A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of photographIng the Belgrade Montana Countryside Summer Wedding of Caitlin & Leo.
I met these two back in October 2021 and have loved getting to discover all the things they value about their relationship together. Earlier this summer, the culmination of our conversations came together. I flew to Portland, Oregon to photograph their custom couples portrait experience in their new hometown.
Caitlin and Leo share a common love for the outdoors that runs deep through their relationship. They surf together, run trails, and have even gotten into skate skiing. Whether sipping beers on the back stoop of their home, serenading her on his guitar, or venturing out to their favorite restaurant. Their strong connection, comfort, and playfulness was undeniable on their photo session.
For them, it’s been a lovely ride they couldn’t imagine not taking.
I have been really looking forward to their Belgrade Montana Countryside Summer Wedding Day celebration which was hosted on her parents land. A few weeks back, their wedding day had finally arrived!
Their parents property near north Cottonwood canyon has unobstructed views of Ross Peak and the expansive Bridger Mountains. After the past few months of cooler temperatures and more consistent precipretation, the yellow arrowleaf balsamroot wildflowers were in full bloom. Lush green hillsides dotted with vibrant yellow made for a perfect Montana summertime outdoor setting. Clean and stunning.
Caitlin and Leo wanted their wedding day to feel relaxed with an emphasis on showing their friends and family a good time. Under the guidance of wedding planner Abbey Cook, of Anchor G Gatherings, these two highlighted a colorful, rustic feel on their big day. Caitlin’s dresses for the day were made by her good friend. Their guests dined on the delicious food provided by their caterer Gather 406 and glorious desserts by Elle’s Belles Bakery. And as the evening went on, funk music from One Night Only encouraged all in attendance to dance the night away. One could not ask for a nicer evening.
At last, here are some favorite wedding photos I made during our time together. It was such a fun pleasure to celebrate this group. So glad I could be a part of the fun. Congrats to the newlyweds, Caitlin and Leo! -M
To view all of the fun photos from Caitlin and Leo’s wedding day celebration, click here.
Wedding Vendors
Catering: Gather 406
Rentals: Anchor G/Montana Party Rentals/Montana Party Time
Photog: Greener Visuals Photography
Floral: Anchor G Gatherings
Band: One Night Only
Planning and Design: Anchor G Gatherings
Desserts: Elle’s Belles
A week ago, I photographed The Woodlands rainy wedding day of Shannon and Liam outside Bozeman, Montana.
It has been lovely getting to know this couple and their five-year-old husky/shepherd, Iroh, over the past year.
Shannon and Liam met in Monterey Bay, California in the Fall of 2014. What started off as a friendship, quickly blossomed into a strong relationship. Together, they have been exploring the world together ever since. As an introvert, Liam loves Shannon’s extrovert energy. She cares so much about her relationships with others. She is loving and fits perfectly into his family dynamics. He admires her moral compass and how it constantly helps him navigate toward the right decisions.
Shannon loves how Liam truly understands her. He has helped her grow as a person and gives endless support to her. He keeps her accountable and showers her with love and patience.
Last summer I photographed their Mount Ellis trailhead engagement portraits in Bozeman. If one thing was clear, this couple was head over heels for one another and they were so excited for their approaching wedding day.
With friends and family traveling in from California and New Jersey, this engaged couple wanted a venue that could accommodate all of the fun.
They choose to celebrate their wedding day at The Woodlands at Cottonwood Canyon under the guidance of their wedding planner, Events by Killian.
The Woodlands at Cottonwood Canyon offered plenty of space for the wedding party to get ready – girls upstairs, gentlemen downstairs. The venue also offered plenty of space for the wedding guests to take shelter in a pinch.
Right before the wedding ceremony was to begin, a rainstorm came through that forced everyone to leave their ceremony seats.
