There are weddings that are beautiful, weddings that are emotional, weddings that are an absolute blast and then there are weddings that somehow manage to be all three while also including tiny dinosaurs, tacos and the Jurassic Park theme song.

Lindsey and Alex’s Sweet Water Hollow wedding was exactly that.

These two said “I do” surrounded by their favorite people at one of my favorite wedding venues here in Salmon, Idaho. And even though Mother Nature decided to throw a little rain into the mix, it absolutely did not stop anyone from having a good time.

And it may have made the day even better.

The day started with Lindsey getting ready with her friends, and I loved how relaxed and sweet those moments were.

There was hair being done, dresses being zipped and all those little pieces of a wedding day happening around the room. When it came time for Lindsey to get into her dress, her friends each took a turn helping button it up.

Such a simple little gesture, but those are always the moments I love photographing.

Wedding days are full of the big things, the ceremony, the first kiss, the dances, but there are a hundred tiny moments happening between them that end up meaning just as much.

And Lindsey looked absolutely beautiful.

I had already photographed Lindsey and Alex for their engagement session, which meant they already knew what they were getting themselves into with me. They knew there would probably be some walking, laughing, ridiculous instructions and general photography antics involved.

Luckily, they were prepared.

Now we need to talk about the dinosaurs.

Because Lindsey loves dinosaurs. Not just casually. Enough that their wedding seating chart included adorable little dinosaur details. And enough that she walked down the aisle to the Jurassic Park theme song.

Yes. Jurassic Park. And somehow it was both hilarious and completely perfect.

Those are my favorite wedding details, the ones that actually say something about the people getting married. There are no rules saying your wedding has to look like everyone else's. Lindsey and Alex made their day feel like them and those little personal touches are exactly what people are going to remember.

Their ceremony also included a handfasting knot-tying tradition, symbolizing their lives being joined together.

Between the personal ceremony details, the setting at Sweet Water Hollow and all their family and friends gathered around them, it felt incredibly meaningful without ever feeling overly formal.

Alex isn't exactly someone who loves having every eye in the room pointed at him.

Which, as you can imagine, makes a wedding day an interesting experience. But he survived. And we even have photographic evidence.

One thing I love about photographing couples, especially couples who aren't necessarily dying to spend their entire wedding day posing for photos, is finding the balance. Yes, we'll get those beautiful portraits.

I'll give you direction. I'll tell you what to do with your hands. I'll put you in good light and make sure Grandma gets the photo she wants for the wall.

But then we'll move. We'll laugh. I'll let you talk to each other. And somewhere in between all of that, the real smiles happen. Those big, genuine smiles are always some of my favorites.

Because your wedding gallery shouldn't just show what your wedding looked like. It should remind you what it actually felt like. After the ceremony, everyone settled into the reception and enjoyed a taco bar — which, frankly, I fully support at every wedding.

They also shared a simple little cake together while guests had an entire dessert table to choose from. And then came the dancing. The dance floor was especially fun once the kids got involved.

And Lindsey and Alex's guests definitely knew how to have fun.

Even with the rain coming down throughout parts of the day, nobody seemed too concerned about letting it ruin anything. And they made the kind of memories that are probably going to become stories told for years.

One of the things I continue to love about being a Salmon Idaho Wedding Photographer is watching couples choose this little corner of Idaho as the place where they begin their marriage.

Lindsey and Alex's wedding was another one where guests traveled into Salmon to celebrate with them. And every time that happens, I think about how lucky we are to live here.

People drive hours to experience the mountains, the river, the open skies and the beauty that surrounds Salmon  and we get to call it home.

Sweet Water Hollow is especially beautiful because it feels so perfectly Idaho. It gives couples a wedding venue surrounded by nature while still having space to gather, eat, dance and celebrate with everyone they love.

As an Idaho Wedding Photographer, there is something really special about photographing people who intentionally choose places like Salmon for their wedding.

Their guests don't just attend a wedding. They get an entire Idaho experience.