Marquette LaRee

Marquette LaRee Wedding photographer & sidekick with a deep love for prickly pear, community, the color orange, family, DIY's, and the southwest! {AZ & NM}

Wedding and Business Photographer leveraging 15+ years of experience to help brides, grooms, and businesses capture the good in life and be the good in the world.

Getting married, or know someone who is?I’m honored to be one of the vendors contributing to a wedding bundle package th...
06/03/2026

Getting married, or know someone who is?

I’m honored to be one of the vendors contributing to a wedding bundle package that will be auctioned off at the Murdock Benefit on June 13. The package is valued at more than $6,000 and includes many of the pieces a couple needs to bring their wedding day together.

My contribution is a $1,500 wedding photography credit, and the package also includes:

• $800 Bridal Party Florals credit from
Jars & Lace
• 10% off a gown + 1 free suit/tux rental from Kendra's Bridal Boutique
• 5–7 minute wedding video and full day coverage by John Houston Films
• Bridal preview + day-of Makeup By Lindsay Merino
• 2-tier cake from Creative Custom Cakes, LLC
• Custom Cake topper from Tingle Treasures LLC
• Free dance floor, furniture, greenery bar rentals, and a 1-hour consultation from Forever Sweet Wedding Rentals And Design LLC
• 25 tablecloths and 25 runners from 5 Diamonds Events

Swipe through the graphics to see the official package flyer from the auction organizers and everything that’s included.

The auction is being held to benefit a local family in need. If you’re planning a wedding, know someone who is, or simply want to support a local family, we’d love to see you there.

The Murdock Benefit
June 13, 2026
Greenlee County Fairgrounds
Live auction begins at 6:00 PM

If you can’t attend in person but would like to bid on the wedding package, send me a message for proxy bidding information.

Feel free to tag an engaged couple who might be interested.

I don’t know who gasped, squealed, oohed, or what…but when Mikaela, Meghan, and I walked into the cabin and saw this dre...
05/24/2026

I don’t know who gasped, squealed, oohed, or what…but when Mikaela, Meghan, and I walked into the cabin and saw this dress we all made excited noises! And we knew immediately where it needed to hang to highlight it AND the gorgeous new front of the ramada at

The bride and groom were down to earth and so sweet. They flew in from Nebraska to party in the Arizona mountains with their family and friends! The weather was perfect. The day was amazing! The dogs were adorable. Can’t wait to share more!

Venue:
DJ:
Dress:
Bouquet:
Cake:
Catering:
Photographer:
Second Photographers: .durfee and

The sign at Riggs Lake says 48 miles to Safford...but it’s a 2 hour drive up the mountain roads to get there. But it’s a...
05/18/2026

The sign at Riggs Lake says 48 miles to Safford...but it’s a 2 hour drive up the mountain roads to get there. But it’s a gem!

I got there early and sat by the water watching trout jump out of the water, robins dart through the grass, and a nesting pair of bald eagles across the lake while turkeys wandered the shoreline like they owned the place. It felt quiet and wild and promising.

I had plans and corners of the lake all planned out and was excited about all the possibilities.

We’d barely gotten into photos when the clouds decided they couldn’t hold out any more and the rain hit. We had to make a run for the cars. While they waited out the storm, I worked on ring shots…which is also when bear number one showed up across the lake.

We tried photos again a little later when we thought the rain was letting up, but then a harder downpour hit. Back to the cars. Bear number two was sighted.

We waited at the lake as long as we possibly could because Brooklyn really didn’t want to leave it. None of us did.

Eventually we gave up on the weather and drove wet forest roads trying to outrun the storm before we lost the last of the daylight completely. We passed huge old aspens along the way, but the rain was still coming down too hard to stop.

Then, right at the edge of the light, we found a little grove of young aspens.

We used car headlights for a little extra light, grabbed a few final photos, and called it. By the end of the night, Brooklyn told me she was really excited to see how the aspens photos turned out.

It was 37 degrees when we left the mountain. It had been 80 in the valley before we drove up. This session felt like fighting the mountain the entire time. Rain. Wind. Bears. Fading light. All things you can’t control or predict. Even with every pivot, I love what we created together there on top of the mountain.

One of the lines in my bridal guide says this:
“Avoid graphic tees, bold logos, tennis shoes, baseball hats…”
Most of th...
05/16/2026

One of the lines in my bridal guide says this:

“Avoid graphic tees, bold logos, tennis shoes, baseball hats…”

Most of the time that advice is helpful. Not because I’m trying to make people fit my brand, but because certain elements can pull attention away from connection and emotion in photos.

But every “rule” works best when people understand why it exists, so that they can break it intentionally to make a stronger choice. 

Larry and Gaira brought concert posters and graphic tees from concerts they’ve gone to together over the years and I absolutely loved it because it wasn’t random. It was part of their story.

The posters.
The music.
The road trips.
The shared memories.
It felt like them.

A week after their session I ran into one of Larry’s cousins and excitedly mentioned the concert posters and tees from the session. Immediately the cousin, his wife, and their daughter all lit up and said, “Oh my gosh, that is SO them. Those are going to be such fun pictures!”

And that right there is the goal.

I’m not here to create carbon-copy sessions where everyone looks like they walked out of the same Pinterest board. I want my couples to feel recognizable to the people who love them.

Soft and romantic? Amazing.
Bold and colorful? Also amazing.
Graphic tees tied to a shared story? Absolutely.

