Wes & Leilan Zion Ponderosa Wedding

This wedding was packed with the most beautiful and fun moments. Joey and I absolutely adored working with these two and their awesome friends and family.

Wes and Leilan planned a destination wedding right outside Zion National Park so that they could enjoy a fun vacation with their closest loved ones and share a space in such a beautiful location with everyone. Their wedding day was such an incredible celebration, filled with tender moments and a lot of laughter and dancing. I always love the speeches at weddings, and this wedding has some really sweet moments during the toasts. I shared a lot from this day because there were just too many not to post. You can tell how much Wes and Leilan value the people in their lives.

You can see their beautiful portrait session, taken the day before the wedding, right here. It was so beautiful!

Thanks to all of the lovely vendors we got to work with on this one. It’s always a good wedding when these folks are involved!

Planning/Design: Forevermore Events
Floral: Bloomers
Venue: Zion Mountain Villa
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals
Hair: Tracys Makeup and Hair
Catering: Padre Canyon Foods
Cake: Cupcakes by Julie
Signage: Black Julep Studio
DJ: Festival Sounds

Photo Native

This year I had the honor of teaching a class and leading a shoot at Photo Native. Photo Native is a workshop for photographers and creatives, a three event with an incredibly supportive community. I taught a class on balancing your art and your business (more on this later) and my styled shoot was about “honoring the imperfect.”

First, let me tell you, it’s pretty tricky to put a styled shoot together about honoring imperfections. Styled shoots are all about photographing the perfect. The moments aren’t real. The couple is often just two models who don’t even know each other. For this shoot I wanted to offer my students a space where they could have freedom to create and experiment and photograph a real couple, capturing and cultivating real moments.

I decided to have two sets of models and several stations for my students to photograph. I’ve been a student at workshops in the past and it’s always stressful trying to climb over each other to get the same shot. This way, I had hoped that everyone would get to spread out and work with the people individually and have plenty of time to photograph the amazing details our vendors had staged for us.

We started off the shoot by gathering together to talk about my intentions for the class, and then I had my lovely students frolic on the beach first to get our playful energy and creative spirits going! It was so much fun. I will post more behind the scenes photos from the whole conference.

I finished this shoot completely full of gratitude for this opportunity and for my students who trusted me to share my story with them.

I am forever grateful to the incredible, talented team of vendors who travelled from Utah to California to put this shoot together. They trekked up and down hundreds of stairs, carrying all of this gorgeousness with them, and pulled off a beautiful shoot. I could not have done this without them.

Workshop: Photo Native @photonative
Photographer: M. Felt Photography @mfeltphotography
Design: Forevermore Events @forevermoreevents
Floral: Bloomers Flowers @bybloomers
Hair/Makeup: Sarah Boling, Lunatic Fringe Salon @sarahbolinghairmua
Models: Tigerlily Trammell @tigerxily
Ava Nania @avaguavacado
James Herb: @james_k_herb
Cake: Cupcakes by Julie @cupcakejulie
Rentals: St. George Party Rentals @stgeorgepartyrentals
Paper Details: Black Julep Studio @black.julep.studio
Dress: Wilderly Bride @wilderlybride

Organic Wedding Zion National Park

January and Brittany had a beautiful, relaxed wedding day surrounded by their closest friends and loved ones. They wanted a wedding that was focused on the beauty of the natural, organic landscape of Zion National Park. Forevermore Events designed and planned the event, and the natural wild floral arrangements were beautifully designed by Bloomers. The ceremony arch is one of the most stunning elements of this wedding- made from foraged floral and tree branches that would handle the dry desert heat.

I loved the simplicity of each bride's wedding dress and hair and makeup. January and Brittany are both pretty simple and laid back so they wanted a natural beauty look for their wedding day. I loved the wedding dresses that nicely complimented one another against the soft pink and green hues of the Zion landscape.

