Zion Wedding Photographer

Zion National Park Destination Wedding at Lazalu Retreat

We met these two for an engagement shoot in Zion National Park almost a year before their wedding. From the first moment we met we knew we loved them both! Anissa and Omar have a subtle way of making space for everyone through love and respect. We were really moved by the way that they showed up for each other too, offering kindness and support, it was instantly clear that what these two shared was really special. Overall, an amazing shoot in the Utah desert and we were stoked to see them again close to a year out for their wedding. 

One year later it was time to party in Zion! One of the best things about kind, loving, respectful and supportive people is that the people they choose to surround themselves with usually share the same qualities. This was certainly true for this crew! The couple got ready for their wedding in Adobe houses at Lazalu Zion Retreat. The bride was surrounded by both friends and family, sipping champagne while hair and makeup did their thing. They were blasting music and having a chill day in their rustic cabin at Lazalu.

The fellas were on the other side of the property doing their thing too. Putting on cufflinks, offering advice, and tossing back a drink or two in preparation for the wedding ceremony. After snapping plenty of candid photos capturing both scenes as they played out, it was time for the first look. One of the best parts of a Lazalu wedding is that it gives us quick access to some of our favorite places to shoot in Zion National Park. So a quick drive to a quiet meadow and we were able to set the stage for our bride and groom to share a first look and have a quiet moment together. We love the emotion of a first look and having the dramatic background of massive sandstone spires and deep canyon walls of the Utah desert as a backdrop makes the perfect scene for the moment. We also love how the first look makes the whole thing feel real for the couple. Seeing your partner all done up in wedding attire helps everything sink in like “We are really doing this!”

Just like that, it was time to head back and walk down the aisle!

A stroll across a field to the site of the ceremony where chairs were set and the space was adorned in flowers set up against a jaw dropping background of sandstone cliffs and blue skies. Lazalu never disappoints! After a beautiful and heartfelt bilingual ceremony, our newly wed couple was flying high and overjoyed. An open bar with drinks already mixed and a charcuterie spread was waiting for everyone in the shade of the grove. Cocktail hour! Meanwhile the center of the grove was getting the final finishing touches from the incredible team at Forevermore Events, making sure that everything was flawless before the guests were invited in. The seating chart was a shot of tequila, letting you know what type of energy you were expected to bring with you! 

Outdoor dining nestled inside the shelter of a grove of scrub oak just feels special! Dinner was filled with delicious food and heartfelt speeches. These guys had so much love and support from their families and their chosen families, it made for many amazing moments and we were absolutely loving it. It is always a goal of ours to capture how the day feels, so that our couple can go back and relive all of the small exchanges that happened throughout the day, and this wedding had all of it.

Now that everyone was well fed it was time to light up the dance floor and party! Tequila was flowing and the music was pumping, nothing like some Latin grooves to get a party going. This wedding was an absolute blast and we hope our photos did the day justice. Thank you Anissa and Omar! We love you both and and so happy for you!

ZION NATIONAL PARK WEDDING VENDORS:

Planning: Forevermore Events
Venue: Lazalu Zion Retreat
Floral: Bloomers
Catering: Kelsos Culinary Creations
Sound: Festival Sounds
Hair: Hair by Brooke
Makeup: Beauty by Allie J
Cake: CBJ and Company
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Film Lab: The Find Lab

Zion National Park Wedding at Lazalu Retreat

Imagine an intimate wedding under the stars of a dark sky in Utah. You’ve brought all of your closest friends and family and, of course, your dogs! The scene for the wedding takes place in a picturesque field that is touching the boundary of Zion National Park. Lazalu is our absolute favorite wedding venue in Zion. Every aspect of this amazing artist retreat turned wedding venue knows that it’s job is to not distract from the amazing vistas that surround it. Sacred and ancient canyon walls rise up from every direction that you look! The sun drops behind the cliffs as you and your guest are enjoying custom cocktails and appetizers and the blanket of stars start to fill the sky. It’s time to move your guests into the oak grove where a lavish scene awaits them. Flowers hang from the sky with the lights and the well appointed tables are set with all the trimmings and special details. Every guest has a place set with a photo and hand written note about what your relationships mean to them. This destination wedding in Zion National Park PARK literally had it all! 

