It was such a pleasure to get to photograph Amy and John’s intimate wedding last Friday at Della Terra in Estes Park. Although I love working with a second shooter, it was a treat to get to have these two all to myself and to document their special day in such an editorial manner. Amy and John were planning on getting married next year, but Amy found out that she was expecting, so they pushed the wedding back to February…. which I think is so unbelievably romantic! I love winter weddings.
I just have to say that Amy and John are madly in love. I can see this. I shoot enough weddings to see genuine, true love. These two have it and I was brought to tears again and again just seeing the way they simply looked at each other. This blog post is very “ceremony heavy”, but I thought it was one of the most beautiful and authentic ceremonies that I’ve been to. And I can’t complain about the gorgeous light pouring in from behind, either! Congratulations, Amy and John. I hope to see you soon for some belly shots!
Leah and Phil were married Saturday at the Westin Tabor Center in downtown Denver. I have to say, working with Stacy Pisani of Alexan Events is simply a treat. This wedding was stunning–maybe one of the most beautiful winter celebrations that I have even been a part of. There were hundreds of candles, vintage jewelry, gorgeous flowers and a beautiful, beautiful couple. Leah looked like a princess and while I didn’t ask Phil what he thought of his bride, there was no need. His eyes said it all. He was mesmerized…
Lighting this event was no easy feat however. Candles and twilight make for a very difficult white balance situation with the mixture of all the warm and cool tones. To top it off, when you have 20 other guests using direct flash on the bride or the large windows facing downton, it is a lighting nightmare! I stuck to “Julie’s rule of thumb” though and focused on getting the moment and trusting my instincts technically, instead of fretting about the light, where to set up my flash and what shutter speed to use to both capture the ambient light, and still have my subjects in focus. I hope these images convey the beauty of the day and the gorgeous design and decor. One thing is for sure—they do convey the emotional highlights of Leah and Phil’s most important day… the laughter was contagious… doesn’t an image say 1000 words?
The bridesmaids had the best jewelry! The earrings and necklaces were to die for. And better yet, they were handmade by Phil’s mother…
And this hairpiece was dreamy! A gorgeous, artdeco piece of art!
It’s easy to get caught up in the hoopla of a wedding day… but I appreciate it when I see my clients take a “time-out” for a blessing… what a wonderful way to start “forever”.
For those of you who insist on using “actions”, just mix tungsten light with incandescent and you’ll naturally get that “70′s” feel. Haha! I tried working this image to balance the whites, but ended up liking it just the way it was…
Leah and Phil met before the ceremony to take communion together. I was honored to get to witness and document such a private and sacred ritutual.
Here’s the tungsten/incandescent thing again… I actually love mix of hues in this image.
Stacy Pisani did an amazing job designing this room. It’s not alwasy easy to work with hotels, but this ceremony site felt like a romantic scene out of an old movie… it was perfect.
I don’t want to eat my words and actually thank people for pulling out their flash during the precession, but this time somebody’s direct light actually made the image! The picture before however was Leah with a red radar on her face. That one will also be black and white. Hee hee
Another “outtake” for my website!
Leah and Phil had a great party after the ceremoy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much joy and laughter! It truly was contagious.
You might remember Hannah and Eric from their engagement pictures last summer. They are the amazing couple who have been serving our country for the last 4 years and have spent far too much time apart from each other. But hh happy day, Hannah and Eric were finally married in October! And I just have to say that it was one of the most moving weddings I’ve been to in a long time, simply because the road to Hannah and Eric’s wedding day was not any easy one. Hannah and Eric personalized the day with things like longboards, a roaring recession, and badass music. And when I say badass, I mean these two cats have some taste! Hannah walked down the aisle to Sigur Ros, walked back up it to The Black Eyed Peas, and the couple danced their first dance to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Yep—they are definitely cool.
Mandy and Dan were married in September at Piney River Ranch outside of Vail. And it was PERFECT in every way! Mandy is an amazing lady—she pretty much put this entire wedding together herself. When I say, entire wedding I mean everything from the flowers and centerpieces to the invitations to the jewelry and the place cards. I was blown away by her creativity and patience! On top of this, Mandy even remembered that I love scotch and brought me a very, very nice bottle on her own wedding day! Mandy and Dan are just like that—totally gracious, kind and generous. I love these two and hope that we can continue a relationship. Unfortunately, just a month after the wedding, Dan had to move out of state to work indefinitely. Not much of a honeymoon for the two of them… But I’m hoping that they can spend the holidays together here. Much love, Mandy and Dan—let’s go to Root down again next time you are visiting. And Mandy, darlin—the invitation is always open for cocktails!
