• Back from a long day of shooting with fellow photog. victor sanchez…a corporate luncheon, a small wedding, then… http://fb.me/tNLPaTrs #
• Check out my pictures from Pridefest – lots of fun, lots of color, and lots of love! http://fb.me/B4DeS4Ly #
• Up late making sure these wedding pictures get online, can't wait to share them with the bride & groom… http://fb.me/AakA4Ye6 #
• One of the last weddings at Red Lion Restaurant b4 the flood & bridge collapse, check out their story in pictures: http://ning.it/cIkgxF #

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Denver Pridefest at
Civic Center Park
June 19-20, 2010

My first time at Pridefest last year I was amazed at the size of the crowd, the wide mix of people, and by all the festivities going on. This year I think it got even bigger!  The event & wedding planning company, Memory Lane Events, asked me to document the weekend for them & JustQMe , an online & printed guide for the LGBT community in Colorado, which I knew would be an exciting and challenging task.  On Saturday I went by for a couple of hours to survey the scene as sort of a warm-up for the next day. It was family day so the crowd was a lot more timid, but I managed to catch a fun fashion show put on by the students of Emily Griffith, with designers such as Bailey Rose & Erica Nicole.

Sunday was by far the biggest day of Pridefest. I started the morning bright and early in Cheeseman Park where I documented JustQMe’s first time riding in the parade.  It was so much fun to get to walk the whole parade route taking pictures.  While it certainly was quite tame compared to the gay festivals and parades I’ve seen in New Orleans, it was still a pretty wild & sexy event.   The parade ended at Civic Center Park where people of all colors, ages, styles, and sexualities crowded to enjoy the entertainment and show their support for the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-gender) community.  You saw the lesbian moms with their cute kids adorned with rainbow attire, the teenagers dancing freely at the techno stage, and the beautiful transvestites that would make any man or woman stop for a look.   Dogs were also dressed up in bright colors, and I even saw a Lady Gaga impersonator (or who knows maybe it was her)!  And it was great to see En Vogue take the stage and belt out their classics that left the crowd singing and reminiscing of the early 90’s.   It makes me so happy to see how many people come out to support Pridefest.   I’m proud of Denver’s supportive residents that respect love over hate, and peace over fear.  There is still a long way to come till its not even an issue anymore, but seeing how much has changed in just the past decade is truly amazing, and relieving.

Check out the slideshow below or go to my Pridefest Picture Gallery to see lots more and order prints.

• @paperywillow sending lots of love n prayers your way in reply to paperywillow #
• Out documenting denver pridefest, crazy crowded but lots of good ppl n good times! #
• I'm a volunteer photographer for Pridefest this weekend, if you're going to be out there look out for me, should… http://fb.me/tgpzzXHe #
• Congratulations Tamara!! It was a super close race but Tamara won my Boudoir Bachelorette Party Contest! http://fb.me/yMyxtFqa #
• One of the last weddings at Red Lion Restaurant before the flood waters closed it down. http://fb.me/BmSuGu8F #
• One of the last weddings at Red Lion Restaurant before the flood waters closed it down.Colorado Wedding… http://fb.me/AkMTSo7o #
• One of the last weddings at Red Lion Restaurant before the flood waters closed it down. http://fb.me/ASBb9W7m #
• Wow, I knew this was going to be close, but this is crazy! I finally get a chance to count up all the Bachelorette… http://fb.me/ComFN9Pe #
• @DJPaula Thanks for DJ'ing last night, awesome tunes!! #
• @ThisModernLifeP Great party last night! always a good time when they are lots of photographers around #
• photoDUDS.com is giving away software + prizes from After Dark, photoDUDS and GNP Frame #
• It's a dangerous job but somebody's got to do it! Photography & snakes at Red Rocks – new pics on my blog. http://bit.ly/bKePnL #
• Engagement Pictures (& scary snake) from Red Rocks now on by blog: http://ning.it/9uMHa0 #
• Last day to vote for your favorite bride to win a Bachelorette Party! http://bit.ly/aOuA3A #

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Wow, talk about a close race!  At first I thought Meagan had it in the bag then Brittany started catching up and before I knew it Tamara came in late and wasn’t going to give up.  Brittany & Tamara both did an amazing job rallying their friends and family and both got over 100 votes!  But in the end Tamra just barely beat Brittany out by less then 10 votes!   My intern and I both just double checked the results, we couldn’t believe how close it was! Since it was such a close race I would like to offer Brittany a second runner up prize of a complimentary Boudoir photo shoot.  I will be contacting both you lovely ladies soon with the details.  Thank you to everyone that participated and voted, and Congratulations Tamara!!    And check out my special below if you’re interested in having your own boudoir bachelorette party!

