and a place that is close to heart. We bonded immediately over Davis stories and the realization that we knew many of the same people. Sometimes you encounter certain people in your life that you know will instantly become friends.

These two are wonderful, hilarious goofballs.

Their Montana wedding day was everything you would hope one could be – lovely Spring-like weather, the perfect setting, and a gathering of friends and family that were ready to get down on the dance floor. Their wedding day was an absolute blast to photograph. As I begin editing through all of the photographs, I wanted to share a preview of them. Many more to come! Stay tuned… -Mike

 

Springhill_Pavillion_Bozeman_Wedding_Photography

Spring in Montana is a sight to behold and yesterday could not have been a better setting for my couple Camille and Matt’s wedding day celebration at the Springhill Pavilion just outside Bozeman, Montana.

The warm spring rains promised in the weather reports failed to dampen the day. Not that it would matter. Instead, the wonderful combined family energy of Wisconsinites and Montanans raised the level of a wedding celebration to a new high bar.

This was a group that shrugged off uncertain weather, raised their Coors Light libations with smiles and focused on the task at hand, celebrating two special people through hugs, laughter, songs, and dance.

I met Camille at a fishing friend’s house over ten years ago when I was working weekdays at newspapers in Northern California and spending my weekends chasing steelhead in the multitude of incredible Pacific Coast streams nearby. She was raised splitting time between Montana and Alaska, where she’s spent every summer since she was a little girl at her family’s fishing lodge on the Nushagak River in Bristol Bay. She began guiding at a young age, enveloping herself in fly fishing and the great outdoors. When I met her, Camille was about to graduate high school and buzz in the fishing circles was that she was already quickly becoming one of the most successful women anglers in the United States. Presently, she is dominating the internet dividing her time advocating to protect against the Alaskan Pebble Mine efforts, working as Alaska & Christmas Island Program Director for Yellow Dog Flyfishing and living her dream traveling the world with a fly rod in hand.

It was only natural that she would find a partner with the same passion for the outdoors. Through her I got to know Matt – a kind, caring and incredibly talented hunting and outdoor lifestyle photographer based here in Bozeman. As I’ve gotten to know them both more over this past year, I am convinced. Anyone would be hard-pressed to find a better pair of people so perfectly suited for each other.

Their shared love of the outdoors helped influence their wedding day style. Yellow flowers intermixed with whitetail deer antlers accentuated the venue as their wedding guest dined on wild game appetizers and sipped local Montana wine and microbrew. Their mutual love of fishing was noted by cute artwork details of fly fishing files for the table settings and bridal party flair. The day was a wonderful, complete representation of all that was important to them in their lives.

I could not be more thrilled for these two newlyweds! Congrats Camille and Matt! Thank you so much for letting me and my photo team be apart of your special day! Wish you guys a lifetime of happiness! -M

To view the entire wedding day photos and purchase your own special memories from the day, follow this link to see all of the goodness.

View the entire wedding

 

Montana_Wedding_Photographer_Springhill_Pavilion_Wedding_Camille

Spring in Montana is a sight to behold and yesterday could not have been a better setting for my couple Camille and Matt’s wedding day celebration at the Springhill Pavilion just outside Bozeman, Montana.

The warm spring rains promised in the weather reports failed to dampen the day and the energy of Wisconsinites and Montanans was raised to a new high bar.

It was such a fun day.

So much so, that I have my work cut out for me editing through all the 10,000+ awesome moments taken throughout the day. For now, here are a few of the many favorites photographs that stood out. I could not be more thrilled for these two! Congrats Camille and Matt! Thank you so much for letting me and my photo team be apart of your special day! So much more goodness to come. Stay tuned! -M

Paradise Valley Montana Wedding bride groom hug

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of photographing the beautiful Paradise Valley Montana Wedding Day of Brita and John along the banks of the Yellowstone River.

Unlike most of my wedding I photograph, these two opted for my two-hour elopement collection where I focused on documenting their wedding ceremony and making portraits of their friends and family.

While perhaps one of the shortest wedding days I’ve ever photographed, it was still just as fun.

These two had all of their wedding guests meet at this really cool VRBO rental south of Livingston, Montana in Paradise Valley right on the river. As the sunset over the mountains their family and friends circled around them for their intimate ceremony then the celebration evolved into one heck of a pig roast.

In my brief time with them, I had so much fun getting to know them and their tribe. Here are a few of my favorite images from their wedding. It was a true pleasure to be able to document their union. Congrats to the newlyweds! -M

To view all of their wedding images, click here.