As it turned out no amount of water could dampen the spirits of this group. Forward-thinking from the talented wedding vendors provided guests with clear umbrellas before the ceremony, just in case. The Woodlands Rainy Wedding didn’t phase anyone in attendance. After a brief delay, everyone returned to the outdoor lawn ceremony site for a heartfelt exchange of Shannon and Liam’s wedding vows under sunny skies.
Smiling ear to ear, Shannon and Liam welcomed their guests for a reception evening filled with great BBQ from Just a Taste Catering and the good tunes from Catered Rhythms DJ coaxed the wedding guests into dancing all night long. It was a really fun evening with everyone. Here are some of my favorite moments from Shannon and Liam’s wedding day.
I’m excited for these two and wish them a lifetime of happiness! -M
Wedding Vendors for Liam and Shannon’s Wedding Day
Venue: The Woodlands at Cottonwood Canyon
Wedding Planner: Events by Killian
Photography: Greener Visuals Photography
Catering: Just A Taste Catering
Rentals: Montana Party Rentals
Bartender: Jade Pierce Bartending Services
Dessert: Sweet Pea Bakery
Entertainment: Catered Rhythms
Florals: Bouquets and More
Videography: Cosmic Cine
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A recent Gallatin River family portraits session with the Childress family helped turn their Montana vacation into an opportunity for a documented celebration!
“I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana it is love. And it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it.”
― John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of exploring Montana then I know this quote from John Steinbeck resonates. And it’s no wonder. Montana truly is spectacular! I have my own family roots in this glorious state. I’m always thrilled to see the excited faces of my clients when they come to know the awesome beauty of this timeless place for the first time.
It’s a pristine land that’s raw, wild, and just begging to be explored.
When you vacation in Montana, you are surrounded by the freshness that comes with changing your rhythm and being in this new environment. This state has a way of helping us let go of the busyness of our lives and slow down to really take in beauty of your loved ones and its amazing landscapes. Time shifts and you are more present, perhaps, than in the daily grind. You have fewer distractions. You get to see your family experience new things, exactly as you do the same. This has a way of letting us relax deeply into the moment, to be curious, and to play.
Over the last ten years, I’ve regularly worked with families that want to turn their Montana vacation into an opportunity for documented memories. Many visitors who have vacationed here have reached out for my photography services because they know that these moments, together, are unique, special, and worth doing right now.
Your family vacation is the perfect time to take advantage of this unique time you all have together.
With the Childress family, they make the annual trip from Texas to Montana every year to explore with their kids and soak up the family time during their Gallatin River family portraits session.
Big changes are on the horizon for this family.
With their daughter already in college, their son was about to enter his senior year of high school. Tina and John were soon-to-be empty nesters. They wanted this year’s Montana vacation to celebrate their kids with a family portrait session. It also proved to be a chance to highlight their son with his senior pictures. Talking with them on the phone, we discovered all that they cherish about their adult children. We also talked about how Montana has positively helped shaped their kids’ lives. Through their parents, their children have fostered an afinity for being riverside and a love of flyfishing.
To commemorate this special time together, the choice to hike along the banks of the Gallatin River was clear winner. It is a place filled with so many happy family memories for them.
I’m completely mobile with my photo studio, we were able to capture both a natural setting and a studio feel look for their son’s senior photos. I loved the ease of this family’s way of being together and enjoyed experiencing the calm Montana afternoon right alongside them.
What can you anticipate on your vacation family photo experience? That’s where the fun begins! We will schedule a phone chat to better understand what you value most about your loved ones and the special moments you hope to create. If you love the outdoors, I can help you find just the right setting. Or, perhaps, you are coming together for a family reunion or birthday celebration, and want candid photos around the celebration. I’d love to hear more about your plans for your 2023 Montana vacation adventure.
Late this summer, I had the pleasure of photographing the Chico Hot Springs family portraits of Annie and Erik in Paradise Valley.
