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.

As a wedding photographer, I love traveling to new places where I get to explore, be creative 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. It was a gorgeous venue with a great expansive 360 degree Montana view. These two were all smiles. It was a classic DIY cute country wedding. These two newlyweds were also up for a little adventure. With the help of the generous Y-Knot Barn owners, we were able to acquire a couple four wheelers and rode them (wedding dress and all) to an overlook in the valley where we made some pretty epic portraits. We returned to the barn for an evening of BBQ, laughter and country dancing. A fun Montana wedding day. Wish these two all the best! -M

To view all of the wedding day photos, click 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

A few weeks back I had the opportunity to photograph the wedding of Bobbijean and Chris at the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park. The two met while working at the park a few summers back and decided to tie-the-knot in a place that was so special to their hearts. While Chris has moved on to work in the logging industry, Bobbijean still is a proud park employee and with her position, was able to gain some perks for her special day – like a visit up to the historic Crow’s Nest high up in the historic log and limb lobby for some portraits and having their first look atop the Inn roof overlooking the erupting Old Faithful geyser. It was pretty special and a great view to say the least. After an emotional ceremony filled with tears of joy and laughter, the wedding celebration transitioned outside the park boundaries to the town of West Yellowstone where the reception festivities filled the historic Union Pacific Dining Lodge. A fun day throughout. I was so glad to be a part of it. Congrats again to the newlyweds and I wish them all the best. -M

Bobbijean & Chris Wedding Day in Yellowstone National Park

I recently photographed Bobbijean & Chris’ Wedding Day in Yellowstone National Park. What a cool experience! It’s not every day that I get to photograph a wedding in the most famous national park in the country. I’m excited to show the full celebration but for now, I give you a preview of a few favorites so far. I’m hard at work editing the whole lot. Many more great wedding photos to come. Stay tuned… -M

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About a week ago, I had the pleasure of documenting the wedding day of Julia & Peter out at Chico Hot Springs outside of Pray, Montana. Located in the heart of Paradise Valley, these two along with their friends and loved ones, took over the historic venue for a night of celebration, laughter and get down dancing. It was an absolute hoot to be apart of. It was a wonderful day. So many more photos to show you all. Good things come to those who wait. -M

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There is something so therapeutic in the aesthetic beauty of the Bridger Mountain Range near Bozeman Montana.  At any time of year one can look to the mountains, sometimes capped with snow, and see them showing off their beautiful depth of dimension and color giving the beholder a feeling of resounding peace and calmness.  The Bridger Mountains like many other mountain ranges all over Montana balance the juxtaposition of topographical majesty and serenity of nature giving one’s wedding day an inspired rustic charm while bringing out a natural beauty so stunning, it can take your breath away.

Weddings in Montana should never be about competing with the rustic beauty of the landscape, but about harmonizing with its natural inspiration. The very nature of the Montana landscape elicits a beautiful rustic charm and a sense of timelessness.  It can also be unpredictable. Often the changing weather patterns in and around the mountains hold no tolerance for the perfectly primped and planned-out outdoor wedding. Sometimes things don’t always stick to the plan.

With that in mind, I encourage my wedding clients to embrace the unexpected on their wedding day.

You never know when a flash rainstorm might occur. It’s not unheard of for a sudden flurry of snow to happen in June.  It is the imperfections and those impromptu moments that can create an authentic, untouchable beauty to one’s own wedding day. Those are the moments that could never be planned for or prevented, but only accepted and enjoyed. Such was the case for Courtney and Chris’ wedding at the Springhill Pavillion last summer.

The wedding venue sits at the base of the Bridger Mountains just 20 minutes north of Bozeman. It’s a beautiful place and was a spectacular setting for their Montana wedding. Alas, there was a little precipitation on Courtney and Chris wedding day. Despite the rain, the newlyweds kept a positive attitude throughout the day. No amount of unexpected weather could stop their celebration. Their constant smiles and laughter made the hiccup of rainy weather insignificant and it shows in their wedding photography.

Partnering with a Montana wedding photographer who knows how to utilize the unique mixture of scenes and rustic environment (while juggling the unexpected and unforeseen circumstances) helps to create stand out imagery all the while keeping things refreshingly candid and natural. It is the best way to make the most of your Montana Wedding. As a photographer, it’s what I strive for during every wedding I photograph.

