Valentine's Day

Our First Valentine’s Day together

By Mary Ann Breshears

Rich and I were sophomores in college at the University of Idaho and very typical college students, meaning we had no money, but we were in love.  We had been dating for almost a year and were certain we were going to get married as there was talk of it but no official date on the calendar.

When the day arrived I personally was so excited that I had the most incredible Valentine in the world and he was all mine!  We made plans to meet at 5 so we could exchange Valentines, go to dinner and then spend the evening talking about how wonderful our life together was going to be!  Rich arrived at my dorm room promptly at 5 with gifts in hand.  He brought me a bottle of inexpensive Champaign and a box of equally inexpensive chocolates, plus a card.  I had gotten him a very small box of not quite as inexpensive chocolates, a heart shaped balloon and a large sappy card.  We exchanged our gifts, thinking we had almost outdone ourselves given we were living on a student’s budget of $0 for gifts.  Then the highlight of the evening arrived, dinner, we walked to Skippers and had all you can eat Fish and Chips.  (It was Friday in the Lenten season) 

We sat in a booth in the back of the restaurant with the lots of other college students around us, but we didn’t care.  We talked and talked about our future.  How someday, we would be married living out the perfect married life: house, children, pets and jobs.  Together we were ready to take the world on!  After our long fluorescent light dinner, we decided to walk the long way home, circling around the campus when we realized it was getting late, about 8 pm.  But Rich needed to be up and at work by 2 AM so our first Valentine ended with a kiss at my dorm room door.  All I thought was ---Wow what a wonderful evening with my incredible Valentine.

Twenty-seven years later I spend almost every moment with my Valentine and in my opinion he is still incredible.  This year we don’t have all of the things we talked about at that amazing first Valentine’s day dinner but we do have so much more and I would not change a moment of the journey to get to today’s dinner.  I don’t know what we will have to eat tonight for dinner, probably not fish and chips, but what we will have is still a lively conversation about our family, maybe our pets, what needs repaired in the house and of course our day of photography studio work.  We love what we do because we do what we love!  How many can say that, I ask you?  What a wonderful day to stop and reflect.

Thank you Rich Breshears for being the best Valentine a girl could have 27 years in a row!!!

Blake and Brogan's Wedding Day!

“Come rain, come shine, come snow, come sleet, the show MUST go on!” A great quote from one of our favorite musicals which just happens to completely describe Blake and Brogan’s wedding!

Blake and Brogan were very steadfast in their plans.  They planned to be married in the Smith’s backyard and they did, even with sheets of rain coming down on them!  It is safe to say that they will never settle for plan B in their lives.

We spent the afternoon photographing in dappled sunlight and wind, enjoying the weather, but as we took the last family images the cloud cover became dominating and the drops started to fall.  Believing that the rain would give up we stood steadfast under shelter, until we could wait no longer!  This was the moment and it was time to brave the rain, so guests clutched brightly colored umbrellas and took their seats on hay bales.

Brogan wore Blake's Mom's Dress and everyone wore cowboy boots, which were very fitting for the evening. 

It was amazing and beautiful to witness, the vows, the dancing and the toasts were all in a downpour, but the warmth of everyone’s love is what we remembered from the night!  In looking back it was, as all wedding are, unspoiled!  Thanks Blake and Brogan.

Jennifer and Andrew - June 9, 2012

Andrew and Jennifer’s day started with rainfall but gave a way to beautiful sunny skies as the bride prepared to go down the path.  But while we were waiting for the rain to clear we had a great time capturing some fun images in home of Bill and Carol Allenbaughs.  As you will see in one of the images we even took advantage of the water tank shower!  Once the rain stopped we took full advantage of the fair skies and had so much fun walking the property to capture an extra few fun images.

Here are some of shots from Jennifer and Andrew’s backyard wedding!  The bike played an important part of the wedding…the groom rode in on it! How awesome is that?! It also made for a great prop.

The beautiful sunset made for a perfect get a way for Jennifer and Andrew!  

Branden and Laura's Wedding Day

Summer officially starts in June, and you know what that means? WEDDINGS!

Laura and Branden had a beautiful day!  They were attentive to every detail including the socks for the groomsmen.  We loved their choice and had so much fun capturing a few images of those fun socks! 

There were tears and laughter sprinkled into their day.  One of the most touching and tearful moments was when Laura’s Dad saw her in her gown for the first time.  There were no words for that moment. 

Laura and Branden were able to borrow a get a way car that made for many more fun images up in the Horse Heaven Hills with the sun setting.  As they drove away into the sunset, we thought “there is what Happily Ever After looks like”.

 Here are a few shots of Laura and Branden June wedding at Bella Fiori Gardens. Such a beautiful day for a wedding! 

Evan And Kelsey White

It was a beautiful day in May for Evan and Kelsey’s wedding.  They were married in the barrel room of Kiona Winery in Benton City.  After a romantic candlelit ceremony all of the guests went upstairs to celebrate.  A wonderful meal paired with fine wine was savored.  Then dance floor was filled with all ages.  As the evening drew to a close most attending this special event stepped out onto the deck to take in a perfect sunset.

Rich and Mary Ann were so honored to photograph Evan and Kelsey as they had watched Evan grow up with their own boys.   

Congratulations to Evan and Kelsey as they start their new life Alabama!

Kevin and April's Wedding

April 21, 2012 was a beautiful day!  We had the honor of photographing Kevin and April’s wedding day.  They were so easy and fun to work with, one of those couples that you could spend hours with and it only felt like minutes.  They had a great sense of humor and had us smiling as we capture their smiles.

Each wedding has something that is memorable, for this wedding is was when the maid of honor, April’s sister, Brenda and the other attendants pretended to have forgotten the ring.  The tense moment and then the laughter that followed was one that will not be long forgotten!

Thank you Kevin and April for allowing us to be your photographers!

Molly and Eric's Day at Cataldo Mission In North Idaho

The oldest standing building in Idaho was the place where Molly and Eric chose to start their marriage. 

Cataldo Mission was started by the Jesuits back in the 1800s to serve the native american population in Northern Idaho.  The mission, once populated by hundreds, and at one time thousands, now sits quietly as a state park just outside the resort town of Kellog.  It is still a Catholic church, but is only used for special occasions as such.  The rest of the year it is a great stopping off point for tourists who are traveling through Northern Idaho on their way to another part of the world. 

Molly grew up in Kellog, and was always taken by the rustic beauty of the building and the grounds.  Being true lovers of the outdoors (their first date was snow shoeing) Eric and Molly couldn't imagine a more amazing place to get married. 

Of  course, there were modern comforts as well.  The wedding party was able to get dressed in the comfort of the park's modern facility below.  But, the event quickly progressed up the hill to the church and the amazing grounds. The ceremony was short for a Catholic wedding, but Fr. Lyle Konen, the great uncle of the bride kept things moving along so that everyone could get back outside to the sunshine and soft breezes. 

After the ceremony the wedding reception was held at the Elks club in Wallace, Idaho.  Everyone ate, visited, and kicked up their heels until the day was done and the sun sunk over the mountain side. 

Eric and Molly rode off in the mountain sunset to start their honeymoon at Silver Mountain resort and then off to Glacier Park to enjoy each other and the great outdoors.  Best wishes to Eric and Molly!!