sarah & justin (estes park wedding photographer)

Wow, gosh, I just adore these two so so much.  I can't help it.  First, there was this awesome engagement session... next, their amazing wedding at Casa de Luz near Estes Park!  What a mellow, fun, lovely day.  One of my favorite parts about this job is getting to meet so many amazing people - not just my clients, but their friends and family, too!  And Sarah & Justin have so many stellar people in their lives.  Love this day! 

Aquamarine is also my birthstone, so I happen to be a little partial to Sarah's gorgeous ring :)

This cradle was a gift from Sarah's grandfather:

Crying or seriously cracking up?  You can decide :)

And, this was the moment when one of the little ones grabbed the tablecloth and started pulling... almost dooming the cake.

Haha... oops.

Justin earned awesomeness points by turning and force-feeding wedding cake to his friends:

I. LOVE. THIS.

Oh yeah, did I mention this was the day of the super moon?

Eesh.  What a fantastic day.  Hope you guys are loving Chile!

shelly & daniel (estes park wedding photographer)

This is how it should be done. I had that thought at least three separate times while shooting Shelly & Daniel's fabulous wedding in Estes Park.  For three days, I watched their love for each other, the kindness and playfulness they shared with their friends, and the way each of their separate families had already become one huge family, and I loved every moment.Okay (deep breath).  This post is going to be HUGE.  Actually, I could probably devote an entire blog post to Shelly's facial expressions :)  She is so animated and expressive, making her a blast to work with.  Excitement, contentment, and joy radiated out of Shelly & Daniel and everyone close to them.  I love shooting at Della Terra, and I strongly encourage you to take a look at them if you're thinking about getting married!  It's perfect for photographers - it's like it was designed with photographers in mind.  I love it!  Congratulations you guys!  I am so so thrilled for you :)

Venue : Della Terra Mountain Chateau, Estes Park

Florist : Floral Design of Europe, Estes Park

Dress: Sottero & Midgley

Shoes : Liz Claiborne

DJ: 1s and 2s DJ Company

Daniel's mom's reaction to seeing Shelly in her dress :

Want a two story indoor waterfall with amazing backlighting?  Yeah, sure, Della Terra's got that.

Brigitte from Floral Design of Europe created these stunning arrangements :

The image below feels like it summed up the wedding for me.  Shelly's family genuinely loves Daniel's family.  Daniel's family adores Shelly's family.  This is how it's supposed to be (and this was an "outtake" shot in between family photos, which makes it twice as sweet.)

A little drizzle wasn't stopping anybody.

I LOVE this shot on the left, below.  Shelly had no idea I was shooting them walking away, and that's what made it perfect.

Here's part of what makes Shelly so cool.  "Yeah, sure!  I'd love to get in this great bathtub in my wedding dress and curl up like I'm sleeping inside an egg.  No, that's not weird at all!"  Thanks for making me feel normal, Shel :)

I challenge you to not smile while looking through the ceremony:

Not only is Della Terra in a totally unbeatable location, but they shuttle you around everywhere in golf carts, like you're really important.  These little guests were loving the star treatment :)

Right about now, I have to give a huge shout-out to DJ Austin Quinty from 1s and 2s DJ Company.  I have seen my fair share of weddings, and I've definitely sat through my fair share of wedding DJs.  I really can't recommend him highly enough.  He was laid-back, classy, and fun, and I'm pretty sure I didn't hear "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" one time.  Thanks for being so cool, Austin.

Phew!  That was a ton of images.  But - I think you'll agree- totally worth it.  Stay tuned for Shelly & Daniel's Day After/ Trash the Dress shoot in Rocky Mountain National Park :)  Congrats guys!  Hope you had fun in Hawaii!

. shelly & daniel .

Last week, I had the absolute pleasure of shooting Shelly & Daniel's engagement session on a cold, windy day in Boulder.  Their wedding will be at the FABULOUS Della Terra Chateau in Estes Park this summer, and I can't wait to shoot there again!  This engagement session was a ton of fun, and their enthusiasm and excitement (despite to frigid temps) was contagious.  We realized toward the end of the shoot that we had kind of an unintentional retro storefront theme going on... love it!  Thanks so much guys!  I had so so much fun moving around heavy restaurant tables & playing around in abandoned amphitheaters with you :)

Ohmigosh... we were in the process of crossing the street when I looked back over my shoulder and saw this excellent Mexican restaurant glinting in the sunlight and I made us all turn around.  I don't know who Juanita is, but I'm kind of in love with her for having such a sweet storefront.  Haha... it was perfect.  And now I really want to go someplace warm and sunny :)

. featured in Della Terra Mountain Chateau's wedding gallery .

I LOVE Della Terra Mountain Chateau in Estes Park.  What an incredible venue!  One of the great things about Della Terra is they have gorgeous spots for both indoor and outdoor ceremonies.  The grounds are incredible, the interior is stunning, and the whole place has a very elegant yet mellow vibe.  They have recently added images from Oliver and Alanna's wedding to their wedding gallery!  Check out Della Terra's wedding gallery here.  Thanks, Della Terra!  I'm looking forward to shooting many more wedding there in the future, and if you're getting married and don't have a venue yet, definitely check them out!  It's a photographer's paradise :)