Petersen 50th Anniversary Lake Chelan Celebration {Manson}

Being part of a family celebration is always an honor for me and this one was such a lovely day in every way. From the perfectly crafted florals that reminded me of a spring day to the gorgeous gold and pink cake that was equally amazing in both taste and presentation, every detail was thought out and beautiful.  I was able to do a lot of different family pictures for this group and even their outfits were coordinated for the celebration.  Thankfully even the weather must have known it was a special day because it originally was raining but for the dinner and pictures the rain just took a break and it was absolutely gorgeous!  50 years of being married is one of the greatest accomplishments of a lifetime and having everyone around to celebrate that was so special and I’m sure it was something that they will remember forever!  Thank you Petersen family for allowing me to capture some of these moments for you!

Torgesen Family Orchard and Lake Session {Manson}

It's no secret that I love big families and in this family was just the best!  It was basically like I was taking pictures of professional models because all of them were so easy going and enjoyable to work with!  Everything about the location matched what we were hoping for and even with planning out the session ahead of time, I never really have the control over what the weather is going to do or my visibility but this night everything just came together for perfection.  Getting to hear stories about a family is one of the highlights of any session for me and this session was especially important because of impending graduations and their oldest getting to go on mission.  This was one way that this family can remember how great it is being together and have memories forever.  I'm so thankful they chose me to document this moment in their family history!  Enjoy!

 I'm just always going to love kissing pictures and this is one of my favorites of all time!

Navarro Family {Lake Chelan}

This night was extra special because it was the day before Gabi would graduate from high school!  We’ve known the Navarro family for the last several years and one of the reasons I love them is because Gabi has been one of Kamden’s favorite people!  She is so great with kids and helps out with his class at our church. Since he was little he was always excited when she was one of the first people he would get to see and couldn’t wait to have me drop him off so he could play with her.

Summer in our area can mean perfect sunny days where beach time is mandatory or some kind of crazy weather that you are never sure exactly what will happen.  This day just happened to be one of those days where we weren’t sure what would happen from one moment to the next and although the wind came up for some of this session, the Navarro family didn’t let it bother them one bit.  I love when there are moments that pop up throughout my time with a family that are totally unplanned and perfect and this family had a lot of those. They genuinely love being together and have a lot of fun.  When I asked Gabi to tell a story as they were walking around the beach, she didn’t miss a beat and thoroughly entertained everyone, which I’m guessing actually happens a lot,  even when there’s not a photo session going on.  This family has a huge heart for the community and serve it in so many ways, a lot of those ways are not the front and center stage but behind the scenes, taking care of all the details to make people’s lives better and more enjoyable. 

Kyle & Madison's Wedding {Manson & Lake Chelan}

A couple of months ago I first spoke with Madison about photographing her wedding to Kyle and it was one of those times where I just thought to myself, I’m going to love working with this girl! The amazing piece about Madison and Kyle’s wedding was that their ceremony would just be the two of them, me, and the officiant! I have never had a wedding quite like this one and I was so excited about having a whole day to only work with the bride and groom. Now don’t get me wrong, I love the excitement of having a whole troupe of bridal party members that I get to work with all day, as well as family and other friends, but this type of day is one that was unique because it was all about the bride and groom with no other agenda other than relaxing and enjoying a splendid day in the Chelan and Manson area, and of course getting to celebrate a new marriage!  

Kyle and Madison are such genuine, delightful people to be around, their love for each other is evident in every interaction and they aren’t just in love, they are also kind to each other. I know that may sound like a non-romantic way to describe a relationship, but throughout the last couple of years I have observed that when someone is kind to you, it makes a bigger impact then when they just like you. Kyle and Madison care about each other and other people which made this day so memorable.  

Since they both enjoy the outdoors, from fishing to hiking, we had to do a couple shots including their other interests and it was easy to capture them doing what they love. We spoke to local fisherman about the chinook they had just caught and wandered around a pasture with a retired race horse, all while the sun was actually shining on us all day in March! Talk about the perfect day! 

One extra special piece to their day was a little excursion on a helicopter! This was a first for me and when Kyle called me to tell me that it was a surprise for Madison, I could hardly contain my excitement. This helicopter took them from their romantic cabin in the woods and getting ready location to the ceremony. Flying over one of the most scenic valleys in the state of Washington is an epic way to make the most of your day!   

Ceremony: Four Lakes Winery