Annie and Erik have been married for seven years and have made a comfortable life together in Louisville, Kentucky. They both love an excuse to travel. Frequently they take advantage of the summer months to road trip across the country. Over the past three years, Erik and Annie have found solace and joy in vacationing with their two dogs, Wallace and Davis, in Southwest Montana. They also make an annual stop to stay at the historic Chico Hot Springs in Pray, Montana.
In Erik’s eyes, Annie makes everything in his life better.
He admires how she intuitively reacts to help others in a time of struggle. He loves how positive a person she is. At times when his attitude can be “a stick in the mud,” Annie is there to bring him back to a place of calmness with a smile on his face – especially when she has baked one of her trademark pies.
Annie loves how taken care of she feels in her life with Erik. As an engineer, his intelligence and handy ability to fix all the things around the house is a gift she does not take lightly. His affection and dependability make her feel loved every day. Sharing family-orientated mindsets, both feel supported, strengthened, and grateful for the love they share.
After a recent family tragedy, this year’s trip to Paradise Valley in southwest Montana held a special need to heal. It would be a time to decompress and be present with one another after the past year of grief.
To mark the occasion, they decided to hire me to document their family portrait experience. Annie and Erik wanted family photographs that highlighted their love of each other and their dogs in a place that has meant so much to them.
Joined by her father and stepmother, Tom and Sherri, we hiked and explored the mountainous hillsides around the Yellowstone River during the “golden hour” of the setting sun. It made for quite a beautiful backdrop for their family photographs. From there we headed to Chico Hot Springs to catch the remaining sunlight and then into the bar for some cocktails and family storytelling.
This family has been through so much and it was wonderful to connect with them, create some lovely family portraits, and bring out their smiles. These are some of my favorite photos from our time together. I look forward to seeing this family in Montana soon, -M
It was such a pleasure to photograph the Missouri Headwaters Sacajawea Hotel engagement portraits of Jackie and Mike.
Jackie and Mike are travelers at heart. So when the time came for the engagement portrait session, we traveled to two of their favorite local spots, the Missouri Headwaters State Park and the Sacajawea Hotel.
Each of their professions has them traveling all over the state in roles that cater to their love of new places and their curiosity to meet new people. Mike is a sales rep for Kettlehouse Brewery and Jackie is a producer at Montana PBS.
The more they got to know one another, the more their commonalities started stacking up. Mike and Jackie soon discovered they shared a love for the history of national parks. Even more, as their relationship grew, they discovered the shared value of deep conversations and intellect. So when the pandemic quarantine came to Montana, these two decided to keep the conversation going and moved in together. Jackie and Mike both agree the experience made them grow even stronger.
For Jackie, she loves the extroverted, loving, and loyal energy Mike brings not only to their relationship but also to everyone around him. “He’s in awe of his people,” said Jackie. “With heart and soul, he is very thoughtful in planning new experiences for us that I might like. His energy and passion for life is so magnetic. I feel so lucky.”
Tuck, Jackie’s pitbull-Labrador mix (who has now claimed Mike as his, too), agrees. Jackie smiles as she mentions that Mike and Tuck have become soulmates.
Mike loves Jackie’s desire for adventure, whether that be their frequent small-town dates, visiting hot springs, breweries, or canoe racing on the Missouri River. She’s steady and always there for him. They love to play outside together, often adorned in Chacos and Carhartts. Mike would have it no other way.
A few weeks back, I photographed the intimate Gallatin River Hideaway Wedding of Muriel and Aaron in Bozeman, Montana.
This bride and groom each has strong Montana roots from growing up here but over the last seven years of dating, they have supported and followed each other across the country to foster each other’s goals. Aaron got his PhD in engineering and Muriel just finished up her MFA in printmaking in Tennesseee. Last year they decided to move back to Montana and now make their home in Helena, Montana.
