Our journey takes us north to Flagstaff for today's wedding to capture Jessica and Eric's big day. I arrived bright and early and immediately got started shooting this beautiful property. With rain in the forecast, I wanted to try and get as many outdoor shots as possible. Jessica and Eric had not yet arrived at the venue, so this gave me some extra time to walk the property and scout possible locations for portraits later. It's pretty cool to live in a place where, in a relatively short distance, the climate and environment can change so drastically. My day started in the warm desert, and now I was smack in the middle of a cool mountain forest. I love this state. Jessica and Eric soon arrived, and I got started with the dress and details. The weather forecast may be less than ideal from the outside looking in, but in the camera world, cloud cover makes for ideal midday lighting. Not wanting to risk filming the dress outside with the possibility of rain, the staircase and chandelier seemed like an excellent and unique secondary option. Soon my photographer counterpart Maya arrived on property. This is a venue that has full-service vendor options, and I would be one of the only vendors that wasn't a regular at the property. Maya and her second shooter, Stephanie, were fantastic to work with throughout the day. I passed over the details and dress and made my way to the groom's suite. Inside, Eric and his groomsmen were well into an intense game of Super Smash Brothers, one of my favorite games. I filmed the action for a bit before checking in on the girls. The girls were also deep into an intense game, but this time the game was Heads Up trivia. Realizing this was a perfect opportunity to match shots with the guys video game session, I let the camera roll. I love capturing these types of organic moments. The audio helps break up the scripted feel the speech and ceremony audio gives to the film. I told Jessica I'd be back in a few minutes to get started with the dress and headed back to Eric's room to film his getting ready. Not loving the lighting condition in the groom's room, Maya and I proposed we take this moment outside. The clouds had broken, and the sun was now out, providing some nice natural light for this moment. After Eric was fully dressed in his quite fitting green suit, I headed back to the bridal suite. Inside, Jessica had stepped into her dress and was ready for the cameras. With the help of her mom, she completed her bridal look. The timeline then called for a first look between the couple, so we headed outside, through a gate, to a nice overlook just beyond the fence line for the property. It's nice to work with a photographer who really knows the venue. Eric was in place, and Maya set out to grab our bride. I filmed the moment the two made their way back up the hill. With a tap on the shoulder, Eric laid his eyes on his bride for the first time. The two shared a few moments together before we moved into some bridal party shots. These two groups made the moment a lot of fun, even bringing a boombox to play some music. As Maya transitioned from bridal party to family, I departed to film the guests as they began to arrive for the ceremony. I find these moments of transition very important to film, as they create a seamless transition from pre-ceremony activities to the ceremony. Guests took their seats as the bridal party made their way down the aisle. The ceremony was officiated by Eric's uncle, Barry, who walked us through their relationship history, sharing some fun personal anecdotes along the way. Rock climbing is one of the couple's favorite pastimes, and they decided to integrate this symbolically into their ceremony by literally tying the knot with a piece of climbing rope. I love fun personal details like this. After exchanging some fun personal vows, a pair of rings, and a kiss, they were officially wed. With the sun setting, we rushed through a few family portraits before heading out into the forest for the couple's sunset portrait session. Wildflowers were in full bloom, and this quickly turned into one of my favorite sessions of all time. The natural landscape is just stunning. The sun soon set as we made our way back down to the covered patio for dinner and speeches before transitioning up to the patio for dinner and dancing. With a long drive ahead, I said my goodbyes to the amazing team of vendors and the fantastic couple. Thank you, Jessica and Eric, for this wonderful opportunity!
The Team
Venue: Aldea Wedding in the Woods
Photographer: Maya Papaya Pictures DJ: Tony the Entertainer Hair and Makeup: Boss Beauty AZ Floral: Four Sisters Floral
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AuthorSteven Martinez // Cinematographer Archives
January 2025
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