This wedding was a destination wedding for this couple living in Ohio. Cara’s a Colorado girl at heart though having grown up in the state. Her parents did a lot of the heavy lifting with this event as her mother worked out most of the details before the big day with us. Not to say that they didn’t give us input as well, but the couple were so laid back about planning that they let Diane handle a lot of the behind the scene things! we had such a great time working with everyone and were blessed with an amazing day! Check out some of my favorite photos from this special occasion.
Vendors who made this day possible:
Venue: Willow Ridge Manor
Music: Digital DJ
Photographer: Crystaline Photography & Video
Winter weddings are amazing! Late Spring in Colorado can even give you winter vibes such as this elopement at Sapphire Point on Lake Dillon near Breckenridge, Colorado. This spot is one of the most booked venues in Colorado due to it’s beautiful views and inexpensive price. It’s a lovely place to elope or host a very small wedding ceremony which is exactly what these two love birds did! They traveled out to Colorado to tie the knot in a very intimate self solemnizing ceremony with just myself and my videographer and then they hosted a reception back home over the summer. Check out some more photos and video from this amazing wedding!
Check out these romantic picnic set-ups done by Tie the Knot Bridal Creations at a brand new venue in Loveland, CO called Copper Falls Event Center. This romantic, quaint venue is perfect for elopements and small micro weddings as well as proposals! It offers a beautiful seasonal waterfall and on site accommodations for up to 8 guests. Perfectly situated between Estes Park and Loveland it’s a great jumping off point for those looking to explore the area.
Package deals will be available soon for booking the venue and the picnic set-ups together. reach out to Copper Falls to find out more!
Venue & Accommodations: Copper Falls Event Center
Stylist, Rental & Picnic Food Provided by: Tie the Knot Bridal Creations
Photography provided by: Crystaline Photography and Video
Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is one of the most iconic locations to tie the knot. It’s a very popular place to elope or host a very small wedding in our state and you can see why from the photos below. I captured this amazing couple last summer in this beautiful location! And had a great time following them around for an hour taking photos before their sunset ceremony. One of the perks of this location is that as of 2023 they do not require a permit to do an elopement or take photos here, but because of the popularity I don’t know if that situation will last for much longer as the city of Colorado Springs is already floating the idea of charging at least a photo permit. This location is probably one of the busiest spots in our state for both tourist visits and weddings. If you are thinking about eloping at this location here are some tips to help make this an experience to remember for a lifetime. Here’s a link to their site to keep up to date on requirements – https://gardenofgods.com/events/weddings/
1.) Keep it small! An elopement should be either just the two of you, the officiant and the person(s) documenting the occasion. If you do want to have a few friends/family present I would highly suggest keeping the guest list to 10 or less. You can have up to 50 guests, but having that mean guests at this location is very difficult. It’s very hard to coordinate large groups of people especially at a location where you can not reserve a spot to exchange vows.
2.) DO NOT ELOPE ON A WEEKEND! This couple chose a Thursday evening on my recommendation and we still had to wait for parking spots to open up and for other couples that were utilizing the amazing scenery to finish up so we could also take photos. Choosing a more off season time-frame will also help. November through April are a little slower for visits to the park.
3.) Choose vendors who are familiar with the location and can help you pick the best spots to do photos and take pictures at. An experienced photographer can recommend the best time to do photos, how to pose and come up with creative shots (even if it’s just the two of you!)
4.) Keep it relaxed and fun! No need to stress for an elopement!! If you’re doing a destination wedding here from another state just make sure you make an appointment before your arrival to get your marriage license a few days beforehand. And touch base with your vendors the week of the wedding to make sure everyone is on the same page.
We’re here to help make your day amazing! Reach out if you’d like to chat with us about elopement options. ~ Jamie
If you are at the beginning stages of wedding planning or fully engulfed in the process unless you are a royal with an unlimited budget then you more than likely have some sort of budget in mind for your event. Some couples have a large 20,000+ budget, some have a modest 10,000+ budget and some are working with just a few thousand dollars. Did you know that the average price of a wedding in Colorado is now $30,000? The picturesque venues start at around $7000 for a weekend event and most caterers are charging $100+ a person per a meal. Those costs alone are going to add up quickly and with a very modest budget are not going to leave you much for extra for all the other vendors needed at a wedding. The best way to start figuring out your budget and how much to spend on each vendor is to prioritize what is most important to you.
If you have a $10,000 budget I highly suggest not blowing it all on the venue. There are options out there for couples with this minimal budget such as parks and recreation rentals or even churches offer a more affordable alternative to the high ticket wedding venue. If you have a $20,000+ budget then by all means book that amazing venue. A location with a beautiful view and lovely decor might even save you some money in decorating just because it may not need much more. The time of the year you host your event might also effect the pricing. Some venues even offer savings for hosting an off season event. Depending on the venue this time-frame in Colorado is typically November through March.
