Forest Film - Photography + Super 8

18/08/2026

Maybe this shouldn’t be controversial, but a simple wedding is not an unfinished wedding. And a small wedding is not a lesser version of a big one.

Tristen and Gabe had around 50 guests and almost no rigid timeline. They got married outside at the Newton Arboretum, then everyone went inside and spent the rest of the day eating, talking, laughing, and being together.

Honestly, it was basically a family reunion with a wedding at the beginning.

That was about it.

And it was beautiful—not “beautiful for a simple wedding.” Beautiful, full stop. It was far more genuine and full of life than plenty of weddings I’ve seen with many thousands of dollars more behind them.

There was room for people to be people. Their families could actually spend time together. Tristen and Gabe had space to look at each other and realize they were married. Nothing needed to be manufactured into a meaningful moment for the camera. The meaning was already there.

I love an elaborate wedding. I love enormous flowers, beautiful tables, and the sort of tiny details someone spent months choosing. But those things are additions. They aren’t the substance.

Money can create spectacle. It cannot create intimacy, history, ease, or the way two best friends look at each other just after promising forever.

A wedding does not need to impress anyone in order to be deeply beautiful. It only needs to belong to the people getting married.

Married people, tell the engaged people reading this: what mattered far less than you expected—and what mattered far more?

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Interested in booking your wedding or elopement with us? Click here! >> https://www.forestfilm.org/weddings/

14/08/2026

a few things we’ll always think are kinda chic:

✦ letting life be a little messy.
✦ caring more about experiencing it than performing it.
✦ choosing photographs that hold onto something real—even when real is blurry, windblown, chaotic, or imperfect.

what would you add to the list?

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10/08/2026

When she I loved looked every day
Fresh as a rose in June,
I to her cottage bent my way,
Beneath an evening moon.
~ Wordsworth
✨🌿🌾🦆
Murphy & Sebastian | Iowa | August 2026
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06/08/2026

Shantell & Brandon | Arlington, WA | August 2026
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06/08/2026

Our wedding investment guide got an update! You now no longer have to download a separate pdf-- you can view the guide directly on our website!

Check it out here! >>

Explore Forest Film’s 2027 wedding photography and Super 8 investment guide for couples who want their day preserved with more feeling than formula. View collections and pricing for weddings and elopements in Des Moines, across Iowa, and worldwide, including 35mm film, Polaroids, and travel. Learn...

25/07/2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/DbMbAxTiRQZ/?igsh=MTJld3Nnd2d0Z21yaA==

13/07/2026

Elsie is, as usual, the best little model! I have been experimenting with some ideas for children's mini sessions and I'm honestly so over the moon with how these turned out!

Would anyone be interested in children's mini sessions in this style??

12/07/2026

in this episode: Irelyn turns 1 (and smashes a cake 🎂) ✨🌷🌸
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08/07/2026

🕯️ LOCAL DRESS BOUTIQUES + DESIGNERS 🕯️
I’m looking for a creative collaborator for July 14th

I’m planning a creative editorial shoot with three models on July 14th, and I’m putting some feelers out to see whether there may be a local dress boutique, bridal shop, vintage seller, or designer interested in collaborating with us. ✨

I’ll be photographing the session, and we are looking to potentially borrow a few dresses or gowns for the models to wear during the shoot in exchange for access to the finished professional images for your own social media, website, and marketing use.

The concept for this one is very specific, so I’m including some of our inspiration below to give a better sense of the visual world we’re creating.

Think:

🕯️ painterly + old-world
🌿 romantic, wild, and organic
🪽 ethereal, soft, slightly haunting
🎞️ cinematic movement + dreamy texture
🪞 sheer layers, lace, unusual silhouettes, flowing fabric
🌙 more art piece than traditional bridal editorial

Because the direction is so particular, not every dress will work for the concept, which is why I wanted to share the mood first rather than simply ask for “pretty dresses.” We’re especially drawn to pieces with movement, texture, softness, vintage influence, dramatic shapes, interesting sleeves, sheer elements, corsetry, lace, or an undone romantic quality.

Important note about the images below:

These are not my photographs. They are inspiration images gathered from Pinterest and are being shared only as visual references for the mood, styling, and creative direction of the shoot.

If this feels like it could be a fit for your boutique or collection, I would love to talk and send over more information about the models, sizing, logistics, image usage, and what we’re envisioning. 🤍

📧 [email protected]
💬 DM me here on Facebook
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forestfilm.photo/

And please feel free to tag a local boutique, designer, or vintage shop below that comes to mind. Excited to connect and create some beautiful art, as always!!

23/06/2026

We are headed to the PNW 3 separate times this Autumn-- in August and September! Book us while we're there to get zero travel fees!

Feel free to reach out via DM or via our website >> https://www.forestfilm.org/investment/