the journal

Eloping in Badlands National Park

Elopements, Wedding Planning

Tips for planning an elopement or small wedding in the Black Hills or Badlands of South Dakota

Eloping in the Black Hills or Badlands: Your Wildly Romantic Wedding Adventure

Colten & Alyssa’s Romantic Black Hills Wedding at Diamond Spur Events Center

Couples, Wedding Planning, weddings

Some wedding days feel like a celebration that’s been waiting to happen for a long time.Colten and Alyssa’s wedding at Diamond Spur Events Center felt exactly like that—full of warmth, deep joy, and the kind of love that shows up in laughter just as much as it does in quiet glances. Set just outside Rapid […]

Colten & Alyssa’s Romantic Black Hills Wedding at Diamond Spur Events Center

Rapid City Editorial Wedding Photographer featuring a couple at sunset

Wedding Planning, weddings

There’s something so special about weddings that take place at home. Eli and Elizabeth’s wedding day began in the bride’s own backyard, surrounded by their closest friends and family. The intimate ceremony was filled with laughter, happy tears, and the kind of joy that only comes when you’re gathered in a place that already feels […]

Eli & Elizabeth’s Backyard Wedding Ceremony & Arrowhead Country Club Reception | Rapid City Wedding Photographer

Nighttime wedding portrait of couple

Wedding Planning, weddings

Aaron and Breanne’s intimate wedding just outside of Spearfish, South Dakota was everything a laid-back, heartfelt celebration should be. The June sunshine showed up in all the best ways—warm but not too hot, with the kind of golden light that photographers (and romantics) dream about. Their ceremony took place in a quiet meadow tucked into […]

Spearfish Intimate Outdoor Wedding: Aaron + Breanne

I'm Michaela mader Tully

The Michaela you'll find making beautiful images of your family. 

I’m a storytelling photographer based in the Black Hills of South Dakota, specializing in family connections, intimate weddings, and elopements.

My style? Think warm evening light, authentic moments, and a dash of Mary Oliver poetry—because life’s best stories are a little wild, a little soft, and always real.

When I’m not behind the camera, I’m probably chasing my kids, hiking trails that smell of Ponderosa pine, or sipping coffee that’s gone lukewarm because, well, #momlife.