mountains Archives | Greener Visuals Photography

Hyalite stargazing engagement portraits of Aysha and Brad

Blog, Couple Portraits, Engagement Photos, Engagements, Montana, Outdoor Portraits, Portraits

I photographed the Hyalite stargazing engagement portraits of Aysha and Brad on the eve before the springtime road closure to Hyalite Canyon.

For Aysha, her love of Brad’s spontaneity and ability to make her laugh won her affection over quickly. Their relationship grew closer through their LDS faith, love of soccer and live music, and being together stargazing with each other in their Montana backyard. This couple is dedicated to their craft. Aysha helps run the family plumbing business and Brad is also working there as an electrician apprentice.

Brad summed up Aysha as nothing short of amazing and kept commenting on how much he cherished how every day, she gives everything her all.

After dating for seven months, they were engaged a few weeks back while next to a campfire.

For their Hyalite stargazing engagement portraits, we decided to highlight some of their favorite activities they love to experience together. We made a plan to meet up at the Hyalite Reservoir just outside of Bozeman for their nighttime, stargazing engagement portrait experience.

Upon our arrival at the snow-covered Hyalite parking lot, we were greeted with clear skies and a setting sun. We started by exploring the quiet, cold winter landscape with antique oil lanterns that lighted our path. As the stars came out over the frozen mountain scene, I made some long exposure photographs to make the sky really shine. Afterward, Brad made us a warm campfire to sit around. This couple came prepared with plenty of s’mores, cups of hot chocolate, and the arms of each other. We had found a perfect mountain atmosphere to showcase Aysha and Brad’s relationship.

It made for a really fun night.

Here are some of my favorite photographs I made during our evening together.

I’m so excited for these two and the good fortune that lies ahead for them. Congrats to Aysha and Brad! -M

April 2, 2019/by GreenerVisuals

St. Mary’s Catholic Church Wedding of Teresa and Bob

Backyard Weddings, Blog, Church Weddings, Country Weddings, Featured, Livingston Montana Wedding, Montana, Montana Weddings, Mountain Weddings, Portraits, Summer Weddings, Yellowstone Country Weddings

Livingston Wedding Photographer Paradise Valley wedding couple

Livingston Wedding Photographer bride groom green

Livingston Wedding Photographer white roses bouquet

Livingston Wedding Photographer groom getting ready

Livingston Wedding Photographer bride getting ready

Livingston Wedding Photographer bride in white dress

Livingston Wedding Photographer church wedding

Livingston Wedding Photographer St. Mary’s Catholic Church

Livingston Wedding Photographer train crossing couple kiss

Livingston Wedding Photographer cowboy wedding

Livingston Wedding Photographer cowboy wedding cake

Livingston Wedding Photographer outdoor portraits

Livingston Wedding Photographer cowboy wedding cake cutting

Livingston Wedding Photographer cowboy wedding first dance

Livingston Wedding Photographer cowboy wedding dancing

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of photographing and celebrating the St. Mary’s Catholic Church Wedding of Teresa and Bob.

I met this engaged couple at last year’s A Montana Wedding Bridal Event at The Commons in Bozeman, Montana. We hit it off after a friendly ten-minute conversation. It was clear my candid, documentary photographic style resonated with their wedding day vision. They booked me on the spot. For these two, their love for each other, their family, and their devotion to their Catholic faith would the focal point of their wedding day celebration.

Teresa and Bob’s wedding ceremony was held in the grand space of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. As devoted Catholics, their ceremony was complete with an hour of Mass service.

From there we made our way up Orea Creek Road to their Livingston, Montana home. On our approach, the beauty of the surrounding green mountainsides was too enticing. We couldn’t help ourselves and happily stopped numerous times to photograph portraits with the epic Montana scenery surrounding us. Upon our arrival, the sound of cheers from their awaiting guests greeted the newlyweds at their outdoor reception on their Livingston property.

It was a wedding reception celebration in the pure local Montana cowboy style.

