Phoenix Arizona Desert Wedding Photographer | Justin and Courtney Hale

Monday, 18 February 2019 by taylorjonesphotography

Phoenix Arizona Desert Wedding Photographer | Justin and Courtney Hale

We are so stoked to share our friends Justin and Courtney’s Arizona desert wedding with y’all today! How many brides do you know would literally wear a trash bag on her wedding day in the name of adventure and beautiful photos? Well, Courtney was that bride, and Justin was the lucky man who got to marry her!

Mike and Justin are friends through work at Racer X Magazines. When Justin told us he and his fiancé were getting married at his folks house in Arizona, we were honored to be apart of it! Mentions of side-by-side rides out into the desert at sunset, a personal chef, and an beautifully intimate setting on New Years weekend had us drooling! These two have one of the most endearing “swiped right” stories as well as one of the funniest first dates! Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Hale! We love you guys and can’t wait to see you soon!

Love,
Mike and Tay

How did the two of you meet?

“We both swiped right on Tinder. Courtney was on vacation in Arizona with her family and her little cousin convinced her to download Tinder. We started chatting right away and spent a week talking to one another before we were able to finally meet. We then spent almost three days straight together. The rest is history!”

Tell us about your first date!

“Justin lived out in Rio Verde at the time, so he picked Courtney up from her grandparents condo where she was staying and we drove out to Rio Verde (picking up a case of beer on the way) and went off-roading in the desert in his truck. After off-roading we went back to Justin’s house to watch a movie. But the most memorable moment was still to come! Long story short Courtney’s mom thought Justin was a psycho who took her into the desert to kill her and ended up calling him.

Courtney had left her phone at the door and little did we know her mom had texted her a couple times just making sure everything was okay. When Courtney didn’t answer her mom began to panic and went and woke her cousin up (they were the only two who knew Courtney was on a date with someone from Tinder – she had left Justin’s name and number with them). Her cousin tried to calm her mom down and figured Courtney would answer his texts, but when there was no answer they both got even more worried. Drew tried every other way he could think of to calm her down – looking him up on Facebook and letting her know Justin had lots of friends to which she replied “Yeah they’re probably all psychos too.” Checking to see if he had a criminal record which probably freaked her out even more. Finally, thinking Courtney could already be buried in the desert her mom decided to call Justin’s phone. When Justin’s phone rang and Courtney saw it was her mom’s phone number she grabbed it and answered it. According to Drew, her mom instantly went from panic mode to calm and collected. Courtney was just surprised Justin ever spoke to her again after getting a call from her mother on their first date.”

Justin, how did you propose?

“I had already moved myself and all Courtney’s and my belongings to West Virginia, but Courtney was still in AZ due to the fact that she was waiting for an appropriate job to apply for a new visa. Once she did, I knew I would be driving back to get her and drive her and our cats back to WV. I had been researching rings and talking to a few jewelers. I knew what I wanted but wanted to wait and talk to a few more people when I was in AZ, knowing that’s where I wanted to propose.

When I got to Arizona, I found the ring I wanted and bought it. Two days later we were leaving for WV. That night I called and spoke to her dad for a long time and asked for his blessing. He gave it, so the rest was up to me. I knew I wanted to do it in the desert, as that was where we had our first date, and I knew that wouldn’t be an odd request, as it was one I made frequently. I was extremely nonchalant about it, but did mention it would be our last time out for a while, hoping she would do exactly what she did. She suggested us take a bottle of wine to our favorite spot for sunset, I played it off and said sure.

Once we got there, I started playing with my GoPro, which is also something I’d normally do. I set it up on a cactus and walked away. We watched the sunset, and I expressed my feelings for our last 3 years together, as this was also getting close to our anniversary about a month later. We walked to the edge of the cliff and I held back momentarily and got down on one knee to propose. I was so nervous I was literally shaking, which was a new experience for me. I even opened the box upside down when I asked her and even held it like that for a few moments before realizing it. Luckily it didn’t fall off the cliff and she said yes.”

How did you guys choose to have an Arizona Desert wedding?

“It is our happy place – as simple as that!”

What was the most fun part of wedding planning for you?

“Anyone who knows us knows we are huge foodies – so the most fun part of wedding planning was having an excuse to order a Milk Bar cake and eat it all ourselves! It was also so fun working with every single one of our vendors and watching things slowly come together – every day leading up to it was more exciting then the next!”

What was your most memorable moment from your Arizona wedding day?

“The most memorable moment would definitely be getting into the side by side and off-roading into the desert for pictures and then doing the shoot in the desert. Not only is the desert our favorite place but we loved how intimate the shoot was. It was a chance for us to just enjoy some alone time (with Mike and Taylor of course) and celebrate being married in a quiet, intimate way.”

What are you most looking forward to in marriage?

“We’re really just looking forward to the simple things. We are so excited to hopefully buy a house in the next year and then start a family of our own. In the meantime we’re really looking forward to our honeymoon!”

If you could pick one word to describe your Arizona Desert Wedding ceremony, what would it be and why?

“The first word we always think of that describes the entire day is ‘INTIMATE”. We opted for a small ceremony (and reception) with our closest loved ones. One of our first wedding decisions was also that we wanted Justin’s dad to marry us, which made the ceremony very personal.”

What advice do you have for couples planning their wedding now?

