Our Anniversary Shoot at the Up House!
OH my GOODNESS! I am SO excited to finally share these amaz-azing photos! They are being featured on Rock ‘n’ Roll Bride today (yay!), but I wanted to share them here plus a little more of the story as well! When Geoff and I heard about the Up house replica being built in Herriman, Utah, we got a crazy little idea to drive out from California and take photos there. We are huge Pixar fanatics and absolutely LOVE the movie Up. We watched it the day it came out and we were engaged at the time. So watching the “Married Life” sequence at the beginning of the film really hit home (read: bawling in the theatre). It still makes me tear up every time I watch it. So when we heard about the house, we knew it was a long shot but called up the folks at Bangerter Homes, the creators and builders of the Up house and asked if we could do a photo shoot there in honor of our second wedding anniversary. The team at Bangerter Homes is seriously amazing, because they sad “Yes!” We were thrilled! We later found out that we were the only ones that were able to do a photo shoot inside the house. We felt so special!
With less than a month to plan the shoot and trip, we made many-a-trip to Goodwill (I adore thrifting!) to get the perfect costumes. We have admired Blue Lily Photography for some time now, so we were overjoyed that they could be in Utah and could be our photographers! They did such and incredible job. So, so amazing. Let’s get to it! Here we are as young Carl and Ellie.
I gotta say, wearing overalls is pretty awesome.
The details and work put in to making the house a perfect replica was absolutely amazing. We had so much fun recreating scenes from the movie and making some of our own!
This next set is in the nursery inside the house. I absolutely ADORE the mural that is painted on the wall. This makes us so excited about starting a little family of our own…
Honestly, if this house was in California I would want to buy it. It’s like my dream home! So colorful, fun, quirky, bright, and the KITCHEN! That blue stove had a fridge dishwasher, and microwave to match.
I did a few craft projects for the shoot, one of which was creating our very own adventure book from scratch. I’m excited to fill the pages with all of our adventures and memories, starting with this shoot!
Of course, our photo shoot would not have been complete without BALLOONS!
See my yellow dress? I couldn’t find the perfect bright Ellie dress, so I decided to make one! At 5 in the morning the day before we left, haha! It is sewn from a thrifted vintage bedsheet. I had so much fun making and wearing it!
This one is one of my favorites…
Geoff and I scoped out the perfect hill to re-create Carl and Ellie’s picnic scene. I wish I could go have a picnic here every day.
We brought my picnic basket from home and used my great grandma’s vintage camera.
Grape soda, of course!
Back to the house! Man oh man, did the team at Bangerter Homes do an amazing job creating this house. Here are a few of the details.
Sigh, my man is so handsome.
There were so many meaningful things about this photo shoot. Carl and Ellie’s love is such an inspiration to us as a married couple, and we are excited about having adventures and growing old together. The part where we were “old” Carl and Ellie was pretty emotional.
The only way to describe being able to be in that house, sitting in Carl and Ellie’s chairs next to my love, was surreal and amazing. We literally felt like we were in the movie and we were both just so amazed we were able to do this.
I know I have said “amazing” a lot in this post, but that is because it was! Geoff and I now carry with us SUCH a wonderful memory of our time at the Up House. It was truly unforgettable and an experience we will treasure throughout our lives together. Thank you SOOOOOOO much to the folks at Bangerter Homes for making this all possible! Thank you to Wendy and Tyler from Blue Lilly Photography! You were so fun and the photos are amazing. My hair and makeup was beautifully done by Enizio Hair and Makeup Artistry in Utah. Thank you!!
Be sure to head over to Rock ‘n’ Roll Bride to see their post of our Up House photo shoot!
COMMENTS…show some love!
himyf: This is gorgeous!! What a beautiful couple. I especially LOVE that Ellie dress, and cannot believe the beautiful bride made it herself. THAT MORNING. What?? Best of luck to the happy couple. howimetyourfatherblog.blogspot.com
sarah: Omg. you guys are SO CUTE. i don't even know you but omg. This is amazing.
Jenny: I ABSOLUTELY love it!
Rachel: I love it all around. You guys are indeed super cute!!
Tricia: This is so amazing! You are such a perfect couple. OH MY GOD I CAN'T EVEN STOP LOOKING AT THE PHOTOS! So adorable! ♥
Jessica Hallock: This gave me goosebumps!! You two are incredible... thanks for going all out! I <3 every part of this.
Stephanie: AMAZZINNNNNGNGG!
Rae: I am currently getting ready to fly down to Florida for a job interview with Disney and I have got to tell you that this made me so happy! this was truly a great anniversary idea!
Rae Damon: SOOOOOO FUN and beautiful! :D
Michelle: This is absolutely the cutest thing EVER.
Tricia: This is amazing. When I saw they had built the house I wanted to go and do this same thing. Unfortunately I have not yet found my Carl. Best of luck to the both of you and many happy years.