The ability to capture candid photos that tell the story of a couple’s wedding celebration is paramount. It’s the beginning of their adventure through life together surrounded by their friends and loved ones. For those who seek to utilize the rustic charm of the rocky mountain landscape, having your wedding in Montana can provide the most vivid of backgrounds and creates a truly unforgettable wedding experience. Rain and all. -M

To view more photos from Courtney and Chris’ wedding day, you can view my blog post about it here.

Special thanks to my amigos at The Social Den for assisting on this post.

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I’m excited to post these wedding photos. About a month ago, I traveled to Chico, California from Bozeman, Montana to photograph the destination wedding day of Sara and Jason. These two lovebirds booked me well over a year out after her work friend found me and showed my photography to Sara during a internet search for Northern California wedding photographers during a long overnight emergency work shift (Sara is a veterinarian). Talking with with Jason and Sara on the phone we quickly bonded over discovering a mutual love of the outdoors, fly fishing and the occasional craft beer. These were my kind of people. I had been looking forward to their wedding day for a while. Our first time meeting was in the morning of their wedding day but it was like being reacquainted with old friends. I met up with them as they were getting ready at the Hotel Diamond in downtown Chico and photographed them as the day unfolded.

Their wedding was a fantastic DIY (Do it yourself!) event hosted at his mother’s farm property outside of town called the Double R RanchIt was put together with the help of friends and family who were successful in creating a charming garden farm themed wedding celebration. Dinner was served in the garden amongst the sunflowers and squash on wood tables made by the groomsmen. The barn itself had been just finished by the wedding party in time for the event. Everywhere you looked there was a personal touch. It was a beautiful day filled with warm weather and smiles. A fun weekend with great people! I am just thrilled for these two! Congrats to Sara and Jason and many years of continued happiness! -Mike Greener

To see all of their wedding celebration photos, click here.

 

A few weeks back I drove over and up to northwest Montana to photograph Brynne and Dustin’s wedding day near Whitefish, Montana. Fall is by far my favorite season of the year and my excitement grew as I made the drive through the mountains landscape littered with bright reds, oranges, and yellows of the changing leaves throughout the Flathead Valley. You couldn’t ask for a nicer Montana Fall wedding landscape. Brynne and Dustin’s wedding celebration was held at the Abbott Valley Homestead, a gorgeous northwest Montana horse property with the classic cowboy charm. This was the second time I had the pleasure of photographing her family. After meeting the couple last year when I was photographing her sister Cierra’s wedding in Big Fork, Montana, we hit it off and they booked me over a year out for their own wedding day. Needless to say, I had been looking forward to their wedding for a while. And what a wedding it was! These are a fun bunch of folks to celebrate with. I had a blast documenting the day and the happy familiar faces. Here are some of my favorite images from the day. Wish these two all the best! -Mike Greener

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

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding day of two amazing people here in Bozeman, Montana. Courtney and Chris had their late summer outdoor wedding at the beautiful Springhill Pavilion just outside of town. It’s funny how some people come into your life. I first met Chris during a friendly (but intense) game of garage ping pong with mutual friends at my old place in town. Little did I know that a few months later I would run into his bride-to-be Courtney at the 2014 Bridal Affaire Bozeman Montana last February and we hit it off. From the get-go, I loved the energy these two brought to the table. Such endless positivity and smiles. I love a wedding couple that takes the traditional concepts of a wedding and instead go in their own direction to make it entirely an unique experience. Such was the case with them. Their wedding honored their friends just as much as the day was meant for them. They had all of their friends contribute and participate in some way to make their wedding day special. Some performed songs, others read poetry, spun fire and gave blessings. They even had a friend perform numerous AC/DC songs on a cello. By the time DJ Missy O’Malley cranked up the beats, everyone celebrated into the night dancing their faces off. It was a wonderful celebration and I was so thankful to be there to document the fun. A big thank you to Time Of Your Life Events wedding planner Genevieve Burmeister and crew for making it all flow so smoothly. I wish these two all the best. -Mike Greener

