Hunter + Ashleigh: Engagement Session
I met Hunter and Ashleigh at Beluga Point on a perfect, blustery evening. Cold-ish nights in May with overcast skies are some of my favorites, and my favorite to take photos-- which makes me a bit odd, I guess. But Hunter and Ashleigh were right there with me. "We're up for anything!" Hunter said (though sweetly grabbing a big puffy coat for Ashleigh before leaving the parking lot). Ashleigh told me she'd only been in Alaska for three days and couldn't believe the beauty of the spot along Turnagain Arm.
We started off trying to find spots sheltered from the wind, but after awhile we just embraced it. Ashleigh's gorgeous long hair whipped around her, and I loved watching the tenderness in which Hunter would push the strands out of her eyes. The way they looked at each other was pure magic, and if it wasn't for my camera malfunctioning an hour and a half into the session, I could have photographed them all night! (And yes, I'll admit my husband was right. He told me I should bring my second camera as I was walking out the door. Good thing we'd already gotten so many great shots!)
Hatcher Pass, Blinding Sun, and Love!
Ask any photographer and they will most likely tell you to avoid direct sunlight for portraits. What is their advice when you say you can't? Find shade. So, what do you do when you are shooting on a blindingly bright day with not a tree in sight for cover? Thank the lord that you have such wonderful subjects like Liz and Jacob, and start clicking away!
Liz and I have had this session on the books for months, because she was the winner of a Photo Contest I ran at Thanksgiving time. So, fast forward half a year, and we found ourselves meeting for the first time through squinted eyes at the Hatcher Pass Lodge. You'd think if we'd waited that long, a few more hours wouldn't hurt, but the scheduling snaffu was totally my fault. I scoped out Hatcher Pass the week before during a very gloomy overcast day, and did my best to try to figure out where I thought the sun would be in the afternoon or evening. I decided it would definitely be behind some mountain peaks. Nope. (For future reference, anyone wanting to shoot in April at Hatcher Pass at 3PM-- the sun will be directly overhead.)
It was great though. Liz and Jacob were such great sports and have such wonderful chemistry! Plus, I do love sessions like this one that break the rules, because they make you work and grow as a photographer and force you to get creative. And the other brilliant thing is: it was so warm, we were able to enjoy the winter setting without freezing our butts off!
Thanks to Liz and Jacob for being such great sports, and I'm happy to say this will most likely be the last session with snow I will post for a few months! Hurray- we made it through another winter!
Lorraine & Henri's Wedding
Most married people have planned a wedding, and many of those people will probably remember it can be a tad stressful. Maybe your cake wasn't ready on time, you couldn't figure out who should get a plus-one, or your seating chart just wasn't coming together. But most of us never had to go to bed one night planning their dream wedding and wake up the next morning worried it might not be legal. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened to many LGBT couples in America on November 8th.
Originally I met with Lorraine and Henri to plan their September 2017 wedding, but after this year's election outcome, they contacted to say they weren't taking any chances. They would move the timeline up and have a small ceremony to make it legal... but love trumps hate, so they'll still be having their epic party in September!
I love this photo because the woman on the left was getting her hair done and overheard it was Lorraine's wedding day. She came over to check out the "inspiration" picture and offer her congratulations. I love that weddings bring out such joy-- and not just from those involved!
Henri and his best friend had their own little ceremony before the wedding. They've been friends for ages, and gave each other special Pokemon tie-tacks.
Their "First Look" was a special one. We were losing daylight fast (that'll happen during Alaska winter weddings!) and Lorraine mentioned she wanted to make Henri cry. First Looks are always a favorite part of the day because it often means getting your support system back on a hectic day. The looks are so genuine and full of emotion.
Vendors:
Venue:: Bride's Parents' Home
Caterer:: Dinner at Club Paris in Anchorage.
Florist:: Carrs
Cake:: Carrs
Makeup/Hair:: Hair: VIBE Salon in Eagle River. Makeup: Bride's friend, Denali
Bride's Dress Designer:: David's Bridal
Accessories:: David's Bridal
Groom's Attire:: J.C. Penny
Lindsey & Nick's Crow Creek Wedding
Lindsey and Nick’s wedding was such a wonderful way to end my summer wedding season. Even though it was raining, the mountain fog made for beautiful photos and this couple wasn’t going to let anything ruin their party! I have to say, there were so many things I loved about this wedding. Besides the fact that Lindsey and Nick are an amazing couple, they also had the most gorgeous display of cupcakes, an adorable gaggle of flower girls who stole the show, and a stunning Bollywood dance performed by the bride’s cousin. It’s little touches like this— and a couple who knows how to throw a good party—that make weddings like this my favorite.
The bride's sister made all of these little clay pots for the wedding favors, and they were filled with Lindsey's all-time favorite candy: jelly beans.
