Emily + Mike | St. Louis

EMILY + MIKE

St. Louis, Missouri Session

Autumn foliage is on display among the tree lined streets that fortified the Victorian homes of the Shaw neighborhood in St. Louis the day we meet up with Mike and EMily for this post-modern in-home session. We then hit the pavement for some contemporary cool street vibes. We first met Emily and Mike in St. Louis at a wedding we shot in March of 2019. (Shout out to Alex and Addison! Hey guys! ;) ) They are the two creatives behind Juniper Films and together they create surreal, beautiful works of art. Their style is on full display in this collection as they let us experiment and focus on this couple’s shared creativity.

The home, built in the 1920s, seems to be dripping with a long history of its own. A history that mike and emily contribute to daily. Recent renovations and future projects pepper the house, but the original style and design is only complimented by these changes. Above their bed hangs a map of the U.s. a map that is more than appropriate for a couple that dots across america as filmmakers. mason, their small yorkie, hops on the bed with mike and emily and snags of few photos with his parents and sits for his own portrait.

The late evening light trickles into the bedroom and works some magic at the end of daylight savings. streaking light and reflections create a rich, glowing look and lingering sense warmth. in A dining room stocked with a healthy provision of greenery, emily dances as mike snapped a few quick photos from the adjoining kitchen.

We head out and trot down the sidewalks covered in recently fallen leaves, then head downtown to a parking garage mike has access to. With nothing but natural light, we get a chance to flex our industrial muscle. the converted garage seems to be a gutted former office building, now resembling a set piece from eraserhead. Walls adorn with chipped white tile and torn wallpaper make for a lush variety of backdrops.

As the sun starts to finally disappear, we make our way down alleys and harness the last bit of golden light. We play with overexposure and slow shutters to create a sense of pause. taking in fleeting light and making time stand still in these photo stills.

Megan and Nathan's Greenhouse Two Rivers Wedding in Springfield, Missouri

MEGAN AND NATHAN

GREENHOUSE TWO RIVERS WEDDING

SPRINGFIELD, MO

We’ve known Nathan since he was ten years old. He was a quiet funny kid, but we didn’t spend much time with him. (We’re close to a decade older than him! Old!) Once he became a teenager, we realized what an incredible, responsible, and kind guy he was. His future wife had better be pretty dang special!

Megan.

We met Megan a few years ago. She is the embodiment of goodness, love, and kindness. So when our friends spilled the beans that they were dating, I, Rosalie, was over the moon elated!! ”Of course!! They’re PERFECT for each other!!” Once their relationship became serious, I admitted to Megan that I didn’t want to put pressure on their relationship, but they were a perfect match in every way and if they broke up I would be devastated. No pressure, right?? Okay, it’s not my proudest moment, but dang it! I was RIGHT. Nathan is a youth leader and worship leader at our church and Megan serves along side him in both. These two are actual couple goals, and I hope these wedding photos warm your heart as much as they warm mine.

And now on to their wedding day story:

Megan and Nathan were married in Springfield, Missouri at the wedding venue Greenhouse Two Rivers. I’m not ashamed to have favorites, and Greenhouse Two Rivers is up there as one of my favorite wedding venues in the country! With multiple places to hold your ceremony, beautiful grounds, gorgeous white walls, and an aesthetic to die for, Greenhouse Two Rivers needs to be on your list of venues to tour.

The thing that stood out to us throughout the day was just the overall calm and joy that every guest seemed to have. A lot of the guests were members of our church, so to see them all there to love and support Megan and Nathan in Springfield, really filled our hearts. At weddings, emotions can run high. Sometimes people can get grumpy. There was none of that at this wedding. Just a sense of anticipation and overwhelming love. It sounds cheesy, I know, but it’s true.

When it was time for the ceremony, Nathan had a surprise waiting on Megan. There at the front, he played for her. He sang for her. It was so beautiful. It was by far one of the most meaningful bridal entrances we’ve seen yet and we were so thankful to get to witness it not only as vendors, but as friends.

Megan and Nathan,
We hope that your relationship is always as beautiful as it is right now. As your love matures and grows, we hope that you keep Christ as your constant. We love you both!

-Rosalie and Zach

PS. Hey Bluff First fam!!

Nicole and Brett's Classy Wedding on Groom's Family Farm in Missouri

NICOLE + BRETT

September 28|29, 2017
The Lodge at Loma Linda, Grandin Missouri
 

When Nicole contacted us about their classy wedding on the groom's family farm, we knew it was going to be perfect. They traveled from their home in New Mexico to get married on Brett's family farm at the Lodge at Loma Linda surrounded by their closest family members on Friday afternoon and had a reception with friends and family on Saturday.

Their ceremony was held in front of a backdrop of beautiful oak trees and a simple arbor with white, flowing fabric that complimented their soft and femme details in a rustic location. We LOVED Nicole's choice in flowers and greenery. (Don't even get us started on her dress. How beautiful is it??) Her soft pink and white florals we're the perfect contrast to the lush greens still clinging to the early autumn earth.  After they said "I do!", Brett and Nicole drove us around the property so we could take some portraits and soak up all those just married feels. Favorite location? Oh. That's a hard one. It's definitely a toss us between the incredible sunset light peeking over the hill and the bridge we reached right as the sun was setting. (One photo reminds us of The Princess Bride!)

Saturday we drove back to photograph their reception! (and eat a couple slices of cake! ;)  )  There were yard games like Corn Hole and Giant Jenga, (You can actually see the exact moment that mans heart broke as they fell to the ground. lol) southern BBQ, beautiful speeches, great dancing, and so much love and laughter. It was truly a joy to experience. 

Thanks so much for reading along!
xo

Zach&Rosalie
St. Louis Wedding Photographer