It's not every day (or wedding) I get a 4:30am wake-up call, but for this invigorating duo it was totally worth it. 

Driving through the tall pine trees in the earliest light of the day, the soft light before the sun comes up, is a drive I could do over and over again forever. The road was all mine and the brisk 57 degrees outside was equally as energizing as my cup of coffee. As I passed Mono Lake, the sun started to find its way over the horizon to face me dead on once I got to RT 167. I drove down this long stretch of road  for miles until I saw Lundy, his best friend Trent, and a truck and horse trailer pulled over on the side of the road. There we started our little off-roading trek into the meadow. 

There were too many details that perfectly embodied Jess and Lundy to tell you every single one, but one of my favorites, a simple and beautiful detail, was the ceremony site. A location they knew about because Lundy and his brothers used to explore when they were younger. I'm sorry to say that I'm going to fail you epic-ly on describing the journey there. It was about a 30 minute drive caravanning without service through miles and miles of meadows on a winding dirt road. We passed through some rolling hills (basically pitcher's mounds as they measured up to the eastern sierras off in the distance) and found a sharp turn past some shrubs and drove until we reached the open meadow where all the wild mustangs were just roaming freely and happily. After we parked, I stepped out of the car and listened to the horses in the distance. Lundy and his family who were a part of the caravan quickly stepped into action to transform this quiet, open field into a dreamy little wedding gathering. 

Hay bales were set out with saddle blankets for seating, an arbor was put up with bouquets of wildflowers surrounding it, and the best part was the mimosas, coffee, and donuts set out on the tailgates. It wasn't long before the guests arrived and then Jess came rolling in driving her old blue truck that Lundy fixed up for her. 

Jess and Lundy had their first look with a little bit of privacy behind the horse trailer. These two are THE most fun people to watch on the planet. When they're together they just have fun, they don't overthink what they're doing, and they're just so affectionate to each other. I could hang with them all day. Watching them is like watching your favorite rom-com movie except your not necessarily laughing at them you're just laughing about life along with them. They're easy to be around and no matter who you are you're just treated like family (at least that's always how I feel around them). Seriously, these two really are so lovable - just look at their engagement session!

Of course the heavens would open up for these two on their wedding day to be the most magical and divine union. As Jess walked down the aisle the wild horses started making their way over to our direction. Lundy got to watch his beautiful bride walk towards him and this majestic herd of horses fill in behind her off in the distance. I'm telling you - divine intervention. The horses pretty much semi-circled around the ceremony and stood back a little way off behind Lundy and then casually trickled off as the ceremony ended. After learning that Lundy's father had passed away years ago, it was one of those transcendent moments that really make you feel like loved ones can be there in spirit. The ceremony was full of laughs and tears followed shortly by a brunch at the Mono Inn, the sweetest little Inn overlooking Mono Lake. 

I can't say enough good things about Jess and Lundy and their wedding day and yet it will always feel like I'm not fully getting the point across of how wonderful it actually was. 

Lundy and Jess - I can't not think of you as family now. It's the way you both love on people so well. It's the way you both carry such a welcoming presence. It's how the whole world seems to gravitate toward the kindess you exude. It's the way you invited me on this intimate and wonderful journey to document this beautiful celebration that I just feel like I'm part of the fam. Sorry, you're stuck with me. Expect lots of visits from my whole clan over the years. All jokes aside, meeting you both turned out to be the coolest blessing I could have ever asked for. I'm so honored to witness it all from newly engaged to freshly married (and all the shenanigans between through Instagram). I wish you both all the happiness in the world and a marriage filled with as much joy and magic as your wedding day. 

M A G I C   M A K E R S
Jess, being the wonder-woman that she is coordinated the wedding and made her own bouquet of wildflowers.
The meadow they got married in is [a bit] off the beaten path behind Mono Lake and The Mono Inn Restaurant hosted the brunch celebration. 
Special thank-you to Green Fox Events for introducing me to these sweethearts.