Complete with a photo booth, bounce castle and karaoke, not one single detail was missed.

But most importantly this wedding was absolutely full to the brim with love! The type of people who choose to have their destination wedding in a place like Zion National Park are special. They tend to value their relationships above all else. The couples that a place like Lazalu wedding venue seems to attract are in a category on their own. They choose to build an experience for their guest in a temple that has been constructed by nature.

We started the destination wedding weekend with these two beautiful people with a private vow ceremony in the desert outside of Zion. Just the four of us plus two of the cutest dogs. You can see the full post from that day here.

We shot with both film and digital at this wedding and you will find a mix of both in their gallery below. We feel that shooting with film and digital is the best way for us to honor the documentary wedding style that we love so dearly!

Wes and Noreen. Thank you for inviting us to document your wedding! We hope these photos speak for themselves and that the love, joy and absolute fun shines through every single image. 

ZION NATIONAL PARK Wedding Vendors

Planner: Forevermore Events
Zion National Park Wedding Venue: Lazalu
Hair and Makeup: Beauty By Freckled Fox
Floral: Bloomers
Catering: Kelso’s
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Photo Booth: Photo Booth Bus
Entertainment: Festival Sounds
Content Creator: BACHD

Zion National Park Destination Wedding at Lazalu

She was from Utah. He was from England. They met in NYC and fell in love. They eloped in Las Vegas during 2020 and planned an epic celebration in the backcountry near Zion National Park in Utah.

The day started with blue skies in a gorgeous field full of wildflowers. The bride and groom had a quiet morning getting ready at the off-grid Zion wedding venue called Lazalu, nestled just outside of ZION NATIONAL PARK with stunning and private views of the red rock mountains. The charm and beauty of Lazalu provided a beautiful backdrop and setting for the day. Lazalu used to be an artist retreat and is now one of our favorite Zion wedding venues. It is a perfect way to combine the experience of an adventurous destination wedding in a national park with the quiet and secluded experience for a luxury wedding in the Southwest.

The couple shared their first look in a field overlooking the Zion landscape. Gucci shoes and a custom Markarian wedding dress. 

Jordan and Ricky knew what was important to them for their wedding day and they worked with the best wedding planner in Southern Utah for Zion destination weddings to make it happen: Laura at Forevermore Events! They envisioned  dinner and dancing under the stars in their favorite place in Utah. An experience for their city friends like no other! The blue skies quickly turned gray as a torrential summer thunderstorm moved through the mountains. 

Our favorite moments include watching as all of the guests worked together to move the entire wedding to shelter, and the bride and groom running through the field with a bottle of Dom into the wildest party with a live band. A terrible storm couldn't keep this party down! These humans are as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside. 

The night ended with clear skies and a sky full of stars, as Jordan and Ricky and their favorite people moved outside to the grove with a live DJ and a disco party. 

From the bride, as featured in Over the Moon

"Watching our people save the wedding was a really emotional experience, and I think we were both just taking that in. It felt like a culmination of their love and support over all the years. Ultimately, it just felt like how we handle all obstacles—together, with good humor, and with the support of the people we love.”

ZION NATIONAL PARK WEDDING VENDORS:

Wedding Planner: Forevermore Events
Photographer: M. Felt Photography
Zion National Park Wedding Venue:
Lazalu
Videographer: Dalton Call
Florist: Bloomers
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Catering: Chef Shon
Music & Entertainment: 
Mimi Knowles
Justin Cornwall @whatjustin
Gown Designer:
Markarian
After Party Rentals: Festival Sounds

Intimate Destination Wedding at Zion Red Rock Oasis | Zion National Park Wedding Photography

Of all the destinations in the world to host a wedding, Zion National Park is up there with the best of them. These high school sweethearts along with their two beautiful children felt the same way. Zion Red Rock Oasis ended up being the best wedding venue to host their closest family and friends and provided the perfect backdrop for their wedding. Jake is himself an accomplished adventure photographer and loved the fact that we are hybrid wedding photographers, meaning we shoot both digital photography along with analog film photography. It is always an honor to be chosen by a fellow photog to document their most important day for them. The red rock backdrop of Zion National Park provided the perfect setting for this national park wedding. The wonderful friends and family that had gathered to celebrate this wedding in the desert provided all of the sweet, tender and fun moments.

