Forest Weddings

newlyweds-on-the-banks-of-gallatin-river-at-Gallatin-River-Hideaway

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)

CoffeeThe Red Coffee Trailer

CoordinatorMary C. Baumstark

DessertWild Crumb and Wilcoxson’s Ice Cream

DJ – Glacier DJ Jesse Frohriech

Newlyweds-kiss-in-field-at-Wedding-The-Woodlands-at-Cottonwood-Canyon

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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Livingston Wedding Photographer Paradise Valley wedding couple

Last Friday I spent the day photographing and celebrating the Livingston Montana Wedding Day of  Teresa and Bob.

I met these two lovebirds at last year’s A Montana Wedding Bridal Event at The Commons. After a friendly ten-minute conversation, it was clear my candid, documentary style resonated with their wedding day vision. They booked me on the spot. For these two, their love for each other, their family and devotion to their Catholic faith would the focal point of their wedding day celebration. The day could not have been better. Here is a sneak peek of their wedding photos made at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and up Orea Creek near their home where they had their reception. So many more fun photos to share with you all! Stay tuned! -M

 

Livingston Wedding Photographer Yellowstone River couple portrait

This past Monday, I had the absolute pleasure of photographing the Livingston Montana Wedding Day Photography of Erika and Josh on the banks of the Yellowstone River at the Livingston KOA.

For newlyweds Erika and Josh, it was all about returning to the source.

Little did they know after a chance encounter over a foosball game table in Livingston, Montana, two years earlier, they would be surrounded by friends and loved ones celebrating their wedding in the beautiful Paradise Valley just south of town.

Both being well versed in hospitality (Josh as a chef at Feast Raw Bar & Bistro and Erika as a former wedding planner) wanted to have their wedding day be “about letting their friends and family know how much they’ve impacted us in our lives.”

Great food, meticulous decorations of 1,000 paper cranes and rock cairns, homemade booze-infused cupcakes and the right tunes to keep the dance floor busy.

It made the day a true delight.

Not even the constant rainfall throughout the day could dampen the spirits of those in attendance.

While I’m still working away at editing all the fun photographs, I wanted to share a small preview of their awesome wedding day celebration. Congrats to the newlyweds! Stay tuned for more photo goodness. -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

wedding-couple-on-Whitefish-Mountain-Resort-Wedding-summit

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

groom-with-wedding-guests-in-Alaska-Wedding-Photo-Booth

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing the Alaska Wedding Photo Booth at Eric & Brandy’s wedding reception in Hope, Alaska.

When my brother informed the family that he had proposed to his long-time girlfriend Brandy, we were just thrilled. Group effort wedding planning soon commenced. In celebration of the Greener/Hollenbeck wedding day in Hope, Alaska this past summer, I brought along my Greener Visuals Photo Booth for the reception.

The wedding venue was located two hours south of Anchorage, Alaska at the Discovery Cafe in Hope, Alaska.

Wedding photo booths just make wedding celebrations better.

They are interactive, creative, and often hilarious. Bringing your own props allows you to shape the photo booth interaction for the reception guests and invites them to play. Having one at this Greener wedding reception was a no-brainer.

As I mentioned in their wedding day photos blog post, this “do-it-yourself” wedding required frugal creativity on everyone’s part. Everyone aided in making for a really special weekend.

Tasked with final prep for the photo booth, my sister Katie and I drove around Anchorage and visited numerous thrift stores for inspiration. For last-minute affordable photo booth props, our efforts didn’t disappoint.

At Eric and Brandy’s wedding reception, we set up the photo booth against a rustic, weathered-looking cabin wall. It made for a clean backdrop. The photo booth was a huge hit with the wedding guests. Their wedding guests could trigger the camera and strobe via remote control, and make an epic, wonderfully weird self-portraits on their own. Without fail every time, those who enter it let loose in their creativity and leave with a grin on their face. The best part is you never know what you are going to get.

What a fantastic day! I could not be more excited for Eric and Brandy! I love you guys! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness! – Your brother Mike

Eric & Brandy Wedding Day Photos in Hope, Alaska - Greener Visuals Wedding Photography

It is with much love and pride that I present the Hope Alaska Wedding Photos of Eric & Brandy I photographed a few weeks back.