The newlyweds hired a live country band who beckoned guests to the dance floor. There, formal country two-step dance lessons were being given to the out-of-town guests. Everyone really got into it and had a great time. The yard games and a photo booth entertained the wedding guests in between songs. When the food was ready, the bride, groom, and their guests dined on good Montana BBQ and libations. It was a perfect Livingston, Montana evening to celebrate the union of these two amazing people. I could not be more excited for these two.

Congrats to the newlyweds Teresa and Bob! -M

August 1, 2018/by GreenerVisuals

Livingston Montana Wedding Day Photography Preview of Teresa and Bob

Backyard Weddings, Blog, Featured, Forest Weddings, Indoor Weddings, Livingston Montana Wedding, Montana, Mountain Weddings, Outdoor Weddings, Small Weddings, St. Mary's Catholic Church, Summer Weddings

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

July 11, 2018/by GreenerVisuals

Middle Cottonwood Canyon Engagement Portraits of Lisa and Noah

Blog, Engagement Photos, Engagements, Family Portraits, Featured, Middle Cottonwood Canyon, Montana, Outdoor Portraits, Pets, Portraits

Bozeman Engagement Photographer Middle Cottonwood Canyon couple

The other day I photographed the Middle Cottonwood Canyon Engagement Portraits of my wedding clients Lisa and Noah in Bozeman Montana.

Lisa and Noah wanted to feature a special place as the setting for their engagement session.

It was here that Noah brought Lisa on their second date for a hike up Middle Cottonwood Canyon.

These two have been living in their new home in Washington for the past year. Lisa works as a software engineer and is Noah working away on his pursuit of a science graduate degree. They were home visiting family and wanted to have their Middle Cottonwood Canyon Engagement photos to remind them of their Montana roots.

When it came time to plan their wedding day, choosing their Montana home as the backdrop was a no-brainer for them. These two will be tying the knot tomorrow up Kelly Canyon! I’m so excited for these guys! Stay tuned for their wedding photo preview! -M

June 29, 2018/by GreenerVisuals

Hyalite Canyon Engagement Photography Experience of Allison and Matt

Blog, Engagement Photos, Engagements, Family Portraits, Featured, Montana, Outdoor Portraits, Pets, Portraits

Bozeman Engagement Photographer Hyalite Canyon couple portrait

Capitalizing on a recent break in the rainy weather, I met up with my wedding clients Allison and Matt for their Hyalite Canyon Engagement Photography Experience.

Over these last few months, I’ve really enjoyed getting to know these two.

They recently moved to Bozeman from Davis, Montana where they attended school as Ecology grad students. Back during my time working in California newspapers, I too lived in the city of Davis. As we got to know each other, we quickly realized we had many overlapping UC Davis friends and shared outdoor leisure activities. We quickly hit it off and had a blast exploring the scenic local landscape during our Hyalite Canyon Engagement Photography session.

These two are wonderful humans.

And their big wedding day is quickly approaching. I’m looking forward to documenting and celebrating them at their Springhill Pavilion wedding day in a few weeks! -M

June 29, 2018/by GreenerVisuals

El Western Resort Wedding of Becky and Kyle

Blog, Country Weddings, El Western Resort, Featured, Montana, Montana Weddings, Mountain Weddings, Outdoor Weddings, Outdoor Weddings, Spring Weddings, Yellowstone Country Weddings

El Western Resort Wedding Photos Becky and Kyle

This past Saturday, I stepped in last minute to photograph the El Western Resort Wedding day of Becky and Kyle in Ennis Montana.

Sometimes in life, you can’t always plan for the unexpected.

I woke up to an early morning message from a photographer friend of mine. Overnight she had become quite ill and woke up the morning of her client’s wedding day unable to work it. That is a nightmare situation for any working creative. Thankfully, here in southwest Montana, there is a strong community of supportive, talented wedding photographers. When called upon, we strive to help out one another.

Luckily, I was available and took over the reins for her agreeing to photograph her client’s El Western Resort wedding.

It makes me proud that I live amongst a community of wedding professionals that go the distance for their clients. By helping each other out, we are able to provide the best service possible for wedding couples having their celebrations in southwest Montana.

While it wasn’t ideal news for bride Becky and groom Kyle to find out the morning of their wedding day, they understood and were grateful for the help.

