Arizona Sunset Bridal Shoot | Talyn and Kenny
Our bridal shoot with Talyn and Kenny was nothing short of magic. Not only are they hilarious and absolutely adorable together, we had one heck of an evening!
From meeting a cow to being gifted a Bible from a drunken stranger, this Arizona sunset bridal shoot was one to remember!
Our bridal shoot with Talyn and Kenny was nothing short of magic. Not only are they hilarious and absolutely adorable together, we had one heck of an evening!
From meeting a cow to being gifted a Bible from a drunken stranger, this Arizona sunset bridal shoot was one to remember!
My hubby Trevor came along with me for the shoot, and we met Talyn and Kenny close to sunset. They looked amazing in their suit and wedding dress, and Kenny was killing it with his GQ-style poses. There were a ton of bugs (I would say there were killing it too), but we had a blast anyway!
I love hunting for amazing locations for my couples, and I love shooting in state parks. For Talyn and Kenny’s bridal shoot, we went to a gorgeous creek. There was a lush, perfect grassy bank along a babbling brook, and the light was amazing. We were the only ones there (or so we thought!). It was so calm and serene. We then stumbled upon Milky the cow, who we later realized is a boy…(can you guess how we figured that out?!). We found his name hilarious, because he obviously doesn’t produce milk…so I said he’s more “Milk-ish”. LOL
Talyn and Kenny were loving their time together and took every opportunity to snuggle, kiss, and twirl. They were also happy to flip each other off with their ring fingers (which had us all laughing our asses off). They were pure magic together, and it was so awesome to be able to spend time with them.
That’s why I love bridal shoots and always recommend them, especially if you have a hectic timeline on your wedding day. It gives you a chance to spend some quality time together and get amazing, fun photos.
Not sure what a bridal session is? Or are you hoping to include one in your wedding package, but not sure if it’s worth it? This is why a sunset bridal shoot is a must - and why you deserve it.
We finished the shoot as the sun went down. As we were getting ready to leave, a car full of strangers pulled up to us. One guy started talking to us and it was immediately obvious that he was drunk. He was rambling and kind of freaked us out a bit, and then said to one of the other guys in the car, “yo yo yo, give me my bible!” Naturally we freaked out a little bit more!
Talyn and Kenny, still in their wedding outfits, watched with us as one of his buddies opened the trunk of the car and pulled out an ornate wooden box. Drunk Guy #1 opened the lid of the box to reveal a beautiful, white leather, gold embossed bible.
He handed it to Talyn and Kenny and said, “this is your wedding gift!” He told the four of us (as we stood there dumbfounded) about his 4 marriages, and left us with very sage (albeit very drunk) relationship advice. With that, he left with his buddies, we breathed a sigh of relief, and then we proceeded to laugh hysterically at the randomness of it all.
The setting sun was shining on the bible box, so I got one last shot of Talyn and Kenny holding their new wedding gift. We headed home, a night of randomness and hilarity coming full circle. I seriously could not have asked for a better evening, and I’m so glad that Trevor and I got to spend time with Talyn and Kenny to make (and experience) some magic.
If you loved this Arizona sunset bridal shoot, then check out this Wyoming bridal shoot in Grand Teton National Park!
You can also get more tips about planning your wedding day here on my blog!
Bridal Sessions - Why You Deserve One
You may have heard the term “bridal session/day after session” floating around. What is it? And why does my photographer recommend one? Because you DESERVE one!
Seriously, I believe that every couple deserves a bridal session - and here’s why.
What is a Bridal Session?
A bridal session is a separate from your wedding day. You get pictures taken of you and your future spouse.
Won’t I get pictures of me and my husband/wife on our wedding day?
Of course! And even when my couples schedule Bridal Sessions, I always take photos of just the two of them during the wedding day, too.
The main reason that I recommend bridal sessions - and the reason my couples love them - is that it frees up time.
