Winter Meridian Temple Wedding

There is something magical about a Winter Meridian Temple Wedding. Every time I get a chance to photograph a couple at the Meridian Temple my creative soul does a happy dance. This session was a tad different than the rest. It has been a good year since I have had the opportunity to shoot at the temple. During that year aka a Global Pandemic I really pushed myself both in my creativity and my growth as a photographer. Some of my most favorite temple photos can be found HERE and HERE. I wanted to take my photos to the next level. Having not had a bride and groom get married all year I decided to take matters into my own hands and find a couple. That is where Johanna and Masen come in.

Finding a Couple for This Session

I was scrolling through the hashtag #meridiantemple and came across one of Masen’s post talking about how excited they were for their upcoming wedding. Reaching out to Johanna was a bit out of my comfort level. I asked if they would be willing to model for me before their wedding. Bless their hearts she agreed to do bridals with me having never met me or seen my work. I explained to her that I would love to GIFT them a session in return for the use of the photos. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me.

Gloomy Winter Day but still beautiful

It is winter time at the Meridian Temple. I think the temple is beautiful anytime of the year but winter is cold and not much color in terms of the grounds. In my head I had a vision for this session. I wanted it to have a romantic timeless look to the photos. I have the best vendors in the industry.  Reaching out to Courtney with Posies Floral design and told her what was going on. I knew she would create something magical. She is a flower genius. The bouquet she made was one of my favorites. This called for a color pallet that was soft and romantic and just what I was looking for. It really brightened up the gloomy winter day. She also did both the weddings that were linked in the first paragraph.

Happy Forever After Masen and Johanna

Masen and Johanna did get married a couple of days after I took their bridal photos. They were some of the sweetest people. The two of them met for the first time while serving missions for their church in Denmark. As for that meeting Johanna was sitting across the room at a zone conference. It was not until they both returned home that they discovered they had mutual friends and then a proper introduction was made. The rest is history and that is what led us to where we are today. Congratulations to the happy couple. Thank you again for allowing some random person to photograph such a special moment in time.  A special Winter Meridian Temple Wedding.

What type of wedding are you planning?

What type of wedding are you planning? Weddings these days are much different than they were just two years ago. When planning a wedding the first question you and your partner need to ask one another is how big of a guest list are you hoping to have. I find myself questioning are big weddings a thing of the past?  Sure hope not, but with the current state and a global pandemic weddings are looking much different these days.

I often find myself wondering if it is possible to have an intimate wedding that is both elegant and practical with a small guest list. I believe it to be so true just because your guest list is unable to be hundreds of people does not mean that you can not have that elegant wedding you have always dreamed of. Here are some tips to up leveling your wedding and scaling down your guest list.

Hire a Planner

First hire a Planner! I honestly can not say this enough to my couples. The benefits of a wedding planner go on and on. As a photographer I have never met a bride that regretted investing in a planner. Planners are good for so many reasons but one of my favorites (Probably because I am not talented in the area of design) is their amazing ability to create beautiful design elements. These elements bring the whole day together. They are truly what makes your dream wedding vision a reality.

Erin with Dreamer Events here in Idaho is so much more than just a vendor. I have had the pleasure of working with her now and I can say with confidence she will make your wedding a dream come true. Erin is going to set your tables, make sure all your candles are straight and lit. Her attention to all the details is immaculate. Erin is going to watch for those stray hairs and fluff that dress when needed. She will make sure you look your best while creating beautiful design elements to add to your wedding day and make it a dream come true.

Custom Invitations

Second, up level your stationary. The guest list may be significantly smaller than expected this means less invitations to go out. Hire a local designer that specializes in creating gorgeous invitations. Have them create stationary that represents the style and tone of your wedding. There is something to be said about custom invitations. Denise with Something Lettered does just this and is local to the Treasure Valley. Her work is stunning and speaks for itself. Check her out Denise HERE. Another option is Paperie and Pen. They are right here in the Treasure Valley.