A trend in the wedding venue companies is to now offer all inclusive packages. These venues advertise as a one stop shop that is supposed to save couples money and the hassle of looking for all of their other vendors. I’ve worked at a few of these types of venues over the years and can see the advantages and disadvantages to them. The main benefit being that you will probably be able to host an event for under the cost of the average Colorado wedding (sometimes) if you use all of their vendors. The disadvantage of this concept will be that because vendors on these lists are often making their services available for under the market value they are also having to pay their employees under the market value for their work. For instance the DJ hired to fulfill these packages is often a college kid with maybe one or two events under his belt and you won’t be allowed to chat with him directly before your event. This person may not know how to keep a dance floor full, what announcements that need to be made or even how to handle a problem with equipment should it arise. My thoughts about this is to make sure you are able to vet all of the vendors they use. Make sure that you are able to replace vendors with your own when necessary and that it won’t cost you extra to use your own. There are still advantages to being able to create your event the way you want it to be even if it may cost a little more.
Some venues that do not provide food onsite might also require that you choose a caterer off their preferred list. Typically, there are reasons for this requirement. The main one being they’ve worked with these vendors a number of times already. The venue knows the quality of the service they provide and want to make sure that the same quality is provided to the guests they are hosting as it reflects poorly on the venue if the service is bad. If the venue you want to book has a list of caterers you must choose from then request a list of them before you book the venue so you can reach out them to figure out the average pricing. I’ve seen it a hundred times… couples book a venue because they are offering a great deal only to find out after the fact that the caterers on the venue’s list are all out of their price range! Ask questions!!!
After you list all of the items needed to service your wedding, rearrange them in order of importance and then research the average cost of each service and decide on how much you’d like to spend on each item. Leave a little wiggle room in your budget for services that are of the most important to you. For instance if photography is at the top of your list and you’ve budgeted $3000 for it but you found a photographer who’s work you love and personality clicks with yours but they charge $3500 don’t compromise on that service, instead take that $500 off your budget somewhere else. Maybe you had $500 earmarked for wedding favors, but do guests really need some tchotchke that will more than likely end up in the trash after the event? Probably not, but if your wedding photos get screwed up you will remember that forever! Don’t be afraid to ask vendors if they can work with your budget. The worse they can say is no.
Remember that there are also a lot of little items that add up quickly as well. I once covered a beautiful DIY wedding held in a tent on the property of the bride’s parents. The day of the event she told me that she thought they were going to save money by hosting it themselves, but by the time they rented everything they needed (including the porta potties, something they had forgotten about) they were at the cost of the most of the venues they toured, but had all of the hassle of having to set up everything themselves! Her biggest regret was not having researched the costs of everything that would be needed to do the event themselves and having to beg friends and family to do all the heavy lifting!
The biggest take away you should get from this article is to do the research. Ask questions from your top picked vendors, read reviews and research some more before you sign on the line. Prioritize what’s most important to you and understand that priorities are different for every couple. Just because your best friend dropped a ton of money on a band at her wedding doesn’t mean you have to if hiring a DJ will still fit within your vision and save you some dough.
Happy wedding planning!!! Reach out if you need some advice. We’ve worked at tons of venues throughout Colorado both big and small. We truly believe that every couple deserves to have the wedding of their dreams no matter what their budget!
~ Jamie
Kerry & Augustus planned their big day for over two years due to Covid issues and because it was still a factor in 2021 they decided to host a very small event with just 40 of their closest friends and family at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Denver, Colorado. Because it was such an intimate event I suggested taking a group photo of everyone present on the outside steps in front of the church. This is something that can’t always be done at large weddings, but will be a great way to document everyone who was able to be there. After their very traditional ceremony and formals in the church we stopped by Washington Park on our way to the reception to get some beautiful photos with the fall colors of just the two of them. Another idea came to mind when we passed by an ice cream truck because the couple had told me they were not doing a traditional cake cutting at the reception…. I said how about a shared ice cream! And an adorable relaxed photo of just the two of them resulted in this impromptu photo.
The reception at the newly remodeled Doubletree Hotel in Cherry Creek was a simple affair with heartfelt speeches in front of the traditional paper crane backdrop created by the bride who folded hundreds of paper cranes for the event! After dinner the entertainment for the evening was casino style gambling for all of their guests. A very unique and fun option for this amazing couple. Enjoy some of my favorite photos from the big day!
Almost everyone has heard the term “hashtag” but still not everyone knows what a “hashtag” is or what they are used for; most importantly most folks over the age of 40 are not going to know what the purpose of a hashtag is…. I’m here to help you out and give you some information on this trend for weddings and events just in case you were wondering if you need one or not!