When you set aside another day for bridal photos, it frees up time on your wedding day. You no longer have to stress about fitting in portraits somewhere between the speeches and cake.
But I can carve out an hour for pictures - right?!
Picture this:
You two just finished your ceremony, you’re married! You want to go party and celebrate!
Welp, not quite yet! Now we have to squeeze in family photos, bridal party portraits, PLUS photos of the two of you. And this all happens right after you get married! That means you may have to skip your cocktail hour altogether.
And I don’t know about you, but a margarita sounds really good right about now!
Instead of missing your cocktail hour and chilling with guests, you can schedule a bridal session. (Insert twinkling stars)
That means instead of spending an hour taking photos after you get married, you only need to spend 10-20!
10 minutes of family photos + 10 minutes of taking cute couple photos = a whole lot more margaritas!
That does sound really nice!
Doesn’t it?!
Now picture your bridal session!
You have 1+ hours to leisurely have your photos taken someplace EPIC.
Think:
You can literally have your bridal photos taken anywhere!
This is a great option for you if you want a wedding surrounded by friends and loved ones, but you crave those jaw-dropping photos in scenic mountain ranges.
With a bridal session, you get the best of both worlds!
Okay, I’m SOLD! When should I schedule one?
Most couples choose to do their bridal session after their wedding -
but it’s all a matter of choice when it comes to when you schedule your bridal session.
I recommend doing your bridal session after your wedding date if:
You don’t plan on leaving for a honeymoon for a few days or more after your wedding day
You want to go somewhere adventurous, but you want your dress to be clean on your wedding day
You have WAYYY too much to do before your wedding day, and the sound of taking pictures the week before is giving you a headache
If any of these sound like you, then I recommend doing a bridal session after your wedding date! It will be totally relaxing, because guess what? You’re already married and you don’t have to think of it as crossing something off your Wedding To Do List!
I recommend doing your bridal session before your wedding date if you plan on doing a First Look anyway!
Why? Because:
Your photos will be done beforehand, so you can chill on your wedding day
You’ll have complete privacy for a true “first look”
You’ll be able to go on an epic adventure together
I already got married, but a bridal session sounds so nice!
Already married? Do yourself a favor and schedule a bridal session!
Even if you got married 5, 10, or 50 years ago, you can still have a bridal session!
I think it’s an awesome idea to do an Anniversary or Bridal Session where you two are back in your wedding clothes. Because, why not?!
You can write new vows to share with each other, or dust off your old vows and see if it still rings true for your relationship.
If you didn’t get to go on an epic adventure on your wedding day, a bridal session is a great opportunity to have fun and get amazing photos.
Whatever the reason, hop back in those wedding clothes, go somewhere epic, and do the thing!
xx
I’m Arizona based but travel worldwide! if you’re thinking about eloping, renewing your vows, or doing an epic bridal session, contact me!
Bridal Session in The Grand Teton National Park | Wyoming Wedding Photographer
A childhood friend hit me up on Facebook and asked if I could photograph her wedding and her bridal session at the Grand Teton National Park and I was like, ummmmm YES OF COURSE! She flew me out from Arizona to photograph the most beautiful bridal session at Jenny Lake before her wedding.
I flew in to Salt Lake City and drove to Rexburg, ID, to reunite with the bride, Darby, after almost ten years. Soon after meeting her then future husband, Ryan, we drove to Wyoming from Rexburg to do her bridal session!
With the sun beginning to touch the mountainside we started with their First Look. After their First Look we started on their two hour long bridal session.
Ryan and Darby could not have been more perfect for each other. They had the same sense of humor and the same laid-back attitude—they were MEANT FOR EACH OTHER.
While they wanted those dramatic and beautiful moody photos—they mainly just wanted to laugh and make funny faces and it was totally amazing. She brought her traveling gnome to sneak into some photos and she also wanted to have my brother (one of her good, old friends) in some of her photos in the background, because WHY NOT?? It was a beautiful and hilariously epic night in the Grand Teton National Park.
