Samantha and Grey traveled from Colorado for their elopement. Originally they planned to elope on their own, but later decided to invite their closest family and friends and had less than 20 guests. When they met on the 4th of July, Samantha said she knew right away they would get married someday! She said, “Five and a half years later, 2 cats, 3 dogs 6 chickens and a house in the mountains of Colorado & we are still making each other laugh.” They planned a vacation to celebrate their anniversary and decided to elope instead! She made her own wedding bouquet with fake flowers. It was simple and I loved her choice of greenery and fall colors.  Her dress is a Cocomelody creation.

Samantha & Grey were married amid an intimate gathering of their closest family and friends. Their ceremony took place on Lunch Tree Hill by Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park. It’s a short drive from Jackson Hole and has a beautiful view of Mount Moran and the rest of the Teton mountain range. The location is perfect for an intimate elopement! I had never been to Lunch Tree Hill before so I was a little nervous about photos there – it is a wide open space and in the middle of the day with full sun, it is sometimes challenging to get everything exposed nicely, but it always manages to work out! I’ve fallen in love with black and white photos more and more this year and love including them for my clients.

I love finding places with full shade on these sunny wedding days. It’s important for us to capture the area – especially those grand peaks! But I love the richness and creaminess that that shade gives photos. I mostly shoot my couples back-light except during the very last bit of golden hour (the last hour before sunset). Shooting at golden hour isn’t always an option on wedding days due to planning around events.  I highly recommend choosing a location that has a wide variety of backdrop options for your wedding!