To see all of their wedding photos click here

Wow! Is it August already? Time does fly when you are having fun. Looking back on my summer, I’ve been keeping busy photographing weddings and spending the remaining free moments mountain biking around the mountains of Bozeman, Montana. Life is good. I feel lucky to have found such happiness and fulfillment in documenting the love of others with my camera. It’s a continual reaffirmation that fills me with gratitude daily. The only thing better than documenting the big day of my new wedding clients are those times when an opportunity to document a good friend’s wedding comes around. A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of watching my buddy Levi marry the love of his life Christina in a beautiful and intimate ceremony on a family friend’s property outside of Manhattan, Montana. Levi and his family have been dear friends of mine for many years running. Having grown up in Bozeman, Levi was the guy who introduced me to great people and many places to explore when I first moved to Bozeman and I didn’t know a soul. It was a kindness extended at the time to the new guy in town that I will always be grateful for. I had been looking forward to them tying the knot for some time now. These two love birds met at a kundalini yoga retreat and quickly fostered a strong bond with each other. When it came time to planning their wedding, they decided to have a small ceremony with close friends and relatives contributing food in a potluck fashion. It worked out great. Their wedding day was simple but elegant collaboration. It’s was a great feeling to watch my friend be filled with such joy at having found a wonderful woman and partner in Christina. Here are some favorites from their wedding day. I wish them a lifetime of happiness! -M

 To see all of their wedding photos and to buy prints, go here.

 To see their Photobooth photos, go here.

A couple weekends ago I traveled down to the small Idaho town of Rigby near Idaho Falls to photograph the country garden wedding of Hope and Jeffery. I met the two last summer when I was photographing her sister Ashley’s wedding day in the Montana Bitterroot Valley. It was so great to celebrate another wedding with their family again. Hope and Jeffery had their wedding at her grandparents country garden home, a beautiful property covered with flowers, produce, horse pastures and cottonwood stands which left all onlookers to admire the artistic touch of two master gardeners. Her grandparents said they collected over 30 gallons of raspberries alone last year. I love seeing wedding couples take the idea of a wedding and make it all their own. These two were no exception. Hope and Jeffery were able to blend a country wedding with Jeffery’s Japanese roots. His relatives folded 1000 paper cranes and then hung them intermixed with lights all in a large cottonwood tree which made for a beautiful ambience. The food had a wonderful homemade touch. They had many mouths to feed since about 360 guests were invited. The riddle was solved by having a caterer make pulled pork BBQ. Rather then create an exorbitant wedding cake, they opted for a smaller wedding cake from a fancy bakery then the family cooks united and made dozens of homemade pies, a delicious personal touch to a wedding day food menu. Once bellies were full the night entertainment began. Drinks were poured and the moment the DJ cued the music, the dance floor got busy. Yard games, a photo booth and an epic candy bar assisted in keeping spirits and sugar levels high into the late evening. Smiles were seen all around. In all, it was a beautiful day and I was thrilled to be apart of it. I wish Hope and Jeffery all the best! -Mike

To see all of their wedding day photos, you can view them here.

The Wedding Team:

Cherz & Co. Salon – Hair and makeup by Kellie & Kristie Stolworthy – Idaho falls, Idaho

North Hi-Way Cafe – BBQ catering – Idaho Falls, Idaho

Master DJ – music man Tony Schmitz – Omaha, Nebraska

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Today I got word that Greener Visuals Wedding Photography was awarded 8th Place in the Getting Ready category of the Wedding Photojournalism Association 2013 National Q4 Photo Contest.

The photo, above, was from Josh and Elizabeth’s Wedding Day at the Creek Club at I’On in Charleston, South Carolina last summer.

It is an honor to be recognized in the ranks of so many incredible wedding photographers throughout the world. The judges give their comments under the top ten winning images. I love good feedback. Check out all of the other winning images on their website. -M

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Worried about what to say? Check out these great tips for an amazing wedding toast from Greener Visuals Photography

Stumbled across this gem in a news feed recently. Glamour Magazine nails it on the head for good Tips for an Amazing Wedding Toast. The advice formula below is a perfect game plan for anyone who needs some good guidelines.

“Introduce yourself + funny story about your friend and why you love her + why the spouse is such a great match + larger sentimental thought + “Cheers!” + a hug for the couple = a truly killer wedding toast.

I thought it was really concise, good food for thought. I would add with all of that to just be genuine and keep it short and sweet. Check out the full list of tips here. -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.

What a weekend! I’ve begun editing through and reliving the fun wedding photos of Ali and Drausin’s celebration I made last weekend at the 4 Eagle Ranch in Vail, Colorado. I wanted to share a sneak peek of some of their wedding photos. Many more to come. My work is cut out for me. Congratulations to Ali and Drauslin! Stay tuned. -M

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.