I was told this was a tradition for the Middendorf family, adorably called a "Totem-dorf."
All of the photos from the day of Nick with his nephew and nieces are enough to make your heart melt!
The cutest group of Flower Girls I've ever seen!
I love capturing toasts, as well as the reactions to them.
Can we agree that every wedding should have a Bollywood dance performance?
Venue: Crow Creek Mine in Girdwood, AK
Bride’s Dress: WToo from Fabulous Frocks Anchorage
Groom’s Suit: Indochino
Cupcakes: Betty Dye, family friend
Caterer: Master’s Catering
Florist: Debbie Jaso, family friend
Makeup/Hair: Amber Molen
Jamie and Jim's Wasilla Wedding
Jamie and Jim's wedding at Gloryview Farms in Wasilla will definitely stand out as one of my favorites this season. I love how cozy the venue is! We were sheltered from the rain, while still taking advantage of a beautiful outdoor wedding-feel. In a way, I think that is a lot like Jamie and Jim as a couple: life has definitely thrown some hardship their way, but together they are stronger and they keep each other from the storm.
Being a part of their day was a huge honor, and the way these two light up around each other makes my job easy. Congratulations Jamie and Jim!
(Click on photos to enlarge.)
Jamie and Jim took a moment to be with each other before the ceremony, without actually seeing each other. It was a really sweet non-first look.
Jamie's Mom rounded up "bouquets" of her own for the married ladies during the bouquet toss. I've never seen broccoli bouquets before, but think this should be a new wedding tradition!
Lynette & Keith's Anchorage Wedding
I've always felt like the most important wedding decision a couple could make for their big day is the venue. (The venue totally sets the stage and tone!) In this day and age, you can get married in a barn, hotel, on a mountain-top, even at an old gold mine! But there is something really special about home weddings. They just feel so cozy, which I think was the perfect tone for Lynette and Keith's big day.
There was such an emphasis on family from the beginning. There was a table of photos that showcased loved ones who couldn’t be with them, jewelry from the Bride’s Grandma, and heirloom Bibles passed down to both the Bride and Groom.
Before their wedding, Lynette told me that she and Keith balance each other out. (As she put it, “He’s the calm and I’m the storm.”) It’s always interesting to watch brides and grooms in the moments leading up to seeing each other for the first time. I found that in this case, especially, it felt like that if they could only get down the aisle and back to each other they would have their support system back. As cheesy as it may sound, it seemed like they were coming home to each other. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Anderson!
(Click on any picture to enlarge.)
Venue: Private Residence
Band: Xtra-Tuff Cowboys
Caterer: Tasty Traveler Food Truck
Cake: Midnight Sun Cakery
Florist: Bagoys
Makeup/Hair: Valerie Grunger
Lynette's Dress: Sophia Tulle
Mary & Jazon's Wedding
Before a wedding, I always ask my clients what their top priorities are for their day and their photography. Mary and Jazon responded with only one very clear priority: for everyone to have fun. It's such a simple goal, but one that is easier said than done. Looking through the hundreds of photos I took on their wedding day though, it's so clear to see through all of the bubble wars, the genuine laughter, and the AMAZING dancing that Mary and Jazon definitely nailed their goal. Even a little rain couldn't put a damper on this group!
It's always an honor being invited to share in someone's wedding day and capture the moments that are blurring by. But I find I really love getting to shoot a wedding for a couple that I've also worked with in the past. I did Mary and Jazon's engagement photos last fall, which makes the wedding day feel like it has all come full circle or is the final chapter in a really good book. Of course, for the couple, the wedding is just the beginning and Mary and Jazon had such an awesome beginning.
Enjoy just this handful of photos from their beautiful wedding day.
Mary was telling me that Jazon always seems to attract more mosquitoes than she does. We laughed about how this veil shot was really like a marital mosquito net. I didn't realize it really was such an inside joke until a bottle of bug spray even worked its way into one of the wedding toasts! Maybe the veil will need to become a part of outdoor Alaska adventures? ;)
Jazon surprised the guests by playing "Here Comes the Bride" on his trumpet while Mary walked down the aisle.
Congratulations, you two!
Venue: Alaska Native Heritage Center
DJ: Brendan Babb
Catering: Texas Roadhouse
Bartender: Top Bottle Services
Cupcakes: Lesley's Cakes
Florist: Bagoy's and Carrs
Mary's Dress: Tadashi Shoji
Kerry & Patrick's Wedding
The wedding industry, Pinterest, and your nosy great-aunt can put a lot of pressure on wedding planning. There’s such crazy pressure to have everything just right. So often, that isn’t reality. Things will go in a different direction than you planned, but why does that have to be a bad thing? Some of my favorite weddings (as a guest and a photographer) are when plans have to be tossed out and couples start to improvise. You can tell so much from a bride and groom based on how they handle the stress of a runaway wedding day. And that’s exactly what Kerry & Patrick had to do.