“Keep it about you and make it everything you want it to be. It’s a day all about the two of you and celebrating your love – so make it as traditional or non-traditional as you want, as long as you are happy.”

View more of our destination wedding photography HERE.

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Salida Colorado Adventure Elopement | Andy and Jill Akin

Monday, 18 February 2019 by taylorjonesphotography

Salida Colorado Adventure Elopement Wedding | Andy and Jill Akin

You know those people you meet and have an immediate connection with? For me and Jill, this was the case before we even met! From the first time I heard from Jill via e-mail, I knew we just had to play a part in their story. Her initial message was one filled with love and sincere appreciation for she and fiancé Andy’s long journey to each other. As she described their Colorado Adventure Elopement coming up in just a few short months, her fervor was contagious and we immediately scheduled our coffee date!

I wanted to share our first e-mail, because upon reading our blogs, she knew immediately that we appreciate an epic love story:

“I want to share our story with you because it is a special one. Andy & I emailed on a dating site in summer of 2012. I only stayed on that site (or any other dating site) for 2 weeks & then went back to the real world. We never met at that time, only exchanged emails during the 2 weeks that I was on the site. We both went on to spend the next 5 years happily single & to separately do all of the things that bind us today- hike, camp, kayak, ride bikes, & travel the world. Most of time we were within miles of each other, as we both love our Smoky Mountains & spend much time there. Also in the meantime, in December of 2012, my friend asked me, as a gift to her, to write down all of the things that I desired in a life partner. Being solidly single, I reluctantly did this & then stored that list on a shelf for over 5 years.”

“Five years later, in summer of 2017, Andy shows up at my studio door as a “client.” He’d booked an appointment unbeknownst to me to meet the girl who was still on his mind after 5 years…and in the end we found out why. God had been giving him direction for 5 years, but Andy was following his own will. Until one day when he just told himself, “I’m going to meet this girl just to get it over with so that I can move on from it.” Well, we’re moving on, alright- TOGETHER! After Date #1 (which was 13 1/2 hours, but who’s counting?), I was packing away some items from my bookshelf & ran across the list that my friend had asked me to make. And I got chills as I read the extensive list & realized that I ALREADY KNEW AFTER ONE DATE that Andy met all but 2 of the things on the list. Date #2 sent my heart aflutter because the last 2 items on the list were revealed to me & checked off. This man was TRULY my heart’s desire, the man of my dreams. This was completely unexpected for both of us given our ages & amazing single lives that we staunchly led, but there was no denying that he was designed for me and I for him. We knew that we would be married & that our lives were going to expand in unfathomable & thus far unimagineable ways. We are 37 & 47, neither of us have been married, and neither of us have children. When we told our families & friends that we’d met the person we were going to marry, PURE SHOCK was running loose in Tennessee! No two were more shocked than Andy & I. We still are.”

“He proposed in January, COMPLETELY surprising me! I was so caught off guard that when he asked, even though he was down on his knee (both knees actually!) I asked, “Are you serious?” He WAS serious, and I said, “YES, OF COURSE!” & jumped all around. Now we are simply READY TO BE MR. & MRS. and get started on the incredible journey ahead.”

Their story truly is an inspirational one and we’re thrilled we got to play a role in capturing their Colorado Adventure Elopement memories! Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Akin! We adore y’all and can’t wait to see you in Colorado again!
Cheers,
Taylor and Mike

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San Diego Sunset Cliffs Engagement Proposal | Emily and Matt

Thursday, 14 February 2019 by taylorjonesphotography

San Diego Sunset Cliffs Engagement Proposal | Emily and Matt

My best friend, Emily, is an amazing writer. So is my husband, so lucky for you at least one of them has chimed in with impeccable storytelling capability. I’m always intimidated by these two because they’re capable of transparently expressing their hearts in an eloquent fashion. But here’s my best shot at describing one of my favorite proposals I’ve ever had the honor of being apart of…

Emily and I met in college and immediately became best friends. Our similar energy and humor had us rolling on the floor in laughter and immediately creating memories and spending weekends with each others families. I knew she was a special gal and a lifelong friend right off the bat. Emily is also a very private, introverted person. And if you know me, I’m the exact opposite. So…when I got the message, “I just had a really great first date,” I was intrigued, because Emily NEVER tells me about “great first dates” until weeks later. The only the ones I heard about immediately after were the ones that went awry and had some comical relief (see below Q&A).

Fast forward a couple weeks and I received the following: “I feel like I’ve known him for years. I don’t think that’s ever happened to me. We watch The Office reruns together. Taylor, I’m [freaking] flabbergasted. HE IS MY PERSON. IN EVERY SINGLE WAY.” And I knew…my best friend had found her forever person. (And yes, I just sifted through a years worth of iMessages and hilarious selfies to find these messages.)

I’ll leave the rest of the storytelling to my amazing writer friend and the photos, my favorite form of storytelling. Congratulations, Emily and Matt! We love you guys and are so thrilled for this next chapter in your lives.
Love,
Taylor and Mike (and Colter)

How did the two of you meet?

“I joined match.com in March of 2018, with rather extensive encouragement from both my sister and my best friend, the latter of whom happens to own this website and photography business. Let me paint the picture for you. My first date on match was with this guy who was financially affluent and had an expensive luxury car–which is all fine–until you post multiple pictures of said vehicle with the caption “#blessed”. It’s cool if you’re fortunate and all, but I will never support the notion that owning a Mercedes makes you a viable candidate for an ordained and exceptional consecration from an almighty higher power. I just can’t do it.

