Wedding Blog

Gather ’round, gals & guys, because I have a feeling you’re gonna love this recap.

Today’s post is chock-full of gorgeous, close-up portrait photography taken by Nicole Tavenner of Piknik Studios. I’ve peppered some of my previous recaps with a few of these photos (particularly getting ready, the bus ride, and pre-ceremony shenanigans), but there are just so many amazing individual portraits that I have to dedicate not one, but TWO posts entirely to them.

This first post will showcase some of our portraits of me and the mister (individually, versus the portraits we took together), and my next post will feature portraits of our guests.

Fabulous portraiture was one of the many benefits of hiring Nicole. She has an impressive online portrait portfolio of families, kids, brides, and seniors, and we were wowed by what she delivered during our 2007 engagement shoot in Glacier National Park. Good portraits are excellent photos for framing, particularly in a series of two or three, and having flattering close-up pictures just makes you feel so glamorous!

I hope these pictures can help convince you to consider a wedding photographer with a talent for portraits, or to add portraiture to your wedding day photo-list. Anyway, enough chatter… let me now allow the pictures to speak for themselves.

The first pictures of the day that really felt like “wedding photos” were those that Nicole took of me on the balcony overlooking the lobby of Lake McDonald Lodge, after my mom finished buttoning my dress. Shooting these photos allowed me to take a breath and I finally felt like a bride.

Nicole shot with a long lens from the opposite side of the balcony. I love the color and texture she gave these photos. The post-processing adds an extra rustic feeling and authenticity that the “props” alone couldn’t give. (Although I do love the giant painting, deer head, hide chandeliers, and log posts!)

To my surprise, Nicole took quite a few marvelous portraits on our school bus, both before we started moving AND during the bumpy ride. You can see lots more of these amazing pictures in the bus ride recap. What’s funny is that despite the motion of the bus, the close quarters provided for plenty of opportunity for portraiture, and the many windows made for perfect light…

Before we got started:

During the ride:

One of my favorites taken on the bus, again with some texture and “vignetting” added, post-process:

In Polebridge, Nicole caught Mr. Cherry Pie looking diabolically contemplative.

“Yesss, my evil plan is coming to fruition…”

During one of the few sun breaks on our wedding, we were both captured squinting into the bright sky.

Here’s Mr. CP wandering through the greenery in his pinstripes, like a regal zebra…

And me, pre-ceremony, admiring the sun’s sudden appearance. I think my teeth look like Chicklets in this pic! (This is a good thing, it means the Crest WhiteStrips did what they were supposed to, and didn’t just make my teeth hurt for no reason.)

Like my faux lashes? It’s photos like these that make them worth it…

Looking at you (yes, YOU!) not caring if it breaks the fourth wall…

A stoic Mr. Cherry Pie, in front of the tin-roofed Ice House Cabin. Classic and timeless:

One of many portraits of me playing with my veil. A lovely blue/green contrasting white and skin tone:

Mr. Cherry Pie peeking out from behind some bushes before we started taking photos together. I like to jokingly say that this picture looks as if Nicole caught him taking a leak.

Here I am in the brush by the Polebridge creek, just outside the tiny “wedding circle”. This is an interesting composition, though I did just notice that I have giant tree coming out of my head. (Nothing the clone-stamp tool in Photoshop can’t fix, guahahah!)

Looking behind me over my shoulder seems to be one of my better poses, as I am doing it in about 50% of all photos. Check out how long my veil is. I can’t believe I didn’t snag it on something.

Another sun break in the middle of the cloudy afternoon. This time, photographed on top of the log where we took a bunch of photos together. I’m quite pleased with the beautiful light and color in this picture.