 

I just picked up some copies of the new A Montana Wedding magazine and was excited to see that the new issue features numerous wedding photos from Greener Visuals Photography inside! The annual publication put out by the Bozeman Daily Chronicle is a helpful guide chocked full of inspiration, tips, and content from local wedding vendors for couples planning their wedding day in and around Southwest Montana. It never gets old seeing one’s labor of love in print. I’m proud to see my photos grace its pages. Check out the goods! Thanks, Bozeman Daily Chronicle! -M

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting dozens of new brides-to-be during the annual Montana Bridal Tour event at the 1915 Barn in Bozeman, Montana. Greener Visuals Photography has participated in the Fall bridal event (run by the talent event planner Abby Turner, of Reed & Lee Event Planning) for the past couple of years and really enjoy the face time connection with all of the excited brides as they begin their wedding planning process. As a whole, the Montana Bridal Tour is a chance for the newly engaged couples in the Gallatin Valley to tour multiple wedding venues around the Bozeman area and meet talented wedding vendors at each location. For a fun-filled day, four buses rotate driving participants from place to place where they get to sample the wares, get inspiration for their own wedding day and ask questions to participating wedding vendors. It’s so much fun to see the excitement on their faces.

In between chatting with brides all day long, I made some photos from the event at the 1915 Barn in Bozeman, Montana. For information on attending next year’s tour, you can visit their website here. What a fun day. -M

Congrats to the newlyweds Kim and Preston! So many more fun photos to show you all. These two lovebirds hail from Washington D.C. and wanted to make their destination Montana wedding day special for their out of town guests. They wanted their special day captured in a documentary style so they reached out to me. They had their wedding celebration at the rustic Big Yellow Barn outside Bozeman, Montana which was the perfect setting for them. Warm weather, a couple in love, great people, excellent Montana barbeque and cupcakes and an assortment of epic dance moves made the day not only memorable but one heck of a good time. I love the energy they and their guests brought to the celebration. I was so glad I could be apart of it. Here are some of my favorite photos from the day. Wishing these two all the best and many years of happiness. Congrats to the newlyweds! -M

To view all of their wedding photos from the day, click here.

 

Had a blast photographing the fun at the destination wedding celebration of Kim and Preston this past Saturday at the Big Yellow Barn in Belgrade, Montana. Warm weather, a couple in love, great people, excellent Montana barbeque, and cupcakes and an assortment of epic dance moves made the day not only memorable but one heck of a good time. I’m hard at work editing through all the wedding photos of the day but wanted to share a few that have stood out so far. Congrats to the newlyweds Kim and Preston! So many more fun photos to show you all. Stay tuned…M

When Heather and Andrew booked me to photograph their 2016 Montana destination Chico Hot Springs wedding day last September, I was half expecting to photograph their early Spring wedding in the snow or rain. After living in Montana for some combined twelve years now, some assumptions regarding annual Montana weather patterns tend to hold true and planning wedding in April can at times be a bit of a gamble. When the big day came, we were blessed with the first sunny 70-degree day of the year in Montana. A perfect stage to welcome all of their out of town guests into the Montana experience. Photographing their wedding day was an absolute pleasure. Having already spent some time with the newlyweds during our winter engagement photo session, I knew their wedding day would be a wonderful joyful celebration. Despite a little wind, the warm weather added to the already lifted spirits of the wedding attendants. Laughter, smiles, and stories were present everywhere you looked. It made for a really fun time making photographs. Heather and Andrew are an amazing couple and their family and friends welcomed me with open arms. It was such a fun day. Wishing these newlyweds all the best! -M

To see all of the photos from their wedding day, click here.

Whew! What a weekend! I just flew back from photographing Matt and Liz’ Wedding Day in downtown Chicago a few days ago. Despite a little midwest precipitation, the day was a fantastic celebration, a wonderful reunion with old friends and spirits were high. I had a lot of fun with these two exploring “The Windy City” with their crew of close friends. I’m hard at work getting all the awesomeness edited and toned but I wanted to share a quick preview of some images that have stood out to me thus far. I’m excited to show you all the rest. Stay tuned. Congrats to the newlyweds! -M

 

