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Auspicious moment

This may or may not have anything to do with weddings this summer. However… the solar eclipse today was amazing and I think… perhaps auspicious in a large, earthly scale. Check out my back yard view of this planetary moment captured through early spring rain clouds!

Here’s to a fabulous year of meaningful and beautiful events!

By Larry | April 8, 2024 | Categories: Living in Montana, Scenic Montana | 0 Comments Read more >

Lone Mountain Ranch wedding

Summer time is just around the corner and LMR is a spectacular place for a wedding of any size! And the view is breathtaking.

Check out this quintessential intimate Montana wedding!

Nicole and Joe married at the Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky, Montana. High on the hill above the ranch with spectacular views of Lone Peak, the groom rode in on a horse and the bride on a massive horse drawn wagon. The couple, the pastor (the inimitable Rev. Bradford Lartigue), and the smiling ranch hands… under a blue sky full of mountain tops! Wow! Enjoy the view.

By Larry | March 8, 2024 | Categories: Big Sky Weddings, Lone Mountain Ranch, Montana Weddings | 0 Comments Read more >

Yellowstone Park Surprise Proposals

Once again, hope springs eternal. Hope is real in our world today, regardless of the ebb and flow of the circumstances, karma, politics and human conditions. Love finds a foot hold in the moment. Love… it is our greatest hope.

In Yellowstone, the world around you is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Our first national park is a marvel to behold. Visiting Yellowstone is like stepping into another world. And… to propose marriage to your partner on this hallowed ground is something you will never forget.  

I have witnessed and photographed dozen(s) of proposals over the last 6 or 7 years and it inspires me every single time. Here’s a collection of moments from a handful of recent proposals that I had the honor of surreptitiously capturing.

Watch the slideshow below.

Interested? I can help you fulfill this dream and capture the moments in images that you will treasure for a life time. I have scouted out many scenic locations that are easily found and accessible. All couples are welcomed.

Yellowstone Park opens in the middle of May. I’d love to speak with you about your plans and capture your surprise proposal or photograph your engagement or elopement.

Larry

  

By Larry | February 21, 2024 | Categories: Surprise proposals, Yellowstone National Park | 0 Comments Read more >

Allyson and Drew

A splendid summer wedding day in Paradise

Allyson wore her Grandmother’s wedding dress for the first look, in her honor. Then she surprised her husband (to be) with her own wedding dress when she came down the isle. Awesome!

At the end of the day the grandeur of Paradise Valley shown it’s amazing light and beauty upon this wonderful couple. Cheers to Allyson and Drew!

  • Thanks to my awesome second camera person Rachel Mascari for her excellent work and smiling face!

By Larry | January 10, 2024 | Categories: Copper Rose Ranch wedding, Montana Weddings, Paradise Valley Weddings | 0 Comments Read more >

Winter in Paradise Valley

Wynn and Trisha chose the wonderfully spectacular Paradise Valley for their New Years Day wedding above the Yellowstone River with the Absaroka Range hovering above. When they contacted me and booked my day, I was musing about what the weather might be like. ‘Visions of blowing snow and sub zero temps!’ OMG!

After living here for nearly 30 years, I know how changeable our winter weather is in the valley!

The good news is that it was quite amazing and gorgeous and the sun won out over the morning overcast.

Enjoy the view!

At the end of the afternoon we landed on the banks of the might Yellowstone in it’s winter repose, quietly awaiting the coming of Spring.

Cheers to my new friends. Many blessings! Larry

By Larry | January 4, 2024 | Categories: Destination Weddings, Montana elopements, Paradise Valley Weddings | 0 Comments Read more >

Getting it right

Where to start this story? Let’s see, it was almost 39 years ago that I married the love of my life Heather Van Wessem in southern California. Life was exploding with excitement and the months passed quickly as we prepared to follow our dreams and move to Montana. Heather was nearly 9 months pregnant with our first child when I put her on a plane to Bozeman. I stayed over a few weeks to fulfill business obligations and pack the rest of our earthly possessions for my exodus. Push came to shove when I got a call late in the evening with news that Heather was showing early signs of labor. I scrambled to book an early morning flight and just before I left for LAX I got news that my first sweet daughter had been born. So I was in rare form on the flight, barely able to contain myself when people would say hello and notice that I was beaming!

So that was the beginning. The story continues… When we had married we received the wedding certificate signed by the Pastor and safely put it away. What we didn’t realize was that we should have gotten it certified or notarized in Las Virgenes before we left. Years went by quickly and the need to have a certified wedding license was forgotten. We had the paper and it was signed by the Pastor so we just thought we were all good.

Recently Heather was getting our paperwork together and when she pulled out the certificate as a form of ID, it was noted that it was not complete, and legally we were not married all these years.? yikes…

So, I came up with the idea to propose again and take all the steps to make this beautiful and solid. Heather was awash in joy and accepted. I suggested a simple little wedding with our adult daughters and their families and my dear sweet sister in law Marla.

We chose a place near our home where we have always played, ran & swam for all of these years.

So, why is this on my wedding blog? Simply because this is ‘our’ story. I have captured and shared so many other’s joyous stories and images for over 20 years of weddings that I have photographed. So now, I thought it time to share a bit of our story!

Thanks to my fine friend Carlie Breen for being our photographer and to my friend and officiant extraordinaire, Reverend Bradford Lartigue.

Enjoy the view!

We have always been married, just missed an important detail! Now once we get this piece of paper stamped we’ll be able to prove it!

In every walk of life, may your path be fruitful and solid! And… if you need photography, give me a call.

Photographs by the amazing Carlie Breen! Thank you Carlie, we love you.

By Larry | January 2, 2024 | Categories: intimate wedding, Paradise Valley Weddings | 0 Comments Read more >

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Larry Stanley is an award winning member of the prestigious Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA), and also of FEARLESS PHOTOGRAPHERS.

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