Wendy: LOVE IT! <3
JennaRyan: This is the most gorgeous, brilliant adorable thing in the world! Too Cute! :) <3
Iris: I just wanna let you guys know that THIS GIVES ME HOPE. :) I never thought someone can be this in love. I mean, don't get me wrong my parents are still together & they still are sweet to each other [FOR 22 YEARS & COUNTING! :)] but to go on a photoshoot on such a beautiful place...now that's something I want to do with my future husband! Take care, lovers! :)
Keri Quinn: Love every image! If I've ever seen a story beautifully depicted by images- this is it! Congrats to the fun and adorable couple. I wish them years of wedded bliss.
Jacqueline: As an UP fan myself, these pictures are a dream come true! Best wishes to you both!!
@beccadean: You are beautiful! I want your life! x
YvannaM: that was BEAUTIFUL. I played the scoe for the Married Life sequence and it was perfect! You guys are sweet, gives people hope :D
brittany: i love it!! how were you able to do this? i live in utah and did not even know about the up house. so great. i love it it!
Nichole: This is....the cutest thing. OMG. I absolutely loved Up and I gotta say you guys are JUST as cute as Carl and Ellie. <3
kate: This is so adorable! I wish i could go there too. :"> More power to you guys! God bless!
Anastasia: This is way too cute!
Shanai: These are so cute! You guys are the cutest couple ever!
Ashley: Wow, wow, wow!!! Every single detail in this session is absolutely incredible! LOVE it!!!
Sue Fowler: THIS IS TOOOO MUCH FUN!! What a grand idea and you two carried it off perfectly!! How fun and special for you to have these images forever and ever...SO stinkin cute!!!!
bunga: wow,wonderful..both of you so sweet and romantic..hope both of you have the romantic moment till the ends !
Astrid: I really adore your creativity. I just can't help but to envy your experience at the Up House! I wish I'd be there with my man, dressed like you both and shoot wonderful memories like you do soon. You both are AMAZING! Good luck! :">
Lexi: This is SO amazing! I love this movie and the two of you are adorable! I got teary just seeing your photos. The house and your props were well made. This made my day!
Joanna: Somebody posted a few of these photos on Tumblr and I had an amazing time checking them out! Then I found this site and looked through them again because they're so DARLING. Congrats and blessings on you both on your wonderful marriage, and thank you for sharing these beautiful, special pictures with the rest of us. I can only hope I can have something as special someday myself. :D
sarah: cutest thing I have seen, ever! Love it!
Danny Del Rossi: You two guys make me smile!
ADAM: The home is not only really quirky, but functional, and harks back to 1950s nostalgia. Children would love to play out their childhood in this home and it would be the best childhood ever. Celebrate good times come on!!!!!
Kelly: These are the best pictures I have seen in a long time. So creative!
Faran: You guys are awesome! Really great shoot and you both seem such a lovely couple. All the best.
Kole: Yes. Just Yes. I can't get over how absolutely PERFECT you two are.
Alex Rome: Wow! I am so glad I found this! I think this is just one of the most romantic things I have ever seen! These pictures are beautiful and very creative! Props on finding different fun things to do as a couple! I really wish you the best in life. You guys seem very happy together, and thank you for giving me (and I'm sure many more people) hope that I could someday find someone who would enjoy things like these with me. You see, I myself am a bit quirky and I want to share some of it with someone who will appreciate it. So thanks for that! You both are just lovely together! Much love from Puerto Rico!
Courtney: i absolutely looove this!i wish it was my house.im a sucker for disney movies and i loved "Up" so jelous! congrats!
Jenny: This is beyond perfect!!! You guys make the perfect Carl and Ellie!!! <3<3<3
Kellee: I LOVE this! All these shots are pretty amazing and the colors really POP!
Susie Moore: THIS WAS SO AWESOME!! Totally made me smile great big this morning!!!
Lee Hubbard: Love the photo of you in the overalls and barefeet:)
Lori: I stumbled upon your site via Pintrest...I thought my heart would LEAP out of my chest!!!!!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE UP and this shoot!!!!! Makes me want to grab my husband and drag him to the airport!! How crazy lucky were you!!! That IS amazing!! : )) : )) : ))
Taylor: Omg this is the cutest thing ever. I even teared up at parts because it was so close to the movie story (and the movie makes me cry too!). I can't believe the details that went into your outfits!!!! You did an amazing job of thrifting the look!
Angella: Oh my goodness. This is my first time visiting your blog but I have to say...this photo shoot is the most fun and adorable shoot I ever did see. Amazing job guys!
Shawny: Wow! You two are Carl and Ellie. I knew about this house in Harriman, UT, but your story makes it come to life. It is so refreshing to see a couple in love, carrying their joy of photography into their careers. You have traveled the world and done it all in your own "funky" way. Thank you for sharing this sneak peak at your life with the world.
Stephanie F: love love love love LOVE! you guys look AMAZING! the photos are gorgeous! congrats on 2 years! ♥