Stanley Hotel Pavilion Wedding | Chelsea + Jayce

What a day it was for Chelsea and Jayce for their Stanley Hotel Pavilion wedding! Photographically they got a bit of everything for this one. From the old architecture of Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church to the stunning fall colors and mountain backdrops of Rocky Mountain National Park to the beautiful scenery of The Stanley Hotel. This wedding really had it all! It was such a great, intimate wedding for these two and the day went perfect! Their classic black and white colors went so perfect with every aspect of the day and it was such a lighthearted mood for everyone. Chelsea and Jayce were such a sweet couple and I absolutely loved working with these two.

The Stanley Hotel Pavilion is such gorgeous venue for a wedding! An off shoot next door to main hotel, it’s specifically for events and has an amazing style to it. Starting with the beautiful front entrance with classically elegant columns, it makes for some fantastic couple portraits! The first floor was perfect for their cocktail hour with so much space and a sitting room for any guests that would like to relax. The getting ready area on the second floor was perfect for Chelsea’s photos to start the day, with a beautiful staircase and classic mirrors around the area. Finally we hit the party in the reception area with wood flooring and perfect lighting for dinner and dancing! And how can I forget the auditorium with the giant glass door that opens onto a perfect little pond! Some of my favorite pictures from the day :)

Congratulations to you both and I hope you enjoy these memories from your big day!

Jenna + Sam’s Black Forest Wedding - Denver Wedding Photographer

Jenna and Sam had such a perfect day and I have the pictures to prove it! We’ve had quite the road from when they first decided to entrust me with their big day! From flying out to Omaha for their engagement session to the wedding in Colorado Springs where these two made their home early this year, it’s been so great getting to know Jenna and Sam! Black Forest by Wedgewood is that perfect spot to get those beautiful photos through the trees with the sun peeking through. The photos turned out so dreamy and then the reception was an absolute blast! These two certainly know how to have fun and they really made the most out of their wedding day :) Congrats to both of you and I hope you enjoy the photos!

Tessa + Chase’s Boulder, CO Wedding- Denver Wedding Photographer

Brunch weddings are always so pretty and as a photographer they are so easy going sometimes it doesn’t even feel like your working! Tessa, Chase, and their family traveled over from Nebraska to have an absolutely beautiful wedding at the Flagstaff House in Boulder, CO. From the ceremony we got some amazing portraits at Chautauqua Park and Lost Gulch Lookout because I mean you can’t beat those mountain views! Tessa and Chase were so fun and down to earth it made it very easy to work with them. The love absolutely filled the room with all of their family there to celebrate! Here are some of the memories from the day that I hope you enjoy!

Megan + David’s Willow Ridge Manor Wedding- Denver Wedding Photographer

Megan and David’s wedding was one for the books! Held at the beautiful Willow Ridge Manor in Colorado, this wedding was absolutely perfect and with nearly everything being held outside, you couldn’t have asked for better weather. From the getting ready photos with all of the beautiful antique mirrors to some fun pictures with the red rocks, everything leading up to the ceremony was so laid back and easy going which is exactly what these two wanted! The ceremony out in the back couldn’t have gone any better and we had so much fun dancing for the reception! I’ve gotten to know Megan and David over the year and the experience with them has been so great! When I talk about my kind of couples these two fit that bill exactly. Congratulations to both of you! Enjoy the honeymoon and I hope you enjoy this blog of your big day!

Haley + Joe’s Blanc Wedding- Denver Wedding Photographer

Ahhh I love city weddings!! Coming from photographing weddings in St. Louis, these downtown city weddings bring me back and it’s such great nostalgia for me! Haley and Joe had a beautiful wedding at Blanc in the Rino district of Denver, CO and it could not have been more perfect! Blanc provided those gorgeous green backdrops for the ceremony and we got to take a little walk through the neighborhood and get those fun urban wedding photos. Haley and Joe were so fun to work with and the wedding day was so chill and easy going which fit their personalities perfectly! We didn’t let a little rain scare us away and we ended up with some beautiful green because of it. Congratulations to both of you and I hope you all enjoy these memories from the day!