Our only agenda for the day was to document everything as it happened, and we were more that happy to oblige! An intimate wedding in Zion National Park that turns into a wild party when the sun goes down? Sign us up!

Vendor List:

Photography: M. Felt Photography
Planning: Poppy Lane Events
Venue: Zion Red Rock Oasis
Floral: Poppy Lane Events
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Taylor Made Events
Makeup: Beauty by AllieJ
Hair: Hair by Brooke
Cake: Cake Couture
DJ: Electric Audio 4 U
Bartending: Silver Lining Events Bartending
Catering: Chef Alfredo’s

Southwest Wedding Under the Stars | Haley & Kevin at Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab

Haley and Kevin’s gorgeous southwest wedding under the stars was a top favorite for 2019. Summers in Southern Utah can be brutal, like 110 degrees for weeks on end. It was SO refreshing to photograph their beautiful outdoor wedding in the middle of August at Angels Landing at Best Friends Animal Society! This place is perfectly sheltered under a beautiful red cliff canopy, there is tons of shade, a natural spring, and a beautiful grassy field. We’re talking 85 degrees during the day people! Perfection. Beyond the beautiful setting though, it was such a joy to work with Haley and Kevin. These are two of the sweetest and most genuine humans. I love their belly laughs and silly moments together, and the way they adore their family and friends. There were so many beautiful and sweet moments on this day. I loved being part of it. I thought I would include a little snippet from their questionnaire because it perfectly describes them and their wedding day!

“We love animals, open space, and nature. We love this location because it takes us out of our usual grind and into our favorite place to explore, have deep conversations about our relationship, life, and enjoy the natural beauty. Best Friends is particularly special to us because they inspired us to overcome a huge obstacle and make us a stronger, more compassionate team. We adopted our dog Cassie, who quite frankly was a terrifying, aggressive, and unpredictable dog. We were told multiple times to euthanize her. We felt like failures and very alone because no one in the area would work with her due to her unusual triggers. Best Friends inspired us to persevere and work beyond our perceived limitations, which led us to fall in love and help this poor little dog heal and safely fit into society. It truly was a mutual rescue. We are so grateful to Best Friends and the animal rescue community for teaching us that we really can make the impossible possible and showing us the priceless reward of saving a life. We are over the moon to celebrate unconditional love and commitment at this overwhelmingly compassionate and selfless place. We hope to bare our emotions, dance the night away, laugh and celebrate with loved ones, eat Chef Shon's incredible vegetarian food, and soak in the sights during our big day.”

Vendor List:

Wedding Planning: Forevermore Events
Floral: Bloomers
Beauty: Tracy Sotirakis
Bridal Shop: Anomalie
Catering: Sego Restaurant
Entertainment: Festival Sounds
Paper Details: Black Julep Studio
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Cake: Sego Restaurant
Venue: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

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Kiki & Peter Intimate Destination Wedding in Zion | As Featured in Rocky Mountain Bride

Kiki and Peter met through a mutual friend after college, while both living in Wisconsin. The two hit off over a Brewers’ game and quickly became inseparable. From Madison to Milwaukee, the couple dated long distance for over a year and a half. Kiki and Peter eventually moved to Phoenix together so Kiki could start grad school. After her graduation ceremony, Peter asked Kiki to marry hm in front of their families and closest friends. Overjoyed she said “Yes!” They planned an intimate and relaxed wedding in Zion for that summer. After visiting Zion a few summers prior, Kiki and Peter fell in love with the park and the charm of Springdale, Utah so they opted for a southwestern destination wedding! It was so special for the couple the share the beauty of Zion and the culture of the Southwest with their intimate guest list.

From the bride: “Peter and I will never forget sneaking away for an intimate hike together the day before the wedding. We were truly able to slow down, soak it all in and capture epic shots with our amazing photographer before walking down the aisle. I don’t think either of us have ever felt such a strong sense of belonging.”

