Colorado Wedding Photographer | Silverthorne Pavillion

Weddings are expensive.  Everyone knows this, and most of us complain about it, especially when we are in the midst of planning our own.  Obviously, the big things cost money – like the food, the booze, the reception hall.  But even the little things add up.  Paper for place cards and programs, matching chair covers and tablecloths, extra special wedding day undies and an impossible, confusing bustier contraption that you will likely never wear again… or maybe you’ll wear it forever because you can’t figure out how to get it off.   Haha.  If you’re like me at my own wedding, you even spend money on MILLIONS of yards of twine and ribbon and lace so that EVERYTHING COORDINATES!!!!

Yes, weddings are expensive.  They can be super expensive if you let them or want them to be.  But weddings can also be perfectly planned, designed, decorated, and executed while saving money on things you love to do yourself.  I’ve worked with some incredible DIY brides, and I was one myself, ahem, I was a DIY bride… I’ll leave off the incredible part.  🙂  I wrapped canvases in cool fabric for decor, I made my own invitations, I hosted a girls’ brunch and made my friends help me decorate hundreds of jars while drinking mimosas.  A super talented friend of ours designed our favors.  Another talented friend put together a video montage to show at the reception.  And like I said, I wrapped everything in twine.  Everything.  Yes, we saved some money that way.  But what also happened is that our wedding was full of personal touches and little things that meant something to us.

Don’t get me wrong.  We splurged too.  We decided what was important to us – incredible food, a well-stocked and free-flowing bar, and photographs that would serve as our memories for years to come.  But we found ways to add ourselves and our talents to the details of the day, and in doing so, we also found ways to save some money.  Double win!

Kelsey was one of those brides too.  She found little ways to add personal touches; the decor and the details reflected her taste, and the day was a true fruit of her labor and love.  Not only did it mean that she & Justin got to use power tools (YES!) but it meant that their wedding day really was about them, by them, for them. Of all the handmade items, I especially loved the simple, yet gorgeous, bouquets that the girls carried, the cool aspen branch place card holder, and the rustic wall art that served as their guest book.

The focus of their day was on their love and celebrating that love with friends and family.  It was beautiful, tasteful, colorful and just FULL.  Full of laughter and hugs and tears and emotion.  I joke about the fact that I cry at weddings but that luckily I’ve learned to shoot through the tears.  Well, this was one of those days.  But I also laughed a ton and absolutely adored these two and their obvious connection.  Kelsey and Justin are two of the most real, genuine, authentic, fun-loving people I’ve ever been lucky enough to photograph and get to know.  That showed up in their DIY details, and I think that shows up in their pictures, too.  That makes me so happy.

Something else I was happy about?  The aspens in early October in Colorado are wow.  Just wow.

The perfect wedding venue: Silverthorne Pavillion

Delicious food & fabulous presentation: Gilchrist Catering

Party atmosphere: Maestro Mobile Music