2024 Family Mini Session schedule + Booking info!

24 January 2024

Session booking is officially live!!  Click HERE to access the booking site and reserve your date!

Another great new year is ahead, and I'm so excited to get to work with you all coming up as the weather warms up!!  It’s time to get a head start on booking your family and senior photos for the year!  Just head over to my booking website HERE to see what is currently available (all dates will be visible February 1st at 9:00 am), and to complete the process!  A $50 retainer fee is due upon booking to reserve your spot, and the remaining balance will be due one week prior to your session.  Once I receive your booking, I will reach out to you personally within 24 hours to confirm, and discuss any other details needed for planning your session.

Family mini sessions: The price is $375 plus tax, which includes a 30-minute session at one of the dates and locations specified below!  This comes with a complimentary download of your unedited proofing gallery, as well as 30 fully edited images of your choice.  If you decide to choose additional edits, they are $10 per image.  Some dates and locations are subject to travel or permit fees.  I will indicate below if that applies to your session date.  Please add this on when you are checking out for your session.  For 2024, I will be holding the majority of the mini sessions on Monday and Tuesday evenings only. 

Senior sessions, full family sessions, and extended family sessions:  You may choose from any of the open dates I have on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday evenings.  If you need a morning or another date not listed, just send me an email at melaniericephotography@gmail.com and I will see how I can help!  

Of course, dates are subject to adjustment, if needed, if we run into unfavorable weather.  We will handle those on a case-by-case basis.  I do my best to predict the optimal times for spring blossoms, summer wildflowers, and fall foliage, but of course we are at the mercy of Mother Nature!  We can absolutely adjust bookings or locations, when needed, to get the most ideal conditions.  Typically, the spring blossoms range from about mid-April to mid-May, the summer wildflowers range from end of July-early August, and the fall colors start in the mountains in late September and remain in the valleys until early November.  At the end of November, we may have snow in the mountains.

Family mini session openings are limited to 2 families per evening.  If we have full sun that day, the earlier family may end up with brighter sun in their photos (but I am very used to this, and I am totally comfortable shooting in full sun!).  If you have an earlier spot and would like a few more shots after the sun sets and the second family is done, you are more than welcome to wait around and we can do a few more!

I will be in my home state, Colorado, July 8-11.  Please scroll to the bottom of this post, and you will see my availability for Colorado!  All of these will be offered as mini sessions.  I need to fill at least 6 spots to make the trip.  Locations can be flexible for the Colorado trip, if you have somewhere else in mind that you would like to go.  Just email me and we can see what we can do to make it work!

I look forward to working with you and all of your wonderful families this year!!  Thank you so much, as always, for your support of my business and my little family!  It brings me so much joy to be able to do what I love!  Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about the process, locations, or anything else I can help with!!

Be sure to check out my family session prep guide HERE for more tips, outfit ideas, and other ways to optimize your session experience!

2024 Calendar (see what is currently available and book your session HERE):

March 18 and 19:  Downtown Provo – 5:30 and 6:00 pm
March 25 and 25:  Star Mill in American Fork – 5:30 and 6:00 pm
April 9, 15, and 16:  Utah State Capitol cherry blossoms ($50 travel fee) – 6:00 and 6:30 pm
April 22 and 23:  Kaysville orchard blossoms ($50 travel fee) – 6:00 and 6:30 pm
April 29 and 30:  Santaquin orchard blossoms – 6:00 and 6:30 pm
May 6 and 7:  Utah State Hospital orchard blossoms – 6:00 and 6:30 pm
May 13 and 14:  Big Springs in Provo Canyon – 6:15 and 6:45 pm
May 20 and 21:  Utah County yellow mountain wildflowers – 6:30 and 7:00 pm
May 27 and 28:  Alpine poppies – 6:30 and 7:00 pm
June 3 and 4:  Alpine poppies – 6:30 and 7:00 pm
June 11:  Bonneville Salt Flats ($150 travel fee) – 7:15 and 7:45 pm
June 17 and 18:  Big Spring Hollow - 7:15 and 7:45 pm
June 24 and 25:  Tibble Fork Reservoir – 6:30 pm, and Utah Lake – 8:00 pm
July 1 and 2:  Tibble Fork Reservoir – 6:30 pm, and Utah Lake – 8:00 pm
July 8-11:  Denver, Colorado sessions (dates are listed at the bottom of this post)
July 13 (Saturday):  Young Living Lavender Farm ($50 permit fee) – 8:00 and 8:30 pm
July 15 and 16:  Albion Basin wildflowers ($50 travel fee) – 7:00 and 7:45 pm
July 23:  Albion Basin wildflowers ($50 travel fee) – 7:00 and 7:45 pm
July 29 and 30:  Albion Basin wildflowers ($50 travel fee) – 6:45 and 7:30 pm
August 5 and 6:  Albion Basin wildflowers ($50 travel fee) – 6:45 and 7:30 pm
August 12 and 13:  Jordan Pines campground ($50 travel fee) – 5:45 and 6:15 pm
August 19 and 20:  Big Spring Hollow – 6:30 and 7:00 pm
August 26 and 27:  Tibble Fork Reservoir – 6:00 pm, and Utah Lake – 7:30 pm
September 3:  Bonneville Salt Flats ($150 travel fee) – 6:00 and 6:30 pm
September 9 and 10:  Tibble Fork Reservoir – 5:30 pm, and Utah Lake – 7:00 pm
September 16 and 17:  Big Spring Hollow – 5:15 and 5:45 pm
September 23 and 24:  Buffalo Peak (accessed via a 15-minute drive on a bumpy dirt road) – 5:45 and 6:15 pm
September 30:  Guardsman Pass ($50 travel fee) – 4:45 and 5:15 pm
October 1:  Fall colors location TBD – 4:45 and 5:15 pm
October 7 and 8:  Jordan Pines campground ($50 travel fee) – 4:15 and 4:45 pm
October 14 and 15:  Alpine Loop – 4:00 and 4:30 pm
October 22:  Bonneville Salt Flats ($150 travel fee) – 4:45 and 5:15 pm
October 28 and 29:  Spanish Fork River trail – 4:30 and 5:00 pm
November 4 and 5:  Spanish Fork River trail – 3:00 and 3:30 pm
November 11 and 12:  Big Spring Hollow – 3:00 and 3:30 pm
November 18 and 19:  Great Saltair ($50 travel fee) – 3:15 and 3:45 pm
November 25 and 26:  Jordan Pines campground ($50 travel fee) – 2:45 and 3:15 pm

December 2 and 3:  Christmas tree farm, Riverton, Utah – these will be a special "ultra-mini" 10-15 minute session with a quick turnaround time, just in time for some updated holiday photos!  $175+ tax, 10 finished edits included.  Booking is now live!  Click HERE to book!

Denver, Colorado family mini sessions in July:
July 8 (PM):  Elk Meadow Park – 6:00 and 6:30 pm
July 9 (AM):  Hildebrand Ranch Park – 6:30 am
July 9 (PM):  Hildebrand Ranch Park – 6:45 and 7:15 pm
July 10 (AM):  Hildebrand Ranch Park – 6:30 am
July 10 (PM):  Chautauqua Park – 6:15 pm, and Lost Gulch Overlook – 7:15 pm
July 11 (AM):  Van Bibber Park – 7:00 am