Emily + John :: College Graduation and Couples' Photos | Kristine Paulsen Photography (2024)

I swear, it feels like just yesterday that I was hanging out with Amber and Woody and making their engagement photos. And then bam! before you know it, July's here and these two are looking super spiffy and having their Ronan Montana wedding at the Silver Knot! It's sometimes difficult to believe just how quickly time flies, but that's no surprise with these two as time truly does fly when you're having fun.

And we sure did have fun during their wedding day! It all started out with documenting the ladies and gents getting ready. Amber held her vows close by, and Woody and the guys shared some good laughs as they pondered the intricacies of perfecting pocket squares.

Before we knew it (see, time flies, I tell you!), it was time for Amber and Woody's first look. Amber wanted their first look to be down by the creek on the property (which also happened to be populated by a herd of cows), so we zipped on down there to document this special moment between the soon-to-be-newlyweds. They got a little teary through their shared smiles, but a nearby bull (yes, you read that right - a GIGANTIC BULL), began to get anxious and bellowed at us to get the heck out of there. (Which we did - no bull charges on the wedding party please and thank you!).

It wasn't long before friends and family began to arrive and it was time for Amber and Woody's ceremony to begin. They shared an incredibly touching and emotional set of vows, enjoyed plenty of laughs and kissed for the first time as husband and wife as their friends and family beamed at them and cheered.

Enjoying the backdrop of a perfect Montana evening, everyone was treated to delicious appetizers, a tasty dinner peppered with thoughtful and moving toasts, and delicious cake and huckleberry macarons.

Things moved outside again and onto the dance floor where Amber and Woody danced for the first time as a married couple. As Amber began to dance with her father, I don't think there was a single dry eye in the house, and folks became misty-eyed all over again as Woody shared a dance with his mother, too.

Tears soon gave way to lively and energetic dancing and lots and lots of laughter. (What a fun crew you've got, Amber and Woody!) As the evening progressed, people continued to kick up their heels, and as the sun shifted to a golden glow, Amber, Woody and I took a moment to create a few more images and make the most of the Mission Mountains in the background - a perfect way to wrap up a fantastic day for these two.

Amber and Woody! I know I'm a word nerd, but words just can't do justice to how truly wonderful it was to capture such a special day in your lives for you! I adore you both, and have loved every second of getting to work with you. You two have such a bright and happy future ahead of you, and I hope it will always involve plenty of visits to Montana, too. :) Here's to you, and congrats, congrats, congrats again!!!

Vendor Information for Amber and Woody's Ronan Montana Wedding at the Silver Knot:

Venue: The Silver Knot, Ronana, Montana

Officiant: Bride's family friend, Rob Rowe

Florist: Bev's Bloomers, Ronan, Montana

Cake Artist: Black Cat Bake Shop, Missoula, Montana

DJ: Brandon Johnson, Ronan, Montana

Makeup and Hair Artist: Boom Swagger Salon, Missoula, Montana

Catering and Bar: A Catered Affair, Spokane, Washington

Transportation: Three Dog Adventure Tours, Molly Trolley, Polson, Montana

Paper Goods: Wedding Paper Divas

Wedding Dress: A Ti Adora design from The White Flower Bridal Boutique, San Diego, California

Bridesmaid Dresses: I Do Bridal, Seattle, Washington

Men's Attire: Men's Wearhouse

On the Docket:

Weddings, Elopements, and Portraits! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Brandon and Natalie had one heckuva happy wedding day for their Ronan Montana Sky Ridge Ranch wedding. Even though it was nearing (if not actually) 100 degrees, these two just went with it and had an absolute blast during their wedding day.

The afternoon started out with prepping for the big walk down the aisle. The girls got ready at a VRBO in St. Ignatius, and there were all sorts of laughs, hugs and a few tears as Natalie got ready to head to the ranch. Brandon and the guys prepped themselves for the day at the ranch, laughing and joking as they pinned boutonnieres on one another in between shots of Fireball enthusiastically passed around by the group.

Guests began to arrive and seat themselves facing the gorgeous Mission Mountains, and soon it was time for things to get rolling. Brandon was all smiles and excitement as he saw Natalie for the first time walking down the aisle on her father's arm, a mixture of emotions flitting across her face. The two grinned and smiled at one another (and shed a few tears too) as they shared their heartfelt and touching vows in front of their friends and family, and were treated to a chorus of cheers as they were pronounced husband and wife for the first time.

The party continued in the barn and everyone was treated to tasty appetizers (including an oyster bar!), a scrumptious dinner, delicious cake and a series of toasts that got everyone simultaneously laughing and tearing up.

As the sun lazily slid lower in the sky, the celebrations moved outside and people began to dance, enjoy the atmosphere of the evening, and especially the alpenglow on the mountains. Brandon and Natalie were even treated to a full moon rising up behind the mountains, which was especially meaningful to them.