- A hashtag is any word or unbroken word-grouping (no spaces) with a # sign in front of it, used on a social platform like Instagram or Facebook.
- A hashtag links your individual posts with all other posts containing that hashtag, giving it greater exposure and longevity, and connecting it to larger conversations.
- To create a hashtag, just think one up and start using it across your social channels. No need to register it anywhere.
- It doesn’t matter whether you’re on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram—use the same event hashtag for all content related to your event. This creates a branded hashtag that provides a clear way to track activity across all social platforms.
So how do you create a hashtag that’s perfect for your wedding and why would you need one? Let’s start with the why… Mainly because everyone has a camera in their phone which is on them at all times. People will be taking photos at your event (as long as it’s the time to do that… see my article about “Unplugged Weddings”). Do you want to see the photos everyone took? Maybe you are not “friends” online with a plus one that was invited, but he or she got an amazing sunset photo at your event and you would love to see it! If they use the hashtag when they post it to their social media you will be able to see it grouped with all of the other photos tagged with your special hashtag! It’s a great way to bring all of these amazing images together in one place!
Here are some tips for picking the best hashtag for your event!
- Create your own… try using an online “Hashtag Generator” for ideas. A good place to start is with your names because it will be easy for your guests to remember plus you can put a fun spin on it by doing a funny pun or play on words. #MorganHeBargainedFor #WritghtStateOfMind #SayYesToTheKress
- To be more unique try using numbers in the tag so that your hashtag doesn’t get mixed up with another couple’s event. For instance #BobAndSueWedding2022
- Capitalize the first letter of each word so that the hashtag is easy to read. Whether your guests post with the capitalization won’t matter – the hashtag will still work! It’s just easier to read (and remember) with capital letters.
- As you pick your favorite hashtag options, do a quick search to see if it’s already been used before! If so, just add a number, your wedding date, or change a word in the hashtag. You want yours to be unique to YOUR wedding so it curates photos from your event!
- Make a list of several options, and then narrow it down to your favorite! This is definitely a fun activity for you and your fiancé to do together.
- Next spread the word about your hashtag – Start using your hashtag before the wedding. Tag your engagement pics, selfies during date nights, pictures from your other wedding events such as showers, rehearsal dinners etc. and attach your hashtag in your post. The more you use it early on, the more people will notice it.
- List your hashtag on your wedding website, save the date cards, and/or invitations. At the wedding, you’ll definitely want to have a cute sign with the hashtag. Order a few of these signs, have them match your wedding décor, and place them strategically: near the bar, at each table, on the gifts table, near the cake, etc. Have the DJ or band encourage guests to take pics and post using your hashtag too! I’ve even seen them on the cocktail napkins!
- Tell your photographer and/or videographer about your hashtag so if they post anything they can use it too! Having access to all the photos friends and family take is awesome! Just make sure that people do not interfere with photos the photographer is taking so you can have photos without cell phones in them!
We can’t wait to see what fun hashtags you come up with for your wedding!
Let’s talk about eloping in Colorado and using our epic views to your advantage! Taylor & Nathan were another one of my couples who were victims of Covid! They planned a beautiful wedding to take place at a resort just outside of Gunnison, Colorado and then the pandemic hit… and after two postponements they gave up on their big celebration. But I was not discouraged, they had already paid their deposits with me and I still wanted to give them some lovely photos to remember the day, so we hatched a plan…. and you know what? I think the plan came out better than we could’ve ever imagined! We looked at a time-frame that was light on our wedding schedule during the summer and my family and I planned a camping trip to Taylor Reservoir just outside of Gunnison. I met the couple just outside of our camping spot and spent two hours photographing them in all the beautiful scenery! It was a win for both them and us! We got to enjoy a little family time in the wilderness and Nathan & Taylor ended up with some epic photographs!
Enjoy this selection of some of my favorites! If you’re up for an adventure please reach out to me, as we’re always up for an experience!!!
As a wedding photographer/videographer I see a lot of wedding trends come and go. Some of the classics stick around for a good while, but even some of the die hard wedding traditions are starting to move their way out of the limelight. I thought I’d take a peek at the fun trends that are making their way to couples this year and with a mention of the ones on their way out. Let’s see if you agree…
TRENDS ON THEIR WAY IN
1.) Weekday Weddings – We saw quite a few of these over the last year just due to couples needing to work within venue’s availability after they had to postpone their 2020 event. Don’t expect them to go away. Lots of venues offer special savings when a couple is willing to host their event mid-week. Almost everyone has a limited budget, so couples all over have found this is a great way to save big on their wedding!