Kerry & Patrick planned a beautiful, low-key Alaskan wedding surrounded by their children and friends. Kerry told me they only planned it a few weeks in advance, because that’s another thing wedding magazines don’t tell you: life happens all around you when you’re supposed to be planning some grandiose affair. We were to meet at the bottom of the Alyeska Tram at 6 o’clock on a lovely warm March evening. We had scores of Tram Tickets and the kids had their Xtra-Tufs. What more could anyone want for an Alaskan wedding?
Well, as it turns out, a tram that didn’t close half an hour earlier.
But this is what I loved about Kerry & Patrick’s wedding! There were a few moments of “what are we going to do?” looks exchanged, but then the problem solving started. Everyone was dressed for an outdoor Alaskan wedding, so we made use of the stunning Winner Creek Trail nearby. It was a short walk into the woods before we came to a bridge over a little creek, and everyone realized this was more perfect for the beginning of Kerry & Patrick’s marriage than the original plan.
Life isn’t always what you plan for, but as long as you find a partner who is willing to roll with the changes with you, it’s almost always better than what you were originally hoping for. Congratulations Kerry, Patrick, and company!
Rachel & Nick's Wedding
It was an overcast Tuesday in February. Not the most common day for a wedding; yet, the perfect wedding day for Rachel & Nick. Nine years before standing in front of all their loved ones to say, “I do”, they met for their first date.
As Rachel gets ready she tells me about when they first met. “Nick was eating dinner with his parents at Las Margaritas.” She laughs as she describes the fact that her Father’s love for the local Mexican restaurant is what really brought Nick into her life, and that she’d had too much tequila while making her first impression. Later, Nick adds to this story and tells me she left out about the part where she was mainly speaking in a Scottish accent that night. It's clear they share many years of memories, jokes, and love.
Rachel & Nick’s wedding was the perfect winter wedding. I already love cold weather weddings because there is something so cozy about them, but this was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Their theme was “Elegant Alice”, and stepping through the door of Nick’s parents’ house was exactly like stepping into an elegant Wonderland. Soft twinkle lights hung from the walls, silver snowflakes adorned teacups and stacks of old books, and tiny tags with “eat me” and “drink me” instructed guests just like they did Alice. Their families and friends really went all out to help make this wedding happen!
Rachel's Grandmother was her Maid of Honor.
Congratulations to Rachel and Nick on a beautiful day and what will be a wonderful marriage!
Samantha & Richard: Engagement
I love, love, love snowy photo sessions! I was so disappointed last winter because there just weren't any opportunities to capture a winter wonderland, so it was a real treat when Samantha & Richard's engagement session ended up on a perfect snowy day.
One of the things I love about engagement sessions is how I get to see love so clearly on display. Each couple has their own chemistry, and it's fun to see how they support each other when thrown into something (sometimes uncomfortable) like getting your photo taken. Richard told me up front he was not into this whole thing, but Sam had little methods to make him laugh and smile. (I also learned that my weird sounds that work for dogs and babies also had Richard in stitches!) As we were wrapping up, the snow began to fall softly and it was the perfect end to a cozy, romantic session with this Alaskan couple and their pups. Congratulation Sam & Richard!
Melanie & Matt's Cozy Girdwood Wedding
In true Girdwood fashion, it was a rainy fall day; however, the Raven Glacier Lodge was like an oasis of warmth in the lush green forest. Orange lights glowed throughout the house, accented by the occasional wafts of homemade food, and the bride and groom's families buzzing about. Melanie sat on a bed in an upstairs bedroom, seemingly calm, cool, and collected as her friend, Anda, sketched her. This would not be your cookie-cutter wedding.
As almost punctuation to that sentiment, Melanie hiked up her lacy gown and pulled on her Xtra-Tuffs.
Melanie and Matt share an almost unspoken language. I know that sounds cliché, but I’ve run that idea by people who know them well, and they all agree. Sometimes they can look at each other and you realize they’re having a whole conversation. They understand each other, and it seems they even make important decisions without speaking a word! I’ve noticed this many times seeing them together, but this became so apparent when they were getting ready apart from each other. I think that’s one reason I love first-looks so much. Every moment on your wedding day is building to the moment you get your support system back on, arguably, one of the busiest days of your life.
The First Look! Matt smiled at her and quickly asked for a hug.
It’s strange how sitting outside on a cold, damp day can still be warm… but there was so much love on Matt and Melanie's day, that it couldn’t help but feel cozy, feel like home. I love when two people have found each other, and in their partner have found their home. Congratulations you guys!