Where do I even start? Zach and I met several years ago and I immediately knew that he and my husband would be perfect for each other! They both had an understated sense of humor, an awkward competitive streak seething beneath the surface, and a pre-occupation with golf. I mean, is there more to a bro-mance than that?
Fast-forward five years (has it already been that long?) and Zach and I are still close friends, but I think he's only ever even met my husband twice (I'm still committed to starting their relationship at some point...) And I start to learn more and more about this amazing woman he is partnered with. He had given me some hints that things were going to get serious and the next thing I saw on social media was Zach's epic proposal in Japan to his gorgeous girlfriend, Kenzie.
When Zach and Kenzie approached me to do their engagement pictures in the midst of the winter's ice storm, I felt like I was auditioning for Star Search. The conditions were nothing like I was used to (hello natural light, summer photographer!) but I knew that their wedding was going to be gorgeous and I also knew I really wanted to shoot it! Next thing I knew, I was signed up for my first wedding in Bend!
The wedding day itself was incredible. Pronghorn Resort seemed to be built for weddings (they boast good golfing or something, but they can't fool me!) Their scenery, accommodations, back-drops, and all around amenities (we had a golf-cart chauffer!) made it so all the usual obstacles to wedding photography all but evaporated. Also, can you believe the Lava Tube!? I couldn't...I was oddly fascinated with it and could have shot in that location alone all day. Don't worry, I researched it's origin for about 45 minutes after the wedding on The Google (you should too, it's crazy interesting!) Beyond my unending awe at the wedding venue, the gorgeous flowers, the insanely beautiful reception set up, and the golf carts, the love that Zach and Kenzie share glowed throughout the day. They wrote their own vows and, as always, I was wiping tears throughout the entire ceremony. The toasts, the dances, and all of the sentiments shared throughout the wedding day confirmed that these two were made for each other. They are considerate, thoughtful, and so polite and pleasantly respectful to each other, with a normal amount of inside jokes and teasing (which was mostly Zach making fun of himself...A trait I can appreciate) They made everyone at their wedding feel at home (even their photographer) and I felt so special to be a part of it! Zach and Kenzie, thank you so much for the opportunity to capture your incredible day!
Okay, so you all know that I'm terrible at narrowing down favorites and this blog post is no exception. This wedding was the longest wedding I've ever shot - I was there for almost 2 hours longer than I normally am at weddings...that means I shot about 250 MORE images than normal. This is a long-winded justification for explaining that I did a particularly poor job of limiting my favorite selection :) And by "poor," I mean awesome because you get to see all of these amazing pictures! Obviously.
Full Wedding Gallery: https://kelseajoannphotography.pixieset.com/johnstonwedding/
Wedding Venue: Pronghorn Resort in Bend, Oregon
Florals: Hart's Florals (find her on Instagram, she's amazing!)
