Country Weddings

Rocky Creek Farm Styled Wedding Photo Session of Tara and Sky
  • Rocky Creek Farm Styled Wedding Photo Session of Tara and Sky

With the help of fellow wedding vendors, I photographed a Rocky Creek Farm Styled Wedding Shoot in under 24 hours’ time.

The idea for a Rocky Creek Farm Styled Wedding Shoot sprouted last Tuesday as I was talking on the phone with my friends Jacy and Matt, owners of Gallatin Valley Botanical. For the last couple of years,  I’ve been photographing and supporting their local Bozeman organic farm here in Gallatin Valley.

They mentioned that they would soon be taking over management of the popular Rocky Creek Farm just down the road from theirs. In addition to farming the increased acreage of land, they would also be pushing to make Rocky Creek Farm a successful new farm wedding venue. While gathering material together for their wedding advertisement for this past weekend’s Bozeman Bridal Walk, they realized they would need some wedding photography to showcase their new venue to prospective wedding clients. They didn’t have much time.

I told them I could help. The answer…

We decided to have a Rocky Creek Farm Styled Wedding Session. The next day.

Our time was short. We set our photo shoot time for 2 pm the following afternoon and let them know I would take care of everything. After hanging up the phone, I sprung into action. First and foremost, we would need models. I decided to get in touch with my engaged friends Sky and Tara and invited them to be my models for the afternoon. Thankfully, they agreed.

If we were going to have a properly styled wedding photo shoot, we would need to make our volunteer wedding models look amazing.

We were in need of a fine suit and beautiful wedding dress for my models to flaunt. I called upon the talents of Persnickety Formal Wear owner Anne Porter. In between all of her fittings for the busy prom season, she happily agreed to help. Sky and Tara were outfitted with some classy wedding attire that looked incredible.

For Tara’s hair and makeup, I stopped into Indulgence. My friend, the lovely owner Deirdre Quinn, saw to it that Tara looked radiant as a bride for our Rocky Creek Farm Styled shoot

It all came together so well. In all, we organized our impromptu wedding photo shoot in under 24 hours.

Our styled wedding photography shoot turned out awesome.

The Wednesday morning rain clouds had subsided by the time our two-hour afternoon photo shoot commenced. We were given a nice, calm weather window to utilize and we made the most of it.

It turns out Rocky Creek Farms has a lot to offer both in capacity and scenery.

I photographed Sky and Tara against various canvases found on the farm. We made good use of Rocky Creek Farm’s old barn wood backdrops, apple orchards, and open farmland under the views of the nearby Bridger Mountains. We even took photo opportunities along the on-property spring creek.

I could have photographed there for hours.

We even utilized a few baby lambs and my new labrador puppy, Tippet, to be featured in our photo shoot.

It was a perfect way to spend a Montana afternoon. The styled wedding shoot could not have happened without the hustle and team effort of my fellow vendors. At a moment’s notice, everyone worked together to make something special happen on such short notice. I’m so grateful for their willingness, enthusiasm, and professionalism.

Congrats to Sky and Tara on their engagement! Well wishes to Matt and Jacy as they grow their new wedding venue out at Rocky Creek Farms! -M

  • 2016 was another great year of documenting the fun memories of my client's wedding day through my photography

I’m proud to present the Best of 2016 wedding photography from Greener Visuals!

Winter has arrived and it’s snowing in Montana now. I’ve been reminiscing about the past year. It’s funny how time flies when you’ve been having so much fun. 2016 was another great year of documenting the fun memories of my client’s wedding day. I kept busy this year photographing over the Spring, Summer, and Fall. Southwest Montana offers up so many beautiful places to get married and I feel thankful that I was able to continue to explore the hidden pockets throughout. It was such an honor to be a part of my client’s wedding celebration.

I feel so grateful to be doing the candid wedding storytelling photography that I do.

My travels this year took me all over Montana. Traveling up to Whitefish down to Yellowstone National Park and as far away as downtown Chicago, Illinois. I even got to witness a wedding in northeast Mongolia.