As the sky turned an inky black, friends and family lit sparklers and cheered to send off Brandon and Natalie into the night into their "getaway car."

Brandon and Natalie! Thank you again for inviting me to capture all the happiness and love of your wedding day! It To see how happy you two make one another was just so special to witness and document, and I'm so glad you got to celebrate such a special day in Montana. Here's to a life full of adventures and travel together (which should be easy for you two! :)), with many stops to Montana along the way! Congrats again!

Vendor Information for Brandon and Natalie's Ronan Montana Sky Ridge Ranch Wedding:

Venue: Sky Ridge Ranch, Ronan, Montana

Officiant: Brian Colgan, brother of the groom

Wedding Coordinator: Amy Deering Events, Kalispell, Montana

Florist: Habitat Floral Studio, Missoula, Montana

Live Music: Blue Belly Junction, Bozeman, Montana

DJ: Brandon Johnson, Ronan, Montana

Caterer: Crave Catering, Missoula, Montana

Transportation: Harlow's Bus Services, Kalispell, Montana

On the Docket:

Weddings, portraits, elopements and more weddings! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Portrait

I'm just going to come right out with it - I absolutely, unequivocally adored Tim, Courtney, Teddy, Violet, Bill and Lorie's Flathead Lake family portraits in Polson Montana. Not only are they such a sweet family, but they were willing to just have fun, play with their kiddos and let their kids be kids with them. That to me is the definition of a perfect family session. No rigid line-ups in front of the camera. No constant adjustments of clothing. No commands to force smiles.

Instead we goofed around on their slide, we picked cherries (and three-almost-four-year-old Teddy insisted I have one too and was kind enough to remind me to "spit the pit out, Kristine!"), we wrestled in the grass, we marveled at the power of Flathead Lake's waves crashing into Finley Point, we played pat-a-cake, we giggled on swings, we chased mayflies, and to sum it up, we simply enjoyed the heck out of a perfect summer evening in Montana.

It's, of course, an understatement to say just how glad I am that Tim and Courtney and their two cute-as-cute-can-be children, Teddy and Violet (10 months) contacted me to do this session. They came all the way from Rhode Island to visit Tim's parents Bill and Lorie at their lakefront property for about a week and wanted to capture how much they love their time on the lake and how much they love one another.

And I'd like to think we did exactly that. :)

Thank you again, Tim, Courtney, Teddy, Violet, Bill and Lorie! It was SUCH a treat to get to meet you all and make these images for you (I still can't believe Teddy is usually shy around new people!). I had an absolute blast and I'm so glad we got to document a little slice of your time on the lake this summer. You have such a beautiful, vibrant, happy family, and making these images for you just made my heart sing! Thank you again, and come back to Montana again soon!

On the Docket:

Weddings and portraits and elopements! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

It was a bit of a hot day (ok, more than hot - it was hovering around 100+ degrees) for Raisa + Mark's Missoula Wedding at St. Francis Church. But that didn't faze these two lovebirds in the least.

I met up with them as they were getting ready for their big walk down the aisle and started out the day with Mark and the guys. Beers flowed, the guys joked and laughed, and Mark was super excited to get to see Raisa in just a little bit.

I popped on over to the Wilma where the girls were getting ready and met up with the ladies who were giggling, laughing, and having a good time getting Raisa all "bride-y." The ladies were equally as excited as the guys and Raisa was eager to get in her dress and get to see her groom.

Soon the moment arrived - guests were seated, there was a quiet buzz as friends greeted one another with laughter and smiles, the music swelled and it was time to start. Mark was so happy to see Raisa as the doors opened to reveal her and her father, and the two smiled at each other as Mark's uncle (who's also a bishop) proceeded with the service.

While they were seated Mark and Raisa stole little glances at one another, and also enjoyed some pretty big laughs as their ceremony continued on. It wasn't long before it was time for them to share their vows with one another and seal it all with a kiss. Friends and family cheered for the new couple as they made their way down the aisle, faces beaming with happiness and love.

The party continued on to the Wilma Theater where everyone was treated to a delicious dinner, incredibly moving toasts (especially from Raisa's family members who had traveled all the way from her home country of Colombia to celebrate!), and some seriously groovy dancing. In between dances, we managed to duck out for a few quick moments to make some sunset images and, of course, create a few photos in front of the iconic Wilma lights outside of the theater to put the perfect end on a fantastic day.

Mark and Raisa! My word - what a wonderful day it was for you two! It was so much fun to share in your joy and happiness and see just how much you two love one another! The light in your eyes and the laughter you both share is something so special and beautiful, and I am so thankful you asked me to document all of this for you. Here's to a lifetime of happiness, and many, many future visits to Missoula again too!

