Bridal Veil Falls Adventure
Waterfall Adventure Session | Bridal Veil Falls, Utah
Halie West Photography | Utah Adventure Elopement Photographer
A Grand Waterfall in Utah
Alaina + Jared brought their pup Dingo to spend a misty morning exploring one of Utah’s tallest falls. Bridal Veil Falls is an incredible destination for the those who want a little adventure. At 607 feet, these falls are spectacular to visit. The trail leading to the falls was so muddy that we opted to hike through the river to get a better view at the waterfall. Alaina + Jared were all smiles as they carefully traversed across rock bridges and through cold water. The two newlyweds were in awe of the power and beauty of the falls, while their pup Dingo was enjoying all the attention his parents were giving him.
Alaina + Jared spent much of their time exploring. Jared was adamant about walking down every trail that led us to discover a sport climbing crag, and led us on a steep hike up to a spot that overlooked half the waterfall. It gave us a tremendous view of snow capped mountains and really put the height of the falls into perspective. While he wasn’t finding all there was to explore, Jared has his arm around Alaina. These two were so sweet to one another and to their pup, Dingo. Love like theirs is quiet and true; a love story compiled of so many great adventures from moving across the country to eloping in a national park. Dingo was even the best dog at their wedding! This little family has such an adventurous spirit that I was so grateful to witness and capture.
Looking for someone to capture your own waterfall adventure? Get in touch! Let’s go on an adventure together.
When you bring your pet along I donate to the animal shelter of your choice! Let’s save lives together.
Post Wedding Adventure Session on Antelope Island
Post Wedding Adventure Session | Antelope Island State Park, Utah
Halie West Photography | Utah Elopement Photographer
A Date on Antelope Island
Jordan + Haydn made a brave and exciting decision to have a post wedding day adventure session. These type of adventures are fun, stress free, exhilarating, and let the fact that you are married settle in. Why not adventure as your first day as a married couple? You just experienced your greatest adventure yet- your wedding day. There are many more adventures to come after your wedding that you might as well get started right away with new experiences!
Jordan + Haydn had their adventure in Antelope Island State Park. They spent the afternoon exploring the golden fields, the lichen covered rocks, and gazing out over the shimmering lake. They also spent the day staring at one another with a deep, deep love. We frolicked through sun kissed fields and climbed over rocky terrain for the heck of it. Haydn and Jordan took in the beauty around them with every chance they got. For awhile they just sat in the sun and enjoyed the company of one another. The two held one another so close. When you love someone that much you want to feel it. You never want to let go.
Why Choose Adventure
We watched as the sun set over the lake, setting the sky ablaze in a range of oranges and golds. Jordan insisted on staying long after blue hour to take in the beauty of the moon overhead, and to hold Haydn close. We stayed out in the dwindling light until our fingers became numb. Adventures like these should be full. They should compliment your wedding day with another adventure that is just you. Haydn and Jordan did just that, and their love for one another as newlyweds shone through much like the golden sunlight.
Vendors:
Elopement Planner: Utah Creatives
Dress: Something Borrowed Bridals
Florals: Wild Escape Creations
Rings: Shop Rom Rom
Decor: Urban Blush Events
Planning your elopement but don’t know where to start? Check out the Elopement Checklist!
Let’s go on our own post wedding adventure in Utah. Get in touch to book your elopement or adventure wedding!
Fall Adventure Session
Fall Adventure Session | Ogden Canyon, Utah
Halie West Photography | Adventure Wedding Photographer
Time for a Fall Adventure
Nate + Kirsten’s fall adventure session really made it feel like the seasons were changing. The fall colors in Ogden Canyon in Utah were at their peak, and we were lucky to see golden and orange leaves before winter had set in. Fall seemed to be short in Utah this year. Utah really showed us it’s full beauty as the setting sun shone between the leaves. A golden light cast over the forest as the two held one another and their pups close.
We were also lucky to find a little patch of trees off the road. The trail we wanted to go on had been closed. This only added to the adventure and led us deeper into Ogden Canyon. Kirsten and Nate walked around over fallen leaves while taking in the scenery before holding one another close. It didn’t take long until it felt as if it was only the two of them in those woods. My camera had been forgotten as the two were simply lost in one another. It’s a special thing to see two souls so deeply connected as Kirsten and Nate.
