Talia & Kristopher’s Wedding Picture Preview: Civic Center Park, Riots, & Italy

I first photographed Talia & Kristopher’s wedding over Labor Day weekend in Venice, Italy, to see some of those pictures check out this blog post about their Italian destination wedding.
Their wedding in Italy was a small affair for just a few immediate family members so they also held a traditional Catholic ceremony and reception in Denver, Colorado so that their friends & family could celebrate the marriage with them too.  Talia upheld her family wedding tradition by getting married at the same church that her parents, sister, and just about everyone in her family married at – Our Lady of Mt.Carmel Church in Denver.
After the ceremony we met the wedding party in Civic Center Park for pictures.  Occupy Denver protests were going on just around the corner from us at the State Capitol so we had to maneuver around protestors, police, and blocked streets…which almost made me call off the plans to stop at this park.  But I crossed my fingers and took a chance because I knew Civic Center Park was the best option to get the most variety of  historic  & artistic photos that I knew the couple would love, so we trekked on. Luckily we didn’t have any problems, but I found out later that right after we left the cops tried to shut down the protests which resulted in a nasty riot.  So either the cops waited for us to finish our pictures before starting trouble with the protestors, or I just had really good luck on my side.  I like to think that the cops are true romantics deep down and enjoyed watching a couple in love before getting the fight started, haha…..hmm…can you imagine the pictures I could have gotten and the story!—“Bride & Groom Caught Between the Occupy Denver Riot” crazy, but not pretty! I ended up getting some amazing pictures of the wedding party in Civic Center Park, like the one below, so I think it was totally worth it!

Wedding Pictures in Civic Center Park...just minutes before the riot

So thankfully all was safe and we then headed to Maggiano’s Little Italy Restaurant in downtown Denver on 16th St. Mall. The fabulous Italian food & decor at Maggiano’s Restaurant made it a perfect choice for their wedding reception.   The family style dinner meant no waiting in long buffet lines, as well as unlimited servings. ..molto buono!  After dinner the bride & groom handed out mini Italian espresso makers to all the guests as favors, quite a unique choice!

Talia had a custom wedding cake created to match her wedding dress, it had lace details and even the same jeweled belt decoration.   After the cake was cut the bride changed into her short party dress with pockets and extra high heels to compliment it.   Complete Music did a great job DJ’ing the reception and played all kinds of unique Italian music, traditional wedding music,  as well as modern dance beats that got the kids, even the babies, excited & dancing!

Before the night ended I took the couple outside onto 16th St. for one last wedding day portrait.  I also found out that the protestors that were chased out of Civic Center Park earlier that day took their “army” to 16th St. Mall which resulted in the mall shuttle being shut down for a few hours as crowds of protestors marched down.  Apparently that whole scenario ended about 10pm, not too long before we went outside for pictures…another draw of the luck for us that day!  To view some of my favorite pictures from their Colorado wedding day, play the slideshow below.

Engagement Picture Preview: Molly & James Celebrate Love & Halloween in Colorado

A Love Scare in a Corn Maze

Halloween Engagement Pictures in a Pumpkin Patch

I got really excited when Molly first came to me with the idea of doing her engagement pictures in a pumpkin patch, and I knew just the right place! Molly & James were so fun to work with, they were really laid back and had lots of creative ideas. They weren’t afraid of experimenting with my ideas either, even if it involved barbed wire (play slideshow below to see that one!). We may have had to do a little sneaking around this farm into closed off corn mazes, but the scariest part of the day was just dealing with Denver traffic, ughhh! Reminds me how lucky I am that my normal work day does not involve rush hour and I can leave my car parked & untouched for days at a time. Anyway, these two artists met doing what they love, tattooing, and certainly have a lot of fun creative ideas in mind for their wedding day. Unique & artistic engagement sessions like this one really inspire me and get me even more stoked for the wedding….which will be held on the Day of the Dead, Nov. 2nd 2012. They haven’t found the right venue yet, but I’m glad they found me, as I’m sure their wedding day will be killer!

Hey Brides – Still looking for the perfect wedding venue in Colorado? Then please check out this free bridal soiree being held at the Canongate Blackstone Country Club in Aurora, CO on Sunday Nov.6th. I will be taking quick pics of any newly engaged couples and if you tell me that you read my blog I will have a special gift (nothing cheesy I promise) for you! And if you can’t get your fiancee away from football, then bring your mom or a friend…I’m sure lots of woman out there are looking for an excuse not to watch football this weekend!

Blackstone Country Club WeddingBbridal Soiree in Aurora, CO

Trying to find the perfect wedding venue is extremely difficult, trust me I’ve been there! Outside, or inside? Formal or Casual? Denver or Destination? There are so many options out there it can be overwhelming….or darn right maddening! As a wedding photographer it amazes me to see all the different places available in CO. Every wedding season brings a brand new venue or a place so hidden and off the map I had no idea it even existed. I’ve also been able to see all the good…and the bad, first hand, from a vendors’ (and former bride’s) perspective. Blackstone Country Club is one of those venues that is a little off the map, and also still a little in the “new” category. This beautiful venue is just a few years young, has an elegant outdoor & indoor area, and an amazing staff on hand. Anyway, pictures speak much louder then words, so check out this “mini-music video” below from Tatiana & Joaquin’s wedding I photographed there. And also check out Megan & Darcey’s Wedding Story from their recent wedding there back in July.   I hope to see you there on Nov.6th!

