An Idaho Wedding Photographer’s Favorite Kind of Wedding Day
Venue: Hills Resort, Priest Lake, Idaho
Date: October 11, 2025
Photographer: Baylee McHaney Photography | Idaho Wedding Photographer
Can I tell you a secret? Some of my absolute favorite wedding days are the ones that don’t go exactly as planned. There’s something about a couple who can laugh through the unexpected, lean into each other, and come out the other side saying “honestly… it was perfect” that is everything to me. Tricia and Tyler’s Priest Lake Idaho wedding was exactly that kind of day. Rain and all.
I’m Baylee McHaney, an Idaho wedding photographer serving northern Idaho, Washington, and Montana and this one? This one is going straight into my heart forever.
When It Rained All Day & It Didn’t Matter One Bit
October 11th, 2025. Priest Lake. The rain started and it did not stop. As an Idaho wedding photographer, I’ve photographed weddings in all kinds of weather but a full day of October rain at Priest Lake? That’s a different kind of magic entirely.
We made the call to move the ceremony indoors, and I’m so glad we did. What could have felt like a disappointment turned into one of the coziest, most intimate ceremonies I’ve ever had the privilege of photographing. The light was soft & warm. Everyone was close. You could feel how much this community loved Tricia and Tyler and honestly, the rain just made it feel even more like a movie.
It wasn’t the original plan. But it was better.
Hills Resort: The Most Underrated Idaho Wedding Venue
If you are planning a wedding in northern Idaho and you haven’t looked into Hills Resort at Priest Lake, stop what you are doing and go look it up right now. Nestled along the shores of Priest Lake with the Selkirk Mountains as the backdrop, Hills is one of those venues that genuinely feels like a world of its own. It’s rustic & elegant. Intimate & celebratory. It has this incredible PNW cabin lodge energy that photographs beautifully in every season.
But here’s the thing that makes Hills Resort truly special for weddings: the guests stay on site. The cabins are right there on the property, which means Tricia and Tyler’s people weren’t rushing off into the night. They were staying. And Hills allows celebrations to go until 2am so you can imagine how that night unfolded!!
There’s something so different about a wedding where the guests aren’t watching the clock. Everyone was present. Everyone was all in. The energy in that room was absolutely electric.
The People Make the Wedding and Tricia & Tyler’s Village Was Everything
I always say you can tell everything about a couple by looking at the people who show up for them. And Tricia and Tyler? Their family and friends were some of the most welcoming, warm, and genuinely kind people I’ve had the pleasure of being around on a wedding day.
From the very first moment I arrived, I felt like part of the crew. People were laughing and hugging and being so good to each other. You know those weddings where you leave feeling genuinely full? This was one of them. As an Idaho wedding photographer, I get to witness a lot of love but the kind that radiates from an entire community? That’s something I never take for granted.
Tricia and Tyler clearly have built something really beautiful, not just with each other, but around them. Their people reflect exactly who they are.
A Little Super8 to Make It Even More Special
Okay, I have to talk about the super8 clip from this day because I am OBSESSED. If you’ve been following along, you know I recently started offering super8 film highlights alongside my photography and Tricia & Tyler’s wedding was such a perfect day for it.
There is something about the grainy, nostalgic look of super8 that no digital format can replicate. It feels like a memory. It feels like a home video your mom would have made in the best possible way. When I watch the clip back from this day, the rain on the windows, the warm glow inside, the dancing, the joy, I get chills every single time.
If you’re getting married in northern Idaho and you want something truly special and different to remember your day by, I cannot recommend adding a super8 highlight to your package enough. You will not regret it, I genuinely promise you that!!
Why Northern Idaho is One of the Best Places to Get Married
As an Idaho wedding photographer, I am so lucky to call the PNW home and northern Idaho specifically is something I don’t think gets talked about enough in the wedding world. Priest Lake is one of those places that feels truly untouched. Crystal clear water. Towering tamarack trees that turn gold in October. The Selkirk Mountains in every direction. It is wildly, breathtakingly beautiful.
Fall weddings up here? Chef’s kiss. The colors, the crisp air, the cozy lodge vibes, it all comes together in a way that feels intentional and romantic and so genuinely PNW. October especially has this moody, golden quality to the light (even when it’s raining!!) that makes every single photo feel like it belongs in a magazine.
If you are dreaming of a destination wedding that doesn’t require a flight, that is surrounded by mountains and water and pure Idaho wilderness, Priest Lake needs to be on your list. And Hills Resort? It’s the perfect home base for the whole thing.
Tricia & Tyler, Thank You
I was so honored to be your Idaho wedding photographer on October 11th. Watching you two move through that whole day, the rain, the pivot, the celebrating until who knows what hour, with so much grace and joy and love for each other and your people… it was a gift to witness.
These are the days I’ll carry with me for a long time. The ones that remind me exactly why I fell in love with this job in the first place. Thank you for letting me be part of your story!!
Looking for an Idaho Wedding Photographer?
If you’re planning a wedding in northern Idaho, the Spokane area, or anywhere in the PNW, I would absolutely love to hear about your day! I specialize in warm, story-driven wedding photography that captures how your day actually felt, not just how it looked. Fill out my inquiry form and let’s chat. I cannot wait to learn about your vision!!
