The moment I fell in love with elopements was three years ago atop Lookout Mountain with these two, and since then, they have spent the years creating a life together.

Mary owns her own business, Rustic By Nature, where she sells gorgeous handcrafted wine stoppers and jewelry adorned with crystals and geodes. Handpicked with the help of her geologist husband Jae, her work is just the kind of elegant craftsmanship you want decorating your home.

A mutual friend introduced Mary and I, and the first time we ever met was when I came over in the early hours of the afternoon to photograph the early moments of their elopement. Mary and her girlfriends welcomed me with open arms as they continued getting ready for the mountaintop vows and I eagerly snapped away at all of the classic minerals and gemstones decorating their home.

Fast forward two years later and we find ourselves here. Mary and I originally chatted about getting some headshots and press photos for Rustic by Nature as Mary begins to share her personal story with endometrial cancer. We also wanted to get some photos of her and Jae together (heck yes!), and decided on an early November date when the leaves around Grand Junction would still be yellow from the first bit of fall.

Much to our surprise, October came and went with blizzards and snow and by the time November rolled around all the trees were sad. Not one to ever pass up the opportunity to offer up a breathtaking desert landscape as a backup location, we decided to meet up in Castle Valley outside of Moab instead. What greeted us was giant sandstone rock formations, a grateful amount of warmth when we were all used to the snow and cold, and one of the most genuine couple sessions I have shot to date.

This gallery was sent during what I find to be an especially coincidental moment - This photoshoot was a celebration of love and life; the next step in owning her own business, their first two years of marriage, and a celebration of beating cancer. It just so happened that Mary was using a spa day that Jae had purchased for her when she first found out she had cancer last year. Something I find to be such a resolute and perfect end to this passage in their lives.