Because years from now I’d rather your photos still feel like you than feel trendy.

He wanted cactus.She wanted rocks.So I took them to a canyon where both could exist at the same time.This spot has some ...
05/12/2026

He wanted cactus.
She wanted rocks.

So I took them to a canyon where both could exist at the same time.

This spot has some of the farthest eastern-growing saguaros in Arizona, layered right into the cliffs and rock formations. I’d hiked here with Cameron before but had never brought clients out, but it fit Larry and Gaira perfectly.

Some couples feel most like themselves dressed up downtown.
Some feel most like themselves in a forest.
And some feel most like themselves climbing around a desert canyon together.

I think the best sessions usually happen when people stop trying to fit a “Pinterest perfect” location and choose something that actually feels like them instead.

And just wait until you see the second half of their session in a few days…they love going to concerts together, so we highlighted that love in a fun way!

One of the things I’ve worked really hard to build over the years is a photography experience that feels consistent and ...
05/07/2026

One of the things I’ve worked really hard to build over the years is a photography experience that feels consistent and trustworthy, even on days when I physically can’t be the one behind the camera.

This sweet couple is getting married on a date I was already booked. Since I have photographed all of the groom’s siblings’ weddings over the years, we talked through options together, and they chose to move forward with one of my associate photographers so they could still have a Marquette LaRee experience.

My associate photographer, Mower Photography , photographed their bridal session and will be photographing their wedding day too, while I’m at another wedding. And honestly? She absolutely knocked it out of the park.

The light.
The joy.
That bouquet.
That temple glow at sunset.

Soooo good.

After the session she texted me and said, "Oh my gosh, they are so beautiful and so sweet I can't even believe it! I'm definitely a big fan of this couple!"

I’m really grateful for people I trust enough to care for my couples well, and really grateful for couples who trust us in return.

Just over here trying not to break into my stash of prickly pear popcorn bags I keep for welcome boxes (from Kettle Hero...
04/09/2026

Just over here trying not to break into my stash of prickly pear popcorn bags I keep for welcome boxes (from Kettle Heroes Popcorn 🍿 —they’re dangerously good 😅)…

…while stress-eating my way through the fact that the grasshoppers have officially moved into my garden.

It was funny running through them in the grocery store parking lot, watching them fly up like fall leaves.

It’s significantly less funny when the baby plants I’ve been carefully tending are suddenly at stake.

In Molly’s words:
“EWWWYUCK! That’s even horribler!”

At this point I’m not saying I need a hero…
but if someone wants to volunteer as a grasshopper hero, I wouldn’t complain.

Not every getting ready moment looks the same. Even if we used the same cabin at they would each look different because...
04/03/2026

Not every getting ready moment looks the same. Even if we used the same cabin at they would each look different because of the stories and emotions the cabin holds each wedding.

Sometimes the moments are quiet; just a mom and her daughter soaking it all in.
Sometimes they are a full-on party with bridesmaids everywhere and music blasting.
Sometimes they tucked inside the dark cabin with the curtains pulled tight.
And sometimes they are out on the porch, chasing the light and mountain air (don’t worry, the groom gets safely hidden away 😉).

No two moments are the same.

Some moments are peaceful. Some are exuberant. Some are a bit nervous.

In 9 years of photographing these getting moments at The Cabins on Strawberry Hill, I've learned how to manage the light better, but even more than that I've learned that every single one holds something I never want to miss: the energy shifting, the emotions rising as it all feels real, and the in-between moments that somehow end up meaning everything.

Pulled up, hopped off the bike, and Molly was all a vibe of her own, sittin’ on her throne. The light was great, the vib...
04/02/2026

Pulled up, hopped off the bike, and Molly was all a vibe of her own, sittin’ on her throne. The light was great, the vibe, the colors. How could I not capture that?! I had her shift from one back corner to the other just to get the harsh light further off her face, but beyond that, this was all true to moment.

Learning to see what’s there, when to take a photo as is to preserve the feel and POV, and when to make slight adjustments for a stronger shot is part of learning to read a wedding day. Some moments you just go full on “fly-on-the-wall” mode and shoot as is, and sometimes just slight tweaks are worth it to really tell the story well and capture the light/composition better.

Practicing that noticing in everyday life makes my personal photos stronger and keeps me sharp for wedding days and engagement sessions.

Now…I just need to pick a place for this one, because I think it needs to go on our wall somewhere. Someday when we build our bike barn, I think it definitely needs to go in there!

03/30/2026

Loaded up the bike with a bag of clothes Molly’s outgrown and pedaled them over to a sweet set of twin girls just a year younger than her.

There’s something I’ve always loved about clothes that don’t start with you. They’ve already been lived in, played in and loved by someone else first.

Thrifted is good… but hand-me-downs might be my favorite.

Maybe it’s the practicality of it. Could be the story that comes with it. Or maybe it’s just the quiet kind of community that says, “we have enough—here, you take some.”

Either way… it felt like a good reason to dust off another Madsen challenge (Donation Challenge!!) and add one more badge to the collection. We’re hoping to knock a bunch of badges out this summer!

Address

Mt Lemmon
Tucson, AZ
85619

Opening Hours

Monday 11am - 5pm
Tuesday 11am - 5pm
Wednesday 11am - 5pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Marquette LaRee posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Marquette LaRee:

Shortcuts

Share

Category