Not that I don’t love a big, traditional wedding, but it’s fun to get an outside-the-box couple like Marcea and Mark every now and then! It’s also extra lovely when they happen to be friends of mine (well, Mark’s technically a new friend, but I give Marcea my full approval on him ). They were married in a small ceremony at the historic gazebo in Green Mountain Falls, on a beautiful, sunny fall day, and they stayed true to themselves down to their matching Doc Martens. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bride in black before. Marcea looked perfect! Congratulations to the bride and groom, you were made for each other Marcea and Mark! Smooches!
Pioneers Museum wedding :: Diana + Cody
Cody and Diana’s wedding at the Pioneers Museum and the Mining Exchange Gold Room was so much fun for me to document because I’m a Colorado Springs history nerd, and this big Italian bash really checked all the boxes! They got ready at the Alexander House, a historic mansion in the Old North End owned by a close friend of Diana’s mom. I have admired this beautiful old home from afar for many years, so it was a special treat to get to spend some time in there. It’s gorgeous, and the owners are so nice!
The wedding ceremony was at the beautiful, Belle Époque era Pioneers Museum (one of my favorite buildings in the city!), and the reception was in the Art Déco era Gold Room at the Mining Exchange. Talk about a great party! To top things off, Diana wore her grandmother’s incredible, handmade, 1943 wedding gown. Wow! In fact, she’s the the third bride in the family to have worn it, after her grandmother and her aunt. The gown is exquisite, and as an avid sewist and lover of vintage clothes, I’d like to add that its construction is simply perfect, down to the hand beading. It must have taken months of work to complete. Truly a labor of love. After the ceremony, Diana changed into a modern wedding dress. She looked utterly fabulous in both gowns, and Cody was dashing in his tails. Together they made a beautiful pair.
Beyond all that though, was the obvious affection that Cody and Diana’s close knit families feel for this sweet couple. This wedding was a long time coming, so everyone was very excited for them. And you can see from the pictures how in madly love they are. <3 I had a wonderful time documenting all of it. What a fantastic end to a great wedding season!
Josh + Melissa’s Cliff House Wedding
Another beautiful Cliff House at Pikes Peak wedding! Just look at this gorgeous couple! Josh is from here (Manitou Springs, to be exact), but Melissa is a recent transplant from Michigan, and she definitely wanted a mountain wedding. No midwestern nuptials for her — she loves it here and is fast becoming a real Coloradoan!
We took advantage of the beautiful weather to take a few wedding portraits in the Garden of the Gods before the ceremony. As usual, the light was spectacular! I think Josh and Melissa’s large wedding party was quite dazzled by the view. They couldn’t stop taking cell phone pictures, and I don’t blame them. I never take our natural beauty for granted.
After Melissa and Josh made their heartfelt vows in an emotional ceremony, the big bash commenced! It was a really fun party, and Melissa’s painstakingly handmade wedding details in purple and gold perfectly enhanced the Cliff House‘s beautiful, historic ballroom. I was so impressed by her skills (custom wood burning, anyone?!?)! Everything from the bouquets to the table decor was lovingly made by her. Wow! She really went all out, and as you can see, she has great taste. The ballroom looked fantastic! All of her hard work really paid off. And let’s talk about the crazy, fun dancing — I always find that midwesterners love to cut loose on the dance floor, and Josh and Melissa’s guests didn’t disappoint!
I really enjoy documenting a Cliff House at Pikes Peak wedding. It’s such a beautiful, gracious building from another era, and I appreciate working with the staff there, who are always lovely. Josh and Melissa’s wedding was truly a perfect, fun, joy filled event, and I couldn’t be happier for this beautiful couple. Warmest congratulations and happy honeymoon, you two! I had a ton of fun photographing your big day!
Downtown Colorado Springs wedding :: Lauren + Ben
Another wonderful downtown Colorado Springs wedding! What can I say about this amazing, unique event? I’ve documented a lot of nuptials, but never one quite like this. Lauren and Ben did it their way, from the Nerf “ammo” ring holder to the eighteen piece, award winning jazz orchestra that had the reception jumping.
Ben and Lauren’s vows took place in Ivywild at the quirky Millibo Art Theatre, a one off occurrence indeed. Many of their friends participated in the ceremony, either by speaking, playing a musical instrument, or singing — it was the most entertaining wedding I’ve ever witnessed. In fact, even Ben and Lauren performed, and the best part was the audience sing-along at the end. I’ll never forget that!
We did many of the wedding portraits at 291 Distillery on South Tejon. I love the interior there. It’s funky and industrial, and the light streaming through the front window is so dramatic. The reception was at Colorado Craft, the new downtown Colorado Springs brewery in the Tejon Street space vacated by The Ritz, and the party was hoppin’! Lauren and Ben skipped some of the usual wedding traditions. There was no cake cutting, garter or bouquet tossing. There were, however, some wonderful, funny and heartfelt speeches, and their first dance was romantic and theatrical, just like the couple. They also performed for their guests, both behind the mic and on the piano. I can’t say that I’ve had many wedding couples who are as musically gifted as these two!
What a fantastic day! We laughed, we cried, we sang, and it was wonderful. Congrats Lauren and Ben!
Mount Princeton Hot Springs wedding :: Samantha + Joe
I was absolutely thrilled to be the photographer for Joe and Samantha’s Mount Princeton Hot Springs wedding. Why, you ask? Because I’ve been photographing Sam since she was a tweenager, and now look at her! I was over the moon when they (finally) got engaged and tapped me for the photography. And I couldn’t have picked a better guy for her. Joe and Sam aren’t just a good looking couple, they make a great team!
I have a soft spot for Mount Princeton. It’s in a particularly beautiful part of Colorado, so it’s a wonderful place to get married. They couldn’t have chosen a prettier area. Also, I like to think that I know Miss Samantha pretty well by now, and I can say with confidence that she’s a born planner. Everything she does, she does extremely well. So it was no surprise that their wedding at the Mount Princeton Hot Springs was perfect. I mean look at the flowers alone — Sam did them all, even the large, complicated table arrangements. Never mind she’s never done a flower arrangement or bouquet in her life before. Just wow! She did all of the wedding details, in fact, with just a little help from her close friends and bridesmaids. It all looked wonderful and I was so impressed!
Oh and the party was awesome fun, too. Talk about some fun dance floor action! This is what happens when you mix a bunch of Coloradoans with a bunch of midwesterners: crazy, bumpin’ dance floor alchemy! Congratulations Sam and Joe! It was high time you tied the knot, and I’m so happy for you!