Earlier this summer, my younger pilot brother Eric tied the knot with his long-time flight attendant girlfriend Brandy in a lush, mountainous wild Alaskan setting in the small town of Hope, Alaska. She is an incredible lady and I’m so grateful to now call her sister.

After a very public Alaskan Airlines in-flight wedding proposal that went viral on YouTube, the excitement of the first sibling to be married in the Greener clan was felt by all and plans soon sprang into action to create their special day. This was going to be one hell of a wedding celebration.

I wore many hats that day. I was the best man, wedding photographer, and wedding planning advisor for the day. It proved to be a tricky, fun challenge.

After purchasing their first home in Anchorage together earlier this year, Eric and Brandy were looking to be frugal when planning their wedding. Without being over the top, they wanted a place to gather the two family clans, eat some good food, and dance to a live band without breaking the bank. With the help of their loved ones, we discovered that wouldn’t be a problem.

The families and friends all came together to create a DIY rustic-themed Hope Alaska Wedding day. I think some of the best wedding successes are when wedding couples think outside the box while staying within a budget.

We got creative.

We found reclaimed weathered barn wood to make their wedding arbor. After decorating it with mason jars filled with flowers purchased at the grocery stores that morning, it looked pro. Rather than make the bridesmaids and groomsmen buy matching outfits, the wedding couple instructed them to choose a personal outfit in a navy color palette. This wardrobe decision would work with whatever color flowers were available the day of. Their friend’s unfinished new house was a staging ground for the bride and her ladies to get ready. It all worked out well.

With the application of white paint, recycled scrap corrugated steel siding became cool sign decorations for the reception area. In the background, the elder Greener gentlemen roasted a pig. The other guests all brought a dish to pass and local friends helped with location needs. Everyone in attendance contributed to making their wedding day special.  Paying for the live funk band was worth every cent.

There were some logistical hurdles to overcome. The first was that Hope, Alaska was a tiny little town located two hours south of Anchorage, Alaska around the Turnagain Arm.

This distance meant that everything including tents, tables, chairs, decorations, camping accommodations, food, etc. would need to be transported by the family and wedding guests. The venue provided the site alone. To pull off this wedding, it took a village. Generous friends, a fleet of trucks, and a used short school bus made it all happen.

It was a day meant to be. Even the rain held out. What a wonderful love to honor and celebrate. In between dancing, chatting and my best man duties, I managed to make a couple of photos throughout the day. Here are some of my favorites.

I’m so happy for Eric and Brandy! Wishing you two a lifetime of happiness. -your brother Mike

A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of photographing The Woodlands Bozeman Wedding day of Courtney and Jordi. It was a beautiful calm early Fall day amongst the pine trees at The Woodlands at Cottonwood Canyon in Bozeman, Montana.

I got to know them earlier in the year when we made some fun engagement photos around the outskirts of Bozeman.

Finally, their Woodlands Bozeman Wedding had arrived. I had such a fun time documenting their friends and family. It was great to hear all the stories. Here are some of my favorite images I made throughout the day. I’m just thrilled for these two. Wishing many years of happiness to the newlyweds! Congrats you guys! -M

This past Sunday afternoon I had the pleasure of photographing Courtney and Jordi’s wedding day at The Woodlands in Bozeman, Montana. I’m just thrilled for these guys. A beautiful calm early Fall day amongst the pine trees. We had a great time earlier in the year when we made some engagement photos. These two are a lot of fun and I’ve been looking forward to their wedding day celebration. I’m busy editing through all the great moments from their wedding day but for now, you can check out a preview of wedding photo standouts so far. Many more wedding photos to come. Stay tuned… -M

A few weeks back my pilot brother Eric married an awesome woman named Brandy, the love of his life in Hope, Alaska. The first of the siblings to get hitched. It was also the first time I’d been assigned the roles as both a best man and a wedding photographer. It was a fun challenge. I’m editing through the mountain of photos and will post their full wedding soon. I’m so excited for you brother! Stay tuned… -M