Even more determined to be my true self whilst braving the jungle that is online dating, I decided to filter my dialogue a little less. Weed ’em out, you know? The second date–when he told me he lived in Beverly Hills, I replied [verbatim] with “I literally only ever drive to Beverly Hills to see my therapist.” Which is true, mind you. Moving right along to date #3…

In the meantime, Matt was working 10-12 hour days, 6-7 days a week at the new Rams stadium in Inglewood. He had been considering the whole online dating thing and decided to test the waters when he saw a commercial for a free 5-day trial on match.com. Lucky for me, his first [and only] match.com date was me–March 31, 2018.”

What are you most excited about for your wedding day?

“Cake. I think we’re both excited about cake.”

Emily: “Honestly, I haven’t thought about wedding details very much. I do know, that on that day, we will legally be a family. He will be my family. That fills my heart in a way that I’ve never really felt before.”

Matt: “Seeing her in a wedding dress.”

Tell us about your first date!

“We went to Golden Mean, a cute little plant-based cafe in Santa Monica. We were both extremely hungry (something that certainly hasn’t changed). We got burgers to-go and walked down the street to a picnic area that overlooked the beach. Our conversation was filled with typical introductory Q&A. I’m highly introverted and probably speak a little less frequently than most. Matt–and this is one of the things I love about him–is not that way. At all. I remember sitting on the wood bench, eating my burger and thinking “Damn, this kid can talk”. In a very endearing, curious type of way, of course.

We finished our food and walked down the 3rd street promenade, grabbing a matcha latte from Starbucks and continuing conversation. I think we ended up walking and talking for like 2 hours or more. Conversely, I think Matt was genuinely impressed that I ate the entire burger I had ordered for lunch. And if I’m being honest, I was also a little impressed myself. Regardless, I do know that we both felt like we’d somehow just met someone we’d known for years.”

San Diego Sunset Cliffs engagement proposal Emily and Matt

When did you know you wanted to marry each other?

“I don’t know that there was an exact moment for me. I kind of just fell more and more in love with him each day, starting from the day I met him. Sounds mushy, but it’s true. I suppose, though, that I do have a short story about the first time the universe stepped in to assure me that indeed, Matt Menzer was made for me. I saw this quote a year or two ago on social media that said “My soulmate is out there somewhere – pulling on a push door. I just know it.” I read that and was like Yes. Yes that’s for me.

As a female that grew up in the 90s, the consistent romantic message encouraged the expectation that we would be swept off our feet by a random, sexy, wealthy..and somehow, royal?..perfect guy (ahem, Disney–I’m looking at you). I think, that maybe, it took my generation a little longer to figure out that princes are actually very stressed out individuals with a lot of baggage and that finding a person who will join you in watching hours of The Office reruns and snorting with laughter is, truly, the stuff of kings.

Matt and I are both a little eccentric and intense, but in very different ways. A couple months into dating we were entering yet another [vegan] burger joint that was new to Matt, but one of my favorite places that I had visited many times. And every time–I would always forget about this *freaking* door that they have; it’s got these giant handles but only opens inwardly by pushing. More specifically, this door was the bane of my existence. This time, of course, was no different. Matt, in typical, enthusiastic-Matt fashion, leapt onto the sidewalk towards the entrance and just wrenched the shit out of the door, pulling on the giant handle that had betrayed me so many times before. I looked at him as I heard the jarring sounds of a commercial-sized door in protest. Naturally, this was combined with Matt yelling obscenities at the deception he’d just experienced. And I thought to myself “Oh. And there he is”.

Tell us your Sunset Cliffs Engagement Proposal story from your point of view!

“Taylor and I have been best friends since we met in college. She and Mike are like family to me. Matt and I live in Los Angeles, so we don’t get to see them very often. Mike and Taylor were visiting southern California for a couple weeks so we had been planning on going down to San Diego to visit them. A couple weeks before our visit, Taylor asked if Matt and I would do a quick photo shoot for them so they could get some California lifestyle pictures for her website and portfolio. Of course, we said sure.

Matt and I drove down to San Diego February 9th, 2019. There was a lot of traffic and it took us about 3 hours to get down there. We didn’t eat lunch, and we are both hangry people, so I knew he was probably irritably famished and a little on edge.

I had no idea when he was going to propose. We had talked about getting married, so I knew it would happen but I was clueless to the timeframe. A tiny part of me had wondered if he was going to do it in SD, since Mike and Taylor would be there. BUT, Matt had been working crazy hours, and the time he did have off, we always spent together. When would he have possibly gotten the ring? He hadn’t been acting weird or showing signs of hiding anything. I had no evidence.

PLUS, we are going to Hawaii at the end of March and I thought maybe he was waiting to do it on our trip. We had also spent so much money furnishing our new place. That, combined with the expense of a Hawaii trip made me wonder if spending money on a ring was even a priority at the time. AND, I was always thinking that maybe it’s just too early, that he wasn’t ready yet. There are a lot of factors here, people.