Look at this stunning view—majestic!
Dan’s father officiated the ceremony. I love the passionate look on his face during this prayer.
I think the groomsman in the background needs a cocktail!
Mandy’s father barely held it together during the father-daughter dance…
Then lost it!
A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure and opportunity to fly out to Massachusetts to attend and photograph my good friend, Jamie’s wedding. She married the love of her life in the cutest little church on mainstreet and then partied hard in the the backyard of their beautiful home in Bedford. Their home was the perfect place for a wedding reception–in fact, I told Jamie that she should rent it out for other weddings. Set on about an acre of land and backing up to the forest, the property includes a huge barn which Jamie has turned into her own personal yoga studio (she is an instructor), and a little open aired smaller barn which served as the best wedding bar ever. It was eye candy for any photographer—and I would have posted more details, but I’m an emotion girl, and chose to post the more tear jerking moments of the day. Jamie and John—I’m so happy for you and honored that you flew me all the way out to your home to document this very special day. I can’t wait to see you again–come to Colorado soon! Congratulations!
Chartreuse wedding shoes! I loved them…
I simply had to post two photos of Jamie’s precession with her father. Timeless, beautiful moment!
I don’t know why I’m so amused with other cameras at weddings—maybe because I’m fighting with them all day. It’s certainly a love hate relationship. As much as I appreciate people making their own photographs, there is nothing worse than editing a perfect photo, toned red with a pre-flash laser light. That is why the image above is now black and white.
Love this one.
…and this one. I love grandmas and grandpas!
Hottie bride!
I’ve been doing a lot of meditating on my “occupation” lately, and wondering how out of the 30,000+ wedding photographers out there, I differentiate myself. I have been photographing weddings for so long that sometimes I feel like my work starts to blend together—that my images aren’t unique at all, and that I’m an imposter when I say that I am an “artist” in what I do. In this lull, I’ve been slacking in the blogging department. Naturally. My blog isn’t a “business tactic”, but a place for me to express myself–emotionally, artistically and vulnerably. I haven’t been able to crank out 3 or 4 blog posts a week because there are other things going on in my life, and I simply wasn’t feeling it. I don’t fake it when I blog. But I love my clients and always go back to wanting to tell their story.
So here I am tonight with not a single shoot left before I leave for Paris on Friday. And while I should be watching the season finale of mad men with Jesse, I’m suddenly stoked to blog Katie and Christian’s wedding from September 12th. The two of them were on my mind and I was inspired. I selected these images below because I personally like them—not because they are perfect blog material, or good for my business, but because they somehow represent the way I see Katie and Christian and their relationship, or because they conjure up some other unexplainable feeling… enjoy.
Katie and Christian had two weddings, two receptions, two locations and are two of the coolest people I know. They are both sweet through and through– in fact Katie and Christian met at a Denver volunteer program (they are philanthropic, too). These first images below are from Katie and Christian’s catholic ceremony in Littleton with only family and close friends present.
The look on Katie’s father’s face is why this is now one of my favorite wedding images that I’ve ever taken.
Videographers don’t get enough press….
I seriously work like paprazzi, and love it when hiding in the tress, still manage to get a glance from one of my subjects. That’s why I love this image. It feels pure paprazzi.
Part 2: Katie and Christian had a super fun, larger wedding in Leadville at the Opera House the day after the wedding in Littleton. It was my first time photographing in Leadville—and hopefully not the last. What a quirky, crazy little mining town it is…. wonderfully strange.
This is an image taken of Katie’s cousin, Maddie crossing one of the little streets in Leadville. I love it.
Katie and the ladies hung out in the giftshop/museum of the Opera House before the ceremony. What a wonderful settting for interesting portraits.
The entire ceremony was set like a play on the old stage at the Opera House… everybody walked in from a different area (stage right, stage left, the rear etc). Christian even came up from the floor in the trap door. The whole production was brilliant.
This photo makes me happy in more ways than one…. Obviously it’s a great “happily ever after” photo of Katie and Christian, but it’s also an image that reminds me that gas is down from $4.50 a gallon last year, to $2.52. Times are good.