2.) Customized Weddings – These have already been really popular. Engaged couples want to do something different that stands out and makes their event more memorable. I see a lot more couples wanting to do their wedding “their” way instead of the “traditional” way. This can mean having a food truck instead of a sit down dinner, having a cocktail hour before the vows, coming up with their own unity ceremony instead of a candle, etc. I already have two “brunch” weddings booked in 2022 for breakfast lovers everywhere! Anywhere a couple can put their personal stamp on their event they will be doing it!
3.) Electronic Invitations – The pandemic made electronic ways to stay in touch with your guests more acceptable due to all the postponements and reschedules. And now they are here to stay. Electronic save-the-dates, invites, RSVPs are a great way for couples to save money, even if you just use a wedding website to get all that extra information out for instance like where to stay, and how to get there. A small QR code placed on a physical invite even gives your guests a quick way to go to your wedding website.
4.) Destination Weddings and Elopements – We’ve covered a lot of these in the past few years and when Covid lockdowns happened couples still wanted to get married, so they chose the most exotic place they could get to within the US borders. We had quite a few couples coming from areas without snow, or from the flat plains to Colorado just because they wanted to get married on a mountain top. And in reverse a lot of couples in Colorado going to locations with beaches!
5.) Renting a Vacation Home for Bachelor & Bachelorette Parties – People looking for ways to avoid crowded clubs and bars are looking into staying with their close friends at a large home they can rent through sites like Vrbo.com and Air BnB. And then they are even hiring a photographer to come out and document it! This can be a long golf or ski weekend or maybe a great location like Nashville or Las Vegas for fun shows and gambling!
TRENDS ON THEIR WAY OUT
1.) Bouquet and garter toss… Many, many couples today are deciding to drop this steadfast tradition. Some of the reasons are because couples are waiting to get married later in life and it just doesn’t seem right singling out one or two of your last unattached friends. Also your dance floor is rocking, who wants to slow down a party for this out dated tradition.
2.) Things on Guest Registries – Also a sign of the times with couples waiting until later in life to tie the knot; a lot of couples are already in a co-habitating scenario and don’t need stuff. I see a lot of couple’s that have honeymoon registries or a site for saving for a down payment on a home. Young couples today are not interested in china patterns. Some are even asking for donations to charities in lieu of a wedding gift.
3.) Wedding Favors – Most couples are ditching the wedding favors in order to afford other items like a video record of their event, or higher end entertainment. Over the years I have found that the largest waste of money goes to wedding favors. People often forget the trinkets given to them by the couple leaving most items behind. The exception to this rule is if you give them something you know they will use like food or drink. I remember one couple that provided a bottle of wine to each family on their way home from their family owned vineyard. Now this is something we all know will get used! Photo-booths have also become a popular favor replacement because it gives guests a memorable experience and a memento that you know they will save and cherish.
4.) Extra Large Bridal Parties – While couples have a lot of friends many are opting to go with small 1-2 attendants or none at all. It gets really hard trying to coordinate schedules of a lot of people for dress fittings, parties, and more. Couples are finding that they’d rather have their guests be guests instead of having them full-fill the obligations of a wedding party. Not to mention how you’ll need a larger alter space in the ceremony to fit a large bridal party. Group photos also take twice as long to do with large entourages.
5.) Receiving Lines – I will go as far as to say this one is pretty much already gone. When I ask couples if they are going to have a “receiving line” I often get a blank stare followed up with the question of “what is that?” A lot of today’s couples have never even seen one unless they’ve been to a very traditional church ceremony. If you’ve never seen one here’s a brief explanation: it’s where the couple and their parents stand in a line to greet and shake the hands of each and every guest after the ceremony and it can take 30-60 minutes depending the amount of guests you have invited. One of the main reasons this one has disappeared is because of the amount of time couples have to do their formal group photos after the ceremony. Most of the time the photos take precedence over a receiving line. Covid pretty much put a complete kibosh to this tradition. A lot of couples now greet their guests while dinner is going on at the reception after they have eaten.
We covered quite a few elopements again this year. I think some couples were just done dealing with Covid and wanted to get married. Ashley & Nicholas came all the way from Florida to tie the knot in April. They found us and all of their vendors online for their simple elopement at Legacy Ridge Golf Course in Westminster, Colorado. This public golf course has some amazing views of the mountains from within the suburbs of Denver and was the perfect place for their quick ceremony with a handful of friends. Ashley had never seen snow in person so it was a real treat to still have some peaking through on the mountains behind them. Mike and I were there to capture the event on both photo and video for those that could not attend. It ended up being the perfect day for the both of them!
Vendors who made this day possible:
Venue – Legacy Ridge Golf Course
Florist – Mossholders Floral
Photo & Video – Crystaline Photography and Video