Haleigh + Brian Golden, CO Wedding- Denver Wedding Photographer

Haleigh and Brian’s wedding had it all! Tons of laughs, sweet moments, and killer dance moves :) Not only that but we got some beautiful mountain backdrops along the flatirons and ,despite a short rain break, these two had some amazing moments together and with their best friends. After the mountains, they had a beautiful garden ceremony at Table Mountain Weddings and Events followed by all the dancing and yard games! Haleigh and Brian were so much fun to work with and their wedding day was an absolute blast! It was great celebrating with you two and here are some memories from the day!

Cynthia + Chris Shupe Homestead Wedding- Denver Wedding Photographer

Cynthia and Chris’ wedding day was so full of love and laughter, it was hard not be taken up in it! These two are so genuine and I loved their engagement session so much, I knew the wedding day would be such memorable time. And they did not disappoint! Their venue, Shupe Homestead, has it all!. From the gorgeous Colorado mountain view to the intimate lawn ceremony to the beautiful lights and decor of the reception space, there was so much to love! It was such an honor being able to capture the day and Cynthia + Chris’ love and I hope you all enjoy looking back on it like I have. Congrats you two!

Meet Austin- Denver Wedding Photographer

Hi everyone! I just wanted to reintroduce myself, ya know, the guy behind the camera! With a new year comes some new pictures of me so why not start here :)

Well first I can tell you I’m Austin from Austin James Photography if it wasn’t fairly obvious.. Below I’m just wanted to share a bit about me and why I love what I do here!

First off a few facts about myself!

• I absolutely love meeting new people and making connections with my couples is one of my favorite parts of what I do and a big reason why I got into the wedding business!

• I moved out to Denver 3 years ago from St. Louis and haven’t looked back! It’s been such a journey rebuilding my business out here from scratch and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

• I would consider myself a extroverted and very optimistic person, but I also like to think I’m a calming force when things can get stressful. I really thrive in those quick decision moments and at the same time I’m always having fun with it :)

• I am a cat dad to my best boy Gus Gus (pic at the bottom)! Named after the mouse from Cinderella, he !00% grew into the name haha. I’ve had him for 11 years now and he is my cuddly, chunky baby boy!

• I adore music live or around the house! I would say I’m listening to music 90% of the time while I’m working.. current jam while I’m typing this: A Little Honey by Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats (shoutout Hermann, MO). Also with this it takes absolutely no effort to get me on the dance floor boppin!

• I am a big foodie! My zen time is cooking with a glass of wine and some music going on the record player. I love to experiment and try new recipes out, I probably have way too many go to’s at this point..

• I love the balance of being out and about with friends and then also a movie or game night in all cuddled up. WInter is definitely a great season for that!

• I consider myself very organized when it comes to the business. I am all about helping my couples plan throughout the year and getting a perfect timeline so it’s a amazing stress free day for them!

Let me kick back with a glass of wine or whiskey and I am golden!

Now onto why I love being in the wedding photography industry and how that helps make your day everything you’ve dreamed about!

Let’s be friends!!

I mentioned before I LOVE getting to know my couples throughout the year and really understanding who they are! Booking with me means we’ll hang out a few times over the year and just get to know each other! We can kick back with a drink, grab lunch, or do a little photo session with you two (or if you’re out of town I’m always down for a video chat!). We absolutely can talk wedding or just get to know each other better. Not only do I love making those personal connections, but it really makes my couples feel that comfort in knowing who you are spending a lot of time with on your wedding day.

That moment when I first come into the bridal suite and can give the bride a big hug and congrats because we’ve gotten to know each other is such a huge thing. A big reason I get so much personality in my photos is because my couples feel so at ease and THAT is something that really comes with becoming friends throughout the entire process!

I want to help you with any questions you have and we can really dig into the timeline so you get those breaks and moments alone with your significant other. Don’t get me I love photography and It’s a huge passion of mine. But really making that connection with my couples makes it feel like it’s not even a job and I’m celebrating along with the rest of the crowd! If you value personal connection along with the comfortability that comes along with it, then I’m your guy!

So if you’re getting married in Denver and you feel a personal connection with your photographer is something that might be important to you, I would love for you to reach out and see if we’re a good fit!