You might remember Janna and Josh from their engagement session last July—or if you know me well, you’ll probably recognize Janna and Josh as my brother and sister in law. Janna is Jesse’s little sister, and Josh, her groom, I am proud to say is my new brother in-law. Janna and Josh were married in August at Skyline park in downtown Denver. It was so much fun to be able to document this beautiful day for them—I felt a little as though I were cheating, as I knew most of the people there, and always knew where to look for the emotion.
Janna is an interior designer and so I knew she’d have a fabulously chic wedding–and she did it all on a shoe string which made it even that much more amazing! Check out her shoes, her dress, the overall “urban cowboy theme”, and although I was skeptical at first, I ended up loving her white carnation bouquet. She’s an incredible lady and made an incredible bride… Congratulations, Janna and Josh!
Janna and the ladies got ready at my studio which was really fun! Cynthia Goodberry, of The Denver Makeup Guru did an amazing job with the makeup as alwasy… I was happy that I was able to snap this pic of her before she had her little baby boy…
Not sure why I love this image below so much, but I think it has something to do with “Like mother, like daugher”. Isn’t Janna’s daughter, Madeline precious?!
This is my sassy sister in-law, Christa—-I think this shot taken in my pink bathroom is so hot!
Gorgeous lady!
I wasn’t surprised to see the emotion from my mother in law, Lillian, but it moved me to tears, none the less…
Meet my three sisters in-law: Christa, Janna and Lillian. Janna is the eldest sister, just like me. I think that’s why we get each other so well. Christa is the middle sister and Lillian is the baby of the family. There are also four boys (including Jesse, who is the oldest)– I married into a big one!
Wow…. this image tugs at my heart strings more than most. It’s a beautiful moment between two women that I love.
I loved that Janna had her dad and her baby Madeline walk her down the aisle.
A moment of prayer and comtemplation… This is my brother in law, Micah on the left, and most likely my future brother in-law, Max on the right.
Janna chose her father, David to officate the ceremony. It was perfect.
While I knew Janna’s side of the family well, I had never had the pleasure of meeting Josh’s side. I love this image of his family below. It’s so sage. I wanted to talk to these relatives for hours…
Josh also said vows to Madeline. This is when I lost it.
Most kids meltdown at some point at a wedding. But I especially appreciated this meltdown from little Madeline. It was a long, long day for her. I think she also sugar crashed from all the jelly beans she kept eating at my studio!
After walking about 8 blocks in those hot shoes of hers, Janna decided to take Josh on a pedicab ride to their reception which was held at Mattie’s house of Mirrors.
Nestled intimately with friends and family in the heart of the Colorado Mountains at Delle Terra Mountain resort, Bobbi and Brian vowed to spend the rest of their lives together. It was breathtaking! Everything was stunningly beautiful from the afternoon light to the wedding colors. Needless to say, the bride was off the charts, drop dead gorgeous….
I have had such a wonderful time working with Bobbi and Brian, who have so much fun together that they are down for about anything!—They even hiked backwoods for a few intimate wedding day shots. I hope they have some beautiful babies soon and call me back for more breathtaking moments in the world of Bobbi and Brian… it’s been a pleasure!
I can’t think of a better reaction from a Father’s first glance at his daughter in her wedding dress. So priceless!
…And from the Bride’s mother. I love the emotion in these few moments before the ceremony.
Look at the pure joy in this brides face!
Ahhhhh! I love my job so freaking much!!! I have really honed in on my “ideal client” over the 7 years that I’ve have been doing this and have certainly found my niche clientele. Megan and Ben are those ideal clients to a “t”. I had so much fun at their wedding—from enjoying the amazing views at the Elk Ridge Ranch, to the tear-jerking vows, and of course meeting, and hanging out with all their hipster friends… The entire day was a delight. And to top it off, I got to celebrate with Megan and Ben and their friends again, the other night at their premier . We went through a handle of Makers and three bottles of wine and had a hoot re-living their ridiculously perfect day. I’m going to say this again… but I’ve had such amazing couples this year! Megan and Ben—Can we be friends??
I am ashamed to say that it has been exactly two months since Sarah and Sean’s wedding…. I’ve been slacking with the blogging this season. I know awhile back I promised three posts a week, and since then, I’ve been good to get two out a week. But the good news is, the wedding season is winding down and I only have three weddings left—which will give me a plethora of time to blog, blog, blog. So all of you patient clients of mine—-thank you, and know that you’re wedding post is right around the corner!
