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Summer Wedding on Film in Grand Teton National Park

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Zach and Christina’s wedding was the kind of day that reminds us why we love elopements and intimate weddings so deeply. As accomplished film photographers themselves, they approached their wedding with intention, authenticity, and a deep appreciation for analog photography. It was a lovely collaboration between artists really! We always ask couples what is important to them about their wedding day and wanted to share what they wrote. It says so much about the kinds of couples and wedding we are privileged to witness and document:

“We love peering into the mundane details where it feels like a slice of life - you just happened to be there and it just happened to be our wedding day. Capturing moments, playing with light and movement. Interaction, candid and natural, organic and not posed. Storytelling with a cinematic approach. Adventurous. Timeless. Landscape. Wildflowers. Golden hour. Pop of blue skies. Capturing the big moments and the small details.”

Zach and Christina gathered their immediate families and traveled to Jackson, Wyoming, setting the stage for an intimate wedding in Grand Teton National Park. It was the summer of wildfires but the smoke didn’t keep these two away! A park ranger escorted us to the location at Schwabacher Landing and even held the bride’s bouquet while they privately exchanged vows before the families arrived. Surrounded by dramatic mountain landscapes, the day felt both grounded and elevated—especially as guests arrived in full black-tie attire, even with a short hike required to reach the ceremony location. The ceremony was heartfelt and deeply personal, unfolding naturally in the quiet of the Tetons. Every moment felt unforced, allowing space for genuine connection, emotion, and candid interactions between family members.

We photographed their wedding almost entirely on analog film, with Super 8mm video woven throughout the day. Film was the perfect medium to tell this story—capturing the texture, movement, and emotion of the landscape and the people within it.

Zach and Christina’s wedding was a true reflection of who they are: artistic, intentional, and deeply connected to nature. Their intimate Grand Teton elopement was authentic, emotional, and timeless—and an honor for us to document on film.

As Featured in Rocky Mountain Bride

Jackson, WY Wedding Vendors:
Photography: McKenzi Dye and Joey Dye
Super 8mm Video: Joey Dye
Video Edits: Dalton Call
Super 8 Lab: Pro 8mm
Film Lab: The FIND Lab
Catering: Glorietta
Hair & Makeup: Bride and her sisters

ilm photograph on medium format of a bride holding wildflower bouquet grand teton national park wedding
film photograph on medium format of grand teton national park wedding
ilm photograph on medium format of grand teton national park wedding bride getting ready in black and white film
ilm photograph on 35mm film of grand teton national park wedding
bride getting ready in hotel room with her sisters in Jackson for wedding in grand tetons national park
groom getting ready inside the Virginian Hotel in Jackson WY before wedding in Grand Tetons National Park
ilm photograph on medium format of handwritten vows at grand teton national park wedding
film photograph analog photography of bride and details grand tetons national park wedding
black and white film photograph of couple at wedding in grand tetons national park
bride and groom getting ready at hotel in jackson wy for grand tetons wedding
ilm photograph of ceremony at grand teton national park wedding
ilm photograph on medium format of grand teton national park wedding ceremony
Wedding ceremony in Grand Tetons National Park film photography
park ranger holds the wedding bouquet for wedding at schwabacher landing in grand tetons national park and couple walks the path for their elopement wedding
couple at their wedding in grand tetons national park on medium format film
couple sharing their first dance at schwabacher landing in grand tetons national park
couple on analog photography at wedding in grand teton national park
couple sharing their first dance at schwabacher landing grand teton national park jackson wedding elopement
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Zion National Park Elopement at Sunrise

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Imagine standing on top of a cliff overlooking the breathtaking views of Zion National Park, watching the mountains turn pink and purple as the sun rises. You are in your wedding attire, waiting to share a intimate first look with your bride or groom before the wedding ceremony. You have timed everything so that the light is at it’s most magical for this moment. No big deal right? Ha! Let’s walk through it.

Depending on the time of year the sun usually rises around 6am. It can take a 30 to 45 min to drive to the Canyon Overlook trailhead from Springdale and an additional 30-45 min to hike to the top of the Overlook. For those doing the math you may need to leave your hotel at 4:30 AM or earlier depending on how close you are staying. Leaving the hotel at 4:30 you say? That’s not awesome, but it is doable. Don’t forget that you are going to need to leave time for hair, makeup, oatmeal and coffee! What about when to put on the dress? Some brides hike in their dress, while others change at the top.

Are we starting to paint a picture?

The light at the top of Zion Canyon is absolutely stunning but it moves fast and can be tricky to shoot in at sunrise. So whenever you see an effortlessly beautiful bride standing on the edge of the canyon, please know that it didn’t just happen! We work closely with our couples to plan everything accordingly so we are in the right place at the right time for optimal light and views of the canyon.

One of the reasons that we love photographing elopements and weddings in Zion National Park is because of the type of couple that this place attracts. Julie and Kevin traveled across the entire US, bringing their closest friends and family. The entire group was up and ready at the crack of dawn to meet up with us in Springdale, Utah, located just outside Zion National Park. We caravanned up the canyon and began our hike to the top in the pitch black of early morning. Huge props to this crew for being on time and ready to go! The air was crisp and fresh and the stars were bright. A beautiful morning. It’s not a super difficult hike, but it can be a bit tricky in some spots, especially in the dark. Luckily we had the best crew and we got to the top of the canyon with a little bit of time to spare. Zion is absolutely magical before sunrise and it was worth it.