Vendor List
Wedding Planning: Forevermore Events
Floral: Bloomers
Beauty: Tracy Sotirakis
Bridal Shop: A & BE Bridal Shop
Catering: Padre Canyon Foods
Dress Designer: Rue de Seine
Entertainment: Festival Sounds
Invites: Minted
Menswear: Tom James
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Cake: Cupcakes by Julie
Venue: Zion Mountain Villa

Should You Do a First Look at Your Wedding? Advice from a Pro

 

Hi there! Thanks for visiting. I’m McKenzi, a seasoned wedding photographer based in Southern Utah. I’ve been in the business for over 8 years so I’ve seen my fair share of all kinds of weddings! My experience in the industry has given me a good amount of knowledge and expertise that I love to share with my clients. I hope you find this advice helpful and please feel free to reach out to me directly if you’d like more info!


One of the most common questions I get asked by my clients is if I recommend a first look on the wedding day.

I’m sharing my thoughts on first looks from the perspective of a professional photographer who has been in the business for a lot of good years. I thought it would be helpful for you to read about the pros and cons of having a first look and then decide that if that something you would like to do for your day! I also included a section about opting for a Day After/Bridal Session if you choose not to do a first look and still want plenty of time for gorgeous portraits. 

First look Southern Utah Wedding Photographer

Pros to a First Look

Time to Connect Before the Ceremony and Take a Breath. 

Let me tell you what I love about first looks. It’s one of the few times in your day that you will have a quiet moment together to soak it all in. From my perspective, I love that I get to spend time with the bride and groom separately before this moment. They’re getting ready, making the final touches before it’s time to go, feeling all of those excited and jittery vibes. If I haven’t met them before, it’s extra special because I don’t yet know how they are when they’re together. I just know them as individuals. Nerves are high, everyone is anxiously awaiting this moment. And then after what I’m sure feels like forever, it happens. They see each other and I can actually feel the emotional exhale. It’s so beautiful and sweet. It’s like these two people are finally complete and I can see how they just fit perfectly. If the day was stressful before this moment, it always seems to calm down after the first look. It’s a time to connect before the ceremony and just be together.

Now I understand that it’s obviously not just the two of you during this moment and you might be like “But I don’t want to spend this time being interrupted for photos!” This is the part where I’m awesome- ha! I know that this is your time to connect and share this special moment together, and it’s my job to quietly and unobtrusively document and give you a little space. I’m usually quite aware of what you need and I know when it’s time to start taking the posey photos. It also helps if we have a good amount of time for the first look session so we’re not rushed.

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No Distractions.

As I mentioned previously, this is the first time you will see each other before you exchange your vows and it allows you plenty of alone time to soak in that moment without any distractions. This will also help you soak in the ceremony a little more because you’ll be able to focus more on that moment.

More Time Hanging with Your People After the Ceremony.

This is probably the number one reason why couples choose to do a first look. If you take the majority of your photos before the ceremony, you will have plenty of time to hang out with your friends and family after the ceremony. If you wish, you can take your couple wedding portraits, wedding party, and family portraits before the ceremony. Making it entirely possible for you to actually attend your own cocktail hour. Imagine that!

First Look in Zion National Park

Cons to a First Look

Earlier start time to the Day.

I recommend setting aside at least an hour for a first look and wedding portraits, and another 30 minutes to an hour if you’re going to do wedding party and family photos at that time too. This means that you will need start everything earlier in the day so you can be ready in time! I also recommend setting aside about 20 minutes before the ceremony so you can chill out, freshen up, and have a quiet moment before everything starts.

Lighting Isn’t Always Ideal.

Since the first look usually happens early-to-mid-afternoon, the lighting isn’t as nice as it is before sunset. However, we always make it work! Depending on where you are getting married I’ll find a good spot to do the first look. I have a lot of couples who get married in or near Zion National Park and they usually like to set aside some time to drive into the park for the first look session. This is always beautiful! But keep in mind that most of the photos you see of a couple in Zion are taken at golden hour or right at sunset. See my next section about a Day After/Bridal Session if you want lots of killer sunset images. Even with this, I always recommend setting aside at least 15-20 minutes during your reception for sunset portraits if that is important to you.