Create Floral Masterpieces

Third, just because your wedding may be on the smaller size does not mean that you need to skimp on the florals. Use some of your extra budget to create floral masterpieces. Maybe instead of 15 center pieces you are now only in need of five. Make those five tables absolutely stunning. Maybe you are not having a wedding party, instead invest in that bouquet of yours. I can make your whole wedding day photos look like you had flowers for days if you invest in your wedding bouquet. There are some fabulous local florists that are able to do the kind of work that you see in the photos below. If you are needing suggestions, reach out I would be happy to send you a few amazing artists that I fully trust.

What type of Wedding are you Planning? No matter the size of your guest list your wedding will be beautiful. If you are unable to have 100s of people it does not mean that your wedding dreams can not come true. I hope this post has helped shed some light on the fact that a beautiful wedding is still possible with a small guest list. If you are considering limiting your wedding size think about streaming it for your friends and family that were unable to attend. These times are not the best but it does not mean you need to completely change how you envisioned your wedding. If you are affected by COVID-19 please also check out this blog post it may help you click HERE

Gorgeous Venue A Creekside Affair in Parma Idaho

A Creekside Affair is a beautiful venue located in Parma, Idaho. Parma is the cutest little farm town and has some unique charm. I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a workshop at the venue. I had seen a lot of photos from it but I was excited to put my own spin on it. This venue has so much to offer to it’s bride and groom clients. Not to mention and even has a playground for the kids if important to you.

A little history

The story of this venue is anything short of remarkable. The owner spent years making homes around the valley have beautiful landscaping he decided that he wanted his family to be out in the country so he purchased 200 acres of land to turn into the beautiful space they have today. The pond was hand dug and a labor of love. This family really poured their soul into making a beautiful venue for couples to celebrate their wedding with their friends and family.

Photographers Dream

In terms of Photography this venue is a dream. No matter the time of day you can find beautiful magical light anywhere. You can have a little bit of rustic and a lot of magical dreamy wedding photos at this venue. It really does offer a ton of variety for your photos. I look forward to getting to work at this venue and photograph an amazing couple here in the near future. in the meantime here are some of the beautiful photos from the shoots that were created during the workshop. If you are a bride to be definitely check out what this venue in Parma Idaho has to offer their couples you can find a link to their website HERE.

Idaho Wedding Vendors

Planning: WildBliss  and Co 

Venue: A Creekside Affair 

Floral and Floral Design Fifty Flowers  Design Historia Floral 

Cake: Dulcerella Cakes

Rentals: Little Gem Details, Flying China, Rustique Rentals

Dress Shop: Bridal By Marie

Menswear: Boise Tuxedo Shop

Hair and Makeup   Stature Salon   Hair by Shelby Smart 

Jewelry The Diamond Girls 

Stationary Paperie + Pen

Champagne Glitter Bean 

 

 

Wintery Boise engagement Session. I have been following Stephanie and Brian’s engagement journey for a while now. It has been so neat to see pieces of her wedding come together.  She’s got some family in the planning industry so she is in good hands.  She reached out to me the night before their engagements as their original photographer got stuck in Arizona due to the fog. Brian lives on the East Coast as he is in the Military.  They had a small window for timing their photos. These two have a beautiful wedding planned in Downtown Boise in the fall as people will be traveling from all corners of the world. I was so excited to get to know these two and their love story. These two are some of the most good hearted souls I have had the pleasure of photographing.  I have to say I sure do get lucky with amazing clients.

Downtown Boise Engagement Session

It was a cold foggy day. By cold it was in the mid 20s you’d never know it by the photos. We were quick and efficient. I feel like you have to be as is just so could outside. We started about 90 minutes before sunset. We managed 4 locations and 2 outfits, 7 flights of stairs and a small hike. These two were troopers they kept up with all my craziness and laugh the whole time. The end of the shoot they popped some bubbly to celebrate their engagement. Congratulations to these too. Happy wedding planning bliss. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to photograph the two of you. I call this Wintery Boise Engagement Session a win! It may have been a tad cold but we kept moving. These two were are fantastic in front of the camera. Downtown Boise is one of my favorite locations to explore.