After some cuddling, we took some little family photos with Nate’s pups, Athena and Coa. These adorable cuties are sisters and were so good for pictures. Athena has the greatest ears ever!
Fall is such a beautiful time as the weather cools off and the landscape around us starts to change. Fall is best when explored with the ones you love most. Especially when those you love are dogs!
Want to go on an adventure together in Utah? Bring your pups (or even cats) and I’ll donate to the rescue or shelter of your choice! Get in touch. Your greatest adventure yet starts here.
Sunrise Engagement Session
Sunrise Engagement Session | Joshua Tree National Park
Halie West Photography | Adventure Wedding Photographer
Early Rise for Adventure
Nick + Jill’s engagement session was an adventure. We started our little hike at 5:30 am to beat the sun. The air was still and stars poked out of the black night sky. The desert chill had us excited for the warm rays of the sun. We aimed to hike out onto the California Riding and Hiking Trail. The couple had backpacked the trail a few years before. This particular trail is 36.5 miles long and leads you through the park. Jill told me about how incredible it was to watch the desert landscape change so slowly as they hiked on. It’s not the experience you get by just driving through the park.
Joshua Tree National Park is made up of both the Sonoran Desert and the Mojave Desert. There is a dramatic change in the landscape as endless hills of bushes and cactus gardens give way to a forest of joshua trees and iconic rock formations. This shift marks the change in ecosystems. The desert is truly a diverse place to those who take the time to see it. Their backpacking trip was just one of the many adventures they have had in Joshua Tree. Nick + Jill’s love for this park has led to then to explore, hike, and climb in it countless times. Nick even proposed to Jill at Lost Palms Oasis which made shooting their engagement photos here so dang special!
Sunrise in the Desert
Our adventure along the trail didn’t go as planned as I took a wrong turn and led us down a drainage area rather than down the actual trail. We were unable to locate the trail, and settled on watching the sunrise from the sand as the sky grew brighter and brighter. Sometimes mistakes can add to the adventure, but I wish that we had been able to get to the trail before the first light. While formidable, the desert is a much more fragile ecosystem than one may believe. Crushing cryptobiotic soil or young plants can be devastating to the landscape as a whole. It is best to stick to established trails, climbing trails, rocks, or patches of sand when exploring in Joshua Tree.
An orange glow was cast over the eastern mountains as the sun came over the horizon. The joshua tree grove was filled with warm light. The sky turned shades of pink and orange. Nick and Jill snuggled up and held each other tight as they watched a perfect sunrise. They were simply at peace in one another’s arms. Sunrise is best to watch with the ones that you love, and no sunrise experience is ever the same. Waking up early is so worth getting to see the sky full of colors and a landscape that changes as the light grows brighter.
J Tree is for Climbing
No trip to Joshua Tree is complete without some rock scrambling or rock climbing! We climbed around on a rock pile while the sun peeked over the surrounding mountains. Nick + Jill are both rock climbers so we were sure to get in some crack and chimney climbing. We finished up our session with a pancake breakfast and some well earned coffee. The desert awoke around us, and the sand at our feet became warmed by the rising sun. There is no better way to start off a morning in Joshua Tree than by joining the sun as it awakens the desert.
Looking for someone to capture your own sunrise engagement session or adventure wedding? Get in touch! Let’s go on an adventure together. Want to get married in a National Park? Check out this guide for what you need to achieve your dream!
Sunrise Vow Renewal Inspiration at Crater Lake
Sunrise Vow Renewal Inspiration | Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
Halie West Photography | Adventure Wedding Photographer
Sunrise Over Crater Lake
David + Amanda have known one another for ten years. Six of those years have been as husband and wife. They have spent a little over a year traveling the country in their beautiful RV. I met this adventurous duo back in Joshua Tree for another styled shoot, and we have stayed in contact ever since. It was so good to be reunited with them once again in yet another beautiful stretch of public land. We began our sunrise vow renewal adventure at 3am. Nothing like an alpine start to fuel a beautiful adventure. The drive in to Crater Lake National Park in Oregon was quiet. The stars slowly began to vanish from the brightening sky as we got to the viewpoint parking lot.