After a relaxing evening photographing Ali and Drausin rehearsal dinner at the base of the Vail ski mountain at the Manor Vail Lodge Friday night, I turned my attention to documenting their big wedding day. The two Yale alumni chose to have their wedding day at this cute ranch called 4 Eagle Ranch outside of Vail, Colorado. For many of my clients, choosing the venue is a big decision. The venue is the keystone in which all other vendors and wedding task fall in line behind. Once you have it, everything else tends to fall into place a lot easier. For them Ali and Drausin, who were simultaneously planning/executing a long distance destination wedding, moving from Philadelphia to New York City all the while figuring out their honeymoon plans to China, picking their venue was as easy as seeing the background landscape in a photograph on the website and asking where to sign the dotted line. Go figure. I appreciate working with a couple that knows what they want. Getting hitched surrounded by their loved ones while engulfed in the beautiful surrounding Colorado rocky mountains scenery was a recipe for a great time. You could not have asked for a prettier day. With the help of my assistant Josh Couper, we were able to document the fun well into the night including a surprise flashmob dance party coordinated by Ali’s sister. I am so excited for these two. I wish them all the very best and many years of laughter and happiness. -M

To view Ali and Drausin’s entire wedding, you can view them here.

I returned to the rocky mountains of Colorado a couple weeks ago to document the wedding weekend of Ali and Drausin in Vail, Colorado. It was a wonderful crossroad of my past and my future. Ali, has been a buddy of mine for years now. Back in college, while my journalism peers were seeking out newspaper internships, I opted instead to work two summers as a summer camp counselor at Cheley Colorado Camps. Ali was a campfire counselor at the adjacent girls camp. It was a job that paid pennies but rewarded you with an entire summer exploration of the surrounding mountains while sharing your passions, skills and goofiness with great outdoorsy kids. It’s amazing how certain places in your life really leave an impact on you. My two summers in Estes Park, Colorado and the people I met there, like Ali, played a big role in making me a better person. Besides helping to shape me on my path, the experience gave fruit to really great friendships. I was lucky to keep in touch with her.

When Drausin and her emailed me about photographing their wedding rehearsal and wedding day back in the mountains stomping grounds of my earlier youth, I was stoked. I love mountain weddings! The soon to be newly weds decided to have a causal relaxing rehearsal “dinner” at the base of the Vail ski mountain at the Manor Vail Lodge. It was quite the place. Instead of a formal sit down dinner, they had a tapas style buffet and a bar which worked out really well. It allowed everyone to go at their own pace and socialize.

They also spread out the toasts throughout the evening rather than one right after the other. It gave each speaker a chance to really express themselves without feeling rushed. It was so special to listen to the incredibly eloquent speeches from friends and family in such a warm (and green!) setting. There is a lot of love and support for these two newlyweds. Here are some of my favorite images from the evening. I’m hard at work finishing the wedding photos. So excited to show you all. It was quite the weekend. Stay tuned… -M

To see the entire rehearsal dinner photo shoot click here.

Montana! I love it! Especially when it means I get to make a road trip through the state to photograph a wedding up near Glacier National Park. A couple weeks ago, I headed north towards Bigfork, Montana where I photographed Cierra & Brian’s wedding day festivities at the Cougar Trail Ranch. These newlyweds have been making a life together working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but decided they wanted to marry closer to home, their friends and their family and opted for a Montana wedding. The place they found, the Cougar Trail Ranch, was in a classic northwest Montana setting complete with dense, surrounding lodge pole pine forests that opened into golden grass pastures bordering the property line. The big fancy house offered tons of space for the wedding party staging and it’s huge big windows offered this photographer great light to work with. Cierra, an old college rugby friend of mine, contacted me about a year in advance to book my wedding photography services and it was great to finally watch her walk down the isle to marry the boy of her dreams. It never gets old photographing the weddings of old buddies. The day went off without a hitch. As the festivities turned to dancing, I struggled to hold in my laughter at the sight of seeing some of the wedding guests cut loose and begin tossing kids into the air as they danced, celebrated and sang the words to every DJ song. It was one big, awesome Montana party! Such wonderful energy throughout. I had a blast documenting these guys. I wish them all the best for many years to come. -M

 

To see Cierra & Brian’s entire wedding click here.

