Anastasia and Nicholas had the most beautiful Russian wedding at the Keystone Lodge last month.  The decor was based on romantic 19th century Russian literature with antique books, photographs in vintage glass frames, Russian nesting dolls, an old typewriter, collected stamps, lots of roses and candles, etc, etc.  It was INSANELY beautiful and I have to hand it to Emily Campbell of Bella Design for putting together such an incredible, bohemian event.  Stunning…

As I was editing this wedding, I couldn’t stop noticing the eyes in the photographs.  This may sound cliche, but the way that Anastasia and Nicholas looked at each other was extraordinary.  They seemed to communicate deeply with one another without having to say a word.  I am a sucker for emotion and in my work you’ll see a lot of tearful moments, laughter, humor.  But with Anastasia and Nicholas there was something deeper going on and it wasn’t until I took a good look at each of  these images, that I noticed the way Anastasia and Nick looked into each other.    I was moved by this quiet, yet powerful emotion even more than some of the more conspicuously emotional moments of the day. What stood out about Anastasia and Nick’s wedding, more than the amazing Colorado landscape and the meticulous 19th century  decor, and even more than the tears, was this subtle and intimate connection that Anastasia and Nicholas clearly share.

This wedding almost didn’t happen.  Hanna and Jonathan’s wedding day happened to be taking place during the terrible Waldo Canyon fires in Colorado Springs.  Hanna called me about 10 days before her wedding, throwing out dates for 2013!  I was so sad for them, thinking they might have to wait more than a year to have their wedding after all the planning and anticipation that went into the big event.  But thank goodness these two decided that they would keep their original date.  They found new housing for their guests and were optimistic that all would go well….  And boy oh boy, did it ever go well!  It was a GORGEOUS day with ominous, indigo skies that threatened, but never opened up, and nice cool temperatures in the 80’s.  It was a happy day!  As for the fires, they were 100 percent contained and put out faster than the firefighters imagined, which just added another reason to celebrate.

Hanna and Jonathan also surprised me by taking the cake for the best partiers and dancers of the season–maybe even the best of the last 10 years!  I have to say that I’m generally a great judge of character–and of course I knew Hanna and Jonathan were fun as hell when we did their engagement session.  We drank a few glasses of wine before the shoot and laughed a lot,  but I had no idea these two could raise the roof like they did on their wedding night.  HOLY MOLY there  was some hot dancing on the floor!  It was so much fun!  The toasts were some of the funniest I’ve  heard and Hanna and Jonathan even managed to make the cake cutting a party.  It wasn’t just the two of them who made the party fun however–these two have the most fantastic set of friends, and their families were so kind wonderful to work with.  I walked away thinking, “I sure hope Ramona has two little brothers that are as cool and fun as Hanna’s”.  This wedding was truly a treat to photograph.

When I woke up the morning of July 7th, it was to a phone call from Kelly, the day of coordinator of Kate and Kwinn’s wedding.  They would be moving the wedding from the top of Keystone mountain to the Ski Tip Lodge due to heavy rain and lightning. “Ugh…” I thought.  “What a bummer for Kate and Kwinn”.  But when I got to Ski Tip Lodge and saw how beautiful the setting was and how calm Kate was about the change up, I was stoked for everybody.  They could keep their string quartet, there would be no need for 75 guest umbrellas, guests could drive right to the venue, and most importantly, it wasn’t raining down there!  Kate and Kwinn (and their adorable white lab Peyton) got to do their ceremony outdoors with the beautiful pond in the background.  The decor of the wedding felt straight out of Wuthering Heights with a rustic sublime venue and a classic, romantic palate of pale pinks and creams.  It was also one of the more emotional weddings I’ve attended as well. Kate is an only child so the day was quite moving for her parents.  And because Kate and Kwinn  have spent the last year across the world from one another because of their jobs, the day was  a cathartic reunion (and union) followed by a rockin’ party.  They danced and partied all night to the Hazel Miller Band   in a tent under a blanket of stars and fresh mountain air that only a Colorado mountain wedding could offer.   It was wonderful all around!

Chad and Lizzy came all the way from Dallas for their fabulous Broadmoor wedding celebration!  I was lucky enough to capture their beautiful rehearsal dinner one rainy evening at the start of July.  It’s not often we see events like this, with the details maticulously woven together to form an undeniably moving experience.  Everything about this particular evening was flawless. No facet was overlooked, no guest was left unsatisfied. The bride, wearing her mothers wedding dress, looked stunning as did a dapper Chad.  This was the kind of event I left thinking, “what an experience it would be to attend such a grand event.”  From the top-shelf cocktail hour to the detailed wine pairings; the band Emerald City, straight out of Dallas, and the Willy Wonka-esque desert bar that finished off the evening, I was simply astounded by the resplendent nature of the event.
What I really loved about this evening was that it didn’t simply celebrate the guests of honor, instead, it was a grand gesture celebrating all of the love and support radiating from their friends and family on their most important day.  Congratulations, Lizzy and Chad!