And, at the risk of sharing too much, there was always a tiny part of me that thought something this magical could never happen to me. It’s just been a long, and sometimes very rough, road to finding Matt. Most of my friends are married and have [multiple] kids. I think, as a means of self-protection, I had convinced a large part of my brain that maybe marriage and finding a life partner just weren’t in the cards for me. And I had kind of gotten to this point where I couldn’t even picture it in my head. Like, literally, I couldn’t conjure up an image of what a ring would look like on my finger, or what it would be like to have that feeling–that absolute confidence–that yes, this is my person, and I am his person. Even when I knew that Matt was indeed my person, there was this inherent part of my brain that said “this isn’t real”.

So on with the story–we drive straight to Sunset Cliffs Natural Park in SD and meet up right away with Mike and Taylor. The place is amazing. As advertised–cliffs and sunsets. It’s a beautiful landscape. It is now that I start to notice small things. Everyone seemed …a little flustered. But then again, we were late and there’s only so much daylight left to shoot. We walk over to the cliff area and Taylor has me posing and taking pictures and Matt ducks out to the restroom (very typical). So then I think “Oh, OK, he probably wouldn’t duck out to take a leak if he was going to propose.” All the while, that part of my brain is subconsciously saying “remember: these things don’t happen to you”. If I started thinking that something so amazing was going to happen…and it doesn’t, I was going to be let down. And let down is not fun (nor fair to Matt). The photo shoot continues, and Matt joins in and we continue to be prompted by Taylor. Mike and Colter are chill and hanging out next to us. Nothing is happening.

As we continue to take pictures, I just get this feeling. I don’t know if I sensed Matt was anxious, and maybe even that Taylor was a little anxious also. I don’t know what it was. But I do know–that the little voice inside my head that kept trying so hard to prevent me from let-down–just got completely squashed. Actually, it kind of felt like my entire ability to think rationally got squashed. And at some point, within the few seconds before he got down on one knee, the only internal cognitive message I could pull together was: “Oh my god. This is happening. This is really happening.”

I wish I could give more detail or explanation, but everything was truly a blur. I heard Matt say “wife” at one point right before kneeling and I think everything inside me melted. My favorite person in the entire world had asked me to be his family–to be his favorite person, forever. My entire periphery became cloudy and irrelevant. I really felt like David in the YouTube video “David at the Dentist” when that poor little 6 year-old is all hyped on anesthesia and is like “is this real life??”; except this was not anesthesia, this was a moment of unprecedented pure bliss. Yes, David. Yes this is real life.”

If you could pick one word to describe your favorite quirk about the other, what would it be and why?

“Emily: Microchip. There’s this episode of Parks & Rec where Chris Traeger (the excessively enthusiastic, over-the-top optimist, and ridiculous health nut, played by Rob Lowe) has contracted the flu virus and is in the hospital freaking out, trying to explain how his fine-tuned physiology is extremely susceptible to outside forces, dubbing himself a “microchip”.

This is Matt, in a [healthy] nutshell. Right after he consumes something with an above-average oil or fat content, he can “see” his abs disappear. He has eaten the exact same weekday breakfast for about 2 years now. Along with his, he trims *my* nose hair–that I didn’t even know I had. Microchip. But he’s my microchip. And I love him dearly.”

Published in Engagements, Proposal, Weddings

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Wedding Day First Look

Wednesday, 13 February 2019 by taylorjonesphotography

Wedding day first look…should you have one?

When Mike and I were engaged, we struggled HARD with this question–should we or shouldn’t we have a first look? As wedding photographers, we thought we knew the sole benefit for having a first look: ample time for more photos. However, on our wedding day (nearly 5 years ago) we learned a lot about why having a first look is such an amazing option for couples and we’re excited to share our experience. And get this: we didn’t even have a first look!

What’s more, some of our wonderful couples were amazing enough to let us have a peek into their intimate wedding day first look and share their experiences with you. Here it goes, our 5 reasons you should consider a first look!

Wedding Day First Look Reason #1: Time Together

The night of our wedding was a blur, as most everyone will tell you. We got to our hotel room, collapsed on the bed, looked at each other and said, “Oh, HI!” You guys, we had just gotten married and hadn’t spent longer than 2 minutes at a time together. Keep in mind, none of that time was private or uninterrupted. Looking back, we wished we had done a first look for the sole purpose that we would have truly been able to spend time together as a couple before the wonderful chaos of our wedding day ensued.

As husband and wife wedding photographers, we so cherish this time for our couples and with our couples. We love setting you up to see each other for the first time in an intimate place, away from the hustle and bustle. We love the emotion and words you exchange when no one else is around. We love gifting you with this time and allowing you to just drink it all in.

“Our first look was amazing! We absolutely loved the intimate moment of being able to see each other for the first time without anyone else around. It allowed us to take in a moment together before the hustle and bustle of the rest of the day. We would absolutely do it again! We were so ready to see each other that day and don’t know if we could have waited any longer. It was such a magical moment and we would never change anything about it. No matter how many times Haydn’s dad joked that it was bad luck.”- Jake and Hayden Crouse

Wedding Day First Look Reason #2: Time for your loved ones

If you’re planning to have a bridal party (especially a larger one with more than 6 people), or have a larger family, one of the best gifts you can give them is a wedding day first look! A lot of your family and friends like to bring a date, husband, wife, kids, etc. to the wedding. To boot, your folks are going to have quite a few family members they’ll want to entertain and visit with. By having a first look earlier in the day, they’re free to go spend time with their loved ones and visit with guests after the ceremony.