Whew what a ride! The last month has been busy with weddings and traveling back and forth to California. It’s great to have a little destination wedding photographer adventure on my weekends and it allows me the challenge of photographing in new places. Northern California never ceases to amaze me with all it’s buried treasures. I just finished up my latest photo story of Jenn and Chris’ Wedding Day that took place two weeks ago at the Ralston White Retreat in Mill Valley, California. These guys were a riot and were an absolute blast to photograph. It was also one of the most unique weddings I’ve ever attended. Jenn and Chris found me through the recommendation of some good friends of mine that saw me in action at a wedding a couple years ago. We talked about what they wanted out of their wedding photos and were looking for my documentary approach. These two were a wise couple who booked me early almost a year in advance and it was exciting to finally get to photograph it. As their website boasts, The Ralston White Retreat, “Is an old 1913 wedding venue for group retreats or special events nestled in the slope of Mt. Tamalpais which is located on 43 acres in beautiful Mill Valley, California.” It was a place of so much old fashioned character. I totally geek out to photographing in places like this. It was a very personable wedding to attend. The two had their ceremony outside in the front lawn which was followed by a relaxing cocktail hour that flowed into a lovely dinner inside the large house. Right away the group had great energy and I give personel props to their friends for their creativity as a pirate/ninja attack skit ensued forcing the groom to fight back “nerf style” for his fair maiden. It was totally random and awesome all at the same time. You got to love a group who still use their imagination and can play like kids. As the evening progressed I documented the guests laughing and playing in the Greener Visuals Photo Booth or get heavy into playing late night Garage Band video games. A great time was had by all and it was a pleasure to be apart of their wedding celebration. Wish you guys all the best. -M

To see all of their wedding photos, you can follow this link here.

A couple weeks ago I had the chance to return to Montana, my favorite place on earth, to photograph the wedding of an old college friend Christina and her new husband Ryan. I got to know Christina during my time tromping around the Big Sky state while attending The University of Montana in my pursuit of my degree in Photojournalism. In between my time fly fishing mountain streams and trying to make it to class on time, I came to know her through mutual friends and her involvement in the Missoula art scene. Christina, a Montana native, is a very talented painter and ended up getting her degree in the Fine Arts. From there, it was off to New York City for her where she eventually met her fiancée Ryan randomly at a friend’s apartment. Oddly enough it turns out that they both were from the same western Montana town of Whitefish located up close to the entrance of Glacier National Park. I’m always amazed at the curveballs of coincidence life can through at people sometimes. Two years apart in age, Christina and Ryan never new one another growing up but found each other in one of the biggest cities on earth. Go figure. As they grew closer in their relationship, the two parted ways with the “Big Apple” and have since made a life together living and working in Portland, Oregon. When it came to plan their summer wedding the location was an obvious choice.

On their wedding day, I awoke early to drive north of Missoula (where I had been visiting my parents) past the cherry orchards along Flathead Lake and eventually made my way northeast towards the entrance of Glacier National Park. Christina and Ryan chose a cute little 40-acre ranch just outside of Coram, Montana called Glacier River Ranch that was bordered by the gin clear blue waters of the Flathead River. There are few things in life more picturesque than a Montana backdrop and that day I couldn’t think of any. I arrived early so I could scout around the area and get a feel for the place. As family members were helping to set up, I decided to walk around the grounds for possible portrait locations. As I came around the side of a big ponderosa pine tree I startled a young black bear (about 30 yards away from me) and he quickly stood up on his hind legs to get a better view of the blond haired photographer that had interrupted his mid morning berry feast. Soon uninterested, it sauntered off until the delicious smells of a wedding reception food brought it closer to the wedding location so much so that the ranch owner had to scare it off with some warning shots of her deer rifle. Only in Montana. Love it. The rest of the day mimicked the visions of a good Norman MacLean novel. The late August weather was perfect and their afternoon streamside reception was stunning as the golden Montana light lit up the trees as it slowly made its decent behind Teakettle Mountain. Like any proper Montana wedding the rest of the evening was spent eating roasted pig, drinking fine wine and Montana microbrews and dancing to live music from a local string band. It was so great to spend the day photographing such a fun couple and an honor to be asked to photograph the wedding of a old friend. I wish them all the best. -M

You can view the very best images from Ryan and Christina’s wedding under my portfolio wedding stories section here.     Or…

To see the entire wedding take you can see them all on my Photo Archive here.