Tag Archive for: destination wedding photographer
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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I had the pleasure of traveling to Snohomish, Washington, to make Jardin del Sol Garden Wedding Day Photos of Allison & Wade.
Allison and Wade’s paths merged at Western Washington University. In between classes, they started to know each other over walks around campus or in exploring the nearby forests together. Their social groups overlapped around the campus Christian community house and their shared faith. Soon after they began dating, Allison and Wade knew they had found their person.
Wade loves how Allison is such a caring person who makes him and others feel loved and heard. She is authentically genuine and a full-energy type of listener. Allison has always had a love of the outdoors, and was excited to get into backpacking with Wade. She admires how Wade is so considerate of others’ feelings. It’s the little actions that mean so much. On one long backpack, Wade went back on the trail to walk with her when the trail became long, helped her through, and carried her pack.
When you find your person, every challenge is lighter, together.
As a couple, they build their community around gatherings. Wade and Allison balance each other and show deep support. With much of their family scattered throughout the country, these newlyweds looked forward to creating a moment where their favorite friends and family came together.
Wade and Allison’s community was woven into their celebration. (The theme of close community was already apparent when friends helped Wade get Allison’s custom engagement ring across the border in time for him to propose at Hug Point State Recreation Site in northern Oregon.) Allison’s aunt performed the ceremony and I was honored to be able to photograph my cousin, Allison’s, wedding day.
Allison and Wade are not the type to seek the shine of the spotlight. After the ceremony, we stepped away from the crowd to offer them a chance to focus on themselves, and savor the moment that marks the official start of their lives together. The opportunity yielded us some beautiful photographs created around the lush Jardin del Sol Garden wedding venue. From there, the party was in full force as Wade’s best man emceed and kept the energy high and lighthearted. Heartfelt speeches were shared, and then the dance floor came alive.
Allison and Wade, I wish you a lifetime of happiness! It was an honor to be a part of your wedding celebration! -M
FEATURING
Venue: Jardin del Sol
Photographer: Greener Visuals Photography
Florist: Save the Day Floral
Cake: The Cakewalk Shop
Caterer: Alexa’s Catering
Back In late August, I traveled up to the Flathead Valley in northwest Montana to photograph The Nest on Swan River Wedding Day of Lisa and Thomas.
While Lisa is originally from Montana, this couple resides in Hawaii with their children. They wanted to have their wedding celebration in the culture of her home state.
For these two newlyweds, their shared love of country music quickly fostered a strong bond between them when they met in January of 2019. They’ve been singing and dancing together ever since.
During the build up to their wedding day, I got to know these two and what they cherished about their relationship. Both commented on how perfect they felt for one another and their mutual down to earth approach to life. As Thomas puts it, “God put her in my life for the better.”
Thomas loves how her sparklely personality and great sense of humor is enhanced by her thoughtfulness towards others. Lisa has a charming humility that teases out the best in the people around her. He loves seeing her engage and love his three children from a previous relationship as her own. Lisa smiled as she told me about Thomas’s big, marshmallow heart. “He’s so intelligent and spiritual. I love how we can both express our values and ideals to eachother,” she recounted, “He cares so much about my feelings and is so loyal to me and the kids.”
While the surfable waves of Hawaii were absent, The Nest on Swan River Wedding was the perfect setting for their waterside wedding day.
When it came to their wedding plans, Lisa and Thomas wanted to have a relaxing, peaceful time with their friends and family along the water. The versatility of their The Nest at Swan River provided the perfect backdrop. As the bridal parties got ready, their guests enjoyed walking the lush riverside property. Everyone was enjoying the lovely late summer Montana weather. Some guests even assisted the curious local whitetail deer to forage apples on the property. Their lovely, intimate wedding ceremony was held under the tree canopy shade surrounded by their loved ones.
As the sun set over the Swan River, their focus transitioned into a classic Montana celebration. Wild game appetizers paired with great local microbrew beer enticed their wedding guests. The conversation and laughter flowed. Despite a leg injury that limited the groom’s mobility, he traded his usual dance moves for singing on stage. Backed up great live music tunes from the Band of Drifters, Thomas performed a variety of his songs for his new bride. Soon after dinner the band got people twirling back out on the dance floor.
It was a lovely Montana evening enjoyed by all.
Here are some favorite photographs I made through out Lisa and Thomas’ wedding day. It was such a fun event and I was so excited to be apart of their wedding celebration. -M
To view all of the photos from Lisa and Thomas’ wedding day, click here.
Last weekend I photographed the Salem Connecticut Destination Wedding celebration of Knikka and Greg on her family’s property.
This was a special wedding for me.
I came to know Knikka years ago while working as a photojournalist for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. At the time, she was a young parent raising a child and about to have another, I followed her and her family as part of a documentary story for the newspaper.
What started out as an assignment, turned into a friendship.
As the years have gone by, I’ve remained in touch with Knikka. I’ve even gotten to know her family members during their frequent visits to Montana over the years. They are wonderful people.
Through her family grapevine, I heard the news of her engagement to Greg. I was thrilled when they reached out to ask me to be their wedding photographer and was over the moon with excitement.