Contact Austin

Also solid Gus pic below :)

Callie + Chris Moss Denver Wedding

Callie and Chris’ big day was the absolute perfect way to end my wedding season! With a beautiful church ceremony at Good Shepherd Catholic Church and a fun reception at Denver Moss, the day was so easy going and these two really got to show off their love for each other. Getting two know Callie and Chris over the course of the year was such a pleasure makes me really appreciate my job :) We ended up with some absolutely stunning images throughout the day and congrats to both of you! Here’s a preview of the day, hope you enjoy!

Kelsey + Dylan Roxborough Park Engagement

Being theatre kids, Kelsey and Dylan really brought the energy to this session! Being out at Roxborough Park just south of Denver, we got to have a beautiful back drop of all the red rocks! From sweet, romantic photos to dancing goofy in a field these two really showed off their personalities :) I can’t wait for their wedding, but for now here are some photos from this super fun engagement session!

Evelyn and Andrew Boulder Engagement

Evelyn and Andrew came all the way to Colorado from Houston to get these beautiful mountain pictures! We ended up going with Boulder because that front range is absolutely gorgeous :) We had so much fun together at Chautauqua Park and the Lost Gulch Overlook and got some amazing pictures on top of that! Check out some of their photos below!

Emily + Zach Boulder Engagement Session

When Emily got in contact with me saying they were coming up from Florida and wanted an engagement session out in the mountains, I was so down for it! Even more she mentioned she loved my Boulder sessions, which is one of my favorite spots, so I was even more excited! I love when couples from out of state come to Denver for shoots with me and these two were so good at working with the camera. I barely had to prompt them half the time, they were so happy and into each other! And you can 100% see it in the photos! Anyway here are a few from their Boulder engagement session!

We started at Chautauqua Park, where these two were having so much fun out in the fields!

It really was infections, made me smile the whole time :)

And then of course we had to go to Lost Gulch Overlook!

These views are just insane!

Cassie + Thomas Estes Park Wedding

After planning all year for it, finally Cassie and Thomas’ big day came! And it was absolutely beautiful!! The weather was perfect, the aspens were turning that gorgeous yellow, and all of their family and friends were in Estes Park to celebrate! One thing Cassie and Thomas were hoping for were those beautiful Autumn colors on their wedding and the day did not disappoint! Lily Lake had some of that great color they were looking for and then some! These two could not stop smiling and laughing with each other… and that makes for some great photos :) I had such a great experience working with these two and I’m so happy their day was so perfect! Congrats again you two and I can’t wait to get the rest of these photos to you!

Katie + Tim Mount Falcon Engagement Session

Third time’s a charm with this Katie and Tim’s engagement session! With a couple reschedules with the last one due to weather, we just beat out the rain for a perfect evening at Mount Falcon just outside of Denver! These two are so easy to get along with and made for such an easy session. They even brought along their pup, Scotty, who got in on the fun! Here’s a few from their session and I can’t wait for the wedding next May!

Big love for Scotty!

Such a good boy!

Loved the views out here!

And we had a little fun too :)

Your Final Photos

Some of my favorite pictures from my weddings are the final photos we do at the end of the night before I wrap up! These photos let me get creative with flash and will get you something very different from everything else we have gotten throughout the day. Another great reason for these is that it gives you a chance to have a little bit of time with your new husband or wife away from the hustle and bustle of the wedding night. It gives you two time to take a breather and just enjoy each others company! Plus it makes for some really cool photos! Here are a few examples below:

Jenny + David Boulder Engagement Session

Jenny and David came all the way from Missouri to get some beautiful mountain photos out in Boulder… well we got even more than that! After a good 20 minutes of rain we had to make decision if we were gonna stick it out, and wow were we glad we did! I’m honestly not sure if I’ve seen a double rainbow up close before let alone during an engagement session. I mean if that’s not a great sign for them, I don’t know what is!

On top of that we got some more great photos in El Dorado Springs and The Lost Gulch Overlook! Congrats you two and can’t wait for the wedding next year! Here’s a few from their session! Enjoy!

First we started in El Dorado Springs, right outside of Boulder, CO

And then the rain came… but these two were great sports!

When it stopped we got such a great surprise!

and then on to the beautiful Lost Gulch Overlook!

It was such a fun day with you two! Congrats again!

