Meghan & Johnny Get Married

Going to the chapel...

and we're gonna get married.

Gee I really love you...and we're gonna get married.

Going to the chapel of love.

I've known the Peterson family for a very long time...

and I love and respect each one of them.

So when my good friend Angie asked if I would photograph her daughter Meghan's wedding day...I didn't even think twice before answering yes.

Besides...who could pass up photographing fourteen bridesmaids...

I mean, seriously how fun are they?

Meghan is an incredible young woman with a giant heart that envelops everyone around her. After the ceremony...I loved how she couldn't wait to share this moment and motioned her sister Nicole to be the first to congratulate her.

I think that Nicole was very happy for her sister don't you?

Meghan found her one and only...her Mr. Right.

And from what I can see...they are perfect for each other.

It was a privledge to follow these two around all day. 

Nicole and Johnny's friends and family felt exactly the same way.

One of my favorite photos from the day. I asked them to each kiss their spouse and Nicole cooperated by kissing her bouquet. 

The siblings.

Mother of the bride with her baby girl. Angie was the calmest mother of the bride I've ever seen. It must run in the family, because Meghan was equally as calm.

Fresh young love is exhilarating...and oh how Johnny loves his bride. We were setting up for another group shot when I turned around and found the two of them gazing at each other...that's true love. 

The wedding party.

And those bridesmaids again, this time with a Charlie's angel pose. 

Being a bridesmaid is a special job. The bride picks her dress, her shoes, the flowers, the invitation, and every other detail hoping to design the perfect day. And then she surrounds herself with her favorite girls to be by her side.

The groomsmen. 

They crack me up.

They never take each other too serious.

Johnny is a lacrosse player...so I requested a sticks in the middle of a team huddle pic. 

Go team Johnny!

The couple celebrated with a lovely wedding luncheon at a local Brazilian restaurant.

Where little people sneaked in a nap.

And the bride and groom 

settled into being a married couple.

The reception was held in an old warehouse in Meghan's hometown.

Angie transformed the warehouse into a magical place. Both inside...

and outside.

The cake...

the invitation...

the flowers...

the lighting...

and the food...every detail was perfectly coordinated and detailed.

But my favorite...were these freshly made doughnut holes. They were divine!

Some last minute touch ups for the bride and she was ready to go.

I called this area of the reception Campus Corner. She is a huge Aggie fan and he is a big Utes fan. 

But both Meghan and Johnny are huge football fans, as evidenced by the sign that said...

"we interrupt this marriage to bring you football season."

The evening was exquisite.

The Autumn air was crisp.

Everyone enjoyed themselves.

But especially the bride and groom during their First Dance.

And then one with Daddy! 

Meaghan and Johnny cut their cake. 

And then they were off. In keeping with the incredible "over the top" ness of this event the bride and groom were pulled down the railroad tracks by the groomsmen to their waiting car.

Where they began their life together as Mr and Mrs. And where they lived happily ever after. Thank you Meghan and Johnny for allowing me to be part of your day...it was truly amazing!

Steam Mill Still a Favorite

I was culling through some summer photographs last weekend and discocvered these images of our favorite Logan Canyon hike...Steam Mill. The day was such a great memory for all of us. The hike starts out in a parking lot in Franklin Basin.

The first two miles are pretty steep...so to keep our heads clear, we discussed our PSR...Primitive Survival Rating. If you have watched the ridiculous reality TV show Naked and Afraid you'll know what I am talking about. Incidentally Chet was given the highest PSR...I got the lowest. So rude!

Dione and Hailey were sporting new shoes...breaking them in for an upcoming hike in the Narrows of Zions National Park.

I also had a new pair of hiking shoes myself. Isn't it nice he still ties my shoes...so romantic!

This is the old steam mill engine the settlers of Cache Valley used to log the timbers.

I have no idea how those Pioneers hauled it up here, but they definitely didn't haul it back down.

Which is great, because it is a perfect spot for a group photo using the timer on my camera. 

Hiking is a favorite family activity.

But it's not that often we get to all hike together. So when we do, all kinds of shenanigans can take place...like the slow motion high-five!

Climbing on large boulders is always part of the fun.

The hike ends at the base of a mountain where a small lake sits quiet and still. 

Time for a rest...

And a snack.

The view is incredible.

And so are my fellow hikers. 

A moment for reflection. Someone should have warned Hailey how many photos I take on hikes...good thing she is such a good sport. At this point...most hikers would turn around and head home.

But if you know anything about family members of The Garlick Press...you know we never stop at the easy part. 

It was Dean's idea to scale this ridge. Which looks easy enough until you are on it...

and discover it is nearly straight up it is so steep. Eventually I had to use both hands and feet and crawl to the top.

But the view from up here...

absolutely...

stunning!

And completely worth the effort. You can see that pretty lake we had lunch by...way, way, down there.

The intense high mountain peaks gave us inspiration to channel our inner National Geographic photography skills. 

When I grow up I want to be a Natgeo photographer. If you don't follow them on instagram you should.

Chet found a tree which most likely fell last winter. It had a stump as wide as he is tall. A very mighty tree. Must have been some sort of massive storm to topple it.

Dean took a moment to relax and tell the kids to stop climbing things, and don't fall off things, and to be careful. I think he was regretting his idea to climb this ridge in the first place. 

What goes up must come down...and so would we...eventually. Not pictured...me on hands and feet crab walking/sliding down the steep enbakement. 

And one last photo of Dione and I standing in front of the ridge we had just climbed. Good times! I'll miss hiking now that the cold weather is settling in.