A Forest Wedding at High Hill Ranch | Jessica & Josh
A magical forest wedding with a couple who sought intentionality in every aspect of their day—
THIS is what I’ll remember most from Jessica & Josh’s spring wedding at High Hill Ranch in Placerville, California. Jessica and Joseph grew up together in Lake Almanor (where we took Jess & Josh’s engagement photos last fall!), so we know these two pretty well at this point, and were very honored to attend their wedding as guests and photographers. We knew from the start we were in for a good one— these two are so intentional in their pursuit of each other and their people, and so naturally tied this into every part of their wedding weekend.
We arrived in Placerville on Friday evening and immediately joined the soon-to-be Hutapeas for welcome drinks in old town. We found Jess & Josh at absolute peace and so excited to marry each other. That theme continued the next day, when we met up with them as they were getting ready for their wedding surrounded by their bridesmaids and groomsmen. We love being part of slow timelines that allow for our couples to fully soak in every moment of their day, and Jessica & Josh’s timeline was one which reflected this. We had time for Jessica and her bridesmaids to sit and reflect the moment, for her and her mom to embrace the process of her putting on the most beautiful dress she’ll ever wear, and even a first look in the sparkling sun, the moment all her closest friends got to see her in her dress for the first time.
We then made our way over to their wedding venue, High Hill Ranch. Our time began with Jessica’s first look with her dad and then her brothers. Before walking down the aisle, bridal party members prayed over Jessica and Josh and set the tone for the gravity of the moments about to unfold. High Hill Ranch is a stunning forest venue with a pond in the very middle. The way the sunlight glistened through the trees and on the water made quite the backdrop for Jessica & Josh’s wedding ceremony.
It’s a real treat standing right next to the groom as his bride walks down the aisle toward him at every wedding, but it was even more special on this day standing with Josh. We’ve spent the last two years getting to know him, and his relationship with Jessica, and so I felt his emotion in this very moment was *very* contagious. A tearful first look moment gave way to the biggest smiles on Jessica & Josh’s faces, a core memory moment I won’t soon forget. During their ceremony, Jessica & Josh exchanged hand written vows, received a traditional Indonesian blessing, and took communion with their pastors. And, finally, they were pronounced husband and wife! When they reached the end of the aisle, those “oh my goodness we just did THAT” feelings hit, and it was one of my favorite moments of the whole day.
The party really began as the sun set. Cocktail hour was held on High Hill Ranch’s sprawling deck overlooking the pond and dense forest, before we moved over to the seated reception. I love weddings that are entirely outside— as the afternoon becomes sunset and then twilight, the whole place changes so magically. Jessica & Josh entered their reception with a choreographed dance (very on brand) before sharing their first dance, and then greeting all their guests personally as they walked through the dinner buffet.
We snuck them out for some golden hour portraits at the pond before returning the newlyweds to their reception for speeches by their siblings, best man, and maid of honor. Each toast was beautifully done and reflected the very heart of Jessica and Josh, cue the tears for us yet again. Intentionality and deep sentiment were met on an equal level by the absolute party that unfolded after toasts were finished. Jessica and Josh requested all their guests bring a pair of sneakers to change into for this part of the evening with the expectation everyone would get down (and down they got).
And finally, my favorite part of the day. As guests lined up for Jessica & Josh’s grand exit, the newlyweds shared a private last dance. It was at this moment, holding each other and soaking their whole wedding in, that all the emotion of the day hit them. It was also at this moment that I cried for what felt like the millionth time that day, realizing I’d fallen in love with being a wedding photographer again. This day was the very first day of the rest of their life as one. Watching Jessica & Josh’s day unfold right alongside them, with every ounce of love shared with each other and everyone around them, brought me back to that deep-in-my-gut feeling I had four years ago when I photographed my first wedding.
Entering into marriage is a huge commitment, and not one to be taken lightly. The beauty of a wedding day pales in comparison to the grandeur of a life shared with another person, selflessly giving yourself to and for them every day of the rest of your life. Watching Jessica and Josh (and every other one of our couples) make this very commitment to each other is something I hope to never take for granted.
MEET THE Best Northern CALIFORNIA WEDDING VENDORS!
Planning & Coordination - Gracefully Jules / Venue - High Hill Ranch / Videography - Devotion Films / Florals - The Bouquet Man / Catering - Old Town Grill / Dessert - Sierra Rizing / DJ - Sound Crew DJ / Dress - Maggie Sottero, Miosa Bride / Tux - Indochino / Rentals - Two Rivers Events / Guestbook - After The Tone
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER IN ARIZONA (AND BEYOND!)? EXPLORE OUR PACKAGES AND INQUIRE WITH US!
And now, we invite you to catch a glimpse of the magic that was Jessica & Josh’s High Hill Ranch Wedding~
Hey y’all! We’re Katie & Joseph, a husband & wife team, and wedding photographers in Flagstaff, Arizona.
YES, if you’ve been following along for a while, you’ll notice a difference ;). We are relocating to Arizona in 2024 and will be booking weddings in the Southwest beginning NOW!
We are big fans of documenting wedding days in an unposed, raw, genuine, and honest way that allows our couples to maximize their experience on their day while also receiving a gallery full of stunning images that communicate how it felt to be there.
Though we’ll be based in Arizona, we’ll travel anywhere for a good love story (and dance party). We invite you to follow the links below to learn more about us and our services, and to get in contact with us!
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Hannah and Tom have spent much of their relationship living in an RV and travelling the country, and so it felt almost natural to have a national park themed wedding in one of their favorite destinations, Arizona.