Typically, what takes about 45-60 minutes to do after the ceremony (bridal party photos, family portraits, etc.) can sometimes be done in half that time when done before the ceremony. This is purely a numbers (and hunger) thing! When there are less guests and vendors earlier in the day needing your attention, there’s less distraction and more time to get your formal photos finished. And, when everyone isn’t hungry and running to get to the bar, your chances of having a more cooperative bunch of well fed and relaxed friends and family is much higher earlier in the day!

“Our first look was at one of our favorite spots in the Botanic Gardens, the moon gate. After the whirlwind of getting ready, we were excited to finally see each other and officially start the festivities. It was a very special moment because after over a year of planning, we were finally seeing each other on our wedding day and were about to be man and wife. When the first look moment finally came, Luke was speechless and Annie was radiant. It was everything we could have hoped it would be and set the stage for an incredible day and celebration.”-Luke and Annie Cerbin

Wedding Day First Look Reason #3: Time to enjoy your vows

Before Mike and I were at the alter, we once again thought we knew what to expect. We thought it was just another formality we needed to do before the relaxing part of the day. Boy, were we SO WRONG! Coming down the aisle in and of itself is a surreal experience. There’s nothing that can take away from that moment, not even a first look. However, once we were at the alter together, we both froze. We stared at each other and blacked out a little bit (we have a tendency to do that at major events in our lives). Eventually we started talking over our officiant (sorry Mat!) because we genuinely wanted to calm each others nerves and know how the others day had been.

When it was all over, we turned to the crowd and realized that that was the first time we had looked at anyone else but each other. We were so glazed over from such an out of body experience at the altar that we weren’t able to be fully aware of what was happening in the crowd. Our couples who have had a first look have unanimously stated that they were actually able to enjoy the ceremony and their vows, and appreciate everyone in attendance. Since they already had time together, they were able to soak it all up.

“Our first look was incredible! I tapped him on the shoulder, he turned around, and it was a surreal feeling as we spent that quiet moment together seeing each other for the first time right before our ceremony. It made all of my nerves go away and everything was perfect. He was so darn handsome too! We would definitely do it again!”- Jared and Elizabeth Zinanti

Wedding Day First Look Reason #4: Time for drinks!

Cocktail hour, anyone? One of the things we hear most from couples is, “We really want to just relax and enjoy cocktail hour!” And we get it! Y’all have a lot of people to see on your wedding day, and we respect that. Anytime our couples tell us this is important to them, we talk them into having a first look. For obvious reasons, having your first look totally frees up your evening after the ceremony to do whatever you want. Care to grab a drink and hit up the photo booth? Go for it! Want to hang with me and Mike and go on a hike for some awesome photo opportunity? Absolutely! The evening is yours to spend however you like. Your guests will be giddy with excitement when they see you walking into cocktail hour to hang out with everyone and share in the festivities!

“Our first look was the perfect way to kick off our wedding celebration with just the two of us. We would definitely do it again!”
–Brian and Maggie Leslie

Wedding Day First Look Reason #5: Time for sunset and reflection

As we mentioned earlier, having a first look truly frees up the rest of your day after your ceremony. One of our favorite things to do is steal our couples throughout the evening for small increments to get different photos at different times of the day. When you don’t have a first look, you’re bound to having your portraits captured quickly and in a small amount of time immediately following the ceremony. There’s typically less of an opportunity to leave later on in the evening. However, it just so happens that the best lighting is usually during dinner. If you’ve already had a first look then leaving during cocktail hour and dinner for a few minutes isn’t a big deal or time sucker. And most importantly, you get time to look back at your wedding reception and once again, take it all in. Our couples who do a first look tell us that their second favorite part of the day was when we stole them at sunset to get a few photos with the perfect lighting and to give them a chance to regroup and see all of their family and friends having fun at their wedding.

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Yellowstone National Park Photographer | Taylor Jones Photography

Saturday, 01 December 2018 by taylorjonesphotography

Yellowstone National Park in Montana Beartooth Highway

Yellowstone National Park Photographer

We aren’t sure how it’s happened, but we’ve managed to travel to Yellowstone National Park after almost all of our major life events. For our one year anniversary in February 2013, we headed to Jackson, Wyoming to rent an adorable cabin and snowshoe. The day after Mike asked me to marry him, we packed up my Corolla with the dogs and all of our camping gear and headed north to Yellowstone through Idaho. After shooting Mallory and Steve’s Montana Wedding, wildfires redirected us to the park on our motorcycle during our last couple months of pregnancy (so, our baby moon!) It was actually in Grand Teton National Park that we decided we were going to name our son, “Colter”, after John Colter . Naturally, when the opportunity presented itself in 2018 to return to Yellowstone with our son, we couldn’t pass up a couple free weeks in July to head back to one of our favorite parts of the country!

Camping with a 7 month old has it’s challenges, but we were so proud of our little goober. He slept like a champ, played in and ate so much dirt, and his chill little personality made driving and camping for 10 days so much fun! Honestly, the hardest part was that he was so excited to be sharing a bed with Mom and Dad (and Mason and Copper) that he didn’t want to fall asleep! PARTY TIME started as soon as we all climbed into bed with him in our little camper.

We hope you enjoy some of our favorite shots from our trip of beautiful Wyoming and Montana. The Grand Tetons and Rocky Mountains in this area are so rugged and intimidating, and we hope we captured their essence.