In addition to having fun documenting the love, one of my favorite highlights of the year was when I moved into my new photography studio inside of Gallatin Event Rentals. It has been a wonderful place to house my wedding and portrait photography business. Having an inviting, comfortable space to host my clients and hear their wedding story has been such a pleasure. If you haven’t stopped by already, I’d be happy to give you the dime tour and geek out on photography with you.

Here are a few of my favorite wedding images that stood out to me from this past year.

I am now booking for the 2017 wedding season and I travel all across the country. I’m looking forward to the new smiles and faces I’ll meet and photograph in the new year.  Wishing you all a fantastic new year ahead! -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

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  • wedding-couple-in-field-with-tractor-during-1915-Barn-Bozeman-Wedding
    I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of two incredibly giving and generous Bozeman people this past weekend. Bride and Groom Dee and Chris decided to have their friends and family gather at the beautiful 1915 Barn in Bozeman, Montana for their DIY Montana wedding day.

I had the pleasure of photographing the 1915 Barn Bozeman Wedding of two incredibly giving and generous Bozeman people this past weekend.

I’ve known Dee and Chris for years through volunteering with the adult special needs non-for-profit Reach, Inc. I would be hard-pressed to find such selfless individuals as these two. They both have done so much for the Bozeman community. These two decided to have their friends and family gather at the beautiful 1915 Barn in Bozeman, Montana for their DIY wedding day.

The large remodeled barn was the perfect setting to shelter their indoor wedding festivities. The evening was spent conversing with good people, eating great food, and dancing to the live tunes of Montana Rose. It was a true pleasure to photograph their wedding celebration. Wishing these two newlyweds all the best! -M

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of photographing the destination Yellowstone Lower Falls Wedding of Zachary and Elizabeth in Yellowstone National Park.

These two lovebirds traveled from their home in Kansas City to Montana with their relatives to celebrate their destination wedding day celebration in America’s largest national park. It’s a place they absolutely love to visit.

It was important to the newlyweds that we make time to explore Yellowstone for their wedding couples portraits. After getting ready in West Yellowstone, we drove into the park. We spent an hour or so exploring the landscape. We were lucky. The tourism traffic wasn’t bad that day and it allowed us to see quite a bit. After driving around YNP and stopping to make portraits of the wedding couple, we arrived at our destination. Their afternoon wedding ceremony at Artist Point overlooking the Yellowstone Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone National Park. It was a perfectly beautiful setting to say their vows.

For their wedding reception, we left the park and drove to their parent’s house in West Yellowstone. Their small collection of family and friends came together to make their wedding day special.

It was a classic DIY wedding complete with 1,000 paper cranes, paper flower bouquets, and a small festive reception at their parent’s place in West Yellowstone.

What a special day it turned out to be. It’s always so inspiring to be around a couple so completely in love with each other. I was so glad I could be a part of it. Here are some of my favorite wedding photographs from their day. Wishing the newlyweds all the best. -M

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  • wedding-couple-on-Whitefish-Mountain-Resort-Wedding-summit
    Over the 4th of July weekend, I was up at the Whitefish Mountain Resort in Whitefish, Montana photographing the summer wedding day of Tim and Jill. These two Bozeman locals wanted a destination feel for their wedding celebration without leaving the Big Sky state. Northwest Montana was the perfect answer.

Over the 4th of July weekend, I photographed the summer Whitefish Mountain Resort wedding day of Tim and Jill in Whitefish, Montana.

Whitefish Mountain Resort is a ski resort located at Big Mountain in northwestern Montana. It is west of Glacier National Park in the Flathead National Forest, four miles from the town of Whitefish.

These two Bozeman locals wanted a destination wedding celebration feeling to their special day without leaving the Big Sky state. This couple loves to explore the outdoors together and also enjoy skiing in the wintertime together. Northwest Montana was the perfect answer for their wedding plans.

When their wedding day arrived, this Bozeman wedding photographer traveled north to Whitefish, Montana where I was able to join up with Tim and Jill’s Whitefish Mountain Resort wedding entourage as they were getting ready.

Tim and Jill planned to say their vows on the summit of the ski mountain at sunset. To get there, everyone hopped onto a chairlift to get a ride up the mountain. The view up on the mountaintop was gorgeous and was a 360-degree view of the surrounding valley. On a clear summer evening, it was a lovely sight to behold.