Zion has become such a popular destination for weddings in the past few years, in fact, most of my clients these days are destination brides eloping or planning a wedding in Zion and surrounding areas. Because of this rise in popularity, the park has become very crowded and there aren't as many places and opportunities to get married within park boundaries. Zion Mountain Villa is just outside of East Zion and is a perfect destination for Zion couples looking for a laid-back atmosphere with the option of driving 15 minutes to the park for photos on their wedding day.

Design/Planning: Forevermore Events

Floral: Bloomers

Hair/Makeup: Tracys makeup and hair

Catering: Kitchen435

Cake: Sweet Cakes By Karen

Furniture Rental: St. George Party Rental

DJ: Festival Sounds

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!

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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. 

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.

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!

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.

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!

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 .

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.

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

Mountain Bike Babe Southern Utah Senior Portraits

Camryn is a high school senior this year and she will be graduating in May so we met up for a fun senior portrait session in a place where she spends a lot of time. She is an avid mountain biker, part of the high school mountain bike team in Southern Utah, so we thought it would be fun to include some photos of her riding her bike on her favorite trail. We packed into the Jeep and adventured out to desert for these lovely photos! The desert is so green and beautiful right now so I was pretty happy about that. Senior portrait sessions are always so fun. I love the idea of incorporating something you love to do in the photos, whether it’s a sport you play, an activity you enjoy, or just at a location that you feel suits your personality. Congrats to Camryn on graduating high school in just a few weeks!

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!

Zion National Park Wedding Photographer

I’ve been photographing weddings and couples in Zion National Park for the past eight years, and before that, I grew up exploring the mountains and trails in Zion. I was born and raised in St. George, Utah, a lovely town in the southwest corner of the state that is within driving distance to some incredible national and state parks, including Zion. It wasn’t until I moved to Southern California for college that I realized how much I need the mountains and desert landscape in my life! The desert is my home, it’s in my heart and soul, and it’s a place that I’ll always return to.

Over the past few years, I’ve watched Zion grow in popularity for weddings, elopements, and engagements. Even family photos. It’s become one of the top destinations for weddings and elopement in the region, and I can certainly understand why! The beauty of Zion is unparalleled and there really is a magical energy to the place. I grew up surrounded by the backdrop of these red mountains and it’s not something I take for granted. I think the experience of being with couples and families as they explore Zion taking photos helps me fall a little more in love with it every time.

Here’s the different thing about me as a wedding photographer: My goal isn’t just to capture the beauty of the landscape in Zion, which of course I will do, but rather to capture you within that space. Your joy, your love, and the special thing about your relationship that makes you choose this place to be the place where you exchange vows and make that lasting commitment to one another. Think of me like the perfect combination of beautiful scenic photos of your day but also those images that capture how it felt.

In addition to basically being obsessed with this place, I have a lot of experience with the process of having your wedding in Zion National Park. I greatly respect the National Park Service and so I’m familiar with their regulations when it comes to having your wedding in the park. They actually make it pretty easy to apply and it’s only $100 for a permit. You can find out more about that process here: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/weddings-in-zion-national-park.htm

I often tell my couples that if it’s not feasible to have their ceremony in the park, I know a lot of beautiful spots outside that the park that still offer those beautiful views! And we can always go into the park for some gorgeous photos either before or after the wedding ceremony. I know some good spots for that too, especially with the crowds.

And speaking of the crowds… Zion National Park is the third busiest park in the nation and it continues to grow each season. Zion saw more than 4.5 million visitors in 2017, a 5 percent from the year before. The busiest season is June through August, although April through September can be pretty packed too. But don’t worry! I am quite used to the crowds and I know the best ways to avoid them when possible and work around them when it’s not! It’s totally worth it :)

If you want to learn more, I wrote a whole blog post in my ProTips series about planning your wedding in Zion National Park so you can check that out here!

You can also read this super helpful blog post from one of my lovely brides.

Featured Vendors:
Forevermore Events
Bloomers
Sarah Boling, Lunatic Fringe Salon
Tracy Sotirakis
Switchback Grille
Bit n’ Spur Saloon
Bison and the Bird Videography
Steve Masefield, Officiant