Cheers!
Mike, Taylor and Colter Max

And a couple cell phone shots 🙂

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Ouray Colorado Family Photographer | Heaton Family

Thursday, 08 November 2018 by taylorjonesphotography

Ouray Colorado Family Photographer

I’m not going to lie, when folks book their photo shoot with me nearly a year out, I get so excited! When Lauren reached out last year to say she and her sister were surprising their dad with a Ouray Colorado Family Photographer session while on vacation, I could not wait to meet them. Lauren, her husband and their two boys, her dad, and her sister, Courtni, and her husband were all traveling to Ouray, Colorado from the midwest for their annual family vacation. When we got to Top of the Pines, Lauren informed me that her fathers house is filled with family photos covering the walls. Nothing warms my heart more than knowing that family photos grace the walls of folks homes. Social media is great and all people, but prints are purely magical. They’re tangible and nostalgic.

Now, I have found that by making farting noises, most boys warm up to me quickly. However, these boys needed a little more persuading for their sweet smiles. So, when all else fails in the fart-noise-making department, letting little boys jump off things is a sure fire way to win their hearts. Within minutes, Lauren’s boys had sticks in their hands and found a big wood pile. With a simple countdown and enthusiastic, “JUMP!” the boys immediately became starry eyed and game for anything we wanted to do for their family photos. And to boot, these two kiddos were some of the most affectionate and loving kids I’ve ever met. Their adoration for both mom, dad, Grandpa, auntie and uncle was so endearing. At any point, you would find one of the boys holding someones hand.

In true Colorado form, we were graced by Mother Natures beautiful lighting with a diffused and golden sunset. I can honestly say that I’m counting down the days when Lauren and Courtni and I can get together again when they’re back in Colorado! Thank you guys so much for having me capture this time for you!

Cheers,
Taylor

For more information about your Ouray Colorado Family Photographer, check out our Family Portrait Gallery!

Planning your Ouray Colorado Wedding? Check out our Wedding Gallery!

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Breckenridge Photographer at Sawmill Reservoir | Audrey Family

Thursday, 08 November 2018 by taylorjonesphotography

Sawmill Reservoir family photographer Breckenridge Colorado

Sawmill Reservoir | Breckenridge Colorado Family Photographer

I was ecstatic to shoot this family session at Sawmill Reservoir, a hidden gem and easy hike in downtown Breckenridge. Shooting extended family sessions is one of my favorite things to do in the summer. There’s something about the WHOLE family coming together on vacation to have this time documented. Audrey messaged me to say that she, her husband, her parents, two siblings, 3 year old son, 3 nieces, 1 nephew, brother-in-law and sister-in-law were all going to be in Breckenridge for their family vacation. And they wanted this special time, celebrating their parents 50th wedding anniversary, captured! Did I mention she was pregnant with triplet girls at the time, too?

Naturally, most families have a little reservation, nerves, and questions when wrangling 13 people together for an extended family session. But let me tell you, you really can’t not have fun at these sessions! My goal at these sessions if for everyone to have fun. Being from a family of 8 (which is growing yearly), I totally understand the pressure and stress of getting a lot of people together and happy all at the same time. So, trust me, as a mom, daughter, and photographer, I feel you when you’re organizing outfits, food schedules, nap schedules, etc. Once you get everyone to the session, it’s up to me to take over and make it a fun experience and capture those truly candid and hilarious moments. Even if those moments include one little brother spitting at his sister!

What’s more is there’s truly nothing like watching big family dynamics. There’s inside jokes, allies, and love––so much love! When Audrey told me that she was pregnant with triplet girls, her sister, a mother of twin girls, looked at me and said, “Yes…she’s been trying to outdo me her entire life!” I never feel more at home than when I’m with a big family cracking witty jokes at one another. Meeting Audrey and her family, and celebrating her parents 50th wedding anniversary, was truly an honor and I can’t wait to see how this family continues to grow! Thank you so much for having me capture this time for you all!

Cheers,
Taylor

For more information about our extended family sessions at Sawmill Reservoir in Breckenridge, Colorado, visit our family gallery page!

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Rocky Mountain National Park Elopement | Adam and Jhori Rippy

Wednesday, 31 October 2018 by taylorjonesphotography

Rocky Mountain National Park Elopement

Rocky Mountain National Park Elopement | Adam and Jhori Rippy | Trail Ridge Road Elopement

I’m not going to lie, my photography wanderlust has been driving me to shoot an intimate Rocky Rocky Mountain National Park Elopement for quite some time now. So, when Jhori e-mailed and said that she and fiancé Adam were still working out the details of their intimate Colorado wedding, I was hooked. She let me know that while they didn’t know all of the details just yet, they knew they wanted to work with us. Naturally, my heart fluttered and I melted. We chatted for a couple months about location ideas for them to say their vows. However, without a doubt, these two were set on having their portraits taken on the ever lusted after Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. I would later learn (at 10,00ft) that Jhori has an insane fear of heights. So picture it…a windy, daunting, and intimidating 12,183ft above sea level as a storm rolls in. This isn’t a likely spot for portraits for someone with a fear of heights! Nevertheless, Jhori did say that her friends and family would be so proud of her when they saw the heights she was willing to summit in the name of beautiful portraits! And girl, it totally paid off!