Over all this time, their relationship together has been a beautiful balance. Aaron loves how Muriel brings him out of his shell. His life has always been ruled by routine. For him, doing things alone can sometimes be intimating. But together Muriel has supported and helped him do activities that he normally wouldn’t. Her empathy and kindness she gives to the people around her have inspired and helped him realize his full self. Muriel loves Aaron’s mind. He’s the perfect balance of thoughtfulness and silliness without ego. His sense of humor and talents as a musician have brought a smile to her face for years.
This wedding couple chose The Gallatin River Hideaway for their wedding celebration with guests and loved ones coming from as far as Ireland to make the event.
Muriel and Aaron wanted a laid-back, social event filled with color documented in my photojournalistic approach.
During their wedding, they had a handfasting ceremony officiated by the bride’s sister. Handfasting is an ancient Celtic ritual in which the hands are tied together to symbolize the binding of two lives. Tears flowed as Muriel’s grandfather sang a lovely Irish tune. After their enthusiastic vows, Muriel and Aaron sealed their commitment to each other with a kiss and walked down the aisle under a cascade of bubbles.
At the reception, the newlyweds and their guests were treated to their favorite iced coffee drinks from The Red Coffee Trailer. Excited and properly caffeinated, people mingled, played yard games then everyone got in line for a delicious BBQ dinner. After speeches and heartfelt toasts, the celebration energy cranked up. In between dancing and a conga line, the guests explored the costume possibilities in the Greener Visuals Photo booth. Laughter and giggles ensued. Photo booths are the perfect invitation for the young and old to play together.
I really enjoyed my time photographing the wedding celebration of Muriel and Aaron and I wish them a lifetime of happiness. -M
Vendors:
Caterer – Ghost Boy Catering (Alex Hester and Brad O’Neil)
Coffee – The Red Coffee Trailer
Coordinator – Mary C. Baumstark
Dessert – Wild Crumb and Wilcoxson’s Ice Cream
DJ – Glacier DJ Jesse Frohriech
Last summer I photographed the Mount Ellis trailhead engagement portraits of my wedding clients, Shannon and Liam.
It has been just lovely getting to know this couple and their five-year-old husky/shepherd, Iroh, over the past year.
This couple met in Monterey Bay, California in the Fall of 2014 and they have been exploring the world together ever since.
Now living in Bozeman, these two wanted their couples portrait experience to highlight one of their many outdoor activities together – walking trails with their dog, Iro. We explore the mountain landscape that was littered with yellow arrowleaf balsamroot wildflowers during their trailhead engagement portraits. In the spirit of celebrating, they carried up a bottle of champagne to watch the sunset over Bozeman from a great view at Mt. Ellis. It was a view that was pretty hard to beat. Here are some of their favorite moments from the day.
Now on the eve of their wedding day, it’s time to pop the champagne once again! Shannon and Liam are about to get married!
Looking forward to celebrating and It promises to be a great time.
I could not be more excited for these two and for their wedding day tomorrow. Let the celebration begin!
This past August, I had the pleasure of photographing Rebecca and Carter’s Grizzly Creek Ranch wedding up Tom Miner Basin in Emigrant, Montana.
Rebeca and Carter are both veterans of the Hollywood film industry and these two Californians met on a southwest Montana film project. Their first encounter also introduced them to the beauty and splendor of the Yellowstone River and the surrounding Paradise Valley. It would soon become a favorite place to visit during the downtime of their busy schedules.
They found love in the time of COVID, and moved in together during lockdown. During those challenging times in the closed-down city of Los Angeles, their relationship and bond only strengthened.
Rebecca commented how Carter makes her feel calm, warm and offers an endless amount of patience. He’s a steady hand in the relationship and she shared how his presence creates a calming flow in their house.
To her, Carter feels like home.
Carter loves how Rebecca removes all stress from his daily existence. She’s very loving and always has his best interests at heart. She’s sponteanous, enthusiastic and always up for anything, like an on-a-whim weekend cabin trip to Montana.
