Planning this snowy engagement session during Utah's first real snow storm was a little crazy! It had snowed in the valley the day before and we weren't sure what the road conditions were going to be like! Luckily, in case you didn't know, Big Cottonwood Canyon has a traffic camera you can access online to view the road conditions!
Long story short, we made it up the canyon to Jordan Pines Campground to shoot these snowy engagement photos. There is nothing more magical than snow falling during your session! And luckily, it started to pick up right as we were ready to leave - we played it perfectly!
If you're planning on getting your photos done in the canyons during the winter, here are my tips:
1. Choose good footwear. Wear boots that cover your ankle and will keep you warm, bonus points if they're water proof! You can get away with wearing legit snow boots in your wedding dress because nobody will see them! You can even pop in a few hand warmers into your boots for maximum comfort.
2. Layer as much as possible. Can you wear leggings under your jeans? Can you wear a tight long-sleeve tee under your sweater? Do you have a cute furry jacked you love and can be in the pictures? Don't be afraid to actually dress for the weather you'll be in! You can wear a beanie and snow jacket and still look super cute! For bridals, definitely wear leggings and bring a jacked for in-between the shots. Once again, hand warmers are a life saver!
3. Make sure in the week leading up to your shoot you are moisturizing! Utah weather (especially in the winter) can get so dry! The first important thing to moisturize are you lips - cracked lips are painfully obvious in photographs and nearly impossible to fix in editing. The second thing you want to moisturize is your hands so you can show off that new engagement ring! And lastly, make sure to moisturize your face. Makeup will go on and stay on better if your face is nice and hydrated.
These two are so adorable. They were so fun to photography and adventure through the snow with. Big Cottonwood Canyon is one of my absolute FAVORITE places to photograph. It has everything you'd want - great pine trees, pretty white snow, cool rock formations, and mountain views for DAYS.