Canongate Blackstone Country Club Wedding

Canongate Blackstone Country Club Wedding Pictures

New Orleans French Quarter portraits by photographer Nicole Nichols Photography

Portrait Picture Preview: Denise & Daniel on Vacation in New Orleans, Louisiana

Denise & Daniel have been married for a few years and living in Louisville, Kentucky. And when planning their recent trip to New Orleans they realized it has been a few years, since their wedding, when they last had their portraits taken by a professional photographer. So they thought what better time to do that then on a relaxing vacation in one of the cities they love the most- New Orleans…and I couldn’t agree more! A lot of people put off the idea of doing a photo session because their daily life is so hectic its just hard to find the time. So why not do it while you are on vacation, in a unique place you love, where the daily hustle & bustle is gone and you can take all the time you want to just roam around, enjoy life, and then have some amazing pictures to remember it by!  I so wish I would have had this idea when my husband and I took a trip to Italy about a month ago.  The only picture I have of my husband & I in Italy involves my outstretched hand holding the camera in front of us….not at all flattering shots.
Play the slideshow below to see some of my favorite pictures from Daniel & Denise’s photo session involving a walk around the New Orleans French Quarter starting from the St.Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square to the levee of the Mississippi River for sunset.  And for anyone else planning a trip to the Gulf Coast, I will be traveling back to New Orleans, as well as to Destin, Florida, for some photography work in November & December.

Wedding Picture Preview: Melissa & Lionel at Little Zion Baptist Church & Jerusalem Shrine Center in Louisiana

Rolls Royce Wedding in Lousiana

Melissa & Lionel pronounced their love at Little Zion Baptist Church in Kenner, La and celebrated their marriage at the Jerusalem Shrine Center in Destrehan.  I first witnessed the love in this couple’s eyes when I photographed their engagement session at the Spillway about six months ago.  They were obviously in love and really excited about their upcoming wedding. When the wedding day finally arrived everyone was excited and ready to go.  They had a short but sweet ceremony at the Baptist church with a crowded house full of friends & family.  Night quickly fell which instantly brought a sense of time to party!  The bride & groom were escorted to the reception at the Jerusalem Shrine Center in a beautiful white Rolls Royce.  A few wedding party pictures then it was time to be announced in and to start the celebration.  Lionel, a long-time Saints fan, had a Saints grooms cake (check out slideshow to see it), which of course I loved too!  After everyone filled up on a traditional Southern buffet of gumbo, jambalaya, and much more, it was time for some dancing!  Everyone was in high spirits and the dance floor stayed full, which was a constant entertainment for all….not quite sure if some of my dance & grind pictures are appropriate for this blog, but I’m sure the bride & groom will appreciate them!  Thanks Melissa & Lionel for having me be a part of your wedding day, it was truly a wedding to remember.

Play the slideshow below to see just a few of my favorite pictures below:

Destination wedding photography in Venice, Italy

I recently had the honor of traveling to Venice, Italy to photograph Talia & Kris’ destination wedding.  When I first met with this couple they were only considering hiring me for their Denver wedding, but after lots of meeting, talking, and negotiating they realized the importance of having the same photographer cover both events, as well as having an English speaking photographer that they could easily communicate with and trust to not only document their day, but provide them with quality images & albums after the wedding day.  I fell in love with Italy and the Italian culture after my first trip backpacking through the country many years ago.  So when I booked this job it truly was a dream come true for me to not only have the opportunity to go back, but to photograph a wedding there as well.  It was a spectacular wedding day, and I was so glad my husband was also able come along to assist.  I promised to wait till their Colorado wedding last night to post any pictures online, so that she could keep her dress a surprise to all of her Denver wedding guests.  However, with the extra time I was able to put together this spectacular mini-music video/slideshow below.  We displayed it for the very first time at their wedding reception last night at Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant, which was really neat to see the family’s reaction…full of lots of hugs, awes, and even tears.  For a glimpse into their amazing Italian destination wedding watch the video below and please leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Bride and Groom at Denver Art Museum

Wedding Picture Preview: Lisa & Mark at Holy Ghost Catholic Church & Grand Hyatt Denver

Lisa &Mark recently married at the beautiful Holy Ghost Church in downtown Denver.  As a photographer I’m always looking for visual contrast, and the old antique Holy Ghost Church set aside a tall towering modern glass sky-rise is about as architectural contrasting as you can get, which I love (play slideshow below to see what I mean)!  I also loved the top hats and canes that Mark had for all the men in the wedding party, it really went well with the pictures we took after the ceremony at Civic Center Park.  As we walked back to the car I couldn’t resist grabbing this quick shot on the left of Lisa & Mark on the side of the Denver Art Museum.  A reception at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Denver followed.  Every time I have worked at the Hyatt I have encountered nothing but superior service, and the food was awesome as well!  I was also impressed by the wide range of music Lisa & Mark selected, they were dancing to Latin one minute and African Ethiopian music the next!

After I photographed Lisa & Mark’s engagement session at Red Rocks (check out those pictures here), I knew documenting their wedding day would be a blast!  Other then the nervous butterflies, they were just as laid-back and fun to be around on their wedding day as they were at Red Rocks.  The dancing was intense, the toast were hilarious, and everyone enjoyed themselves for their wedding celebration. Play the slideshow below to view some of my favorite pictures from the day.