You need to have a wedding permit to get married or elope in Zion National Park and Canyon Overlook is not one of the permitted locations. We met up at sunrise just for the first look and photos afterwards and then chose a private location on BLM land that still opted for some great views of the canyon.

Julie is a bride that has a passion for film photography and requested that we cover the day with a lot of film. We are camera dorks that love documenting on film and so we brought out all of the cameras on this day! Both 35mm and medium format make an appearance in this gallery so we hope you enjoy. We got set up just in time for the magical light show of sunrise to begin. We love the way the sun starts to slowly fill the canyon with its light. The way it begins to turn on all the features of the canyon one by one as if on queue.

The type of couples planning their weddings and elopements in the beautiful desert of the southwest are looking for an experience that is bigger than them. There is something so lovely about the way it all unfolds. Zion National Park offers a drama and a sacredness that man can’t compete with. We can only place ourselves into these scenes and let nature change us with its elements. This morning was special and one that we feel privileged to use our cameras to bear witness to. Thank you to Julie and Kevin for inviting us to be a part of your wedding day!

Zion National Park Wedding Vendors

Photography: M. Felt Photography
Floral: Jocelyn’s Floral
Dress: Martina Liana Bridal
Film Lab: Indie Film Lab

Moab Elopement Wild with Love & Crazy for Adventure | As Featured in Style Me Pretty

“Say the most important day of your life is quickly approaching. And you’ve got two paths ahead of you. You can do what’s expected, or do something that truly represents who you are: Wild with love and crazy for adventure. To Ariel and Andrew, their path was clear: Take off and elope! To the canyon lands of Utah.”

Ariel and Andrew had the most epic adventure elopement in Moab back in 2015 before it was even a thing. When Ariel first contacted me about photographing their wedding in Moab she mentioned that her father is a backcountry pilot and that they fly together a lot, and that she was thinking about flying one of these planes to her wedding ceremony. As you can imagine I was pretty excited (and also terrified that I would have to ride in the plane, which thankfully, I did not). Joey and I photographed this wedding together and we truly loved it! Andrew and his production team/best friends were awesome to work with and the whole two days was like a big party. We started our day bright and early and followed the Jeeps into this beautiful landing strip at the base of a canyon, right near the river. The road getting there was a bit sketchy but Joey had a blast navigating it! We were on standby while the guys scouted the location to make sure it was still safe to land after the rain that week, but all looked good and clear, so we started our pilgrimage to this epic spot.

Ariel and Andrew built their wedding around their own ideas and relationship and said adieu to any traditions that didn’t felt authentic to them. I loved this. They made a pretty amazing film about it too. Andrew owns a film production company so the whole thing was incredible. Their film made its rounds on the internet when it was first featured on Style Me Pretty. I highly recommend watching it! The reason I say that they are the ones who made adventure elopements a things, is because, well they are! I can’t say I’ve a single bride after this who has flown a plane to her own wedding, or any groom who built his own chuppa the day before the wedding by foraging sticks from the desert where they would exchange vows.

The night before the wedding, we joined Ariel and Andrew and their families to photograph their lovely rehearsal dinner at Sorrell River Ranch. We met up with the couple before the dinner for a fun portrait shoot near Fisher Tower. The Moab desert is incredible. The day after the wedding we hiked Arches National Park and I got to see Delicate Arch for the first time. It was an incredible experience.

Thanks again to this wonderful couple, their production crew, and families! You can see the feature over at Style Me Pretty here.

And watch their wedding film below!

Winter Elopement in Zion National Park

 

I’m always thrilled when I get to photograph couples in Zion National Park. I’ve been doing photoshoots and weddings in the park for about 7 years of my professional career and elopements are quickly becoming some of my favorite shoots there. Musetta and Jurg contacted me about photographing their elopement in Zion National Park on Christmas Eve. That’s not normally a date I would schedule a wedding, but they had the coolest story and Musetta and I really connected over the phone so I said yes! They are both from South Africa and knew they wanted to get married in Zion because it was such a special place to them. The story of how they met is pretty cool too. They went to school together when they were young teenagers but didn’t keep in touch as they grew up and went their separate ways. Years later, their paths crossed again when Musetta was living in the states and Jurg was in South Africa. A year and half later and lots of traveling back and forth, here they are exchanging vows on a cliff in Zion!

We trekked up Canyon Overlook Trail for their bridal photos on Christmas Eve, and waved to the tourists who shared well wishes and exclamations of wonder as the bride hiked around in her wedding dress. Turns out this is one of my favorite things about weddings in national parks- it’s so fun to see how delighted other people are for the bride and groom. It’s a wonderful way to feel connected as humans. We spent some time after the ceremony taking portraits at various locations in the park until the sun set. It was a beautiful evening. Congratulations to the bride and groom!

 
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Morgan + Mark Horseshoe Bend Elopement

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