Stephanie + Lance came to me from a friend of theirs who had their wedding photos done by me (I love working with friends and referrals mean the world to me). When I first chatted with Stephanie, I knew she would be super chill to work with and I was immediately excited.

We scheduled a call, and I got a chance to chat with both her and Lance for the first time – Lance told me all about just how special Donner Lake is to him, after losing his mom and having grown up spending summers with her on the lake. Naturally, I was beyond touched and so so honored that they trusted me to capture this special moment – especially because it was so much more than just their wedding ceremony.

Their ceremony was held up in Incline Village at St Francis of Assisi, then when we finished up family portraits we snuck off to Donner. We stopped at the street they met on, then their family cabin for a few more photos and a celebratory shot for the happy couple. After that, we went off to Rainbow Bridge, then found a dock for them to slow dance and enjoy the sunshine on.

I’m not one to preach my beliefs onto others, but I will say that I am a HUGE believer in guardian angels. When I looked at the photos of Stephanie + Lance on the dock, this beautiful golden light came across them, and I just have this feeling, this might just be a little sign from Lance’s mom, reminding us that she’s there for their big day. I may or may not have cried when I first saw it (I’m a huge mush ball okay? Don’t judge me).

Thank you again Steph + Lance, for your trust and for sharing this super special moment with me!