Rebecca and Carter’s adventurous spirits and love of nature made the big sky state a natural setting for them. They chose to have their wedding celebration in Paradise Valley, south of Livingston, Montana. It was the place where they first met.
Happily, their community of friends and family traveled from across the country to Emigrant, Montana where Rebecca and Carter hosted their elegant wedding celebration in a place that instilled such reverence for them.
Under the guidance of their talented wedding planner, Killian Flanagan Payne (of Events by Killian), the charming, rustic, working cattle ranch Grizzly Creek Ranch, became the perfect Montana backdrop to their wedding. All of their loved ones had the convenience to stay on and near the ranch which lies just north of the entrance to Yellowstone National Park. It was a perfect destination wedding vacation to soak up this time together. For many of their guests, this was the first time many of them had visited the Big Sky Country. Their Montana experience was complete with brief afternoon rains that evolved into a picturesque sunset.
As the evening settled in and with the Montana stars at full shine, the dance floor came alive. The sounds of music, laugher, and energetic celebration went well into the night. This was an amazing crowd to behold! Everyone was in high spirits.
Rebecca and Carter, thank you for inviting me into your story. It was an absolutely pleasure to photograph you and your loved ones in such a striking setting! Congratulations on saying “I DO” in Montana. I wish you all the best! -M
A few weeks back, I photographed my 2023 wedding clients Riki and Lee for their Butte, Montana Engagement Photography experience.
It’s been wonderful to get to know these two this year. Right from the start, the shared, rich intellect and loving kindness of Riki and Lee were a clear, magnetic force.
Lee and Riki met four year ago back when they were pursuing their PhDs at Northwestern University. They are now both budding powerhouse chemists on the East Coast.
In our first conversations, Lee shared what they admire most about Riki. They love how Riki is so good at truly seeing people. Riki is kind and doesn’t hesitate to help others. “Whether it be her colleagues, students, friends, or their community of loved ones, Riki shows me how to be a better partner.” Lee said. They also admire Riki’s intellect, “She is extremely smart and was the best in her class. I love how she challenges me.”
Riki feels the same – she loves Lee’s mind. This couple’s roots began first as friends. Riki immediately felt that she could be herself around Lee and with their first conversations, they dove deep. Riki, who describes herself as straight-edged, admires the diversity of Lee’s rich life experiences. Lee’s adventurous approach to life makes it easy for Riki to walk outside her comfort zone, in all the best ways.
Visiting Lee’s hometown in Butte, Montana has quickly become a favorite annual destination for them. It’s a place they really wanted to showcase in their Butte Montana Engagement Photography experience.
With their excitement growing the closer we got to their photography session date, Lee and Riki elected to book a second hour for their Butte Montana Engagement Photography experience. They wanted to really explore this historic place which means so much to them. I was happy to oblige.
With so much to see in a old industrial town like Butte, Montana, this additional hour gave us more creative freedom to take our time and investigate our curiosities.
If you know Butte, you know that its heritage and history runs a mile high and a mile deep.
By the end of the 19th century, The Butte copper mines had become the largest copper producers in the world. They would operate until their closure in the late 1940’s. Old stone skyscrapers and the steel engineering relects of another time have now perfectly blended with the weathered Montana landscape. The result is a mountain town with a lot of soul.
We all agreed it would be a perfect, rustic Montana landscape for us to play in. We began at the Original Mine and explored the industrial bones of the headframe and the character of the surrounding buildings.
Next, we shifted from the playground of the Copper Kings and went off trail to Lee’s beautiful family home. Tucked back in the Butte foothills, their family property offered a more intimate landscape to explore thick aspens groves, dramatic rock formations, and catch the sunset views of the Pintler Mountains.
In all, this couple’s warmth, adventurousness, kindness, and focus on each other created such an incredible energy to be around. In their photos, smiles came naturally. Their excitement for each other was uncontainable. I love the photos we created together and I can not wait to photograph their wedding day June 2023! -M
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