After a sunset wedding ceremony at the summit, we took the chairlifts down to the reception where we all dined and danced while celebrating the union of the newlyweds. You could not have asked for a nicer summer day. It was a true pleasure for me to be present and to document their wedding day festivities.

Wishing Tim and Jill all the best and many years of happiness! -M

Over the 4th of July weekend, I was up at the Whitefish Mountain Resort in Whitefish, Montana photographing the summer wedding day of Tim and Jill. These two Bozeman locals wanted a destination feeling for their wedding celebration without leaving the Big Sky state. Northwest Montana was the perfect answer. There are so many more great photos to show you all. For now, here is a preview of a few favorites so far from the wedding day. I’m hard at work editing the rest. My congrats to the newlyweds! Stay tuned for more awesome. -Mike

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

  • 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.
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I photographed the Chico Hot Springs wedding day of Heather and Andrew in Pray, Montana a few weeks back.

When Heather and Andrew booked me to photograph their outdoor Montana destination Chico Hot Springs wedding day last September, I was half expecting their early Spring event to be in the snow or rain. I’ve lived in Montana for a combined twelve years now. Some assumptions regarding annual Montana weather patterns tend to hold true. Planning a wedding in April can be a bit of a gamble.

When their wedding day arrived, Heather and Andrew along with their guests were blessed with the first sunny 70-degree day of the year in Montana. Chico Hot Springs wedding day was the perfect setting to welcome all of their out-of-town guests.

Photographing their wedding day was an absolute pleasure. Over the past year, I got to know the newlyweds during our phone conversations that culminated in their winter engagement photo session. These two are great humans. I knew their wedding day would be a wonderful joyful celebration and it did not disappoint. Despite a bit of wind, the warm weather added to the already lifted spirits of the wedding attendants. They had their wedding ceremony on the steps to the lodge and then guests moved into the convention center for the reception to dine and dance. 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

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of photographing the destination wedding celebration of Heather and Andrew at Chico Hot Springs in the small town Pony, Montana.

Such is 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 at their Chico Hot Springs Wedding Day.

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 the Gallatin River Lodge wedding of Kiera & Collin in Bozeman Montana.

I’ve been looking forward to this wedding for a while now. I had a great time earlier in the year photographing this couple during their couples portrait experience in downtown Bozeman. These two are great and brought lot of energy to their photo session.

For their wedding day, this couple brought a small gathering of their loved ones together to help them celebrate their union at the comfortable, top-rate fly fishing lodge just outside of Bozeman, Montana.

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. Kiera and Collin were a blast and were up for anything.

In this case, we all braved the chilly 10 degrees of Montana winter weather for a series of quick Gallatin River Lodge Wedding portraits around the perimeter of the lodge. Despite being freezing cold, these two were beaming ear to ear with smiles. It was so cold that I had to ask them to hold their breath so that the cold fog wouldn’t block their faces.

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

Happy 2016 everybody! 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 this past weekend. I had a great time getting to know these two lovebirds during their downtown Bozeman engagement photo session back in early December with me. This past Saturday, the wedding day finally arrived. A small gathering of their loved ones braved the chilly 10 degrees Montana winter weather to help them celebrate their union at the comfortable, top-rate fly fishing lodge. Here is a preview of a few favorite photographs I made during their wedding day. I’m hard at work editing through the rest. Congrats on getting married you guys! More awesome is on deck. Stay tuned… -M

 

Broken Hart Ranch Fall Montana Wedding of Madeline and Chase
  • Broken Hart Ranch Fall Montana Wedding of Madeline and Chase

A few weeks ago, I photographed the Broken Hart Ranch wedding day of Madeline and Chase outside of Bozeman, Montana at the peak of the Fall season change. Fall in Montana this year kicked into overdrive and the autumn colors were popping all over southwest Montana. To my delight, Madeline and Chase’s wedding festivities nailed the timing of the colorful season.

This couple has been dating for the last four years. Over that time, they have fostered a loving relationship filled with gratitude and many great funny stories. Many of those stories were shared throughout the evening by their guests during the wedding toasts.

