Enjoy!

A forest first look, a sunshine-soaked dance floor, and a groom who couldn’t stop smiling—Chris and Sam’s celebration at Cabins on Strawberry Hill was the perfect mix of chill mountain vibes and heartfelt moments. You’re going to love these two and all the special touches they gave their Spring Wedding at Cabins on Strawberry Hill!

First, the signage. They had signs all over! Enough to be super cute and give amazing directions, but not so much that it was overkill and cluttered. Each guest cabin even had it’s own flag with the name of the family staying there. It was amazing! I just kept finding little details that had been thoughtfully picked out and incorporated and it was like a beautiful treasure hunt all day.

Even with the details. Holy Smokes! Sam had a box of all the details already all organized and packed, along with coordinating ribbon and copies of all the layers of her invitations and a cool ring box. Be still my photographer heart!

Can I just say…I love a groom that knows what he needs and how to make a day easier. Even if that means getting the tie pre-tied instead of watching a Youtube video in the moment when the pressure is on.

I go into each wedding at the Cabins on Strawberry Hill with the intention of trying a minimum of one thing I haven’t done before. I never want to grow stale and want to be trying new ideas. And while I was there I had an idea hit. I almost passed the idea up, but knew it’d be amazing. So I borrowed the wedding planner’s ladder (thank you Stasha!) and set up this shot…and it was a million times worth it!

The Bride and Groom had made this ADORABLE and super fun newspaper to have in the cabins, and it was amazing. I loved the entire thing from stories, to word games, to pictures. Such a cute idea that the guests loved.

Getting Ready

See? Didn’t I tell you there were fun signs everywhere?! The Bridal Suite was a great mix of relaxed and hoppin’. There were amazing stories being told, laughter filling the air, and such beautiful camaraderie.

Sam wanted her dress to be a surprise for her Bridesmaids. They didn’t get to see it at all before hand. So they stayed in a side room while Sam’s mom helped her into her dress.

These girls were amazing sports about being lead into the room with their eyes shut. We didn’t bump them into stairs or anything!

And look at those fun reactions!

Shortly after, Sam’s dad got to come see her for the first time and he was all smiles.

The guys cabin was full of joking, amazing organization (we were told it was all Sam’s doing), and great moments.

The groomsmen were all pretty happy with the fact that they didn’t have to be ready until an hour after Chris and Sam’s dad. They all joked that it would take all of them just to get Chris ready on time for his first look. Chris took all the teasing so well and had a great time with his groomsmen.

Bride and Groom First Look

This is the moment things get real for the couple. Chris and Sam weren’t nervous to get married, but you can’t help but feel a little nervous for the day to go right, and always feel butterflies about getting to see each other. We got Sam positioned for the First Look and I loved her moment of contemplation while we got Chris set up.

Some couples cry, some laugh, some take walks, some dance. It’s always a bit different. These two were excited and fun. I loved Sam’s arms spread wide as Chris turned around!

They chose to exchange vows privately together as a part of their First Look. I love the cabin backdrop and the willow tree framing the moment.

And then it was time to get them hidden away as guests were starting to arrive.

Spring Wedding at Cabins on Strawberry Hill: The Ceremony

Really, that view is so beautiful. What an amazing ceremony space! The wind kept us on our toes a bit, but didn’t dampen the celebration one bit.

How cute are his parents there?! It was such a sweet moment.

After the ceremony, while the guests were all starting cocktail hour, the wedding party and family of the bride and groom had a champagne toast together. I loved that sweet moment all together to celebrate the fresh marriage and to come together.

The Wedding Party

A pair of new Hey Dude shoes for the Bride and Groom to spend the rest of the day in cool comfort? They were all grins and ready to make the change.

After family photos, the family all joined cocktail hour while we finished up wedding party photos. I was in the middle of taking photos when I heard Sam’s dad come running back and give her a huge hug. “You got me a donkey!!” Sam had hired a Beer Burro to surprise her dad and he was ecstatic.

Corona, the Beer Burro, was a huge hit with everyone! So much so that I found the phrase “You’ve got Corona hair on your boob,” coming out of my mouth after the donkey got hugged on. Even the flower girl, who cried when I tried to take a picture of her, loved the donkey. I don’t blame her.

See? Another cute sign! These timelines were handed out to the guests before the ceremony.

I’m not going to lie…I love when there’s a charcuterie table at cocktail hour. I always get there at the end when it can be picked over, but there’s always a few green olives left for me. 🙂 But really, these grazing tables are such a hit and work so well. And they are so cute!

At the cake cutting table, Sam and Chris had photos of their parents cutting their wedding cakes on display. It was the sweetest touch!!

Spring Wedding at Cabins on Strawberry Hill: Sunset Portraits

Once Chris and Sam had a chance to sit and eat some dinner, we slipped out into the glowing forest for their Sunset Portraits as husband and wife. We discovered the forest service had razed the manzanita bushes in the back (we assume as fire prevention), so we looked around and found some grass instead to play with. You really can’t go wrong in that forest lot!

The bouquet Stasha made was epic. So big and gorgeous (and because the flowers are wood it was so light)!

The Reception

Most couples do a Grand Entrance and First Dance at or after sunset. Chris and Sam chose to start their party before sunset and it really brought a fun and playful vibe to the celebration. That sunlit dance floor was fun to play with.

Sometimes the sun dips behind the mountain and the light lingers and lingers. Sometimes it retreats fast. This time it was a fast retreat. It was amazing to see how the light changed from the start of toasts and speeches to the end of the parent dances.

They were toasted by everyone from their parents to lifelong friends, with a perfect mix of happy tears and hilarious stories.

And then it was time to get the party started. Want to know how to get EVERYONE on the dance floor? Start the party by launching commemorative t-shirts to the crowd!!

Seriously, that was so fun and the entire crowed LOVED it! I’d never seen that done before at a wedding. So with the energy high from the t-shirt cannon, glow sticks and glasses were handed out and the party began hoppin’!

It’s not often that the ramada is totally empty during open dancing. But there were a number of times when I looked and there’d be no one sitting down at the dinner tables. So many kept the dance floor hot, visited the s’mores station, visited around the edge of the dance floor, and just celebrated the night away.

Chris and Sam, it was an absolute delight to be there at the Cabins with you. Your wedding day was packed full of such beautiful emotion, joy, and fun. Every detail was picked with the intention of honoring family, making people smile, bringing the heart in, and making the day smooth. It could not have been more perfect and heartfelt. Thank you for inviting me into this amazing season in your life and this chapter in your story. I can’t wait to see how you to continue to take on life. Love you both!

Cabins on Strawberry Hill Vendors and Creative Team

VENUE: The Cabins on Strawberry Hill
PLANNER: Stasha with Jars & Lace
HMUA: Bella Bridal Beauty
DRESS BOUTIQUE: Bella Lily Bridal
FLORIST: Stasha with Jars & Lace
WEDDING STATIONERY: Truly Engaging
OFFICIANT: AZ Weddings by Amy
CAKE & DESSERTS: Sam’s Club & Costco
CATERING: Catering by Sikora, Inspired by Bobby Q
DJ: Impact DJ’s
PHOTOGRAPHER: Marquette LaRee with Mikaela Durfee as Second
VIDEOGRAPHER: John Houston Films
BARTENDER: Olive R Twist

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