Sometimes you just can’t wait to be married and in turn, you elope! This is exactly what happened with Katie and Seamus as they got news of deployments with the U.S. Army. As a Jackson Hole wedding photographer I love getting to capture elopements and working with our service members. I can’t wait to share more with you about this military wedding!

Katie & Seamus

I was excited to work with Katie and Seamus, especially as I got to know them more and more. Both came from military families, which is actually how they met! Before they were born, Katie and Seamus’ dads met through the Army and became good friends. So when the families were both stationed in Hawaii, they reconnected. Katie was in middle school at the time and Seamus was in high school. Although Katie had a crush on Seamus she never said anything because she thought she was just the annoying little sister.

After her family moved away Katie attended Duke and started moving on with life. However, Seamus reached out and expressed that he had feelings for her and the rest was history! They started dating long distance for about two years, and both joined the Army. With some luck and a lot of coordination, they both were stationed in Tennessee and have been living there together.

Jackson Hole Wedding Planner

Working as a Jackson Hole wedding photographer, I serve a lot of couples who also need a wedding planner. So often times I wear both hats to ensure my couples get the wedding of their dreams! Katie and Seamus were in the midst of wedding planning for their big day next June when she got orders for a nine month deployment. Although they are still planning for their June wedding, they decided it would be best to tie the knot before she deploys so that they can receive the benefits of being married while in the Army.

With that we only had two weeks to pull off their military wedding in the Tetons! Katie and Seamus decided to elope in the Tetons because they already had a vacation planned here for a half marathon with Katie’s family. So, they invited Seamus’ family and took the time to get married while in the area. I helped them plan the location of their ceremony and all the little details. They already had and officiant in their family, but that is something I also help my couples find if needed! Katie and Seamus wanted to keep the elopement low key, so it was very simple and beautiful.

Military Wedding

Every wedding is unique to the couple and their circumstances. Since Katie and Seamus were already planning a large wedding for next year, they decided to keep their elopement easy going. They had a formal ceremony, but Katie decided not to wear her wedding dress as she wanted to save that magic for her larger wedding. However, they did incorporate traditions from their culture and ancestry!

An Irish wedding tradition that was incorporated into their Military wedding was a “tying the knot” with ribbon. Each parent had one ribbon and used it to wrap around the couples hands four times while giving them advice. At the end of the ceremony, Katie and Seamus pulled the rope and it tied a knot.

Jackson Hole Military Wedding Photos

After their elopement, everyone celebrated the couple. They had such amazing people with them, making this so much fun! Then I took Katie and Seamus to shoot wedding portraits and candid photos in two different locations. We even saw a fox and a beaver during our shoot!

Overall, Katie and Seamus’ military wedding in the Tetons was laid back, sentimental and so fun! I feel absolutely honored to have been the Jackson Hole wedding photographer to help them put it together and capture all the special moments.

I respect and honor those who serve our country and communities. As a way of thanks I offer special military and law enforcement discounts of 10% off. This discount is applied if either bride/groom are currently serving, or have served in the past.

Ready to book your wedding photographer? Reach out!