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That’s right! I said it! PART ONE! That means there is even more than this lovefest of awesomeness you are currently gazing on! Seriously! How freaking exciting is that? SO exciting!

So the Rencher’s. I love them. Like L-O-V-E them! Marianne is probably one of the most remarkable women I’ve ever met in my life. She and I have been friends since college, and I absolutely adore her. I could honestly dedicate an entire blog just to the crazy stories of boys we dated and bizarre things we did. She made life in Utah bearable for a California girl, and my experience at school would have been drastically more boring without her.

So, about 8 years ago she married a lovely gentleman named Kevin. I went to their wedding reception, and hugged them and kissed them and then didn’t see them until a very small plane landed my family and me in Helena, Montana earlier this month. And it was the most amazing thing because it was like not a day had passed! Seeing Marianne and meeting her seriously adorable children was an absolute joy! She and Kevin have a beautiful family together and it was so much fun hanging out with them and photographing them. It was lovely to see the landscape of such a beautiful place and such a beautiful family.

This picture of Marianne is seriously one of my most favoritest portraits I’ve ever made and if she doesn’t use it as her author picture for the book she someday writes I will NEVER forgive her.

Check out the slideshow for more images from day one of shooting the wonderful Rencher’s. I can’t wait to share the rest!

Click the image below to start the slideshow

Tags: family portraits, Helena, Montana, professional, Rencher Family, Sarah Maren Photography, slideshow

So if you’ve ever seen my husband Dustin, and you’re looking up at that picture going, “Huh! That looks like Sarah’s hubbers snuggling another lady!” You’re offically not crazy. That fella up there is Dustin’s little brother Donne, and that lady he’s snuggling on is none other than the delightful Annalisa, his wife to be.

About… um… a month ago (busy people, I’ve been busy!) Dustin, Lauren and I headed out with cameras in hand to take some pictures of this lovely newly engaged couple. Annalisa and Donne reside down in San Luis Obispo, but made their way up north for a little vaca and some picture time with me. We are so excited for them and can’t wait for their big day!

We went all over Old Sac in that bright sunny morning, and can I say we had a fine time doing it. It was such fun photographing these two! They are very much in love, and very stinkin’ awesome. Annalisa is my dream sister-in-law! She funny, bright and generally wonderful. Plus, she’s a hottie who is so photogenic it hurts! Seriously people! What is not to love?

Thanks to Annalisa and Donne for a dang fine time taking pictures that make me all gooey inside. We are so happy for you!!!

Check out the slideshow for more images of this picture perfect pair!

Click the image below to start the slideshow

Tags: Annalisa and Donne, California, Engagements, esession, Midtown Sacramento, Old Sacramento, professional, Sacramento, Sarah Maren Photography, slideshow

Well, there she is! My BFF Jill just hours before running a marathon in beautiful Salt Lake City, Utah. Last week was such a blast spending time with her and her lovely family and watching her do something I found profoundly amazing. I’ve known Jill – well it seems like forever, but really it’s since 2nd grade. All the same it’s been a LONG time, and it was such an honor to watch her meet her goals and do something I could never do.
Things start out early with Marathons – like TOO early I think, but then again, I’m not a runner so who am I to judge? We started things off at the University of Utah campus at 6:30am. There we met up with some of Jill’s running buddies and her family and I sent her off in style! It’s so amazing to me how many woman are running not only for themselves, but for their families. One of Jill’s friends, Erin had her kids and hubby’s name written on her hand so when she felt like she couldn’t keep going she could look down and see who she was doing this for. That really touched me. Another gal had her children’s initals on beads in her shoelaces. So many of these gals are just flat out astonishing! It was such a pleasure to meet them and hear why the run.

Jill’s daughter, Abby wasn’t excited to see her mom running away. But a hot cocoa cheered her up not long after this.

We were able to cheer Jill on a little over half way through the race as it made it’s way through Liberty Park. We also got to see the marathon leaders as they ran through. Let me just say, those boys were FAST! It was pretty cool. It was really, really windy on this particular day too, so between that and the elevation difference I can’t tell you how amazing it was to see Jill as she rounded the bend and made her way toward us her little cheering section.

After Jill kept going we headed to the finish line and made it just in time to watch her cross victoriously! There were huge crowds, and tons of runners (over 13,000 people participated in the races that day) and their families cheering on those who braved the course. Despite having some elevation sickness, Jill powered through and finished 13.1 miles in 3 hours and 20 minutes. Seriously, I would STILL be running that if it’s been me. Seeing my best friend cross that finish line was just a really, really cool moment for me. It was hard not to be a big ol’ bawling mess, but I held it together and was just bursting with pride.

After getting her medal Jill was greeted by her family and other running buddies. It was really awesome to be able to document this time for Jill. I mean, heck, she’s got such a cute family, right?

I honestly don’t think I could possibly be any prouder of her. In the past year she’s gone from a girl who hated running to a girl who has finished two half marathons and is training for more. She has become centered, has realized how freaking awesome she is, and how loved she is by her family and friends. Jill, you are a HUGE inspriation to me. I love you more than my luggage, and can never thank you enough for being the best friend a girl could ask for.

Tags: My Best Friend Jill, My Life, personal, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City Marathon, Utah

Hello party people! I am finally back in Cali and editing like a MAD WOMAN! I’m so happy to share these images from Kate and Nate’s lovely wedding in the Billings Montana LDS Temple and their reception back home in Helena, Montana later that night.

It was such a blast photographing these love birds! It was a stunningly beautiful day in Monday and I can totally see why they call it Big Sky Country. The sky was radiant, and the clouds were all whispy and awesome. It was so hard not to shoot EVERYTHING super wide to get that stunning sky in there. But I restrained myself, and we ended up making some lovely images of this beautiful couple.

After hanging around the temple grounds we headed back to Helena (a 3+ hour drive) and took some more pictures around town. We stopped at a beautiful hand-carved carosel and cut Nate and Kate loose! These wacky kids took some fun pictures! Then we headed around downtown Helena and HELLO! Can you say TEXTURE? There were so many amazing little nooks and crannies! I seriously could have shot there for a month! But alas we had to get these two to their reception!

Thanks so much to Kate and Nate for having me out for your beautiful wedding! It was a pleasure working with you and your families. And a HUGE GIGANTIC special thanks to my beloved Marianne for being my assistant/burro/comic relief for the day. Seriously… can I fly you out for every wedding?

Check out the slideshow for more images of this beautiful couple and their lovely wedding!

Click the image below to start the slideshow

Tags: Billings, Billings LDS Temple, Helena, Kate and Nathan, Montana, professional, Sarah Maren Photography, slideshow