Our fingertips were frozen only to be warmed by the demanding hike to the viewpoint. Snow at the top promised more cold, but that was soon forgotten. Our breathe was quickly taken from our lungs. The sweeping landscape before us was absolutely captivating. Crater Lake reflected a brightening sky as the sun came calling. A sea of jagged rock broken by the softness of rolling clouds. It was still as the wind caused us to shiver once more. Maybe it was excitement. Excitement to be in the presence of such wonder. Excitement to be in the presence of such love. The adventure had only just begun.
The Vow Renewal
There is a mixture of silence and yearning at sunrise that cannot compare to any other time of day. Spending that time with someone you love is an experience that transcends photographs. The two quickly changed into wedding attire as the sky began to lighten. Her dress was like the snow. His suit was as the cliffs. Their attire left the memory of their wedding day reborn in the form of a vow renewal. They held one another as the painter’s brush filled the sky. Sunrise. As the landscape around us changed to fill us with wonder. There was no place more perfect for these two to have their vow renewal.
Love in a Vow Renewal
Love is like a landscape. When you look at it as a whole you get beauty. Wonder. Joy. Then you start to look closer. You see the trees, streams that weave through them, and the mountains that rise out of them. Then you see the cracked rock, the broken tree limbs, and the past scars from wildfires. You see fields of flowers, light gleaming off running rivers, and the sun overhead, and you see the light. You see the dark. Because it takes a lot to form who you are. It takes a lot to form relationships. And to keep them. Through the storms, and droughts, and lovely summer days. A landscape is ever changing, but in every moment it is beautiful. It just simply is.
Dress: Reclamation
Florals: Brenna Burnett Florals
Hair and Makeup: Nicole McAfee
National Park: Crater Lake
Looking for someone to capture your own sunrise adventure wedding or sunrise vow renewal? Get in touch! Let’s go on an adventure together.
Sunset Adventure Session in the Wasatch
Sunset Adventure Session | Wasatch Mountains, Utah
Halie West Photography | Utah Adventure Elopement Photographer
Wasatch Mountains, Utah
Sunset adventure sessions should look like this. A beautiful and meaningful spot on the map, two people in love, and a pup! The bonds shared between Alicia + Ian and their dog Charlie were heart warming. These two truly fuel one another’s adventurous spirit, and Charlie is sure to be with them every step of the way.
We started our adventure in the mountains behind their lovely forest home. The dirt trail lead us to an overlook that gave a breathtaking view of East Canyon, the Wasatch Mountains, and a distant Salt Lake City. Fresh rain brought yellow and purple flowers popping up all along the trail. The breeze pulled at our hair as it hummed through the grasses. The song of sunset had begun. Light slowly faded from the sky above, and the sun dipped slowly behind the peaks. A warm glow was cast over the field. Alicia + Ian gave Charlie plenty of love as the clouds reflected the joyous mood in an array of orange and gold. The couple even let me in on some of their killer salsa moves.
Love Stories + Sunset Magic
Their seven year love story is full of so many changes. From incredible adventures, to big moves, and to new jobs these two have been through so much together. They’ve gone on more adventures than I can count. Alicia is a backpacking pro, and Ian is an impressive rock climber. The two really push one another to get out there, and you know that Charlie is always stoked to tag along. Charlie is a strong adventurer himself. He’s getting older, but that hasn’t stopped him from summiting peaks or putting in long days on the trail. That bond between the three comes out again in their commitment to the outdoors, and in their commitment to one another.
The silence of the evening was often broken by laughter. There were plenty of smiles and big dog kisses to go around. While the real magic came with the beautiful sunset, Charlie probably thought it was when he got some yummy Zuke’s treats. As day came to a close Alicia +Ian settled into one another’s arms, and Charlie settled into their lap. They simply took it all in; the magic of nature turning day to night. The light breeze. The soft song on the wind. There was no where else to be. Even the grandest of adventures can take place in your own backyard. All that matters is who that adventure is with.
Looking for a new adventure in Utah? Check out Alicia’s blog Girl on A Hike! Looking for someone to capture your own sunset adventure? Get in touch! Let’s go on an adventure together.
When you bring your pet along I donate to the animal shelter of your choice! Let’s save lives together.