Pressure to Have the Perfect Reaction.

This is just my opinion but I’ve noticed lately that a lot of grooms feel pressure to have the “perfect” reaction at the first look. I think especially with the rise of Instagram and the desire for those epic picture perfect moments, it feels a little bit like our desire for first looks as the purpose of making your day more seamless and relaxed has turned in to another thing you “must” have. 

I always tell my grooms to not worry about what their reaction “should” be or what it’s supposed to look like. That’s not what it’s about. You don’t need to cry and freak out if that’s not you! Just focus on the moment. Hug one another. Kiss. Jump up and down. Whatever you want! I’m not going to interrupt and make you do something that isn’t authentic to how you feel. I’ll let that moment unfold as it does and be there to document along the way.

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The Tradition.

The tradition of the look on the grooms face when you walk down aisle is no joke. It’s a real thing that is super special. The energy between you radiates throughout the entire place. It can be truly amazing. So all things aside, I totally get wanting that moment. Heck, that’s what we did at our own wedding, so I can definitely relate!

On that note, if this moment is super important to you, I most definitely 100% recommend hiring a second photographer as well. Joey (my awesome husband a.k.a kick ass second shooter) is a total pro at capturing the look on your groom’s face as you walk down the aisle, which allows me to fully focus on the bride as she makes her grand entrance!

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Additional Advice

I do my best to be unobtrusive during the first look, but there is a lot of coordinating to make it happen! First looks work best if you hire two photographers.

Joey and I are pros at coordinating the first look to make sure the bride and groom don’t see each other, and also capturing the reaction on both of your faces when you see each other. 

There is a lot of guidance at the beginning of the first look, but once it’s time I stay quiet and totally out of the way and let you have your moment! I always encourage my couples to stay connected to each other after the initial reveal and that I will let you know when it’s time to “look at me and smile”. My goal is capture that sweet moment between the two of you and that works best when you’re not worried about what the camera is doing .

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Southern Utah wedding photographer first look
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What About a Day After/Bridal Session?

A day after session is often called “Bridals” here in Utah (yeah, Utah is weird sometimes). I have a lot of destination wedding clients that always ask about this so I thought I’d include it in this post! The portrait session can also take place before the wedding- which negates the first look at the ceremony thing- but it allows you time to get amazing portraits at an awesome location with great light.

A day after or bridal session is great for wedding couples who may want to venture out the beautiful area where they’re getting married but don’t want to ditch their wedding guests for two hours- lookin’ at you, Zion weddings.

You can opt for this session after the wedding if the walking down the aisle moment is important to you. You can also do a bridal session before the wedding. We can coordinate a first look at this time so you can still have those photos of that special moment. If gorgeous sunsets, not being rushed for time, and having lots of beautiful images are your thing, I most definitely recommend a day after/bridal session.

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Thanks for reading! Interested in having wedding photos that capture the feeling and love? You can reach out to me here. I’d love to hear from you!

 

Colorful Desert Bridal Inspiration Southern Utah Wedding Photographer

 

The desert in Southern Utah is beautiful in the spring. The cacti is in bloom, the moss on the rocks is bright and colorful, and everything is so green! I had been wanting to shoot at this location for awhile so I asked my talented friends if they would like to do a small creative shoot and this is the result! I wanted a bold, almost retro look for the bride’s hair and makeup, so we went with a messy, textured updo that felt like a twist on a French twist! The bold eye makeup paired perfectly with the bright red earrings and I just love that pop of color it gives. The bouquet is just dreamy, with the bright yellow flowers and velvet ribbon. It’s so bright and cheerful. I shot mostly film during this session, all Portra 400, developed and scanned by The Find Lab. Thanks to all of the vendors who contributed!

This bridal inspiration shoot was featured on Utah Valley Bride. You can check out that feature here: http://utahvalleybride.com/bright-spot/

Floral: Bloomers
Hair: Evan Stowers, The Desert Lounge Salon
Makeup: Chantel Petersen
Dress: Rent the Runway
Ribbon: Emmalinh
Film Lab: The Find Lab