Vendor Information for Raisa + Mark's Missoula Wedding at St. Francis Church

Getting Ready Location: Holiday Inn Downtown, Missoula, Montana

Ceremony Location: St. Francis Xavier Church, Missoula, Montana

Reception Venue: The Wilma Theater, Missoula, Montana

Officiant: Bishop George Thomas (the groom's uncle)

Florist: Bitterroot Flower Shop, Missoula, Montana

Cake: Bernice's Bakery, Missoula, Montana

DJ: Kris Moon, Missoula, Montana

Makeup Artist: Skin Chic, Missoula, Montana

Caterer: Bravo Catering, Missoula, Montana

Bar and Spirits: The Wilma Theater, Missoula, Montana

Wedding Dress: Reed by Wtoo from Velvet Bride, Missoula, Montana

Men's Attire: Generation Tux

On the Docket:

Weddings, elopements and portraits! Don't miss 'em!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Portrait

We had ourselves one heckuva hot day for Camryn's senior pictures in Missoula MT the other day (she's a class of 2018 senior at Hellgate High School), but you would have never known it from Camryn's happy, bubbly attitude during our session. We joked that it wouldn't be a senior session without some kind of weather drama (since a couple years earlier I had done Camryn's older sister Emilee's photos and we'd been surprised by a rainstorm during her session!). So 90-something weather was just par for the course for us. :)

We had such a blast poking around some cool areas at the University of Montana campus (where Camryn is planning on attending and majoring in business and/or pharmacy). She's such a natural in front of the camera and has a brilliant smile and fantastic laugh. And boy did we have fun catching the great light with her seriously stylish romper.

As the evening moved along, we meandered on down to the river to make some images with more of a natural feel to them. Camryn gets a huge shout out for braving the rocks in bare feet, but I'd say it was totally worth it for the images we were able to make. (And we even had the added bonus of being able to cool ourselves off in the water a bit too. Huzzah!)

As her session progressed, Camryn told me that she's active in cross country (I've got mad respect for people who run AND can breathe at the same time), drama (she does theatre camps, too!) and Business Professionals of America. She also coaches youth track and volunteers at the Missoula Food Bank. She told me that she really enjoys singing, and somehow she even manages to fit in a lot of quality time with friends and family too.

We wrapped her session up just as the sun was setting, and it couldn't have been a more perfect evening! Thanks again Camryn for such a wonderful shoot! You have such a bright light about you and I can tell you're going to do smashingly in college! Here's to a fun start to your senior year and an exciting future ahead of you!

On the Docket:

Weddings, portraits, and, you guessed it, more weddings!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Last year Ethan and Emily, both from Iowa, decided to take a vacation with Yellowstone being one of their stops. They loved their time in Montana so much that, fast forward to their wedding day, lo and behold they decided to have their Flying Horse Ranch wedding in Corvallis, Montana. And I'm so glad they did because what a wonderful day it was.

Their day started off with a super sweet first look between the two. Ethan was so excited to see Emily and the look on his face as he first turned around to behold his beautiful bride was so special. We continued having fun making photos of just the two of them before moving on to more of the family formals.

And we had such a blast. Ethan and Emily's wedding was small, with only close friends and family partaking, but what a group they had there with them! We laughed so much and so often and just had such a great time making their more formal photos before it was time to get everyone ready to start their ceremony.

Emily was full of emotion as she walked down the aisle towards Ethan, but soon she burst into a huge smile and the two stood together at the altar with the blue of the mountains as their backdrop. There were tears and laughter, and everyone clapped as Ethan and Emily kissed for the first time as husband and wife.

The festivities continued into the evening with hilarious and touching toasts that had folks doubling over in laughter while simultaneously dabbing at tears in the corners of their eyes. And Ethan and Emily probably had one of the most epic cake-cuttings I've seen. It started out innocent, but...well, suffice it to say, it got a little messy. Emily was such a good sport, however, and the two easily laughed about their "cake smash" moment afterwards.

The music kicked on and soon everyone was out on the dance floor kicking up their heels and jumping around to the beats. The party moved outside a bit too as people mingled with one another, played some lawn games, and had a great time giggling and chatting as the evening wound down.

That evening we were treated to all sorts of wonderful light, and I'm so thankful Ethan and Emily were willing to "run for the light!" to get the best of the best of the sun as it quickly dipped behind the silhouettes of the mountains.

