You may have seen some of those magical photos I posted on Facebook of a wedding I shot back in November. From the castle to the snow and sparklers to the beautiful couple, it was a photographer's dream! It truly was a picture-perfect wedding and my husband and I were incredibly lucky to capture the moments of the day. Many people have asked how I landed THAT job. Well here's a little secret, Jenny is my cousin and now Dan is family too. :)
Even though Jenny and I don't see each other often, we got to catch up last year in Montana over Easter. That's when I got to hear all about Dan, her boyfriend at the time, and she got to hear all about my new photography business. After telling me how great Dan was, Jenny asked me one of the hardest and easiest questions to answer. One that we all ask ourselves. "How do I know if he's the one? Of course, I replied "You just know." That's the simple truth but not what she she wanted to hear!
In an attempt to try and explain to her how you just know I remembered what my sister told me years ago when I asked her the same thing. I asked Jenny what my sister asked me. "Is Dan a good man? Does he love you? Do you love him? Does he make you happy? Does he make you laugh? Can you see yourself with him in the future? If so, then what could be wrong about that?"
Such simple questions and such simple answers. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes and yes! Sometimes what you think may be the most complicated and difficult decision you'll have make, ends up being the easiest. Jenny had no hesitation saying YES when Dan asked her to be his wife at the Botanical Gardens in Denver earlier this year. She just knew. :) I was thrilled when I heard the news and even more ecstatic when Jenny asked me to be her wedding photographer.
They couldn't have picked a more perfect place. The Highlands Ranch Mansion, outside of Denver, was full of beautiful and quirky rooms, halls, windows and doorways. It was warm and cozy on a cold November day. We were all a little worried when the forecast called for snow and 20's, but it ended up just adding to the magic of it all! Dan and Jenny's HUGE wedding party enthusiastically braved the cold and we got some fun snowflakey photos.
Jenny was super organized and created a timeline with down-to-the-minute plans. I called myself "organized bride" when I got married, so I guess it runs in the family. :) Surprisingly, I ended up loving the little moments that were made outside of the timeline. We didn't plan to do a "first look" with Jenny's dad, but the moment he saw her in her gown was priceless. I also got to capture the moment when her mom decided to give Jenny one of her rings for "something blue". The funny thing about that is Jenny didn't realize she didn't even have anything blue until the day before. The girls also planned to pray right before the ceremony and I asked Jenny if I could be there for that. Those are some of my favorite photos from the day.
I also love the story behind the flowers. You'll see in the photos they were beautiful, eclectic and unique. What's so neat about them is that Jenny's friends actually put many of them together! The owner of Orchid Princess actually taught the girls how to arrange them. All of the bouquets, except Jenny's, and the boutonnieres were hand made by them. How cool is that?! Another moment that touched me more than I expected was after the toasts when the guests were surprised with a flash mob. Dozens of their friends got up and started dancing to a song they choreographed and performed just for that night. You have to see the video! Halfway through Jenny and Dan jumped in and the dancing never stopped! It was clear to see just how many lives Jenny and Dan have impacted over the years and how much they mean to their friends and family. They are going to make a wonderful married couple and I can't wait to see what life has in store for them!
From the early morning hours with coffee and makeup to the final minutes of smiles and sparklers, it was amazing to see the day unfold. This wedding touched my heart not only because I love the couple, but because I got to witness of all the love, prayer, help, creativity and thought that made it so magical.
Lots of love,
Courtney
P.S. if you want to see the pictures in more detail just click on them!
