A Vail Wedding at Larkspur is a lovely spot for a wedding. We connected with the lovely planners at Cloud9 Weddings and couldn’t wait to work with them on a wedding. The opportunity came up when this couple from South Carolina, Brittany and Mark, started planning their Vail wedding.
Brittany and Mark are huge foodies and entertainers, along with their families. So the food and drinks were a huge focus of their wedding planning. The weekend kicked off with a rehearsal dinner at the Slope Room in Gravity Haus. The elegant and modern interiors made for a stunning backdrop for a sophisticated dinner event. The bartenders were so busy slinging drinks all night long, I couldn’t help but take a few shots.
Of course that’s leading up to the big day, the wedding day! It was a clear and sunny summer day when all started getting ready at the Four Seasons in Vail. These getting ready photos are some of my absolute favorites. Something about seeing the vision of the hair, makeup, flowers, dress and bridesmaids dresses coming together that is so exciting.
Following the getting ready photos we headed up to the top of Vail mountain for the first look. In true Colorado style, there was a thunderstorm rolling in so while Mark was at the top of the mountain, Brittany was stopped at the base of the Gondola! We barely made it up there for the first look but we quickly headed back down to the village.
So many locations for photos around downtown Vail and around the wedding venue Larkspur. The bride’s inspiration for the wedding was to be a fairytale wonderland and I am pretty sure the whole team nailed it!
An Aspen engagement at sunrise in Aspen, Colorado is absolutely our idea of a good time! This couple is getting married next summer at the Hotel Jerome. As a couple that appreciates the beauty of Colorado, they wanted to do their engagement photos at one of the most popular locations – Maroon Bells!
It is an early morning for us, driving up from Denver for this Colorado bride. But it is actually an earlier morning for the bride by the time she had hair and makeup done! The lovely thing about sunrise was the amount of nature we saw. Sunrise and sunset in Colorado is the best time to see wildlife. Not to mention the amazing light of dawn.
Read on below the images for some tips on how to plan your Aspen Engagement session.
Here are a few tips on how to plan your Aspen Engagement photos in Maroon Bells
When planning a trip to do your Aspen Engagement photos in Maroon Bells, don’t forget to reserve an entry. I do hope the reservation system sticks around because it sure makes the experience better to have a little extra space. You can go to their website, listed above.
Try to arrive at sunrise, which is the most spectacular time for both taking the photos and viewing wildlife. The light is amazing then, and also hopefully fewer crowds.
Plan your wardrobe and makeup to coordinate but also stand out. I love this dress that Abby picked because it complements the scenery so well. Just because we are in nature doesn’t mean that we can’t get dressed up fancy!
For all engagement sessions I always recommend having hair and makeup professionally done! Build this into your timeline!
Enjoy this beautiful place whether you are just visiting or if you are a Colorado local like us.
It is no secret that architecture is one of my true passions! I love working in amazing venues throughout the world that inspire both the architect and photographer in me. But there is nothing more special than capturing a wedding at home. Add into that mix that the home is a jaw dropping historic house in the Central West End of St. Louis and I am one happy destination wedding photographer!
Jennifer and Tim’s at home wedding in St. Louis was a true 2020 wedding story. It was full of postponements, downsizing and changes but most importantly it all ended up resulting in the most perfect celebration. We worked with Kate of Kate + Company. You might remember this Aspen wedding we did with Kate last year. Certainly to say Kate is talented is an understatement! Kate seamlessly mastered all of the challenging logistics of a wedding at home all while designing and creating fabulous details throughout.
The celebration kicked off with one sweet detail! Working with Cheree Berry Paper, Kate and the couple dreamed up a save the date cake tasting. Guests received a cake tasting (with five different flavors!) and were asked to vote for their favorite. Cheree Berry Paper’s magic didn’t stop there but continued through the celebration from the invitation to the Italian themed welcome baskets to the sweet details on the kids table.
Destination Wedding Photographer’s Dream
The first look took place in the home’s stunning foyer. The space had classic checkerboard floor and a breathtaking floral installation on the staircase by Festive Couture Florals. The ceremony took place in the home’s front room in front of the fireplace with yet another amazing floral installation.
After that, guests made their way to the backyard for the reception with food stations for the guests to enjoy. The groom is part owner in a restaurant group in St. Louis so you know the food was flawless. The food station included a “Pop’s Pizza” set up as a nod to Sundays spent as a family making pizza in the backyard (complete with branded aprons and to-go boxes, of course). And Jennifer was certainly not left out with a piña colada bar featuring her famous recipe (which was also printed on the cocktail napkins).