Ethan and Emily! I'm so glad you found me and invited me into such a wonderful day in your lives. I loved getting to meet you in person and had such a fantastic time getting to hang out with you, your family and friends, and make these images for you. Everyone was so sweet and had so many kind things to say (including you two, of course!) and that meant the world to me. Your love is so real and so beautiful, and the love you have for your friends and family (and they for you) was just such a treat to witness and document. I'm so glad Montana treated you so well! Here's to a life together filled with joy and happiness, and many more Montana trips, too! :)

Vendor Information for Ethan and Emily's Flying Horse Ranch Wedding:

Venue: Flying Horse Ranch, Corvallis, Montana

Cake: Black Cat Bake Shop, Missoula, Montana

Catering: Famous Dave's, Missoula, Montana

Officiant: Mark Christians

Wedding Dress: David's Bridal

Bridesmaid Dresses: Charlotte Russe

On the Docket:

Weddings and portraits! Don't miss 'em!

Cheers,

-Kristine

I swear it feels like just yesterday that I was photographing Rachel and Mark's sweet engagement session at the end of August...but time certainly flies when you're having fun! Fast forward a few months to the end of June of this year and Rachel and Mark were ready to say their "I do's" at their Daly Mansion Wedding in Hamilton Montana.

The day started off with the guys and gals getting ready in a beautiful rental house in Hamilton before everyone reconvened at the mansion to begin the ceremony. Rachel and Mark chose to say their vows at the base of the grand staircase on the west lawn of the mansion, and Rachel got to make her grand entrance amidst a pathway of towering trees and historic steps strewn with pink petals.

The two smiled and laughed as they shared their vows with one another, and sealed it all with a kiss, and a hug and another big kiss! Friends and family showered the newlyweds with shiny metallic streamers as they walked down the aisle as husband and wife, beaming and full of joy.

After making portraits on the grounds of the mansion, Rachel and Mark re-joined their reception and were treated to a delicious dinner, rousing toasts from family that had everyone belly-laughing, and some excellent dancing as the sun slid lower in the sky.

I managed to sneak Rachel and Mark away from the party for a few seconds to take advantage of that glow beyond the mountains and make a few images in the waning light and on the beautiful old staircase of the mansion. We had a great time cracking up as we were making these photos (thanks again, you two, for not laughing at me after that wicked little shepherd's hook took me out!). When we weren't busy laughing (and I wasn't busy falling over backwards), we got to soak up the last remnants of light. And if it weren't already clear just how much these two are perfect for one another (which, of course is abundantly apparent), seeing the two of them in that beautiful light, tenderly bestowing kisses upon the other, truly showcased the love they have together.

Rachel and Mark! Congratulations again to you both! Seeing the two of you together and getting to document your love and laughter and happiness has been such a treat! Here's to a future FILLED to the brim with even more!

Vendor Information for Rachel + Mark's Daly Mansion Wedding in Hamilton Montana

Venue: The Daly Mansion, Hamilton, Montana

Florist: Garden City Floral, Missoula, Montana

Cake: Rosauer's Bakery, Missoula, Montana

DJ: RMF Entertainment, Missoula, Montana

Makeup Artist: Skin Chic, Missoula, Montana

Hair Artist: Allison LeProwse

Officiant: Justice Jennifer Ray, Hamilton, Montana

Catering: The Silk Road, Missoula, Montana

Rentals: Hamilton Party Rental and Oh So Chic, Missoula, Montana

Transportation: Beach Transportation, Missoula, Montana

Paper Goods: Wedding Paper Divas

Wedding Dress: a Maggie Sotero "Luna" design from Rococo Bridal, Missoula, Montana

Bridesmaid Dresses: Rococo Bridal, Missoula, Montana

On the Docket:

Weddings, portraits, more weddings, and more portraits! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Portrait

I had the pleasure of meeting up with Brandon and Natalie the other evening for their St Ignatius Montana engagement photos. They had just gotten in to Montana the day before (they live in Florida), and I was so eager to meet them in person as we'd only spoken by phone prior to our session and while discussing their wedding plans.

As I knew we would, we all had a blast making images for them that evening. Brandon and Natalie are truly, madly in love, and it was so sweet to watch them together, full of deep affection and smiles and gentle touches and plenty of laughter too. We wandered amongst the trees, finding perfect pockets of evening light, and were treated to a great view of the mountains behind us shifting colors as the sun went down.

Brandon and Natalie even ventured into the water a bit, and though it was rocky and their feet were bare, I'd say it was totally worth it to catch that light upon the mountains and reflecting down onto the water's surface, turning it a lovely orangey-pink.

We finished the evening off perfectly with beers and cheers to a fun shoot (and a head's up from a passerby alerting us to bear activity in the woods down the hill). So we wrapped things up, shared a few more laughs and got even more excited about their upcoming wedding day, which is happening this coming Saturday!

Brandon and Natalie! Thanks again for such a delightful evening - it was so fun to finally get to hang out with you two in person (and your mom, too, Brandon!), and I am SO very much looking forward to your wedding this Saturday! Yay for you two! Yay for love!

On the docket:

Weddings, portraits, and more weddings! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine