Brigham & Becca’s Gila Valley Temple Wedding

On Leap Day 2020 I got to photograph a very special wedding. I wasn’t back in business yet, but I didn’t have to be for this one, because this was my little brother’s wedding! Brigham and Becca got married on Leap Day in the Gila Valley AZ Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Molly was just one month old at the time, and people were just starting to get worried about the Coronavirus, but it was way in the back of our mind as we all celebrated the wedding together!

The nice thing about February in southern Arizona is that you can’t tell it’s still winter there most of the time! It was beautiful, even with the bit of wind we had. And we couldn’t have asked for better morning light for their First Look!

I always try to get a picture of the Bride right before I step out of the way for them to start the First Look. I want that view of the bride, the groom’s first view of her, to be captured for them to always have! And then it’s so fun to step back out of the picture and to quietly document a couple’s first moments together on their wedding day!

They took a walk around the Temple grounds as part of their First Look and I loved the joy that was on their faces the entire time. They were so excited to just be together.

And then we got to jump into some Bride and Groom portraits for them before the day got started. They were just adorable together!

Temple wedding ceremonies, called Sealings, are limited to close family and members of the church. No photography is permitted as we hold these short and simple but beautiful ceremonies to be very sacred. So the first time some of the friends and younger family, who aren’t yet able to go in the temple, get to see the Bride and Groom is when they exit the temple as Man and Wife. It’s a fun time for couples to greet the family and to share their excitement!

The lunch and reception was held at the church building where Becca’s family attended services. They put the decor together themselves, and Becca even made all the cookies and brownies for the reception herself!

I love the special dances at every reception and always get a little emotional, but when it’s your own little brother and when it’s your parents dancing, the emotions run even higher. I LOVE watching my parents dance, and with the roller coaster of my Mom’s health, it was especially special to watcher them dance.

Seeing couples personalize their receptions is incredible. From decor touches, to special dances, to family traditions, to mixing up how they cut the cake, there are so many ways for a couple to infuse the reception with fun and personality. It didn’t surprise me one bit when these two came out with a sword to cut the cake. It fit them 100%.

Following the afternoon reception, Brigham, Becca, & I went out to some spots in the desert they had picked out earlier in the week. They loved the view of the mountain and the field of yellow spring flowers that covered the mesa!

The wind made for some great dress and veil shots!

Brigham and Becca, I’m still just so happy for you two and how happy you make each other. Thanks for trusting me with your wedding photos and letting me tease you throughout the day (hey…that’s a big sister’s job, right?!). Love you two!