Chirco Family Session

One of the big pros of having some St. Louis weddings left, is being able to spend some time with my sister and her family! It’s been really great seeing them when I’ve been back in town and it’s really cool seeing my nephew Jackson and my niece Cami grow up right in front of me! So of course when they wanted me to do a lifestyle family session for them, I wasn’t going to say no. We had so much fun during the session and the kids did so great! I was a very proud Uncle :) I just wanted to share a few of these cute kids here on the blog!

These two love to have a lot of fun together :)

Dancing fun!

Such a cute family!

And of course we had to jump on the bed!

Momma and baby Cami

These two did so well!!

And finally finished off with some ice cream!

It was definitely a good day!

Buena Vista Camping Trip

With the recent move out to Denver, I’m certainly taking advantage of the slower than usual wedding season! As I’m booking weddings for fall and the 2022 season, I’m really grateful to have this time off from weddings to truly enjoy my new home state! This past weekend was my first camping and fishing experience since I’ve been out here and I gotta say it was pretty incredible. Surrounded by great friends and awesome scenery, I will be sure to take advantage of it more often! Anyway here are a few photos from the trip that I wanted to share, so enjoy!

Yes there will be lots of dog pics… I mean can you blame me?

I’m so used to camping in the woods, that I was not expecting this wide open area surrounded by mountains! So beautiful!

The pups were definitely enjoying themselves!

And then there was the fishing spot…..

The trout may have been small, but they put up a fight! Or at least I like to think so…

Especially this fella :)

And the stars! This was a 30 second exposure that got an awesome view of the sky we were sleeping under.

All in all it was an incredible weekend and makes so thankful that I have this time to spend with good friends in an amazing state like Colorado!

Emily + Ben

So I just had my third photo session with Emily and Ben… and now we’ve officially taken photos together in our third different state!! From Texas to Missouri to Colorado, I can’t get over the fact that it feels like we’ve been everywhere together! Back in the 2019, these two chose me to capture their big day and I never would have guessed two years later we’d be doing Ben’s headshots in a completely different city!

The first time we met, I was living in St. Louis and they were in Houston.. so of course I flew out to Houston to capture their engagement session. It was about 99 degrees out, but it turned out amazing! Fast forward a few months and these two had such a fun wedding in STL, disney theme included! Some of my favorite candid shots came from Ben and Emily’s wedding and I remember her dress being straight out of storybook. These two have so much fun and laughter together it can be infectious!

Two years later, I’m out here in Denver and was thrilled to find out these two had come out to Colorado as well! So of course I said yes when Ben asked if I could do some headshots for him… plus a few of them together for old times sake :) Easily my favorite part of this job is getting to know my couples and it’s so cool seeing some of them grow over the years. I’m so blessed and honored that I could see Emily and Ben again to capture them one more time… in a third state no less!!

Through the years :)

I can’t believe this engagement shoot was two years ago!

First stop.. Houston!

And then the wedding in St. Louis!!

And here we are two years later taking pictures in the mountains of Colorado!

What a journey it’s been with you two.. wouldn’t change a thing! I’ve loved working with you two!

Sarah + Adam Mountain Session

Wow taking these photos of Sarah and Adam brings back some big nostalgia vibes! Years ago, in St. Louis, these two were my first ever portrait shoot and now here we are again. Although this time they were willing to get back into their wedding attire and relive a little bit of their own nostalgia!

Needless to say the pictures turned out so gorgeous!!! Sarah looked just as beautiful in her wedding dress as she did the first time she wore it! And Adam looked great in his suit.. they complimented each other perfectly. It was just as if I was back at their wedding two years ago in STL, expect for the insane mountain views!

When some of us decided to take a trip out to the mountains near Telluride, we figured why not get some epic Colorado photos while we’re at it. Sarah and Adam have been good friends of mine for a long time and have been two of my biggest supporters on this photography journey of mine, so I'm very grateful for them and just wanted to say thank you! Thank you for always rooting for me, for your unwavering support, and, of course, for letting me use you as my models from St. Louis to Telluride! Can’t wait to take your 50th anniversary photos years down the road :)

From my very first portrait shoot to my latest! It’s been a fun four years!

So beautiful in that dress!!

I absolutely love veil shots and this one turned out great!

That backdrop though….

Gotta show off the dress!

Little behind the scenes action!