Grand Tetons Surprise Proposal

Planning the Proposal

I normally don’t travel to Grand Teton National Park. November thru April. The Teton pass gets nasty during those winter months but when I got Jud’s email about coming to Jackson Hole in April to propose to Abbey, I had to make it happen!

I chatted with Jud on the phone a few times before meeting up and warned him that our winter was intense with over 400 inches of snow at Jackson Hole Mountain. Since he and Abbey had hiked in Bryce Canyon a few weeks prior in 5º weather, he was confident the weather would be just fine. We planned to meet on the outside of the park at Glacier View.

At the Grand Tetons

I was extremely grateful we were blessed with clear skies when just the day before clouds covered the peaks of the Grand Tetons. Jud and Abbey arrived looking astounding! Jud had told Abbey he booked a little mini tour guide before a fancy dinner in Jackson Hole after. I gave a few cool facts about the park while showing off the beautiful view. Then I asked if I could take a few photos since i’d been dabbling in photography, (dabbling for 10 years that is 😉). And that’s the moment Jud proposed to Abbey with the beautiful Grand Tetons as a backdrop! It was a perfect night!

I got to know Abbey and Jud and their 11 year relationship that started in the 8th grade! I thought that was so cute! Jud is a pilot and Abbey is a traveling nurse. I found out they did long distance for 5 months and hated it so now they try to stick together as much as possible. They travel to National Parks when Abbey isn’t on a contract. It was a fantastic night in Jackson with these two! I feel like best friends with them now! Congrats to the newly engaged couple!

Snowy Mountains Engagements • Alpine and Pinedale, Wyoming

I had never shot in the area before and I’m so glad Alex and Christian introduced me to it! It was a blast to shoot someone else besides the Grand Tetons and Jackson! Funny enough, Christian and Alex both work in Jackson!

These photos were actually taken in between Alpine and Pinedale in a small town called Bondurant, Wyoming. Can we just give this small town some credit here? I couldn’t believe these locations were all within just 5 minutes of each other and each had such unique views. One with the river beautiful rocks, another with snow covered pine trees, and our last with some cool red rock and river view!

Alex and Christian actually eloped a month before these photos! They were planning their wedding for June 2023, but majority of their family was in town during Alex’s favorite season of Fall. They decided to elope with their family and still do a celebration in June of 2023. Call me crazy, but I love seeing couples eloping more! It puts the focus on the thing that matters most: The COUPLE! I’m excited to still party next year in Wyoming with these two during their wedding celebration and reception.

Alex mentioned wanting a cozy photos for their engagements, and the snow and weather came out just in time! We still had some left over fall colors as well!

Enjoy these gorgeous images we took in 38º but it actually felt amazing!

Engagements in Grand Teton National Park • Cortney and Austin

You wouldn’t have known it was Spring Memorial Weekend. There was wind, rain and snow the entire time. I had 3 sessions scheduled inside Grand Teton National Park and they all were cancelled or rescheduled because of cloud coverage over the beautiful Tetons. I don’t think they were visible 90% of the weekend.

Cortney had contacted me this past winter about documenting her wedding which would be in Jackson at Grand Teton National Park. At the time, the park was issuing new rules with permitting and schedule which made it so hard on all my brides this year! Luckily she secured a spot for her date! Cortney and Austin live in Boise and decided to make a trip to Jackson, Wyoming to do some wedding planning and do their engagement photos. We were originally planned for Monday, but it was complete overcast over the Tetons! We ended up rescheduling twice. When Thursday came around and I couldn’t line up a babysitter, and I knew they were leaving the next day, I loaded up my kids and headed to Jackson to make it happen!

Even with a toddler on my back and baby in tow in her carseat, we got some of the best images EVER! I’m a huge fan of overcast, as long as I can still see that beautiful mountain range. The sun peaked out a few times for us, and it didn’t snow or rain! Literally a dream evening in The Grand Tetons. And Cortney and Austin? These two are gems! They’re both so kind and down to Earth. And I loved that Austin would be so sincere and kind to Cortney. Seriously, it was so sweet. I know men don’t love doing photos, and I’m sure Austin didn’t either. But he still played along with all my games and kept it real.

I CANNOT wait to document Cortney and Austin’s wedding in September back here!