Finally, the celebration continued with live music by the couple’s Nashville favorite and a surprise synchronized swimming performance. There may have been planning phases where Jennifer and Tim talked about Italy or Napa Valley or other amazing locations that make any destination wedding photographer grin but I have to say nothing beats this sweet, personal and oh so beautiful at home wedding.
See more of this stunning wedding on Carats and Cake in addition to the wedding you can see the behind the scenes feature here.
When Vidhya and Kishore couldn’t travel to India for their Indian palace wedding (after already postponing the wedding three times), they decided to bring India to the United States. With only 4 weeks to plan their 3 day wedding weekend nonetheless.
Firstly, the couple needed a venue and fell in love with The Olana. A mansion on the outskirts of Dallas, TX. The mansion’s vast grounds, fountains, pools, and chandeliers mirrored the European influences of the palaces in India.
The couple have both lost their mothers but they were able to bring them into the wedding celebrations. They used their moms as the inspiration for the design. The couple worked with an amazing team of vendors to create three unique and beautiful events. Similarly, the couple’s attire for each celebration matched the design and set the tone for the weekend.
Indian Wedding Style
As a tribute to Vidhya’s mother’s wedding dress, the couple selected pale green colors for the ceremony. Therefore, the bride wore a custom green lehenga gown. She paired the gown with a gold necklace and earrings with uncut diamonds, emeralds, and pearls. She completed the look gold bangles.
Secondly, for their pre-wedding celebrations at the bride’s family home, Vidhya wore a yellow floral saree by Varun Bahl and a silk saree by Gaurang. The groom wore both modern mustard and a traditional white kurta.
Finally, for the evening Sangeet, the florist Prashe created a chic oasis with a custom emerald green dance floor. To match the bohemian vibe, the bride wore a Payal Singhal gown paired with a top by Cinq a Sept. The groom wore a blue sherwani embroidered with the wedding date. Even though the wedding was not what the couple initially planned it was a weekend to remember.
Aspen just might be our favorite Colorado wedding town, and that’s saying a lot because there are so many great places in Colorado for a wedding. This was our first wedding in Aspen and I’m sure there are many more to come.
This adventuring couple, Emma & Andrew, were a great fit for us for so many reasons. They happen to be from the DC area and Andrew is an architect! Why does that matter? It just does. Their amazing wedding planner, EKS Events, who we met in Dubai at an Engage Summit, connected us to Emma & Andrew.
The couple’s vision for their Colorado wedding weekend was unique, personal and entirely reflective of them. The weekend started on Wednesday with horseback riding and whitewater rafting for their friends and family who were able to arrive early.
Sunrise at the Maroon Bells
The couple is clearly smart! They planned an early morning sunrise portrait session on the Thursday before the wedding. This accomplished a few things – one, they saved portrait time on their wedding day. And two, they got photos at one of the most beautiful locations in Aspen or even all of Colorado, the Maroon Bells. I suppose there is a third benefit of having sunrise on their side, which is the best lighting and also the least busy time of day for a photoshoot. Above all, this sunrise session in Maroon Bells in Aspen is one of my all time favorites! Emma’s blue dress against the mountains at sunrise will always feel like a dream.
That brings us to Friday, the rehearsal dinner at the Viceroy in Snowmass. In true Emma and Andrew style, the dinner was a casual party under a beautiful sailcloth tent. Tons of lawn games, picnic style food and Contra-dancing were the highlights of the evening. All set with the beautiful backdrop of the Colorado mountains.
Mountaintop Wedding Ceremony
By the time Saturday came around, we were all ready for a unique and experiential wedding. The morning of the wedding day was casual, with only family around as the bridal party. Emma had purchased a pair of overalls to get ready in and then she wore to the top of the Gondola at Snowmass Village. Once at the top, she changed into a beautiful blue dress. Andrew and the guys went on some sort of adventure in the morning, but were ready and on time (a photographer’s dream).
The ceremony was all the way at the top of the mountain and required the guests to take a chairlift up the hill. The couple also arrived on the chairlift (only a Colorado wedding, right?). After that trip up the mountain the guests arrive to the ceremony site. EKS Events designed the ceremony setting inspired by a “ghost chapel”. Framed by windows and a doorway, the ceremony site was intimate but also incredibly impactful.
Following the ceremony, the reception was set with long family style tables and dinner was a good old fashioned buffet. Finally, late at night, there was an astronomer with a huge telescope for guests to do some late night star gazing. We were over the moon to be a part of this wedding and can’t wait for many more in such a beautiful part of this state we love.