Intimate Boise Idaho Wedding

Hayley and Bill said I do in a very intimate Boise Idaho wedding. They were surrounded by their closest family on a very rainy Saturday in October. Hayley contacted me a couple weeks before her wedding in Boise, Idaho. We chatted about her special day and came up with a plan to capture their wedding. It was very important to Hayley that she get married in her parent’s backyard. Her dad had passed away several years back from cancer. Before he had passed he took on their childhood home backyard as a project during his treatments. He created a magical low maintenance space that was perfect for this special wedding.

Hayley and Bill are both in the healthcare field so they really wanted to keep their wedding to their immediate family. I am really enjoying these weddings they are so special. Her Brother conducted the ceremony and she had three flower girls that helped her down the aisle. Her bouquet was made by Boise at Its Best Flowers as well as the arch flowers. I loved the simple yet elegant details of this wedding.

Rainy day wedding for the win

Rainy wedding day. It rained and when I say it rained it POURED!! It’s probably the hardest I have seen it rain in a long time. I had brought clear umbrellas and I am so glad I did it added some fun photos. Also how cute is her parent’s complete with a red door. I am so thankful to be a part of such a special day. It truly was magical to witness such as special wedding. Cheers to Hayley and Bill I wish you a lifetime of happiness. What a special Intimate Boise Idaho Wedding.

Parma Idaho Engagement Session

Parma Idaho Engagement Session. Megan and Nate’s engagement session was absolutely amazing. They chose to do it at Megan’s family ranch in Parma, Idaho. Parma absolutely beautiful her family property sits right along the Boise River. This was the first time I had met Megan and Nate in person. They had booked me during the first stages of our current state. It was so nice to finally meet in person.

Engagement sessions are included in my wedding packages. They are so beneficial. It helps the couple get comfortable in front of the camera and helps me get to know them and vice verses. It is one of my favorite parts of the wedding experience.

Boise River Fall Foliage

We started out right alongside the Boise River. The fall foliage was in full force the golden and auburn tones were a sight to see. The second location was just down the road in a meadow with old trees that were all so unique. We changed outfits to change up the look and later added their fur baby to the photos. I love it when couples bring their puppies to join in on the fun. We finished up along the Boise River again and stopped to admire the sunset on the way out and snap a couple more photos. Thank you Nate and Megan for taking me on a fun adventure. It is just what my soul needed!

Hayden and Hanna’s Minimony wedding

Hayden and Hanna’s Minimony Wedding happened on Saturday the 29th, of August 2020. The two met a while ago while Hanna was poking him aka taking his blood. They hit it off and exchanged numbers. They decided to take advantage of Fancy That’s Minimonie package. This was such a great deal to show that love is not canceled.  It was my first time ever doing something like this. I am used to spending hours and hours with the couple on their wedding day as well as getting to know them for months and months. My first interaction with Hanna was a video call two days before her wedding. I really loved how intimate this wedding was, 15 guests in total.

Coffee Paint Repeat

The venue was Coffee Paint Repeat. This is such a cute space, it was also the last wedding that will ever take place there. I cannot wait to see what this owner comes up with her next adventure. Hanna came at 12 to get her hair and makeup done Kayla the face behind Idaho Stylists. Her mom helped her in her dress and her good friend Sharon helped as well. Their ceremony was sweet and had a surprise guests deliver Hanna’s ring.

The bride and groom were then transported by Diamond Limousine to Scentsy where we had about a half hour for bridal portraits and then they were off to downtown for their one night hotel stay at Hotel 43 and dinner at Chandlers. This was such a wonderful couple and a great experience for me.

What is a Minimony?