Anika & Chad got married at the Red Lion Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado.   In case you didn’t hear the Boulder Creek flooded last week causing the collapse of the bridge that leads to the Red Lion.   The summer months are huge for weddings in Colorado because  brides don’t have to worry about winter storms and snow, but who would have thought you would have to worry about something like this in June.  I’m soo glad Anika & Chad had their wedding when they did!  At the bank yesterday I met someone who told me her niece is completely shattered by the news because she was supposed to get married there next weekend.   My heart truly goes out to all those couples that dreamed of a beautiful June wedding along the river and now have to go through all the stress of trying to find a new location last minute.  The Red Lion is one of my favorite places for weddings and I know it will be hard for them to find a replacement.   You can read a good article about the flood’s damage here: Red Lion closed this weekend, will lose $30,000 in wedding business – By Vanessa Miller

Play the slide show if you would like to watch the story of Anika & Chad’s Wedding day in their album proof below.  Keep in mind that each image below (other then the cover) is actually a 2 page spread, as if the book was open flat.

Who would have known taking engagement pictures would be such a dangerous job! We’re just minding our own business walking around Red Rocks park in Morrison, CO and out of nowhere a huge snake slivers across our path! Actually if my intern didn’t see it first I probably would have stepped right on it. I always say its good to have an assistant on shoots as my 2nd set of eyes to watch out for hairs out of place, revealing bra straps…oh and to make sure no snakes are in the shot. I wonder now…does my insurance cover snake bites…or yikes what if one of my clients would have gotten attacked…would have made for some interesting pictures, but not the kind you want to hang on your wall! Luckily, Stephanie & Dane were not too freaked out by the snake and were able to finish walking the path without crossing paths with more serpents. Thank you guys for being such good sports about it.  It helps me to know that you will be just as calm & collective for your wedding day…as I think that snake would have even scared off some of Tyra’s top models (it was a LOT bigger then my picture, that is just the small tail end)!  Well at least we shouldn’t have anything like that to worry about at Peace Lutheran Church or Stonebrook Manor where Stephanie & Dane will be getting married this fall. But next time I’m doing a wedding at Red Rocks I will certainly have my assistant there for snake watch!

• New pics on my blog – Maternity pictures on Florida beaches http://bit.ly/bCTDI8 #
• Back from a wedding that had to shorten their ceremony to just 5 minutes to just barely beat getting stormed on! http://bit.ly/c7X0dx #
• New Orleans Wedding Albums & some love from my brides…read this to see why I LOVE my job! http://bit.ly/93Id8w #
• I LOVE these response from my brides after they view their wedding storybooks for the 1st time, check them out: http://ning.it/byMJbo #
• Bachelorette Boudoir Party Finalists tally as of now:
  Meghan: 26 votes
  Tamara: 80 votes
  Brittany: 78 votes
  One week… http://bit.ly/9PvMSL #
• Wow, just received my 3rd bouquet this week & its not even my birthday!! #
• New pics on my blog – engagement shoot at Red Rocks: http://ning.it/amxKhQ #
• Cutest couple at Red Rocks….new pictures on my blog! http://bit.ly/cO9ZI2 #

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You may remember Molly from her sexy Boudoir pictures. Well now she is now happily pregnant and we recently had the opportunity to take these beach maternity photos at Pensacola Beach, Florida with her lovely husband Mike. I think Mike was more into finding seashells then taking pictures, but as always Molly was a perfect model! Hopefully I’ll get to photograph some 2nd or 3rd trimester maternity and even baby pictures in the next upcoming months. Not much time for writing tonight…had a busy day full of exciting calls and then a wedding this evening full of unexpected rain showers. Now I got to pack my bags for a quick weekend trip away…gotta get to the great outdoors and enjoy one of the few weekends I have off for the summer. Now off to packing! Enjoy!

One of the best parts of my jobs is the feedback I get from my clients after they see their pictures.  Here are 2 recent wedding album proofs or as I like to say, the “story of your day” for 2 recent weddings I photographed along with their first responses after viewing them.  Just click the cover page to view the full album.   I am testing out a new program that creates the actual “flip” pages, so please leave a comment if you have any trouble viewing the story books.

“AHHHHH I’M SO EXCITED….I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!”

This was one bride’s 1st response to her album (and Yes she sent the email in that large of type).

Catrina & Chase’s wedding began with preparations at the Marriott Hotel, then a wedding ceremony at Austerlitz Baptist Church, followed by a reception at The Fine Arts Center in New Orleans.  Here is her more formal review:

Lauren & Seth

This bride & groom chose the New Orleans French Quarter for their destination wedding.  They held a beautiful intimate ceremony in Jackson Square, surprised their guests with a traditional New Orleans 2nd line parade, and ended with a dinner at Galatoire’s restaurant.

Monica & Tom’s Engagement Shoot at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado

Monica & Tom are one of those couples that take little guidance in an engagement photo shoot because they naturally just flow so well together.  They are the couple that would have gotten kicked out the school dance for too much kissing.  They will either make you swoon at their cuteness or gag with jealousy.  As a wedding photographer with a romantic soft spot it just made my job more enjoyable and easier.  I didn’t realize it until I started editing their pictures that Monica & Tom’s engagement shoot was on the one year pre-anniversary of their wedding date.    This lovely couple will be getting married Memorial Day weekend 2011 at Mile High Station in downtown Denver.  Even though we have a year to go until their wedding, I’m super excited to be working with Monica & Tom and to be shooting at a venue I haven’t photographed yet. I have a feeling that it will be a fun, romantic, super stylish yet laid-back wedding…my favorite kind!