With their three kids and closest family members in tow from Indiana, everyone headed west for Jhori and Adam’s beautiful wedding ceremony. It was truly one of the most magical days I’ve had the honor of being a part of. With close family, raindrops, elk, incredible 14,000ft mountains surrounding them, and in true Colorado form with storm clouds chasing us, could it have been more perfect? I think not! Plus, a bride who wears Birkenstocks under her wedding dress so we can hike, is my kind of gal!

Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Rippy! I am so thrilled you invited me to be a part of your incredible and intimate wedding day. We can’t wait to see you again in Colorado!

Love,
Taylor

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Highlands Ranch Mansion Wedding | Kevin and Katie Lewis

Tuesday, 30 October 2018 by taylorjonesphotography

Highlands Ranch Mansion Wedding

Highlands Ranch Mansion Wedding | Kevin and Katie Lewis

We are so excited to share Katie and Kevin’s Highlands Ranch Mansion Wedding with y’all today! I think if one of our brides was my spirit animal, Katie would be it! In all honesty, we adore this couple from the bottom of our hearts! From the first time we met Katie, her mama, and her best friend/MOH Chelsea, we were totally drawn in. Her energy and zest for life was absolutely contagious. Not to mention, she was excited about everything we talked about: her Pomeranian puppies, she and Kevin’s relationship, our then pregnancy…Katie was truly a special gal, and we were so thrilled for the opportunity to be apart of their story.

Fast forward a couple weeks to when we got to meet Kevin, a start contrast from outgoing Katie. Kevin was quiet, charming, and undeniably adored his adorable bride. Their engagement shoot at our ranch was a whirlwind of excitement, puppies, and laughter between these two. Needless to say, Katie and I developed a friendship that I cherish over the next year as she planned their wedding. The day they said, “We do” was one I shamelessly cried at and felt so much love from everyone there! Mr. & Mrs. Lewis, congratulations you two! We adore you both and are so excited to see where your love takes you!

Love,
Mike and Tay

How did the two of you meet?

“We actually met back when I [Katie] was 14 and Kevin had just turned 15. It was our freshmen year of high school. This was back when Myspace was the way most kids our age communicated. Kevin was the “number one friend” on Myspace for one of my bridesmaids and I remember thinking he was super cute, so I added him to be my friend on Myspace. He messaged me after that asking if I knew him and I tried to play it off like I didn’t add him. We started talking after that and then started dating soon after we ended up going our separate ways, and then we got back together after high school.”

How did Kevin propose?

“Kevin told me that his mom wanted to do family pictures on December 18th 2016, I remember because it was -5 that day. I remember thinking “why would she want to do pictures on a day like this” (when I knew Dindy and I both preferred warmer weather). We went to a beautiful snowy area in Palmer Lake where I grew up to take pictures with the family. Kevin left to “get his mom’s phone” when I could hear violins playing in the distance. Moments later I saw Kevin walking up with my family and violinists behind playing Canon in D. I could not believe he was asking me in that moment. He got down on one knee in front of both our families and my best friend and asked me to marry him.”

How did you guys choose Highlands Ranch Mansion Wedding venue?

“It’s actually funny how we chose our venue. Before I was even engaged, I was looking at your [Taylor’s] Instagram page of wedding pictures with my coworker, Sue. We came across a photo that we actually recreated later on, but I just remember thinking “There is no way I could do that venue. It must be so out of my price range.” Once we became engaged, we looked at a venue that was really pretty. However, after that we went to “look” at the Highlands Ranch Mansion, I knew that HAD to be my venue. I wanted to look at other venues to be sure, but I knew that no matter what else I looked at I would always want that venue. So we went forward and booked with them!”

What was the most fun part of planning your Highlands Ranch Mansion wedding?

“The most fun part about wedding planning was going to meet with the vendors. It was so much fun trying our wedding food, cake, and meeting with Pam (my planner)! We would always make a whole day out of the event. I will never forget when we went to try cakes. My mom, aunt, Kevin, and Chelsea went to pick up the cake samples. Then we went out to eat, sat in the sun, tried all the samples and then went to try more cake. We had so much fun that day! I also loved asking my girls to be bridesmaids. I prepared the most beautiful gifts that I made specifically for them. That was by far the best experience when it came to planning.”

What was your most memorable moment from your wedding day?

“Wow that is tough to answer! The entire day was just overwhelming with love, joy, and excitement. I think my most memorable moment from the wedding day would have to be after I had finished getting ready and all my girls had left to go walk down, I was left with my mom and I was so nervous. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that nervous to the point where I was almost in tears. I remember being so excited to walk down to see Kevin waiting for me. My other favorite memory was taking the pictures with Kevin. We weren’t alone usually when we were taking pictures, typically there was a friend or two out with us. I just remember feeling like we were alone and so in love.”

What are you most looking forward to in marriage?

“I am most looking forward to going through life together. I know there isn’t anything we can’t face together. I am also so looking forward to buying our first home together, traveling, and buying more Pomeranians. Lol.”

If you could pick one word to describe your Highlands Ranch Mansion wedding ceremony, what would it be and why?

“Magical. I mean honestly, all I can think about when I think back to that day was it was an absolute fairytale. I remember being so nervous to walk down the aisle and when I was finally up there I was just in bliss. My favorite people were there watching as I said my vows. We had done some premarital counseling with our pastor so having him marry made it much more special and intimate. Everything was just stunning from the guests, to the seating, to the flowers, and of course the venue. Everything was perfect. I was most happy about the fact that it didn’t rain though!!”

