Archive for 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!

 

I photographed Rachel’s mom’s wedding to her step-father over a decade ago in the early years of my business. Having her trust me to also cover her big day as has been one of the biggest joys of my career! It’s a crazy feeling knowing that their daughter is all grown up and ready to start a family of her own! It also makes you realize how short the passage of time really is and also how important it is to have someone there to capture the memories because they go by so fast. One of the bride’s mother’s biggest regrets from her own wedding was not hiring us to do video at her event, so they made sure to have us capture that for Rachel & Brandon this time around! They also hired my husband’s DJ company, Digital DJ to take care of the entertainment. The couple’s amazing early Spring wedding was held in Denver at Wedgewood’s Brittany Hill location. It was great getting to utilize all the beautiful natural sunlight that streams through all the windows at this venue for their morning/brunch themed wedding.

Check out some of our favorite photos and their highlight video below!

Vendors who made this day possible:

Venue: Wedgewood at Brittany Hill 

Officiant: Amazing Colorado Weddings and Ceremonies

DJ/MC: Digital DJ

Photography & Video: Crystaline Photography and Video

 

 

 

 

Another beautiful summer wedding at Willow Ridge Manor with just the cutest couple ever! Kelly and Matthew bonded over their love of adventure and bicycling which also made for a very cute an adorable wedding theme. Our team had a great time capturing both photo and video for this couple for many years of enjoyment to come.  When couples host their event during the Summer at Willow Ridge they can have a grand affair utilizing the outside deck for seating with still more room inside for all of their guests. This beautiful venue looks great anytime of year, but  it’s especially beautiful when the grass is green and the flowers are in bloom. Just perfect with the black and white color scheme with green accent colors! Enjoy the highlight video above and some of my favorite photos below!

 

Vendors who made this day possible:

Venue – Willow Ridge Manor

Caterer – Rocky Mountain Catering 

Disc Jockey – Digital DJ

Photography & Video – Crystaline Photography & Video

 

Zach & Megan originally had a big event planned for their wedding in Estes Park this past year and then Covid happened! Ugh! A familiar story in 2020, but despite having to postpone their event they still wanted to get married! So Megan’s mom booked the Historic Morrison Church down the road from her home for their original date of 10-10-2020! And the couple along with the bride’s immediate family held a small ceremony here. Due to the date being a special one – 10+10 = 20 it was also the busiest wedding day of the year. Our company covered three events in one day! Not something we typically do either, but because two of the events were very small and located just a few miles from each other and also because the timing worked out Mike and I were able to handle them both and Chris covered another one for us in Lafayette! It ended up being a beautiful Fall day and just as memorable for these couples even though all three ended up being greatly downsized.

Here are some of my favorite photos and the downloaded ceremony only video from this first wedding on 10/10/2020. Enjoy!

I just really love this little chapel! It’s the perfect place to hold a small gathering or to elope at. It’s non-denominational so you are welcome to bring in your own officiant or self-solemnize (which is legal in Colorado). It’s also located downtown Morrison where there’s a beautiful bike path along a creek for photo opportunities and some amazing restaurants to hold a little reception at. Not to mention it’s just a few minutes down the road from the amazing Red Rocks Amphitheater and a couple other amazing parks such as: Matthews Winters Park & Mount Falcon which also have amazing views that you can only get in our state! The church also makes a perfect back-up plan for weather issues for someone planning an outdoor wedding in the area because the price is very affordable to reserve. Check out the ceremony only video below.

Vendors who made this day possible:

Venue – Historic Morrison Church

Wedding Planner – Pink Diamond Events

Photo & Video – Crystaline Photography & Video

Another summer event that was effected by the Covid Pandemic…. Taryne and Fred had to downsize their event to just 50 of their closest friends and family to celebrate their nuptials this past August. And while it wasn’t as large as previously planned it was still quite the party! One of the unique things about this couple was that they are starting their lives together at the end of their working careers. Fred just recently retired and I believe Taryne is or will be retiring soon. From all the speeches given that night it sounds like they are the perfect match for each other and will be enjoying lots of travel and adventures together in the years to come. It was a pleasure capturing the love and commitment that they both have for each other. Enjoy the highlight video and some of my favorite photos below.

