Sawtooths Engagement Shoot

Chelsea and Lloyd dreamed of a personal Sawtooths Engagement Shoot that felt true to their story. At first, we discussed taking their engagement photos in Boise, Idaho where the two relocated after getting engaged in Virginia. However, after they started wedding planning, they chose the famous Sun Valley Idaho for their wedding. They asked me for recommendations for Sawtooth Wedding Venues. I recommended Trail Creek Pavilion in Sun Valley, and once they visited it, they knew it was their wedding venue. Their hearts were drawn to the incredible Sawtooth mountain views, so I knew we had to take their engagement photos there.

As luck would have it, I was in Stanley exactly one year prior to their wedding to the day. After shooting an elopement the day before, Chelsea and Lloyd met up with me in Stanley, Idaho for their engagement photos. The one and only Sarah Decamp created a gorgeous natural boho makeup look for Chelsea the morning of their session. I told Chelsea to plan to wear one casual outfit, one date night outfit, and one ‘fancy’ outfit. When planning outfits for her Sawtooths Engagement Shoot, I told her to lean into lots of earth tones and patterns to compliment the rich landscape.

A Sentimental Fishing Engagement Shoot

Tragically, Lloyd lost his father recently. To honor him, Lloyd wanted to incorporate his dad’s fishing pole into their engagement photos. He spent quality time as a kid fishing with his dad and I encouraged him to bring any sentimental fishing gear with him that reminded him of his dad. I brought them to one of my favorite fishing creeks in the Sawtooths near Redfish Lake where Chelsea and Lloyd spent the first bit of their engagement shoot hanging out. We snapped a few photos of them soaking in the creek and their memories together around fishing. It was the perfect start to kicking off their engagement photos!

Stanley Lake Engagement Shoot

It was a no brainer that we make one of the Sawtooths incredible lakes a pivotal moment in Chelsea and Lloyd’s engagement photos. I love Stanley Lake. Stanley Lake has a stunning trail that wraps around the perimeter of the lake. We walked around the lake to take some casual engagement photos at sunset. Did you know Idaho has over 2,000 lakes in the state!? The Sawtooths are extremely unique because of the high elevation alpine lakes you can access! They are a perfect location for Idaho engagement photos.

Blue Hour Engagement Photos in a Meadow

I always tell my couples to save their ‘fanciest’ engagement outfit for last. The best light of the day typically occurs at the very end of the day just after sunset. Chelsea picked out a boho white lace dress while Lloyd chose to wear a Western cowboy hat. After a few glasses of champagne each, we ran around a stunning meadow with a panoramic view of the Sawtooths. We were laughing our butts off the entire time. Just as we were finishing up, I spotted some horses just beyond the wooden fence where we were taking photos. I asked if they wanted to wander over to the horses to see if they might approach us. Sure enough, they did! We snapped a few photos with the horses in the background. It was a special surprise and so authentic to the Sawtooths.

Tips for Planning Your Sawtooths Engagement Shoot:

The weather in the Sawtooths is extremely unpredictable. Although the weather forecast might show nothing but sun, plan on a possibility of rain no matter the time of year!
Bring comfortable and practical shoes if you are going to be walking down any trails. The Sawtooth trails are very rocky. It’s better to pack your fancy shoes in a backpack and change than risk injuring yourself!
If you are hiring a makeup artist, consider getting your makeup done in Boise the afternoon of your shoot. If that isn’t an option, Ketchum, Idaho has a few makeup artists. Either way, you want to tell your makeup artist to make your makeup indestructible. The wind and elements can be intense in the Sawtooths!
Choose a photographer familiar with the best locations in the Sawtooths for your engagement photos. You can email me here!
Pack it in, pack it out. The Sawtooths are sacred to local Idahoans. No matter what, do not litter. Idaho locals won’t be shy about telling you to pick up your mess.
Download any maps or music you might need ahead of time. Many spots in the Sawtooths don’t have cell service!
Bring your bear and bug spray. Idaho is abundant in wildlife as well as mosquitoes. Make sure you’re safe and protected!