Sarah and Sean were married at noon on Crested butte mountain. This posed for some interesting lighting, but Sarah grew up in Gunnison, just outside of Crested butte and knew that the wind and rain come in during the afternoon. She was right–it did get windy and rainy later in the afternoon, and Sarah and Sean dodged all that and had a beautiful ceremony and jaunt up to the top of the mountain for an hour of alone time and some portraits. It was a small, intimate wedding with only about 20 guests and the time allotted for photographs was a photographer’s dream. After coming back down from the mountain, Sarah and Sean were greeted by their friends and family at the Saucy Noodle in Crested Butte with bubbles and cheers. It was a perfect, July wedding…
It was almost exactly a year earlier that I had one of the best experiences as a photographer, ever! Eric proposed to Elissa at Chautauqua park and actually asked me to document it! It was such an honor and I was seriously so elated, that I felt as though I were getting engaged! Tons of tears! Needless to say, Eric and Elissa are very dear to me and their wedding was an event I was looking forward to all season. And it was a perfect day. Simply perfect! Tons of tears again…. and many beautiful details including the stunning miss Elissa herself!
Unfortunately, just a couple weeks after this wedding Elissa’s grandmother passed away. Many of the images that I chose to blog here are portraits of friends and family members. My hope is that some of these images can help the Kay’s through the grieving process of losing a loved one and can be a trigger to memories of pure joy and life. My heart goes out to the Kay family and I am so sad for their loss. Please keep them in your prayers….
Hottie, Elissa!
I love this moment between Elissa and her father—he barely held it together all day.
Elissa and Eric had walkie talkies so that they would be able to roam about before their wedding and not run into each other—I thought this was pretty hilarious! But not a bad idea!
Elissa kicked her shoes off and took some time “sweatin’ it out” before she walked down the aisle. I love this image of her.
This is a photograph of Elissa’s grandmother. She was so beautiful and so full of life. When Elissa told me of the news and asked that I send her some photos for the funeral, I was in total shock. I remember thinking—-that gorgeous smiling woman that I couldn’t take my lens off? She clearly lived life to the end.
Not sure why I love this photo—but I do. Something about all the different expressions and layers to the image.
Here she is again—walking down the aisle, none the less! What a lady!
Awwwww……
…and awwwww
I love the Jewish tradition of the bride circling the groom seven times—-It always lends itself to a few moments of reflection. Eric’s face is priceless.
It may have been the brightest day of the summer thus far—-seriously.
Elissa’s sister—doesn’t she look just like a brunette version of Elissa?!
Wow–The 4th of July seems like forever ago, and while it is always a landmark of the “hump” of summer, my wedding season is still in full swing! I owe my clients a huge “thank you” for their patience on the blogging process! Hope it’s worth the wait…
I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to spend this Summer eve’s holiday with Shannon and Monti! They are extraordinary individuals, who make an even more extraordinary couple. Both busy jetters, I haven’t had much time with them, but I had the pleasure of first photographing a very snowy winter engagement shoot with them, and then an amazingly beautiful summer’s wedding on the 4th of July at Lionscrest! It’s a treat to be in their presence and to have celebrated this union with their friends and family.
Shannon and Monti – I can’t even tell you what an honor it has been! I am so grateful that you trusted me to document the very true love between you…. Looking forward to your premier at the end of the month! xoxo
Shannon is extremely charismatic! She seems to make makes every single person she know feel like they are the only one she knows… I love this shot of her walking out of the bridal suite to take some family portraits. Instead of worrying that her guests might see her, she just beamed and waved.
It’s a rare treat to see a groom tear up with his father before the ceremony. I’m glad I was there to grab this shot!
Shannon’s Mom’s expression of pride in her daughter is priceless….
…A little boy with a very old soul, I think!
Shannon and Monti had a super fun wedding party!
Monti’s brother gave a tear-jerking toast. I love these!!
Yeeeeooowww! Monti looks smokin’ in this shot!
There is such a sweetness and authenticity to Tiffany and Ike—-I can’t even explain it. When I walked into the bridal suite at Lionscrest manor, Tiffany welcomed me with the kindest smile and big hug, as if it were my day, not hers. Both Tiffany and Ike made me feel as though I was an old friend—and this I always appreciate as “the work”. I know I say it a lot, but I shoot a lot of weddings so I see a lot of love floating around. Seriously though—Tiffany and Ike are made for one another. They are gifts from God to one another. I love how, when they are with eachother, they seem at home. Photographing Tiffany and Ike’s wedding was cake—All the emotion and love was there, I just had to release my shutter….
