I’d like to start this blog with two facts.
#1. Winter weddings in the mountains of Montana are STUNNING.
#2. If you create a reason for me to stay at Chico Hot Springs, I’m a very happy photographer!
Like many things in life, it takes a lot of work and planning to bring into reality the wedding you envision. After over a year of planning, Tonya & Darin finally got the wedding they had been dreaming of! Family and friends surrounded them at one of the newest luxury wedding venues in Paradise Valley, Copper Rose Ranch, on a beautiful day in February.
As I pulled up, Darin warmly welcomed me with a smile and a wave. When he offered to help with my gear, it was incredibly clear that this was going to be an amazing gathering of the best kind people. He showed me in, introduced me to Beverly, the day of coordinator, and pointed me to the cabin where the girls were getting ready before continuing on to other duties.
Tonya’s smile lit up the cabin where the girls were getting ready and the air was full of laughter. Makeup was being applied and hair was being set and the Floridians huddled around the fireplace. After speaking with Tonya and the other girls present for a short time my suspicions were confirmed. Tonya and Darin were nothing but authentic, classy, and generous the entire day.
When I arrive at a wedding, the first thing I do after I’ve introduced myself to everyone and grabbed my cameras is to make a simple request of the bride. I ask that any important details be gathered up. I’m looking for the dress, rings, shoes/boots, jewelry, and any other noteworthy items so I can photograph them.
However, this request does something much more important than ensuring no details are missed. This request creates an opportunity for natural and candid moments to happen.
All of a sudden, you are taking your dress out of its bag and finding a beautiful spot to display it for a moment. Perfect, your wedding gown looks great hanging in the background for photos! This starts a conversation about what it was like finding the dress, why this is THE dress, and maybe even about how hard it was to keep it a secret. The conversation is filled with laughs and smiles. Up next are the rest of the details, a family heirloom or perhaps even a gift to unwrap, with even more real, natural smiles.
And the entire process is photographed.
Copper Rose Ranch
Want to see your wedding photographer get excited? Bring them out to a new venue like this one!
Copper Rose Ranch is located in Paradise Valley about 10 miles north of Chico Hot Springs. If you have ever been to the area you know what it’s like! The barn was originally constructed over 100 years ago and has just recently been renovated into a premier event space with plenty of elegant western charm and is able to host weddings with up to 250 guests year-round.
A large main hall for ceremonies and/or receptions sits in the middle, with a western-style bar on one side and a cozy dining space on the other.
The property also features 10 beautiful log cabins, sleeping up to 66 guests. As well as a full bar to help make sure the party is flowing and a kitchen so your caterer has everything they need. (I’ve said this many times, if you are planning a party it’s best to stay on-site or provide transportation for your guests.)
If a stress-free wedding day is a goal of yours, be sure to read this!
When you are gathering your wedding team, be sure that each vendor you bring in makes your wedding more enjoyable and closer to the vision you have in mind.
The one vendor that has more influence over how your actual day goes is the "day of" coordinator.
This person fills a variety of roles and is your first line of defense against any unwanted stress on your wedding day. I have seen a good coordinator turn a potentially disastrous situation into an unnoticeable incident.
Beverly, from Magnoliablue Events (assisted by her husband Chris, & if you want to go fishing in the area talk to this guy!), were the people who made sure the day was smoother and more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Beverly and I clicked right away and I could tell she is the kind of vendor I like to work with. A vendor who puts the couple’s experience and needs ahead of everything else and is willing to go the extra mile to make sure it’s done right.
In addition to all the prep/planning work, every time I saw her, she was hard at work, makeing sure everything was beautiful and perfect. She even helped clear dinner and drinks and stayed extra late to help clean up at the end of the night.
If you are looking for some help to make sure your wedding day is as beautiful as you dream, reach out to Beverly. She is an amazing asset on your wedding team and will make sure that you get to experience and enjoy your day instead of worrying about the details.
(Want to learn even more about how a day of coordinator can help your wedding? Check out THIS interview.)
I’d like to take a moment to say thank you to the rest of the hardworking team who helped make this wedding what it was!
Copper Rose Ranch
Kylee Delle
Emily Layne
Zak Jokela - wedding photographer.
Hi, my name is Zak and I’ve been a wedding photographer and photojournalist for 9 years now! If you want your photography to tell a story and natural candid moments are important to you I’d love to talk. I can only take two more weddings in 2022, and 2023 is also starting to fill in so head over to the CONTACT page and get in touch to inquire about your date.