Vendors who made this day possible:

Venue & Caterer: Wedgewood at Brittany Hill

Officiant: Amazing Weddings & Ceremonies

Disc Jockey: Digital DJ

Photography & Video : Crystaline Photography and Video

Enjoy Fred & Taryne’s wedding ceremony at Wedgewood’s Brittany Hill.

When your parents’ yard is just as pretty or even prettier than a lot of wedding venues you just have to host your wedding at their home! Blake & Katie were also extremely lucky to have made all of their plans for an outdoor event at a private residence during the time of Corona as well because it worked out marvelously for their dreamy wedding. Everywhere we looked their was a photographic opportunity! From the beautifully decorated home to the amazingly manicured yard and even the classic cars the Blake and his dad owned just made this wedding picture perfect! We covered video and photo for this event while my husband provided the music and MC services. It ended up being an amazing day! Some of my favorite photos are below. It was so hard to choose!

Vendors who made this day possible:

Venue – Private Residence

Disc Jockey: Digital DJ

Caterer: Garden of the Gods Catering

Photography & Video: Crystaline Photography and Video

Florist : Skyway Creations

Table, Chair, Linen Rental: Colorado Party Rentals

Bakery/Cake: Sugarplum Cake Shoppe

Hair & Make-Up: Fuse Salon / Katherine Sikich

 

 

Destination weddings in Colorado have become big business in the wedding industry. Couples from all over the world are imagining themselves saying their nuptials with majestic peaks in the background. Maybe the couples has previously vacationed here and fallen in love with the state or perhaps like one of the couples I photographed a couple years ago the bride had never seen snow before and had always wanted to get married on a snow covered mountain top! Whatever your reason for getting married in Colorado it’s now easier than ever to do! The internet has given everyone the key to searching out thousands of venues and vendors. Couples can check out photos and videos of properties, search by price point and even view reviews from others who have used the vendors in the past. Tools like email, FaceTime and Skype make is easier to do virtual meetings to discuss your needs and concerns that some couples choose to book some or even all their wedding vendors without ever meeting in person! If this is something you plan on doing here is some tips to help you navigate choosing the best vendors!

1.) Consider hiring a Wedding Planner – I’m all for do it “yourselfers” that want to save money, but sometimes a planner is a huge help in facilitating the wedding of your dreams; especially if you don’t live or know anyone where you plan on hosting your event. A planner can have more insight on particular venues and vendors and can even in some cases save couples money by helping them find the best value for what they want to spend. If hiring a planner isn’t in your budget, look for venues with amazing on-site coordinators. When booking a site that includes an on-site coordinator make sure you get a list of their duties so you know what you’re getting. Some venues provide a coordinator purely to  protect their own interests. The coordinator is just there to turn on and off the lights, show you what you can and can not do and make sure guests don’t destroy the property. Others offer full on planning services as well. They help with decorating, organizing guests and the wedding party and more. Just make sure you are aware of what they will and will not do especially if you are paying extra for them.

2.) Hiring Pros…when to choose someone from home and when to go with someone locally – Hiring some local vendors are much more obvious. Hiring a caterer from home and expecting them to haul out all of their gear etc. can become very cost prohibitive. So looking at local caterers is probably recommended. Others might not be so cut and dry… not to shoot myself in the foot, as I would love your photo and video business, but sometimes you have built a repertoire with a photographer who lives near you and you really want to use them. I completely get that! I myself have covered a number of destination weddings for people who have grown to love my work. I’ve covered weddings in Florida, the Virgin Islands and even Costa Rica! But sometimes choosing a photographer who lives and works in the area you’re getting married in can be very beneficial. They might work at your venue on a regular basis or know some amazing off the beaten path spots to take photographs. Consider the travel costs you might have to cover when bringing a vendor with you. Sometimes these costs can double the cost of the service they provide.

3.) Do your research and set a budget in advance – Talk with all the parties involved to set-up realistic budgets for each service you are looking for prior to meeting with venues and vendors.  In your research don’t be afraid to ask the business what their starting prices are and a rough estimate of what their services would cost for what you need. Caterers this might go off of an estimated guest count and food preference. Photographers and videographers might charge for how much time you want them to document your event and whether or not you want more than one cameraman present. Disc Jockeys and musicians usually start with the time-frame they will be playing music and then add-on for things like extra lighting. Once you have found a few vendors in your price range only set-up meetings (whether they are on the phone or in person) with vendors who are in the range of your budget.