It’s always such a joy for me to document the wedding celebrations of friends.
While I’ve visited NYC and had a life-changing experience at the Eddie Adams workshop upstate, I have never visited New England.
It was time to remedy that.
This destination wedding would serve as a chance to photograph and celebrate two amazing individuals in a place I’ve always wanted to visit.
The wedding day took place on Knikka’s large family property. It’s an old farm homestead that’s settled amongst the historic Connecticut countryside outside of Salem. Their fall wedding was timed perfectly with the peak Fall colors of the trees.
Greg and Knikka’s DIY wedding had all the custom touches of a tasteful, rustic wedding shaped by their own personal styles.
The newlywed’s friends and community all contributed making everything special for the bride and groom. Everything from cakes and bread pudding to the homemade smoked BBQ, antique table settings, and the elaborate outdoor scene.
It was a hoot. For their Salem Connecticut Destination Wedding, the newlyweds even hired a minstrel band in costume to entertain the festivities at their themed wedding.
Here are some favorite photographs from their wedding day festivities.
I could not be more excited for these two. Congrats my friends! Cheers to a lifetime of happiness! -M
A few weeks back, I had the absolute pleasure of photographing the Green Oaks Creek Wedding Sangeet of Marit and Samir outside Santa Cruz, California.
Marit and Samir are dear friends of mine. It was an honor when they asked me to document their hybrid Jain and Jewish multicultural wedding weekend celebration. The experience was a complete joy to be a part of.
For this couple, they wanted a wedding highlighting all the important aspects of their lives – honoring their numerous religious traditions, celebrating of their family and friends, and a dedication to ethical green practices.
The best weddings are where the wedding couple creates an experience that uniquely reflects their shared interests and values.
Being surrounded by so many of my favorite people, it was bound to be an incredibly fun weekend event.
We started the celebration on Thursday with Marit and her female family members getting their traditional bridal mehndi artwork by the talented Modern Mehndi.
Saturday marked the welcome wedding Sangeet celebration before the actual wedding on Sunday. Marit and Samir hosted their wedding festivities at the peaceful Green Oaks Creek Farm, a beautiful organic farm north of Santa Cruz, California.
The premise of the Sangeet is not only to kick off the wedding festivities but more importantly, to join their two families from Texas and Chicago. The goal was to create a space that they could familiarize themselves with one another prior to the big wedding day.
What better way to do so than through laughter, song, food trucks, and dancing.
Everything with their Green Oaks Creek Wedding Sangeet went off without a hitch due to the careful guidance and care of wedding planner Aimee Newlander, of Weddings by Aimee.
Relatives and friends of the bride and groom performed music, taught line dancing, ate delicious food on compostable dishware, and gave toasts of good wishes. Then we danced and danced some more.
The warmest congratulations to the bride and groom Marit and Samir!
Here are a few of my favorites from the evening.
I’m working hard on finishing up their wedding day photos. Stay tuned for more…-M
Fellow Vendors:
Venue: Green Oaks Creek Farm
Wedding Coordinator: Weddings by Aimee
Wedding Photographer: Greener Visuals Photography
Food: Gerard’s Paella, Wah Jee Wah Street Food, & Wood Fire Woodie pizza.
Live Music: Pallavi Mehta & accompaniment, from Soor Academy
Back in August, I photographed the Seattle Washington couples portrait session of my wedding clients Allie and Chris.
This past year I’ve had the pleasure of traveling to make Seattle Washington Couples Portraits of my wedding clients. As a destination wedding and portrait photographer, it’s always such a joy to take photos of my clients in the places that matter most to them.
These two love their city life together in Seattle.
Allie is coming down the final stretch of obtaining her law degree from Seattle University and Chris works as an aircraft engineer. These two are passionate and driven in what they do. Above all else, they really value the time they have with one another in their relationship.
For their Seattle Washington Couples Portraits, they wanted to explore some of their favorite places in Seattle where they love to spend their free time with one another.
We walked through some of their favorite neighborhoods, explored parks near their home and checked out some of their favorite places for a good drink.
I can not wait to photograph their wedding day celebration in 2020. Congrats on your engagement Allie and Chris!
A few weeks back, I photographed the snowy Lone Mountain Ranch Winter Wedding of Diane and William in Big Sky, Montana.
When Diane and William contacted me about their wedding photography needs, these Florida residents informed me of their grand plans to head north for a snowy, horse-drawn sleigh-inspired outdoor wedding celebration. They were so excited!
The February winter weather in Montana did not disappoint. Their wedding day had over two feet of fresh snow to decorate the mountain landscape. I love a couple that goes against the grain and does an exciting destination wedding change up from their usual warmer climate.
These two medical professionals invited about forty of their closest friends and loved ones out to Lone Mountain Ranch for an intimate wedding weekend tucked away in the mountains in Big Sky, Montana.
Embracing their self-description of being, “numerically up there, been married before, yet still young at heart!” they opted to get adventurous with their Lone Mountain Ranch Winter wedding plans.
They both have cherished their time spent vacationing in Montana and couldn’t think of a better place to celebrate their union.
