I first met with Monica and Lance
in October of 2020. What a wild year it had been for all of us, and they had experienced the effects of Covid-19 firsthand. Their wedding day, originally scheduled for May 2020, unfortunately took place during the heart of Washington's state lockdown and had to be moved. That's where I came in! We had our first "get to know ya" meeting in a quint little coffee shop that you may or may not be familiar with called Starbucks. We talked about how they met, how long they'd been together, and what they wanted my help with! I remember leaving that meeting and thinking, "I really hope I get to work with them."
From there, we had the engagement shoot! Monica and Lance had met in highschool, while they both worked at a boy scout camp in Idaho. They liked hiking, shooting, and being outside in general! So, when we decided on shooting in Manito Park, I knew I wanted to make them work for it! We climbed rocks, stood in trees, played with water, and walked all OVER! It was my first engagement shoot since I had started getting my degree and I was so excited to incorporate the stuff I'd learned so far.
Then, we began the journey to the wedding day! Monica and I corresponded a few times in between October and December, and as her day grew more detailed I was filled in! Then, near Christmas time, she asked me about family photos. And that was when I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Monica's fun-loving family! As a gift to her family, Monica booked me to shoot some family photos before the big day! She wanted to capture her family in a less formal environment, and I think it was a fantastic idea! not only was the shoot super fun (and cold), but it helped me get to know my couple and their family so much better! I really focus in on capturing relationship with my photography, and when I have the opportunity to work with a client multiple times I find myself knowing what to look for!
It snowed the entire shoot, and yet the ground and trees were still very green. It was a beautiful January Sunday, and we used the snowfall to our advantage. As the shoot progressed, they relaxed and I watched them start to enjoy their time more and more. We hiked, jumped, skipped, hid, hugged, and smiled the afternoon away! I enjoyed myself immensely, and the ice-cold fingers and toes were very worth it!
I mean, doesn't that just look fun!?
Then came the big day!
I had my gear, my team, my coffee, and a strong desire to get started! We began the long drive from Deer Park, WA to Camp Easton, ID. A combination of Disney and Worship music filled the car as my navigator, Taylor, led us through winding roads and up "mini mountains". We arrived right on time, and got to work! From the dress, to the rings, to the ceremony itself, we got it all! It was a wild day! Almost immediately following the ceremony, we were in the process of taking family photos when a GIANT thunderstorm blew in! Thunder and rain struck us with a loud crescendo, and everyone ran under the pavilion for cover. A few brave guests got to work and built some canopies for us to fit the family under as we continued shooting. With big gusts of wind, and loud thunder crashing against the lake, I felt my adrenaline pumping! We got all the photos done in (what my opinion is) record time and we ran into the reception hall. The rest of the celebrations took place, while the weather freaked out. The whole storm took about 2 hours to finish, and when it did? OH. MY. GOSH. It was beautiful! Sure, there was minor property damage everywhere, and everything was sopping wet, but we still managed to get some stunning sunset shots looking out over the lake!
Overall, it was a beautiful wedding day! Looking back at this process, from beginning to end, I think the wait was well worth it. Monica and Lance get to live their happily ever after together, and they have beautiful photos to help them remember how they got there!
Until We Meet Again friends,
-Emma