Here’s Mr. Cherry Pie after dinner in the reception tent. I think we were about to cut the cake when Nicole took this photo. It’s likely that I was making Psycho-esque stabbing motions with the cake knife and saying “REE! REE! REE!” to get a laugh…

These next portraits are two of my favorites, simply because they are terrific profiles, very atmospheric, and quite different. I love the tone of the first one - somewhat subdued and old-timey. I feel the need to print it on yellowed paper and fray the corners to make a faux antique photo:

And this second in the series is so bright and clear; it’s a great detail shot. I’ve gotten a lot of use out of this one as a profile photo on Facebook, Flickr, and so on…

When I became a bee, I chose the name “Miss Cherry Pie” because it was my sweetie’s favorite dessert. Here is he is on the porch of the Northern Lights Saloon, satisfying his craving. (Boy, that does sound like a double entendre.)

You can’t it see in the first photo, but begging at Mr. CP’s feet is Django, a handsome Polebridge Pup, who would just looooove some of that pie. My hubby and Django had a little heart-to-heart, eye-to-eye, but in the end, Django was only rewarded with a couple of scratches behind his ears.

What an adorable image!

While Mr. CP was enjoying his pocket-sized pie, Nicole and I made use of the “God rays” at sunset on the whitewashed staircase behind the mercantile…

Such lovely clouds…

I’m flying! Jack! I’m really flying!

Watching Mr. CP with his dessert inspires a tender expression…

Back on the porch of the saloon, Nicole photographed Mr. CP with the awesome vintage 7Up sign. It reads, “Fresh up with 7Up. You like it, it likes you”. I’m not sure how I feel about a beverage “liking” me, even if it is an “un-cola”. But I sure likes me some Mr. Cherry Pie!

He’s throwing some sort of Polebridge gang-sign. WHATUP, MONTANA.

And from the opposite angle, it’s an entirely different photograph. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the next two were the same picture, but with different cropping and editing. They’re actually two separate shots (at least I think so, the foreshortening is different)… the first looks like it could have been taken in early 1900s…

And the second has a more casual, “Sunday afternoon” feel…

For my final photo location, I picked up my dress (literally) and huffed it to the front porch of the Polebridge merc. Not really a portrait, but I think this is a great “in-between” action shot…

Here I am, in another of my favorites shots, showing off my cowboy boots. My dress came pre-installed with at least three under-layers and one gorgeous crinoline. I wish I had more close-up photos, but by this point the hem was already on its way to looking like a dirty diaper.

And to play us out is Mr. Cherry Pie still doing portraiture on the porch of the Northern Lights Saloon. This time, pretending he’s about to go inside and have a brew…

I almost wish we’d gotten this next one without the bout, and he would have looked like an old west bar patron or maitre’d.

Finally, out of sequence for a reason, is my favorite profile shot of Mr. CP. I’m just very pleased with the angle, the light and shadow on his face, the level of detail visible on his suit, the little bit of the sign you can see in the background, and the fabulous post-processing on this one. I definitely want to get it framed for my desk so people at work walking by can ask me, “Who is that handsome man?” and I can answer, “He’s mine!”

That’s all for our glamour shots. If you stayed for the whole thing and are actually still reading my words, I congratulate you. +10 Cherry Pie points!

Up next, I’ll show you some of our favorite guest and family portraits, which can make an awesome additional keepsake for you (and for them!). Then, we’ll get on to the dancing, which I know you all are jonesing for. Stay tuned!

[Credits: All original images and post-processing courtesy of Piknik Studios.]

Previously:
Married in Montana: The Rehearsal
Married in Montana: The Girls Get Ready
Married in Montana: The Guys Get Ready
Married in Montana: The Bus Ride to Polebridge
Married in Montana: Pre-Ceremony Preparations
Married in Montana: Staging the Ceremony
Married in Montana: Our Wedding Ceremony (Part 1 of 2)
Married in Montana: Our Wedding Ceremony (Part 2 of 2)
Married in Montana: Receiving Line & Refreshments
Married in Montana: Cocktail Hour
Married in Montana: Bride & Groom Portraits
Married in Montana: Family Photos
Married in Montana: Wedding Party Portraits
Married in Montana: Our Rustic Reception
Married in Montana: Toasting
Married in Montana: Just Desserts
Married in Montana: Making it Official