What advice do you have for couples planning their wedding now?

“My greatest advice I could give to new couples is to get a wedding planner. Someone to help you throughout the wedding planning process is such a relief. Mine kept my sanity and guided me through the process. Get a binder and keep copies of everything. Make lists and give yourself plenty of time in your engagement. Your engagement is such a special time and unless you have to rush it, take your time. Take deep breaths and remember why you are doing this. There was so many times I had breakdowns and questioned why I was doing this. When you are stressed, just know it is going to be so worth it. My last tip is to spend a little more on the photographer; get a good one (like TAYLOR LOL)! Just know after the wedding fades you will always have your pictures. Okay, my last tip is on your wedding day something WILL go wrong. It could be from your dress strap snapping, limo not showing up, or someone accidentally spilling red wine on your dress. Yes, all those happened! It’s all okay! Nothing can ruin this special day and this day is about you and the one you are marrying. Everything else can be fixed and don’t let it get you down on your special day!

Are you going on a honeymoon?

“Yes! I actually won a cruise at one of the bridal expos I went to back last fall! The cruise that I won only covered the basic four-day cruise so we upgraded to a seven-day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. I would have loved to go right after our wedding, but usually traveling during hurricane season isn’t the best idea. We pushed it out to mid-November to hopefully get better weather. We also now have something to look forward to!”

Highlands Ranch Mansion Wedding Vendors

Flowers: Angela at Petals and Posh

Planner: Pam at Celebrations Event Planning

Brides dress, bridesmaids, and tuxedos: Something New Boutique

Cake: The Bundt Shoppe

Catering: Rocky Mountain Catering

DJ- Ignite Entertainment

Hair: Sarah Nelson at Total New You

Venue: Highlands Ranch Mansion

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Flying Horse Ranch Wedding | Austin and Katelynn Blasi

Monday, 29 October 2018 by taylorjonesphotography

Flying Horse Ranch Wedding

Flying Horse Ranch Wedding | Austin and Katelynn Blasi

Creativity fuels creativity. That’s just an awesome fact, and one we totally honed in on for this Flying Horse Ranch edding. Upon learning the mother of the groom, Austin, was a photographer herself, we were immediately excited! Pairing that with Katelynn’s fun and unique ideas for photos, and we had a recipe for an exciting wedding day! From the moment we got to Austin and Katelynn’s wedding, we were continually hugged and treated like family. During all the important and even quiet moments of the day we were given total creative freedom. Because of this, we were allowed us to capture their special day with so much fervor. Most importantly, when our couples are as excited about their photos as we are and give their input in making these moments happen, we’re fueled!

Furthermore, you know what else fuels creativity? Emotion. Without a doubt, the Blasi’s wedding was one of the most emotional days we’ve had the honor of being apart of. I lost count of the number of times Katelynn looked at us and said, “Is my makeup okay?!” after shedding a few tears. And it was epic. As a result, at any given moment, someone somewhere at Flying Horse Ranch was crying. It truly makes our job feel so intimate and purposeful!

Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Blasi! We are so thankful to have been apart of your beautiful wedding day and can’t wait to see where you go in your marriage.
Love,
Mike and Tay

How did the two of you meet?

“We met our senior year at the University of Denver through mutual friends.”

How did Austin propose?

“Austin proposed on the Georgetown Fall Colors train. It was a gorgeous fall day and I thought we were just going to look at the fall colors in a unique way by taking a train through Georgetown. We got super lucky and were seating in the first car of the train, which at the half way point becomes the caboose and you can take unobstructed pics off the back with the tracks and the colors in the background. We went out there to take some pics and he got down on one knee!”

How did you guys choose Flying Horse Ranch Wedding for your wedding venue?

“Austin is from Eastern Colorado, so I wanted something that had a little rustic feel as a nod to his upbringing. I loved the elegance of the ballroom and the barn space. I thought it made for the perfect mix of venues for the various activities throughout the night. An elegant dinner in the ballroom followed by a party in the barn! We both loved that the venue was a little out of the way and made you feel like you were somewhere else.”

What was the most fun part of wedding planning for you?

“Planning with my mom and sister was the best part. People would ask if I had a wedding planner, to which I would say: “Yes! My mom!” She was incredible. My sister planned the most amazing bachelorette on Cornado island in California and my mom truly made my wedding happen. We had a ball thinking through details, visiting vendors, and just spending time together doing something fun!”

What was your most memorable moment from your wedding day?

“There are so many moments! Probably the speeches at dinner. My dad, the best man, Preston, and my sister all were fabulous. Their speeches were heartfelt, funny, and genuine. Or getting tossed by the groomsmen!”

What are you most looking forward to in marriage?

“Going through life together. He is my partner and my friend in everything.”

If you could pick one word to describe your wedding ceremony, what would it be and why?

“Surreal. I feel like I finally understand the meaning of “on cloud nine.” That is how I felt the whole day and at the ceremony too. We were truly on our own planet during the ceremony.”

What advice do you have for couples planning their wedding now?

“Find your vendors and trust them. People who work in the wedding industry are experts in their field. They are good at what they do if you give them the chance. I think a lot of people worry about minutia that no one cares about in the end. Let your vendors work their magic and everything will come together beautifully!”