Hot Spring Adventure Session
Hot Spring Adventure Session | Meadow Hot Springs, Utah
Halie West Photography | Utah Adventure Session Photographer
Hot Spring Adventure
Parker + Anjellicas’s hot spring adventure session was nothing short of fun. Utah is home to many beautiful hot springs, and Meadow Hot Springs is no exception. Adventure sessions are a great way to discover something new. That could be discovering a new place or discovering something new about one another. Adventure sessions mean being intimate with one another with a photographer to tell your love story. there is nothing better than enjoying time together under stormy Utah skies and in warm spring water.
While their young may be new it is passionate, willing, gentle, and kind; bright like the colors of the setting sun and strong as the winds that swept across the landscape we found ourselves in. The hot spring water enveloped the couple while they got wrapped up in each other. Gentle kisses, full embraces, and lots of splashing went on in that hot spring. I don’t think there is a more comfortable place to be intimate with the one you love. The water enveloped the two as they became wrapped up in each other.
They were lost in each other’s arms and lips only to be found again in the reflections of the hot spring. Their love reflected back in each other’s eyes. A light that shines long after the sun sunk below the horizon. As the sun set over the horizon a pink glow cast itself over the water. Time seemed still as the light faded from the sky. The two ended their day with one last jump into the hot spring for old times sake.
Are you and your partner adventurous souls? Want to explore Meadow Hot Spring? Let’s go on an adventure together. We can soak in a hot spring or climb a mountain.
California Beach Adventure Session
California Beach Adventure Session
Halie West Photography | California Elopement Photographer
Jordan + Kaylee’s California beach adventure session was so much fun. Hermosa Beach in California is so spacious and lovely. The air was filled with the smell of the churning sea, clouds clung to the horizon, and the sand was soft and warm underfoot. The water curled over on itself while catching the rays of the glinting sun. It was quiet enough to believe that we had the beach all to ourselves. The summer day cast a golden glow over these two cuties that was almost as bright and warm as their love. This California couple ran around on the beach, played in the waves, and did a dance number or two.
Both Kaylee and Jordan had huge smiles on their faces the whole time during this California adventure session. They held each other as if they never wanted to let go and kissed every chance they got. This is how love should be. Endless like the sea. We ended the day with a glorious sunset that turned the beach hues of pink and purple. The California coast is full of beautiful surprises, and these two fit perfectly among the landscape.
There is something about the endless stretch of sand and water that causes one to think about how small we are in this space. However, there is something about being wrapped in the arms of the one you love that makes it more humbling. It’s just you, them, and the peace that surrounds you. Nature allows us to be ourselves with those who matter most. What could be better than that for a memorable adventure session.
Want to have a California adventure session of your own to celebrate your engagement, anniversary, or just because? Get in touch! Let’s go out and wander together.
Backyard Utah Wedding Anniversary | Utah Adventure Wedding Photographer
Backyard Utah Wedding Anniversary | Morgan, Utah
Halie West Photography | Utah Adventure Wedding Photographer
Shannon + Jeff had a backyard Utah wedding surrounded by friends and family. On their wedding day, they said 'I do' under a hand-made wooden trellis. The trellis reads "Key to my my heart" which was the theme of their beautiful wedding. This trellis still stands in their backyard in Utah today. It's been almost four years since that day, and these two vowed to not only love each other for eternity, but they also vowed to be able to fit into their wedding attire each year! Four years and they are still going strong on this promise. I photographed these two to celebrate their love in a state that they love. These photos were taken in their own backyard and just down the street of their home in Morgan, Utah. Getting to photograph two people so deeply in love is such a treat.
Shannon's stunning fit n flare dress featuring a beautiful corset came from David's Bridal. Jeff's outfit was handmade by tailor Brad Otto of John Bradley Custom Clothier. Here's to next hundred or so years of these two, their love, and being able to fit into their wedding clothes.
Planning your utah wedding day adventure or elopement? Check out the Adventure Elopement Checklist!
Looking for a photographer? Get in touch! I shoot elopement and weddings all over the Southwest. From the rocky coasts of Oregon, to the sandstone towers of Utah we can create an authentic and meaningful day for you both. I will be there to capture your sweetest moments. Let's go on an adventure together.