The Broken Hart Ranch venue that day was surrounded by fire-colored flora from the nearby Gallatin Mountain range backdrop. Madeline and Chase created a fall inspired theme for their wedding using the same color palate with great success.

The newlyweds, along with their out-of-town guests, spent the evening dancing, singing, and raising their glasses in celebration long into the night. This crowd knew how to celebrate with vigor. At one point, the wedding guests suddenly busted into a flash mob dance routine to the delight and surprise of the wedding couple. It was one of the great highlights of the reception.

In addition, Madeline, Chase, and their guests also dressed up in costume to play in the Broken Hart Ranch wedding photo booth I provided for the reception. The photo booth was a huge hit with the guests, young and old!

The positive energy of the wedding day was infectious. Looking around the reception hall, it was filled with smiles of the couple and their loved ones. Here are some photo favorites from their wedding day. Wishing the newlyweds all the best! -M

  • Broken Hart Ranch Fall Montana Wedding of Madeline and Chase

I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding weekend of Jenny and Ethan at the Rockin TJ Ranch on the outskirts of Bozeman, Montana a few weeks back.

September in southwest Montana might just be my favorite time of year to be outside. The weather on their big outdoor wedding day was perfect. The full spectrum of Fall colors in the local flora accentuated the wedding party’s red color theme.

I had a lot of fun throughout the day celebrating with these two newlyweds and their out of town wedding guests. I was so thankful to be a part of it. A great day. Congrats again to Jenny and Ethan! -M

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

 

What a weekend! I had the pleasure of photographing Jenny and Ethan’s wedding rehearsal and wedding day this past weekend at the Rockin TJ Ranch on the outskirts of Bozeman, Montana. September in southwest Montana might just be my favorite time of year to be outside. The weather on their big outdoor wedding day was perfect and the Fall colors were showing up in the local flora. I had a lot of fun throughout the day celebrating with these two newlyweds and their out of town wedding guests. I’m looking forward to showing the rest of the photos from the day. More to come. For now, check out this sneak peek preview of some favorites so far. Congrats again to Jenny and Ethan!

A few weeks back I photographed the Chico Hot Springs Wedding Day of Elizabeth and Ryan in Pray, Montana.

Chico Hot Springs Pray Montana wedding was a fantastic venue to celebrate their wedding at. When it came to these two New Mexican residents planning their wedding day, Elizabeth and Ryan opted to return to their old college stomping grounds in southwest Montana. They wanted to emphasize the mountainous terrain around Paradise Valley. Their destination wedding brought 150 of their close family and friends to the historical hot spring wedding venue.

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

I’m happy to share the Springhill Pavilion Wedding Day Preview of Sara and Cory’s celebration!

I wish all Septembers in Montana could be as nice as this year has been. Over this past weekend, I photographed the wedding of Sara and Cory at the Springhill Pavilion 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. A perfect backdrop to a wonderful wedding day. I’m busy editing through all the awesome. Here is a preview of some photos that have stood out to me so far. Many more wedding photos to come. Stay tuned… -M

Update: Check out their finished wedding day photos on my blog here.

I’m happy to present the Chico Hot Springs Montana Wedding Preview of Elizabeth & Ryan’s wedding day!

Chico Hot Springs in Pray, Montana is one of my favorite wedding venues to photograph.

When it came to these two New Mexican residents planning their wedding day, Elizabeth and Ryan opted to return to their old stomping grounds of southwest Montana. I’ve picked out a couple of images that caught my eye during my day documenting these two. Good times with great people and a great dance party. So many more great photos to show you all.

Congrats to the newlyweds! Stay tuned for more… -M

Update: Check out all of Elizabeth and Ryan’s wedding day photos on my blog here.

As a wedding photographer, I love traveling to new places where I get to explore, create and make storytelling candid photographs. It is so much fun. A few weeks back I traveled out to the cute little town of Pony, Montana where I spent my day documenting the rustic country wedding day celebration of Samantha and Jonathan at the beautiful (and new) Y Knot Barn in Pony, Montana. Such a cool place for a wedding. I made some fun photos throughout the day and I’m hard at work getting them edited. Here is a couple stand out favorites I’ve liked so far. Stay tuned for more wedding photos from the big day. -M