Tiffany and Ike decided to see each other before the wedding. I always love this because it lends itself to a few private moments before all the hoopla, for the bride and groom to simply breathe and be present in the moment. I can’t stop looking at this image of Ike, anticipating the first glimpse of his bride…. There’s just something in his expression that draws me in.
…and I love Tiffany’s mom’s reaction to this moment.
It pretty much poured for an hour before the ceremony–we weren’t sure whether the ceremony would be indoors or out. I think Tiffany hoped that the rain would clear up.
And the rain did clear up! Tiffany and Ike were able to make their vows under clear, Colorado blue skies!
Ok—so I’m generally not the photographer who makes my clients, “jump” for a portrait. Unless of course, I just need to get them moving to have some fun. I couldn’t resisit with this wedding party—-they simply weren’t the kind of cats that wanted to stand still for a “portrait”. I love this image because it’s quirky. A couple of the girls look as if they have no legs and the sky is such an erie color. This may be pushing it, but it reminds me of something out of a Tim Burton movie—a bit sureal, even.
Ah, the toasts—-they are always good for a good laugh, or cry—and of course some embarrasing moments!
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Megan and Jeff for over a year now. I first fell in love with them when we met up to take some engagement photos a year ago, May. Megan and Jeff met me at Pints Pub, and we shared a bear and got to know each other—always a good start to a photo shoot! Megan and Jeff also brought Megan’s son, Tanner to participate in the engagement shoot, which was the cake topper to our first “encounter”. Watching Megan and Jeff—totally in love with each other, and also in love with little Tanner, I fell head over heels… Megan and Jeff are a like a happy Cameron Crowe film… I could watch them day after day, and be inspired by love….
Megan and Jeff tied the knot on June 27th (this should tell you how behind at blogging I am) at Lone Hawk Farms in Boulder. I knew I liked Megan before, but when she picked the venue that I had originally picked out for my own wedding 5 years ago, I knew we were meant to work together! The whole day was simply perfect, from Megan’s knock out dress, to the dramatic sunset…. It was a midsummer’s dream, really.
Tanner was a bit overwhelmed with the whole wedding hoopla…. I think he was actually a little afraid of the way his mother looked in a long white gown. But Megan gave Tanner his space and finally enticed him to come in, by bribing him with grapes…
…and then he walked her down the aisle along with Megan’s father—sooooo sweet!
I was so nervous about the harsh light during the ceremony—-but when I was looking over the images a few days later, I started to really appreciate the dramatic light. Aside from the beautiful emotion, I actually think the light adds to the impact of these images.
Koozies have to be the most underrated “party favor” out there. I’m not even kidding when I say, I’ve been thinking about carrying “julie harris photography” koozies at the studio for awhile now. This is just another reason why I love Megan and Jeff so much!
Sometimes I ask my clients to do silly things for the camera. When they participate, they generally end up laughing– which lends to a truly authentic image. Sometimes they don’t participate at all . And Sometimes half do, and half don’t—I think this is what happened in this image, but I love it!
Pure. Classic. Elegant—These are the words I would use to describe Cristina and Patrick’s wedding. It was if I stepped into an old 1940′s film. From Cristina’s stunning gown, to the delicate bouquet by Stacy of Alexan events . And let’s not forget the ivory Rolls Royce that the couple drove away in…everything was dreamy and romantic. I could have posted another 20 to 40 images, but had to cut it off at some point—guess if you’d like to see more, you’ll have to check out the blog—this may be my new featured wedding, or at least make my website 10 times over. Congratulations, Cristina and Patrick—-I lived vicariously through your gorgeous, timeless romantic wedding.
Is Cristina not a 40′s starlette?
