you may recognize these two from when i did their engagement shoot a few years back, the one that was featured on utah valley bride. SO fun. unfortunately i was already booked on their wedding date, so i didn’t get to photograph their wedding. almost two years went by before she scheduled their formals shoot with me. but its okay because its NEVER too late to give yourself the wedding photos you want!!
part of what draws me to photograph humans is that i’m kind of a voyeur, in that i’m intrigued by other people’s lives and stories.
when i was a kid, i’d play barbies for hours on end. i loved dressing them, setting up their living situations, and creating their stories.
when i started to grow out of the barbie phase, my cousin introduced me to virtual barbies: The Sims. i played this game nonstop for hours, designing their homes, creating my characters, and building their lives.
sadly, at some point i grew out of this ‘playing’ phase and kinda had to start living my own life. and for the past 10+ years i’ve been playing real-life, decorating my living spaces, creating offspring, and shaping my story.
so when i think about it, its really not surprising that i love photographing real people in their homes living their lives. its just another form of this fascination i have with the human experience. drop me off in the middle of nowhere to make landscapes and i could find some value in it (and have), but put me in a place to witness human beings who are vulnerable with each other, vulnerable with me, and who are letting me get a glimpse of their stories, their lives, and their love? it is unmatched, you guys. UN. MATCHED.
we took these photos at megan’s apartment. she has made this place her home for the past few years, and in a few weeks she is giving it all up to move to california for work. i jumped at the chance to document this time in her life, with her boo, and her pupper at their home.
this wedding was full of nonstop laughter, sipping champagne through a straw, epic dance numbers, and mind-blowing live musical performances. plus love and hugs and tears and blah blah blah whatever.
i loved every minute.
guys, this is a good one.
not good in the perfect details sense. or in the exquisitely matched dresses and flowers and desserts and whatever else sense.
this is the wedding the bride lovingly described to me as “borderline janky,” which the dictionary (because i weirdly love definitions) defines as “of extremely poor or unreliable quality.” it made me laugh, and i was very intrigued.
it was clear to me from the beginning that this wedding was all about relationships. their venue was selected because it was the perfect location to house and host all of their dearly loved guests. besides the catering staff, i was the only “vendor” present that day. even the flowers that lined the aisle were grown in their own front yard. the bride literally wore her grandmother’s wedding dress.
i don’t often do a lot of directing during weddings. i prefer to let the day unfold and document what i see. this day was no exception. i am constantly blown away by the subtle beauty that can be found in the ordinary. but this day i developed a newfound appreciation for a wedding focused on the important things. i was a literal pool of tears during the vows these guys wrote for each other. it absolutely ruined my eye makeup and i made sure to chastise them for making me cry so much.
they hung sentimental photos of each guest on their bedroom doors. i mean….
this is the bride who found ants dying as a little girl and SET UP A CLINIC TO SAVE THE ANTS. she saves young human lives these days. and she is keenly, alarmingly aware of every one in her presence. a small child who might be ignored by anyone else on their wedding day, she seeks these people out. she gets down on their level and they let her into their world. a little lady guest was watching us take their formals photos and she invited her into the photo so she wouldn’t feel left out. she makes everyone in her presence feel like they’re the most important person on the planet.