What is a Minimony and what does it include? Is a Minimony right for you? If you are looking for a small intimate wedding that has premium vendors for an amazingly affordable cost then you may want to reach out to Anna to catch her next Minimony.
Planning done by Anna with Fancy That Idaho
Photographer Jacque S. Photography
Florist Gerald’s Florals
Officant Karen with Idaho Weddings Done Your Way
Transportation Diamond Limousine
Rentals Idaho Tent and Events

Dinner at Chandlers and a Hotel Stay at Hotel 43

Hanna got her dress at Bridal By Marie

A Beautiful Nampa, Idaho Backyard Wedding

A beautiful Nampa, Idaho backyard wedding. JD and Weston’s wedding in Nampa, Idaho was very unique and gorgeous. They got married in Weston’s parent’s backyard. They had both friends and family join in on the celebration. Many traveled from outside to the state to witness the joining of these two.
JD got to watch her inspiration come to life after planning this day for a while. She has known Weston since they were in high school. Though they dated a little in high school it did not get serious till after they both had graduated. I was lucky enough to know Weston’s side of the family which led me to meet JD and Weston. We did their engagement shoot out near Lucky Peak in the spring. Click HERE to see it.

The Ceremony

The ceremony was performed by the same person that married JD’s parents. Pretty awesome connection. JD is really close to her mom so this was very meaningful to her. They shared their own promises to each other during their vows. The couple elected not to see one another before their wedding. JD did do a first look with her dad. That was a special moment for the two of them to share.

The reception was full of dancing and cake cutting. Speaking of cake, their cake was made by Weston’s mom. Talk about a talented woman. She made the flower arrangements, cake and even all the food. I was super impressed by all her many talents. Scroll down to see the amazing cake. There was even a mother daughter dance was is unique, I haven’t seen many of those. The mother of the bride mixed her own song and they had quite the dance that went along with it.

Golden Hour Glow

Golden hour glow of course was nothing shy of magical. We took a short drive down the street to find this gorgeous setting on the backside of one of their neighbor’s property. I was out there the night before looking to see where I would shoot these portraits. I came across this lovely couple who gave me a tour of their whole property. They have 30 chickens and 2 goats. I am always looking for that EPIC light and location to create the first portraits of the newlyweds. This location did not disappoint. Congratulations Weston and JD I hope that you are blessed with a lifetime of happiness.

Wedding at On Collin’s Pond

On Collin’s Pond is a gorgeous charming venue located in the wonderful community of Middleton, Idaho. It is a newer full service venue that is a photographers dream. It offers so many different views.  Located at a private residence among so many beautiful trees. The owners are two of the kindest people you will meet. They have poured their energy into creating magical spaces for their clients to use. To do a Wedding at On Collin’s Pond is a goal of mine

Their venue is for intimate weddings of less then 100 guests. They have a variety of different packages to meet the needs of every couple. There are  over 100 trees planted on site, many have special significance. Each structure has a special meaning and was a different project. You can read all about the venue and the story about it HERE.

The venue also has several different amenities included for their guests to use. This really adds to the value of the venue. In addition to all the wonderful things included they also have some very unique things that can be added. One of these things is a super neat classic Ford truck. Wait till you see the photos below.

Beautiful Styled Shoot

I recently had the opportunity to do a styled shoot there.  When it comes to styled shoots I usually do not do a lot of styled shoots because I am all about showcasing real weddings on the blog.  However this is a very different time and I have not had the opportunity to photograph many weddings this year so I jumped at the opportunity to get creative. It was a beautiful evening and I spent most of my time chatting with the different vendors.   I actually had not had the opportunity to work with any of these vendors so it was wonderful to meet new people in this wonderful community.  I hope to book a wedding at On Collin’s Pond really soon! Looking into the future I would love the explore more of the venue since I was only their for a short time and did not explore all it has to offer.

