Rachel Cottrell 3/22/21 Rachel Cottrell 3/22/21

Why You Shouldn't Skip Doing an Engagement Session

I get it — the attention and spotlight on you guys has quadrupled since announcing your engagement and now the pressure is on to start wedding planning immediately! All the questions are coming at you fast: where will the wedding be? When is your wedding? Do you have a dress? Where are you two going to live?

You have a lot to deal with in the coming months, but I’ve got a little secret: starting off your engagement with a photography session with just the two of you will be the best way to ease into all the attention and decisions that need to be made. Don’t believe me? I’ve got proof to back it up.

Rachel Cottrell 3/16/21 Rachel Cottrell 3/16/21

3 Places to Elope on the Oregon Coast

Elopements are a beautiful adventure for couples who are wanting to start their journey together in a uniquely personal and epic way. Most couples that choose to elope crave a day that reflects who they are and what their relationship is. Couples who choose elopement are usually ones that value a true experience they can remember forever. If you are a couple who envisions your elopement to be one where you are running around in the waves, getting your dress dirty, hiking through the rain, dancing in a cave, and exploring new places, the Oregon Coast is the perfect location for your elopement.

The Oregon Coast is one of the most beautifully adventurous locations the west coast has to offer. With quaint and funky small beach towns, hidden coves, beach caverns, mountainous landscapes, and the rough and rocky beaches, this place is nothing short of perfect for an adventurous elopement. Here are my three favorite places for elopements on the Oregon Coast.

Emily Jenkins 3/11/21 Emily Jenkins 3/11/21

Eloping at the Salt Flats in Utah

Elopements are becoming more and more popular, especially with how crazy 2020 was! I love that they’re becoming more common because I think they’re the best way to get married, especially for people who want the day to be more personal and about them and their love. It’s a way to focus on the most important things like being with your closest loved ones, the adventure of being in a new place or one that you already love, and of course, your commitment to your partner.

Rachel Cottrell 3/6/21 Rachel Cottrell 3/6/21

7 Locations for the Best Couples or Engagement Shoot in Utah

Oh, Utah! What a magnificent place to live and an even better place to be a photographer! There are so many incredible locations for couples + engagement photoshoots in Utah. From the red desert to the pine-covered mountains, with the wildflower spring fields, and of course the unearthly Salt Flats--Utah leaves nothing to be desired for beautiful landscapes that are perfect for photoshoots. I've narrowed down my top 7 favorite photoshoot locations for couples + engagements that will give you a little of everything incredible Utah has to offer.

Rachel Cottrell 3/1/21 Rachel Cottrell 3/1/21

Five Reasons You Should Do a Couples Shoot on Your Honeymoon

Congrats on your upcoming wedding! This is a wonderful time for you, and an exciting beginning to the next phase of your life. During this special time, it’s so important to live in the moment and not get caught up in the stress of wedding planning, what comes next, or what everyone else is thinking. That’s part of the reason I love photographing newlyweds and couples so much — we get the chance to document your relationship without the stress of remembering every tiny detail because it’s captured forever in a lovely photo gallery.