The Dueck's were on a cross-country trip visiting National Parks and just experiencing all of the amazing things the American West has to offer. We met up in West Glacier just outside Glacier National Park on a mildly smoky late summer day, which is a fairly common occurrence unfortunately. The good news is, sometimes the haze makes for some truly dreamlike light and backdrops. That feeling came through really well in this gallery of images.
Living in an area that is for many people a once-in-a-lifetime destination is a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because it means I get to meet and work with so many couples and families from all over and often witness their first experience with Glacier National Park. The curse comes with the realization that I will not get to hang out with the vast majority of these individuals again.
But every once in a while the stars align, and I get to hang out with people who are now basically old friends. Those stars aligned for Julia and Javier when they were able to return to Montana for their first anniversary, and I got to introduce them to a large portion of Going-to-the-Sun road they never got to experience when they were here for their wedding. A wedding that was beset with absolutely relentless rain for probably 85% of the day but was one of the most memorable weddings I've had the honor of being a part of. Memories aside though, the rain prevented the appropriate amount of couples portraits that they—and the handmade dress Julia's friend made her—deserved.
The Owens family were visiting from Canada. And while they'd visited Whitefish before, this was the first time they'd all been able to get together in several years. I enjoyed joining them at their vacation rental in the Beaver Bay area of Whitefish Lake and we set out getting individual families photographed, along with individual photos of the children, followed by big groups, and even popping some champagne.
Kristina & Ryan's wedding at Great Northern Resort just outside Glacier National Park in West Glacier was such a lovely, laid-back affair surrounded by family and their closest friends. We were able to have a little fun with the wedding party photos—as you can see above—and enjoyed the live music stylings of The MAC Band as the night came to a close.
Venue: Great Northern Resort / Planner: Big Day Celebrations / Bakery: Cakes by Debi / Band: The MAC Band / Florals: Foolish Blooms Farm / Hair & Makeup: Glacier Beauty / Rentals & Decor: Empress Tents & Events and The Party Store / Videographer: Erickson Media / Second Photographer: Porsche Jean Photography
I finally was privileged to meet Mary, whose sister Anna I've enjoyed working with over the years. Mary and her family were in town and took the opportunity to get some updated family photos. I met them essentially immediately after they arrived at the airport, and we worked as quickly as we could before their little man was thoroughly done with the session having been taken well out of his typical schedule. But I think it all worked out quite well.
Earlier this summer I had the pleasure of working with a large group of friends here in Whitefish. Much to my delight it led to me working with Renee's family, because her cousin was in that first group. Renee had some friends along for the ride as well and we had a great time where they were staying, and then on the way up to Whitefish Mountain Resort.
From our very first video call when Caroline and Evan were choosing a photographer, it seemed to be fated that I would photograph their wedding. I was wearing a shirt with a penguin on it in that Zoom call, and Caroline immediately commented on it. I soon discovered that she studies penguins, and her specialty is the very same penguin you'll see in the upper left of this website!
As amazingly coincidental as that is, that isn't the sole reason I was their wedding photographer. We hit it off from that very first conversation and continued to over coffee a few months before the wedding which took place at Evan's parent's house near Lake Blaine. And it was just down the literal street from where Evan had grown up. On top of that personal touch, they brewed the beer for the occasion, the food was a group effort prepared by family and following a recipe from Caroline's grandmother, and there was a bird theme throughout given that they both study birds for a living!
Florals: Memories in Blossom / Hair & Makeup: Majestic Mountain Beauty / Rentals & Decor: Bella Trailers and The Party Store
Reunited and it feels so good. I once again had the pleasure of meeting up with the Ewens here in Whitefish before the end of summer. If you've got a good memory, you'll recognize this family of three—though soon to be four!—from an engagement session many moons ago, and a portrait session last year. They were in town again and wanted one more chance to get some family photos before becoming a family of four, and I was overjoyed to oblige. We started at Whitefish City Beach and explored a newish trailhead on the Whitefish Trail system on the way up to Whitefish Mountain Resort.
When I arrived at Great Northern Resort just outside Glacier National Park, Amelia greeted me with the greeting "Welcome to the shitshow!" It was half being silly—we'd been joking about the wedding day ending up as such—and half serious. Some things were invariably not going 100% according to plan. I assured her however that, to be honest, wedding days rarely go 100% according to plan. Even under ideal conditions and with a team of amazing vendors, some things will go wrong or fall through the cracks, and that is okay! Often the fact that anything went wrong is completely invisible to the wedding guests and is only known by the couple and a handful of wedding vendors.
The great news is, that Amelia and Jim's day was no different, and the evening was just a beautiful evening full of friends, family, and laughter.
Venue: Great Northern Resort / Catering: Oso Catering / DJ: Treasure State Entertainment / Florals: Flathead Farmworks / Hair & Makeup: Elegance by Joy Renee / Planner: Dreaming of I Do / Rentals & Decor: The Party Store
I had the unique pleasure of doing some updated headshots for actor Cody Craven who took on the role of Carl Perkins in Alpine Theatre Project's production of "Million Dollar Quartet" here in Whitefish.
