An unwedding, micro-wedding, elopement with a few people...

Becky and Jordans Intimate Mountain Wedding. Or was it an Un-wedding? A Micro-wedding? Maybe an Elopement, well, kind of … an Elopement with just a few people.

Actually, maybe it was just a perfect, Colorado wedding in 2020.

The fall weather met us there as did the Aspens that decided to turn just in time to decorate for us. It only had the things that mattered, like the bride and groom and their love and commitment to each other. Which beautifully seems to be the theme in 2020 as well. Love, commitment, and a way to figure out the things that matter the most.

Becky and Jordan, it was perfect. So glad and grateful to be a part of your wedding.

Spruce Mountain | Barrett and Brittney

Brittney and Barrett | A 2020 Wedding

There is something so significant about a wedding happening in 2020. Barrett and Britteny’s wedding was proof that no matter what happens in the world, there is nothing that can stop love.

Spruce Mountain’s beautiful ceremony space allowed for everyone to safely be outdoors and the couple had cute and clever ways of placing hand sanitizer and safety measure around their wedding. Every person (and dog) in attendance was so grateful to be there and Brittney and Barrett were sure to make it one of the best days on the year for their guests.

I often suggest to people that they should think about the impact of their wedding and wedding photos in 10 years and 20 years from now. To think about the hands that will flip through the pages of their albums and the stories that will be told. When Brittney, Barrett and I first met, I don’t think we could have imagined that their wedding would be so important. The stories being told from this day will significant for generations.

We were so glad to be a part of it. Here’s to love in 2020.

A special thanks to the lovely Grace and Gather Events, Plum Sage Flowers and Spruce Mountain Ranch.

Hotel Jerome Wedding | Aspen | Photojournalism

Maclen and Ashleigh - Knot at the Same Time or Two Lawyers Walked into a Bar...

A hotel Jerome wedding in Aspen

When young girls fantasize their future weddings they often include Disney-centric images of castles and waterfalls. This is likely because they have not yet been to Aspen, CO in the early Fall, where Maclen and Ashleigh recently brought a fantasy to fruition, and tied a beautiful knot at the same time. 

Maclen and Ashleigh were our favorite wedding of the year, and just because their destination renewed our appreciation of oxygen. The mountainous backdrop and fresh air setting of the town set the stage for beauty and authenticity, starting with an environmental ambiance and complemented with relational love among best friends in a hotel room, siblings in a tearful backstage embrace, and of course in the depth behind the gaze of Maclen and Ashleigh as they see a joy-filled future smiling in front of them. 

The love and genuinity among the bridal and wedding guests was a congruous flow of laughter and awe, garnished by some musical southern accents and some very well-played and tasteful teasing (specifically the toasts; one of which involved physical handouts, audience participation, and mild theatrics). By the end of the night the photographers and vendors felt like we too were in on the inside jokes, and I think this speaks to the nature of the people telling them. 

As our closer to this year’s wedding season we’re reminded about how much fun other people can be, and how cool it is to appreciate eccentricities and taste. We’re honored to be able to do what we do. As we consider the case of Maclen and Ashleigh, we now find ourselves conflicted with lawyer jokes because they end up more like this: “Two lawyers walked into a bar. Everyone applauded and had a great time and was grateful to be with them.”

A special thanks to Jane Floyd with Bluebird Productions for the lovely wedding planning and orchestration of the event!

Arrowhead Golf Course Wedding

 All You Need is Love (and temporarily an umbrella)

#RoyalWedding

“Can I get you a beer?” says Blake the moment we arrive. Having spent his university years at CU Boulder with his brother, Chris, our groom, Blake was no stranger to The Centennial State yet his traditional Texan hospitality remained throughout. The tone was set. For Blake and Katie, lasting friendships in concert with beautiful landscapes and an artful respect of tradition was the unhastagged theme of the night.
 

With many of the guests coming from various parts of the country, including a critical mass of Texans, Blake and Katie chose their “Royal Wedding” (last name is ‘Royal’) to be in one of Colorado’s most unsung spectacles of beauty, Arrowhead Country Club. The unique shape and color of the Red Rocks juxtaposed with large amounts of perfectly curated turf grass set a stage where only great photos were possible. The genuine laughter, smiles, and love exuding from the collective countenance also contributed to what was a photographer’s ideal setting.

In a more rare choice in the modern matrimonial age, Blake and Kate also opted not to see each other until the actual moment of walking down the aisle. This made for a beautiful sentiment and imbued sincerity and meaning to the whole day. It also made for a shared job of wedding party participants to assist in the hiding, the scouting, and the covering of eyes in order to preserve the sanctity.

Keeping in line with traditional reverence, Katie presented her mother with a large framed photo of herself in her wedding dress, taken and developed only days prior. Her mother, Sandy, moved by the gesture was quickly reminded of a need for tissue access during her daughter’s important day.

In case you've ever wondered what is our fastest turn around, this one wins. Less than 24 hours! We did Katies bridal portraits and had an expedited rush turn around on her images so that one could be printed in time for the wedding.

Not to be deterred by a brief visitation of strong winds and rain, the Royal Wedding adjusted and continued. Perhaps this meteorological spell serves as a metaphor for marriage itself. It starts with merriment and the manifestation of a love that seems unshakeable, until the unforeseen appears suddens and shakes it after all.

In case you've ever wondered "how windy is too windy for photos?" This is too windy. But totally worth it for the moment.

As any wise wedding toast orator knows, not every day of a marriage is as wonderful as the wedding day itself. Alas, when surprises arise, you remember your vows, you accept help from loved ones, you find a way to persevere, but now you persevere as a team. And the team of Blake and Katie have already achieved this, literally from the first hour.

This Royal team laid a beautiful foundation and showed their shared strength, thus letting the metaphorical storms know that when they arrive, Blake and Katie will be arm in arm, ready to offer it beer.

A special shout out to A and Be, the Perfect Petal and Arrowhead Golf course for their wonderful work on this one.