Not having any time to get to know them before their wedding day, I stepped up to make the best wedding photography experience I could for them. The result was a fun, country wedding celebration filled with good people in the heart of horse and fly fishing country.

A great time was had by all. I have a lot of great photos to edit through but I wanted to share a few favorites so far that have stood out to me. I’m excited to show them all the goods from their special day. Stay tuned for more wedding photos! -M

May 8, 2017/by GreenerVisuals

Hyalite Winter Engagement Photos Session of Heather & Andrew

Blog, Destinations, Engagement Photos, Engagements, Featured, Montana, Montana Weddings, Types

Hyalite Canyon Winter Engagement Photo Session of Heather & Andrew

A few weeks back I got to photograph Heather & Andrew for their Hyalite Winter Engagement Photos Session outside Bozeman, Montana.

I’ll be photographing their 2016 wedding day at Chico Hot Springs next April. While they were in town for Thanksgiving with family, we found a window of time to drive to the nearby majestic rocky mountain canyon. The snow had just recently fallen a couple of days before and now cast a white blanket across the surrounding Hyalite Reservoir and Gallatin National Forest. It was a cool ice-covered scene to explore. With the mixed overcast clouds, I was able to play with the cooler winter color palette of the Montana landscape.

These two were a lot of fun during their Hyalite Winter Engagement Photos Session. I appreciate a wedding couple that is up for an adventure. I’m looking forward to documenting their wedding celebration this Spring. Congrats on your engagement you guys! -Mike

December 9, 2015/by GreenerVisuals

The Inspired Rustic Charm of Weddings in Montana

Blog, Country Weddings, Mountain Weddings, Outdoor Weddings, Springhill Pavilion, Bozeman, MT, Summer Weddings, Weddings

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.

May 7, 2015/by GreenerVisuals

Vail Colorado Wedding Day Photos at the 4 Eagle Ranch Preview of Ali & Drausin

4 Eagle Ranch, 4 Eagle Ranch - Vail, Blog, Colorado Weddings, Outdoor Weddings, Outdoor Weddings, Summer Weddings

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

August 23, 2013/by GreenerVisuals

The HideOut Wedding Day of Zack and Anna in Kirkwood, California

Blog, California Weddings, Destinations, Featured, Forest Weddings, Lake Tahoe Weddings, Mountain Weddings, Outdoor Weddings, Summer Weddings

Bozeman Wedding Photography Destination Lake Tahoe

A few weeks back in the Lake Tahoe region, I had the pleasure to photograph The HideOut Wedding Day of Zack and Anna in Kirkwood, California.

Fall has come to California and I find myself meditating on my good fortune to have had the opportunity to photograph so many of my friend’s weddings this past year. But none have had so much anticipation and impact on me like Zack and Anna’s The HideOut Wedding Day did.

I’ve known Zack and Anna for almost four years now. They were some of the first friends I made after arriving to my first newspaper job in Redding, California. But when the time came to move on and travel to South America with my brother, our paths moved in different directions. Zack and Anna left their positions as bird researchers in Redding and began graduate school in Ecology at The University of California Davis. Little did I know that upon my return to the States six months later, we would reconnect. I got a new newspaper job close to Davis and would eventually become roommates with them and four egg-laying chickens.

Unlike other weddings I have photographed, being roommates to an engaged couple automatically made me apart of the wedding planning process.

It was fun to watch their excitement grow as the months and weeks counted down to their big day The HideOut Wedding Day in Kirkwood, California. Because of my inclusion in the preparation, I felt the whole wedding day to be all that more important. We headed out towards Lake Tahoe to a beautiful, secluded log mansion at The HideOut in Kirkwood, California for their wedding weekend.

They completely made their wedding day all their own with the help of great friends. The two wild pigs were shot then roasted over a borrow spit. Friends made homemade decorations and desserts. Despite plummeting mountain temperatures, their guests brought relentless energy and good spirits that helped keep the party going long into the night.

It was incredible to see the amount of giving. Each of their friends and family members contributed to help celebrate the union of these two individuals. We had a great time and I was proud to be apart of it. There are countless photos from their wedding day and I hope you get a chance to check them all out. I wish them all the best. -M

September 20, 2010/by GreenerVisuals

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