Photographer: @photosbyjacque
Coordination: @3s.images
Gown: @bridalbymarie
Makeup: @makeupp_byashleigh
Desserts: @dulcerella_customcakes
Drinks: @whimsicalwagons
Furniture & Decor: @forgetmenotaccents
Florals: @hifloral
Models: @kaelabrookie & @chris_heggs
Venue & Vehicle: @oncollinspond

Max and Allyssa’s  Cascade, Idaho wedding

Max and Allyssa’s intimate Cascade, Idaho wedding. Where do I start with Max and Allyssa?!?! These two are one of a kind. Allyssa’s mom first reached out to me. A couple days later I got a wonderful email from Max and Allyssa. Let me tell you the way to my heart is a personal email it .Still means so much to me. It was not ever a question of wanting to photograph their big day but more wanting to be a part of it. I wanted so much to capture their love story and meet their families. I could tell that they were such good hearted people who would fuel my soul just to be around.

The Love Story

I have a questionnaire that I have all of my clients fill out beforehand so that I am able to learn a little bit about them. I can not word it as well as Max did so I am just going to quote him here. “Wet mops, dirty laundry, and too many spray bottles… We may have wanted a clean and healthy start to our relationship, but ours started in the most unclean of places, in the depths of student custodial work for Boise State’s Housing at a job that will forever ring in our ears with memories good and bad: Summer Crew.

The days were hot, and the nights were cool

It was the summer of 2018. The days were hot, and the nights were cool. A sweet summer breeze blew me right into the love of my life. Allyssa and I had originally met at an on-campus Christian ministry called Cru but that was merely where we got to know each other’s names. When the Summer Crew started, Allyssa and I were able to get to know each a bit better. We quickly learned that we had an unmatched cohesiveness as the biggest goof-a-saruses the world has ever known. We shared nights of fun conversation, skipping rocks in the river, and a love for Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. We become friends with an untold mission to make the world a more smiley place.

Way-too-hard-this-isn’t-even-what-we-talked-about-in-class

School started back up in the fall, along with it the dread of late-night homework montages and way-too-hard-this-isn’t-even-what-we-talked-about-in-class tests. Allyssa realized she liked me and was sensing a flirtatious vibe from me, but I told her I needed more time. I swear I had every intention to not flirt with her anymore so I wouldn’t send mixed signals, but I just couldn’t help myself. I kept flirting. I prayed to God if I should start a relationship with her, fully expecting Him to say “No, you need to spend more time with Me,” but what I heard was a “Yeah bro go for it!”

We fell in love faster than Minute Rice cooked in 58 seconds

We have been together a year and a half now, but to us it feels like it has been six years at least. Our acute sense of puns, passion for being a goofball, and wayward love for God has brought us so close together.”

The Wedding

Allyssa grew up going to her family’s cabin in Washington so it was only fitting that they got married in a stunning cabin in Cascade, Idaho. They cut the cake overlooking Cascade Lake and you can not get a better view than that. The ceremony site was overlooking the Mountain Pines. There were some very touching moments throughout the whole day. My most favorite was the first look. Max’s mouth literally dropped open when he got to see his gorgeous bride to be. They shared their vows with one another while the guests prayed for the couples love. It was very touching. These two celebrated alongside their family and closest friends.

Magical Sunset

The reception was full of laughter. The parents created a slideshow that was full of lots of fun memories of their childhood and the early stages of their relationship. We got away for some amazing sunset photos. These two get major kudos for literally scaling a mountain to get these photos. Their photos are magical and their personality shines through them. They are such a wonderful couple and their light radiates through and I am truly touched by them. Their first dance was to a song called I Love You But I Lied. Look it up if you don’t know. It’s actually a very good song. They danced to that song and streamed a music video that they made. Yes you heard me right! They made an awesome video with them singing the song. If I had the link I would share it because it was a site to see.

Thank you Max and Allyssa I am truly blessed that I got to capture your wedding.

Flowers and Planning by Kendra Peterson

Dress: Amy’s Bridal Boutique