My 2016 wedding season is revving up! A few weeks ago, I drove east of Bozeman over to Paradise Valley to the small town Pony, Montana where I had the pleasure of photographing the destination wedding celebration of Heather and Andrew at Chico Hot Springs. Such as the case with early spring weddings in Montana, I was expecting to photograph this wedding in the snow or rain. Alas, when the big day came, we were blessed (by some miracle) with the first sunny 70-degree day of the year. You could not have asked for better weather…well perhaps a little less wind. That’s always a fun challenge. Spirits were held high by all in attendance. Heather and Andrew are amazing people and their family and friends welcomed me with open arms. Such a fun day. Here is a preview of some photo favorites that have stood out in my editing thus far. Many more photos to come. Wishing these newlyweds all the best! Stay tuned for more photos. -M

After celebrating the holidays with friends and family here in Montana, I jumped right into my 2016 wedding photography season to photograph and document Kiera and Collin’s Gallatin River Lodge wedding day outside Bozeman, Montana in early January. A small gathering of their loved ones gathered to help them celebrate their union at the comfortable, the top-rate fly fishing lodge just outside of Bozeman, Montana. Kiera and Collin were a blast and were up for anything. When wedding couples have their wedding day in Montana it goes without saying that you need to have some portraits taken out in the majestic Big Sky scenery. In this case, we all braved the chilly 10 degrees Montana winter weather for a series of quick portraits around the perimeter of the lodge. Despite being freezing cold, these two were beaming ear to ear with smiles. It’s so much fun to photograph people in love. I had a great time with these guys and their crew. A great way to kick off the New Year! Wish these two all the best, -M

As the final hours of 2015 countdown, I find myself looking back on my wedding photos from this past year with a lot of gratitude. I feel fortunate to have been able to document my wedding clients on their special day. I have a lot of fun doing what I do and I am thankful for their support. This past year I traveled all over southwest Montana to photograph weddings. Each new venue set the stage for me to explore and get creative documenting candid moments that told the story of my client’s wedding day. This past wedding season kept me busy. I was on a quest for good light and color. The changing outdoor color schemes of the seasons were my muse at the moment. Here are a few of my favorite wedding images that I made in the past year. Now booking for the 2016 wedding season. I’m looking forward to the new smiles and faces I’ll meet and photograph in the new year.  Happy holidays everyone! -Mike Greener

When considering their Fall wedding reception at Broken Hart Ranch in Bozeman, Montana, Madeline and Chase wanted to have a fun outlet to entertain their guests. In addition to hiring me to photograph their wedding day, they added my Greener Visuals Photo Booth when booking me. Photo booths are so much fun.  As the night progressed, their friends and family laughed, played and dressed in wonderfully weird costumes to then take their own beautifully lit photo booth photos via wireless remote control. A fun addition to a great wedding day celebration.  -M

To view all of their wedding photo booth photos, click here.

Broken Hart Ranch Fall Montana Wedding of Madeline and Chase

Fall in Montana this year has kicked into overdrive and the autumn colors have been popping all over southwest Montana. To my delight, last Saturday I was fortunate enough to photograph the wedding day of my clients Madeline and Chase at the Broken Hart Ranch outside of Bozeman, Montana. Four years of dating has led them to a relationship filled with much gratitude and many great stories. These two and their wedding guests told many funny stories about them and went all out to celebrate their union amongst the fire colored Montana backdrop. What a day! Here is a preview of some favorites I come across so far. Many more photos are en route. Stay tuned… -M

 

I wish all Septembers in Montana could be as nice as this years was. A few weeks back, I photographed the wedding day of Sara and Cory at the Springhill Pavilion outside Bozeman, Montana near the base of the Bridger Mountains. In a rare window of opportunity, the smoke from the summer wildland fires eased off giving way to a clear blue sky day and calm warm conditions. It was a perfect backdrop for a classic Montana wedding day. Here are some of my favorite images I made during their wedding celebration. It has been so much fun getting to know these two over the past year. Wishing them a lifetime of happiness. Congrats to Sara & Cory! -M

To see more of their wedding day photos click here.

A few weeks back I returned to Chico Hot Springs in Pray, Montana to photograph the wedding day of Elizabeth & Ryan. When it came to these two New Mexican residents planning their wedding day, they opted to return to their old stomping grounds of southwest Montana. Their destination wedding brought 150 of their close family and friends to the historical hot spring wedding venue in Paradise Valley. It was a fantastic day-long celebration with warm weather mixed with the occasional feisty wind gusts. Just the right amount to kick up a wedding dress in dramatic fashion. Soon into the reception, the wedding guests took to the dance floor in droves and celebrated with the newlyweds late into the evening. Good times with great people. I had a fun time meeting everyone, hearing the stories and photographing the festivities. Congrats again to the newlyweds! Wish you guys a lifetime of happiness. -M

To view all of the photos from Elizabeth and Ryan’s wedding day, click here.