I love this image! The guys are so “poised”– as if somebody told them beforehand to all sit still and fold thier hands in their lap…
Paulina and Isaac have a crazy romantic story—they are actually high school sweethearts! They are the real deal, love at first site, never loved another, perfect match! And they finally tied the knot in one of the most beautiful places in the country—Crested Butte! I had never been to Crested Butte but am planning on making it an annual vacationing spot. It’s stunning and charming—and a perfect place for Paulina and Isaac to have made a life long commitment to each other. The weather cooperated with a little sun, a little rain, and comfortable temperatures (for most of the day) and Paulina looked absolutely breathtaking…. To put it simply, the day was a perfect alpha and omega to this perfect union
Paulina and Isaac had their reception at the Retreat, which is a super chic, modern lodge at the top of Crested Butte mountain with stunning panoramic views. If I ever have the opportunity to stay there, I will choose the “Pearl” room, where Paulina got ready…
Paulina always has the hottest shoes! I didn’t expect less on her wedding day….
Paulina’s mom may be the sweetest, most unobtrusive mother I have ever worked with—a total darling! I caught her tearing up as soon as Paulina put her dress on, but she was very sweet and shy about it and didn’t want to take away from Paulina’s moment. I love this shot below…
Smokin’ bride!
…with smokin’ legs!
I love this shot of Paulina with her two brothers…. so sweet!
The weather got quite ominous, and we only had a few minutes for a group shot outside. The temperatures dropped about 15 degrees in a matter of 20 minutes and we knew the skies were about to open up…. The wedding party were great sports (brrrrrr)!
…and sure enough—the rain started to pour!
…and pour!
Instead of dragging Paulina and Isaac through the rain for more shots, we ran into the Eldo Pub to take refuge—and some tequila shots!
I am completely inspired by the writings and life of Jack Kerouac–thus the opening quote on my website. Recently a friend of mine sent me this Kero quote and I tucked it away, knowing there would be a way that I could somehow incorporate it into a post down the line. Well, Kara and Bryan completely sum up the “people” that Kerouac is writing of in this passage, and I could think of no better way to describe this couple, and incorporate this quote: ”The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!”
Kara and Bryan are truly spectacular people—the kind of people that you just watch from a distance and only wish you could be as cool as, or the people that you yearn to start a friendship with…. (I actually texted Kara the other day, and asked, “Can we be friends?”) Their wedding was beautifully spiritual, intimate, moving, and full of love and appreciation for their friends, family and of course each other. Have I ever mentioned that I am so blessed and lucky to get to work with people like this for a living? Kara and Bryan go down in history as some of the best…. Congratulations you two!
There are certain couples that I know, as soon as I see them together, are going to be together forever. Alicia and Ryan are one of those couples. They walked in to my studio a year ago holding hands, giggling and having fun. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other the entire consult—Alicia was always rubbing Ryan’s back, or Ryan was caressing Alicia’s hand. They love each other—and not only that, they are smitten with each other! There was no exception to this on their beautiful wedding day—they didn’t leave each others side, and I could see the joy in their faces when they saw each other for the first time as Alicia walked down the aisle…. They belong together! I loved witnessing this love between them–so pure, and so intoxicating….
Alicia is an only child, so it was a very sweet and emotional day for her parents….
I always ask my brides if their groom is going to cry. Alicia said, “Absoultely not. Ryan hasn’t cried in 14 years”. Well, Alicia—looks like he broke the streak at one glance of you!
Alicia and Ryan held their reception at the Hyatt tech center. It was gorgeous—tons of natural light, great achitecure and a very open feel, unlike most hotel banquet areas.
And the flowers and decor were to die for. I felt like I was in a midsummer night’s dream…
Doesn’t Alicia’s dad look just like a movie star from the 1940′s? He has such a handsome, classic look and a strong, masculine presence.
Sweet first dance….
This kiddo takes the cake for the best hair of the day!
One of the things that I love most about weddings is the raw emotion that goes along with the day—be it laughter, tears of joy, anxiety, etc, etc. I can’t think of a sweeter occasion for priceless moments of true bliss! Karen and Nate are no exception here—Their wedding day was simply flooded with emotion—and I couldn’t have had a happier shutter! Clearly these two are in love, and are ecstatic with the fact that they will be spending the rest of their lives together. It was a beautiful, perfect wedding! congratulations, Karen and Nate!
Karen and Nate are hardly traditionalists. They hung out all morning together, until Karen went into the bathroom to put her dress on. This certainly didn’t spoil the moment of the two of them seeing each other for “the fist time”, in their wedding garb. It was as if they hadn’t seen each other for days!
Ahhhhhh….. my favorite shot of the whole day—the groom’s face when he see’s his bride walking down that aisle!
Another one of my favorite parts of a wedding day is the toasts. I always get to learn new things about my couples, and of course it’s always another good moment for laughter and tears!
