Claire and Jeff. Where to even begin? About a year ago, my bff Angela Hays Photography told me she had a bride that wanted us to travel to the Dolomites in Italy, July 2020. I love shooting with Angela and doing so in Italy sounded like a total dream. We immediately started planning.
Claire and Jeff are both fighter pilots for the US Air Force. Claire was stationed in Italy and Jeff in Vegas. Getting married at a vineyard near Venice and escaping to the Dolomites for a couples’ session after was the perfect plan. And then COVID-19. Italy suffered so much devastation in Italy and Claire was there through it all. We were hopeful that things would settle down by summer. In Italy, things did get better, but in the USA, they got worse. We were holding onto hope even into early June until it was clear that no one from the states would be traveling to Europe for a very long time. We were all a little/lot crushed.
Claire and Jeff were planning to get married on July 4th, Independence Day, and decided this day was non negotiable. They changed their plans to Under Canvas Moab in Utah, and the wedding was AMAZING. The day of the wedding, we went rafting together on the Colorado. That evening there was a beautiful ceremony and dinner at Under Canvas Moab. There was also a full moon rise that I will never forget. The next day, we headed up to Canyonlands for a magical couples session. Claire and Jeff were so gracious, cheerful and just grateful to be getting married, no matter where they were. They are already on new assignments abroad, so fitting it in during a pandemic was no easy feat.
Claire and Jeff also had the greatest family and friends, and it really was an honor to be with them all on the 4th of July. There were so many distiguished pilots, armed forces, and veterans there. Thank you for all your service!
Preview above, full wedding film and river film below.