4.) Visit your Destination Location – If at all possible schedule a scouting trip to the area you are looking to getting married at during the time of year that you plan on hosting your event. Photos of a property are great, but we all know that photographers have ways to take the photos showing the venue off in it’s best light and can doctor the images using Photoshop! It’s good to see and meet vendor in person whenever possible. Remember that great venues and vendors book up quickly so while I recommend doing your due diligence with all services, if you have a particular date in mind it might be wise to do this sooner than later because for most vendors once they are booked they’re no longer available to take on more work.  Don’t be afraid to ask for past client referrals!

5.) Get it in writing! – Make sure the vendors you hire always use a contract and be sure to review the contracts before signing. Bring up any concerns to the vendor before you sign and give them a deposit. If the vendor doesn’t provide it for you, ask them for an itemized list of everything that is included in the quoted price. At a destination wedding, it’s especially important to make sure things like pick up and drop off of items are being handled by the vendor and everyone is on the same page of timing and what’s included. Be sure to think about things that make it easier for guests traveling to your destination like room blocking at hotels and shuttle service to and from ceremony and reception locations.

6.) Go with your Gut – If after meeting with a vendor for any service something feels “off”, but you can’t put your finger on it listen to what your subconscious is trying to tell you.  Some red flags to consider: disparaging talk about a current or past clients (unless it’s to explain how they handled a challenging situation without naming the clients), how quickly they return emails and phone calls (sometimes with emails it’s just technology failing, don’t hesitate to pick up a phone and call them), trying to strong arm you into features or add-ons that you might not need or judgemental comments about your budget and an unwillingness to work within it. While vendors all understand budgets please don’t call a vendor that says their prices start at “X” price expecting them to do basically the same service they are advertising for at a 1/3 of the price! There may be a little wiggle room in some vendors prices, but don’t expect over a 5-10% difference.

Finishing up on our final Willow Ridge Manor wedding for the year… this amazing wedding of a couple that has shared 29 years of their life together before they were able to finally tie the knot! Marta and Sheri had an amazing wedding with a ceremony that started out with pure entertainment from a flash mob as they walked in. I’m not sharing the music that they danced into in their highlight video due to copyright concerns from the big league artist’s songs they used, but it was awesome! It was the first time we’ve captured a scene like that for a couple. I’m guessing it took lots of practice not only for the dancers, but for the lovely ladies too.  I also wanted to mention their floral arrangements as well. The couple chose to go with eco friendly alternative flowers that were absolutely stunning and did not look like “fake” flowers at all. I was quite impressed with both the style and quality of these arrangements. Chris and I had a blast doing photos and video for this happy couple! Enjoy some of my favorite photos below.

 

Vendors Who Made This Day Possible:

Venue: Willow Ridge Manor

Caterer: Fresh Tracks

Disc Jockey: DJ Guy

Cake: Nothing Bundt Cakes

Favors: PB Love CO and MODma

Florist: Flintwood Floral and Design

Photography & Video: Crystaline Photography & Video

The beautiful early fall wedding of Frank & Kayla’s Willow Ridge Manor event is featured below along with their highlight video. My crew and I had a wonderful time covering this event. This couple with their little baby girl was the sweetest couple ever, so much love and admiration between the two of them made it an extremely easy wedding to photograph.

I really don’t know how we avoided the rain on this event, but working quickly and saying a few prayers we were able to do just that. One of the amazing things I want to point out about this venue is Lawrence and Gregory’s attention to detail. When those storm clouds started rolling in the two of them were right there handing out umbrellas for all the guests to use and even though they didn’t end up needing them, they were there and ready just in case! Just par for the course with this amazing wedding venue!

Enjoy the photos and the video and congrats again you two! ~Jamie

 

       

Vendors who made this day possible:

Venue: Willow Ridge Manor

Caterer: Occasions Catering

Disc Jockey: Digital DJ

Florist: Flowerama

Photography: Crystaline Photography & Video