First of all, I have to apologize for the amount of images I posted with this wedding! But it’s not very often that I get to go to another country to photograph a wedding, and especially with such a rad couple. I had so much fun last weekend with this bunch, I walked away feeling like I have a new set of pals. Everybody was super cool, and the ceremony and reception were simply stunning. I was crying from the rehearsal dinner until the very last dance—seriously.
I am so excited to share all these images with you… enjoy!
These images were taken at Sarah and Mike’s rehearsal “dessert”. It was so surreal—like a house party on the beach. It was amazing out—about 75 degrees with a nice sea breeze…. A perfect way to kick off the wedding celebration!
The weather channel predicted rain, so i was scared to get out of bed to find a rainy Mexico day, but instead, I went out to the balcony to find this as my view. It was gorgeous! And I loved seeing the ceremony site from this perspective.
Sarah and Mike had their aunts as the flower girls—it was pretty hilarious!
One of the things I love about Playa del carmen, is all the bars seems to have swings instead of stools! Brilliant! We had to stop here on our way to the beach for some shots and shots….
I got this shot from Sarah’s Dad’s room…. another gorgeous view—this time of the reception site.
The reception was one big party—with lots of laughter and tears—and a ton of dancing! Jesse even got out onto the dance floor with me! Wish I had a shot of that!
When Deborah, Gretchen’s mother called me Thursday to tell me that due to the blizzard, the location of Friday’s wedding would be moved, I thought that this day may end up being a stressful one—not for me necessarily, but for the bride and groom. But stress was the last thing that I witnessed at this intimate event. Despite the location change, the three feet of snow on the ground and a few missing guests, it was a day full of celebration and of course a few joyful tears. There were all of 15 people present at the wedding, and I felt so honored to be a part of it! Congratulations, Gretchen and Erik! And thank you for truly making me feel like I was part of the clan!
The connection that Gretchen has with both her mother and her mother-in-law is precious. It was hard to know who to keep the camera on!
And I adored Deborah—she radiates warmth! What a wonderful mother Gretchen has. She even insisted that she make me a salami sandwich just 30 minutes prior to the ceremony! Chips and all!
With fresh snow on the ground, the ceremony being at 3pm and surrounding windows, the ceremony had the most amazing backlit glow. I love backlight—it always looks so dreamy, doesn’t it?
Dawn and Ted were incredible to work with—super laid back, fun-loving and classy. They held their wedding at the Wildlife Experience out in Centennial—and the entire event was eye candy! The colors, the toys, the art, and of course Dawn’s hot shoes and bird cage veil kept me shutter happy for hours! I generally know when it is time to go home, but I completely lost track of time at this wedding and gave them an extra hour for free! To top things off, both Ted and Dawn are artists, so they let me run wild with creativity. Dawn is an talented hairstylist and Ted is a fellow photographer!
Forget the blushing bride and give me some tears, and I’ll be a happy photographer! Dawn lost it just rounding the bend with her father!
…and kept them flowing through most of the ceremony. She is such a sweetheart!
We shot some of the wedding party photos in what is probably Colorado’s largest elevator!
I don’t know much about Nintendo, or Xbox, or whatever the latest video game technology is, but I thought it was pretty cute that Dawn and Ted set up guitar video games for their guests (and obviously for themselves as well).
…. I don’t know, Ted. You’re looking pretty devious!
Dawn has four nieces and one nephew who were all a part of the wedding. They were seriously the best behaved children I have worked with at a wedding—maybe ever. But, it was a long day for them!
I love this image of Dawn’s older sister watching Dawn, her father, and her daughter all dancing together…. so sweet!
Ashley and Nate have been amazing—are amazing! I can’t believe how patient they have been with me in terms of this wedding turn around. Nate sent me an email while I was in Paris and told me to “not to worry about editing their wedding and to enjoy my vacation.” I did just that, and am just now getting to blogging their wedding day—which was absolutely stunning, by the way!
It was a photographers dream—fog, autumn colors, deer, and an art deco theme! I also couldn’t have had more fun with a wedding party. The last images posted here are my favorites. Photographing this crowd was cake. They were hams! I didn’t have to do a thing–they simply played and I stayed back and documented.
Thank you, Ashley and Nate, for being such a super cool couple! From the engagement photos to the sparkler departure, I was thrilled to be working with you! What a great end to a wedding season….
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