With excited smiles on their faces, their guests got all bundled up for a unique Montana experience. They loaded into horse-drawn sleighs that would bring them to a large opening on the mountainside where Diane and William’s small, intimate outdoor Montana wedding overlooking Lone Peak would take place. Everyone loved the unique experience that the horse-drawn sleighs provided. With relatives who had trouble being mobile, the sleighs allowed access to the beautiful outdoors while also offering wool blankets and a high-seat vantage point for the guests to watch the ceremony. It all worked out really well.
After a lovely snowy ceremony complete with communion, the entire wedding rode by sleigh to the nearby B-K cabin at Lone Mountain Ranch for the dinner reception. The crew at LMR created a lovely atmosphere combined with flower arrangements from Karen’s Floral Artistry that made the room feel really homey. The sweet bluegrass tunes from The Bridger Creek Boys serenaded the crowd throughout the evening. The fireplace and libations kept everyone cozy while the funny stories and laughter warmed their hearts. We had a fantastic time and capped off the evening with a sparkler exit for the newlyweds. I could not be more excited for these two. I was so grateful to be a part of their wedding celebration and I wish them all the best! -M
Happy New Year everyone! I’m proud to present my Best of 2018 Montana Wedding Photographs from Greener Visuals Photography!
I always find this time of year to be thrilling.
It’s a moment we collectively engage in looking ahead and backward from where we came.
The last week of the year always holds a lot of important annual events in my life. It’s time spent with family around the holidays, the celebration of my birthday (I turned 36 years old a few days ago, yikes!), and the ringing in of the new year.
I always take this time to self-reflect on the great experiences with my wedding photography clients from the past year. It’s a time to begin throttling forward toward my new creative goals on the near horizon. I’m forever striving to be the best version of myself (mind, body, and spirit) and finding ways to better serve my clients and community.
2018 was a positive year for me. I had lots of growth, explored new places, overcame new challenges, met fascinating people, and made many good memories. I feel blessed for all the new relationships I made throughout the year and for being able to tell candid, creative stories through my photographs!
I’m excited about my upcoming adventures and the fun clients I’ll get to document in 2019.
In the spirit of reflection, I’ve gathered up some of my favorite wedding photographs from the past 2018 wedding season.
It’s such a joy for me to relive some of my favorite moments all gathered in one place. I feel honored to have been a part of all the wonderful celebrations this year with my wedding clients.
With pride, here are my Best of 2018 Montana Wedding Photographs by Greener Visuals Photography.
If you or a loved one you know is in need of an epic Bozeman wedding photographer, engagement photographs, a new family portrait, or updated business headshots in 2019, Greener Visuals Photography is now booking for all your professional photographic needs!
Grateful for all of your continued support and I look forward to hearing from you! -M
About a month ago, this Montana destination wedding photographer photographed the Murrieta California Destination Wedding day of my two artistic friends Rex and Tandy.
There are few things in life that bring me more joy than being able to photograph the wedding celebrations of dear friends.
This wedding was particularly special for me to document.
Rex and I have been close childhood friends since elementary school. What started as a shared love of artistic endeavors growing up, went on to foster countless visual creative collaborations in our formal middle school and high school years.
It was with Rex at my side that I first discovered the possibilities of what a camera could create. Together we explored our surroundings and even went as far as to build a darkroom in my mom’s spare closet. Soon we were off to the races chasing this new creative rabbit hole. Little did I know then that those times with him would be the beginning of my life-long pursuit of exploring the photographic medium. I wouldn’t be the same person without knowing him in my life.
Rex also followed his creative muses through life. He graduated from art school and now makes his living in Missoula, Montana working as a remote video game designer. I heard he had found himself an equally talented creative partner in Tandy, a successful illustrator, I knew he had found his person.
When Rex and Tandy asked me to photograph their wedding celebration on her family’s property in Murrieta, California, I could not have been more honored.
Their Murrieta California Destination Wedding day was a lovely, intimate DIY wedding staged at Tandy’s mother’s large home. Their friends and family worked together to transform the newly renovated yard into a special and memorable wedding atmosphere. Cute, homemade gray and yellow decorations added a lovely pop of color to the green surrounding landscape.
As the sun set over the valley, the wedding couple said their vows witnessed by their close loved ones. They cheered as the newlyweds kissed to seal the deal. The rest of the night we laughed, told stories, ate homemade pies, and danced the night away.
Here is a selection of favorite photographs I made throughout their day.
I could not be more excited for these two. I wish them a lifetime of happiness! -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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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
I just flew back from photographing Matt and Liz’ Wedding Day in downtown Chicago a few days ago. Despite a little midwest precipitation, the day was a fantastic celebration, a wonderful reunion with old friends and spirits were high.
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. Check out some of my favorite images from the day.
The evening before Jenny & Ethan’s wedding day, their close friends and family gathered at the bride’s parent’s house in Bozeman for their rehearsal dinner. The calm Montana evening in early Fall did not disappoint.
Photograph the wedding day of Elizabeth & Ryan at Chico Hot Springs in Pray, Montana
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