MADDISON + MAX WEDDING.

My sweet friend Diane Moncion let me tag along to Maddison and Max's wedding last month as a second shooter. M+M were married in the Provo, Utah temple on a clear but cold day in December. Taking portraits at the temple after their sealing reminded me of my own wedding last December at the Salt Lake temple, when I wore long johns, wool socks and boots underneath my dress. 

I thought I would soon become acclimated to Utah's winter, but I actually find myself whimpering more frequently and spending more time underneath covers than ever before. I'm breaking records over here. I shiver from behind the windows of my heated car every time I see someone riding a bicycle in this arctic climate. I started a new job today, and as I toured the building and shook people's hands, literally seven different people told me how cold my hands were. The biggest trial in my life right now is, simply put, Utah. 

But back to the wedding... love is beautiful, even when it's cold. Heartwarming, even. Once I got married a deep love grew within me for cliche romantic movies (full disclosure: Chase and I wept and held each other through The Vow), relentlessly trying to play matchmaker, and seeing other people tie the knot. Once you know how sweet real love is, you just want everyone else to feel it too. So hooray! for weddings and love and all that gushy stuff. 

CALL FAMILY.

The Call family has 3 of the cutest little girls EVER! They were very patient with camera although it was clear they really wanted to be climbing trees and chasing each other around in circles. We took a few pictures on Main St. in Bountiful, where there are some cool textured brick buildings. Such a sweet family.

GRAY FAMILY.

Shooting the Gray family earlier this month was so much fun. Their two daughters are absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much for letting me you guys!!

Before shooting we got to see a few real reindeer penned up at the front of Thanksgiving Point, which was especially rad because neither Chase nor I knew reindeers actually existed up until this point. We carefully examined their antlers, half expecting to find some hot glue spilling over from where they'd been attached to heads of these deer. We found no answers... thus we've concluded that reindeers are, in fact, real. (Everyone else already knew this). Verdict's still out on Santa Claus.

almost to the coast.

"On soft spring nights I'll stand in the yard under the stars - Something good will come out of all things yet - And it will be golden and eternal just like that - There's no need to say another word."

-Big Sur, Jack Kerouac

Sometimes I think I had things better figured out at 14 than I do now (though I'm certain I have a dozen family members who will assure you that's just not true). In either case, I'm delving back into my roots of Kerouac, Thoreau and, ahem, Incubus. Driving through Big Sur in September brought Kerouac's novel, named for the stunning coastline, to my mind. His writing is so organic, so alive. If you've never read On the Road, pick it up and experience my adolescent handbook (read: my personal Twilight).

We camped at Half Moon Bay on our way out of San Francisco, and our night went eerily well. We pulled up to our campsite, set up our tent and were roasting marshmallows within less than ten minutes. We slept like babies, woke up to a beautiful sunrise and some cookies saved from Tartine Bakery for breakfast, and began the drive down the coast. 

And it was gorgeous. All of it. Miles and winding miles of cliffs and blue ocean and sky.

To once again borrow the words of Jack Kerouac, I felt

"Happy. Just in my swim shorts, barefooted, wild-haired, in the red fire dark, singing, swigging wine, spitting, jumping, running--that's the way to live. All alone and free in the soft sands of the beach by the sigh of the sea out there."

I am landlocked in Utah and feeling homesick for the sea (I guess that's seasick for you). I've never craved salt water and salty skin as badly as I do now. 

I could write a book of love letters to the ocean.

ROB + CARISSA

I met Rob my junior year of high school, in gym class. Because of this, I will forever picture Rob wearing obscenely short shorts and a terry sweatband. Turns out we've both grown up; Rob is now studying finance at BYU and is engaged to the beautiful Carissa, also a BYU student. I was lucky enough to photograph the happy couple this weekend! I brought my own love along as my assistant, but Chase quickly told me he felt awkward because of all the kissing. I thought it was adorable. 

I remember so vividly what it feels like to be engaged-- such a sweet time. We're coming up on our own first anniversary next month :) And our best friends Skee + Roxy got engaged over the weekend! WOOT WOOT! Chase and Skee are friends for life, so I'm pretty stoked he's marrying such a rad girl who loves surfing and the sun as much as we do.