Surrounded by blooms and mountain greenery

Flowers in abundance during peak bloom season


Brandon & Abby had the biggest smile on their faces as they hopped out of their vehicle and we all had a geek-out over the insane beauty that's tucked away in Gunnison County. We chatted about their drive and trip out into the mountains. Before our shoot together, we coordinated with their adventurous energy and picked an epic location that would be teeming with flowers. They had brought along their sweet fur pups, Sophie and Otto! Their paws were as eager to hit the trail as we were!


These two have had their fair share of adventure from thousands of miles on roadtrips, to the multiple national parks. They had shared that they find so much joy in experiencing new places together, and it made perfect sense for their engagement pictures to be in the mountains somewhere special. I had chatted them up on the idea of making it to the annual Crested Butte Wildflower Fest to catch the summer blooms, and they didn't need any convincing. Abby had dreamed of florals and color being a prominent feature in their wedding day, and Brandon loved the idea of getting the pups to tag-along.

Two people share an intimate black and white moment together against a gray background.
A dirt trail winds through a wildflower meadow with mountains and forest in the distance under dramatic cloudy skies.
Purple wildflowers bloom along a winding dirt trail through a lush green forest landscape on a sunny day.

A Hidden Colorado Summer Destination Spot


Crested Butte is another one of those destinations where you have to go at least once in your life. The picturesque landscapes transport you to where you feel like you're walking through a painting. The alpine climate makes for a stunning bloom season every summer, and it attracts international interest as each year displays a vibrant and different display of flowers.


Best time to visit Crested Butte


Summer: To see the iconic colors in action, plan your trip around the end of June - Early July. Each year can vary depending on regional rainfall, temperatures, and how warm it gets.


Fall: Late September - Early October is the best time to catch the fall colors switching in Gunnison Valley. Once again, conditions can vary from year to year.

A couple holds hands while walking through a golden field with rugged mountains in the background.

Abby and Brandon knew from day one that photography was at the top of their priority list when it came to wedding planning. They had hired Dream Catcher Weddings to bring their wedding vision to life. Their Dream Team had mentioned my services and we had to get on the phone together!


This created the perfect atmosphere for us to chat about the details and the vision they had for their wedding day. Fortunately, I offer a complimentary engagement session with every full-day wedding package, so this was a win-win because they were needing engagement photos for wedding decor anyways!


I was so honored to have their trust with their session, so I wanted to make sure that they felt seen and heard. These two brought their adventurous energy and we captured their spirit for loving the mountains!

Green meadows stretching out to the aspen groves


One thing that shined between Brandon and Abby was their connection and intuition for each other. My main direction with couples during engagement session is to have them interacting as they are versus pushing some prompt that might push them out of their comfort zone. These two needed minimal dialogue because they were just two lovebirds in the mountains.


Their sweet pups maintained a close eye on the PDA but were also very entertained by a dancing blooms and bypassing hikers.


Trails to check out in Crested Butte


Snodgrass Trailhead - This trail is a 5.8 mile out-and-back style trail, there's quite the elevation gain so it's ranked a Moderate hike.


Upper and Lower Loop - This trail takes you along the Slate River and has great access to town. >350ft in elevation gain, and pretty wide trails makes this an Easy hike.


Judd Falls - Take a trip to the historic Gothic townsite, stop by the RMBL and take this shorter but Moderate hike through some beautiful scenery and make it to the falls!

Two individuals relax on a blanket in tall grass against a sunset hilltop landscape.

As many know, the mountain weather is always shifting and can change on a dime when it comes to precipitation. Brandon and Abby were down for anything and their trust was a game changer. I gave them the choice of exploring more down the trail we were on, or if they would mind taking a gamble on a location further down Gothic Road before the clouds started growing darker and heavier.


We quickly bumbled back down the mountain and to our vehicles to stop number two during our Adventure Session. This kinetic energy of guiding them through prompts while eyeballing the clouds every other shot, made for some charismatic photos!


Knowing how much the flower blooms shifts throughout the summer season makes me excited for the next adventure to Crested Butte. For Abby & Brandon, they got to earmark their engagement by being surrounded by the bountiful beauty that Colorado is known for! We frolicked through meadows and captured their essence as soul-mate travelers who are embracing every adventure!

Two hikers walk along a scenic mountain trail surrounded by vibrant yellow wildflowers and green meadows.
Couple embracing in a picturesque mountain landscape with wildflowers and natural scenery in the background.
People and dogs enjoying a scenic hike along rolling green hills on a cloudy summer day in the mountains.
Game hunters with rifles traverse rugged mountain terrain with their hunting dogs in a black and white landscape.
A couple embraces happily in a lush garden setting filled with sunlight and greenery.
Adventurous couple sits on rocky outcrop overlooking vibrant green valley with distant trees and mountains.
A couple embraces on a lush green hillside during a cloudy outdoor photo session.
Couple enjoying a tender moment together while sitting outdoors in a lush green natural setting.
Two people sit together in a wildflower meadow overlooking majestic mountain peaks and valleys in the distance.

being cozy among the wildflowers and connecting your love story to nature is one of the many magical things that can happen during your engagement session

Panoramic view of Crested Butte and green valley in a scenic Colorado landscape during summer.
Yellow buttercups and purple aster wildflowers bloom together in a lush green natural meadow setting.
A couple shares intimate romantic moments surrounded by mountain wildflowers during a golden hour photoshoot.
A series of vintage black and white photographs showing a couple embracing outdoors with mountains in the background.
Two people sit together on a dirt path overlooking mountain meadows with aspen groves and rolling hills in Colorado.
Hikers walk along a scenic mountain trail with a dog while exploring rugged mountain landscapes in summer weather.
A couple and their Bernese Mountain Dog enjoy a scenic hike together on a mountain trail with rolling green hills.
A couple shares a playful moment on a hiking trail with their black dog against a backdrop of lush mountain scenery.
A winding dirt trail curves through vibrant yellow wildflowers and green vegetation in a summer forest landscape.
A romantic couple shares a tender moment in a sunlit meadow surrounded by wildflowers and green hills.
Couple embraces outdoors in natural setting with their black dog against scenic mountain landscape backdrop.
Two Border Collie dogs resting in tall grass with one sleeping and one alert watching the surroundings.
Couple lying in green grass field while their black dog photobombs the romantic moment in a series of candid shots.
People enjoying a scenic mountain hike with dogs amidst wildflowers on a sunny autumn day.
Two people enjoy mountain views while sitting in a wildflower meadow overlooking a scenic valley in the summer.