Wedding Advice

Planning a wedding can be tough! There’s a lot that goes into it and so many details to keep track of. One thing I pride myself on is helping my couples throughout the year so their day can be perfect!

So I decided to reach out to some past brides of mine and get their opinion on what they learned about their wedding day. You might notice there is a little bit of a theme :) Hopefully this advice can help my future AJP brides out while they are planning their own big day!

“I researched all my vendors very hard and loved everyone of them so I’m glad I took the time to do that extra work.

Looking back, paying for a day of coordinator would have helped with unnecessary stress. With that, my best advice is roll with the punches! For example, I didn’t do a bouquet toss because I didn’t want everyone to leave the dance floor since we were having a blast and I have zero regrets of that. Overall, it will be a great day whether it goes according to plan or not.”- Kristen

“I would say my advice is to not be afraid to ditch traditional wedding ideas and make it your own. At the end of the day, you are marrying your best friend and it’s a fun opportunity to showcase your relationship in the details.”- Abby

“RELAX - you’ve planned for months, something will definitely go wrong but you will be the only one who knows. At the end of the day you’re marrying your best friend so let everything else go and just enjoy the moment!

Hire a day of coordinator! Even if you plan everything yourself, have one person who does it professionally to execute your plans.

Let Austin steal you away and take sunset/golden hour photos. I’m so glad we took that time away because those are some of my favorite photos from our wedding!”- Andrea

“The advice I have been giving is that this is the one day in your life that is totally yours. Yes, you’ll have tons of amazing photos to remember it, but take mental screenshots of your day. Stop at certain times and take a mental picture. And after…remember that marriage isn’t hard. Life is hard!”- Alison

“To anyone I know getting married, I have always given the advice to do a two year engagement if possible. I understand some brides have specific dates they want to meet but if you have the option, do two years. It helped out financially to where we didn’t have any debt after the wedding, I had time to really think about what was and was not a priority, and I got to enjoy it instead of stressing over the timeline.

My other piece of advice would be to not worry about perfection. I had a vision in my head and that is exactly how I wanted that day to go but when I woke up that morning, I could not have cared less about the small little details I obsessed about. No one is going to notice if the centerpieces were flowers or candles. No one will notice if the braid in your hair it perfectly shaped. No one will notice if your flower girl was holding a basket or a teddy bear. Make sure the food is good, the DJ is good, and the photographer is good. Everything else is the small stuff that only you would notice.”- Martha

“Let the photographer run the day/schedule. This is so huge or else we would have been late to everything for our wedding!

Have fun with the pictures. Some of my favorites are ones that were spontaneous or Austin came up with. -try to really enjoy the day cause it goes by so fast. Things are going to go wrong that day that are out of your control. No one will notice but you and you will still get married and have a wonderful day!”- Lizzie

“Don’t stress over the little details- no is paying as close of attention as you think! It’s one day and goes by sooo quickly. Do what feels right- forget what everyone else does at their weddings! Just think about what makes you and your boo happy and do that.

Have a schedule for the day so it runs smoothly but make it flexible and leave extra time so you don’t feel rushed! Spend just as much (if not more haha) time preparing for marriage as you do for the wedding ceremony.

Trust your band, DJ, florists and photographers to do their jobs! They know what they are doing and will do a wonderful job! Don’t spend more than you are comfortable with and prioritize what matters most! Don’t be afraid to be a little different/out of the box. Most importantly have fun! Enjoy every moment of it!”- Annie

Paige + Ryan Mt. Falcon Engagement

What a fun session at Mt. Falcon out here in Denver!! Despite it being a bit dark and chilly we got some truly awesome pictures of Paige and Ryan for their engagement session! It even started snowing on the way back to the cars, so of course we had to get a few of them together in the falling snowflakes. These two are a ton of fun and I can’t wait for the wedding! Here are a few more from their session! Enjoy!

Of course had to start out with pics of their best friend, Duke!

Wedding Doggos

Some of my favorite pictures form wedding day or my engagement sessions are the ones where my couples include their furry friends! And we all know out here in Denver, everybody loves their pups! If you’re thinking of including you pet in your pictures for the big day, I can guarantee you with a little planning we can get some great memories of you all together! Here are a few examples of some wedding pups and a cat too!

Wedding attire for the pup is such a cute idea for photos!

A special bandana is a great way to commemorate the engagement with your pup!

There’s tons of options to get your doggo ready for the day :)

And sometimes all you need is a good mountain backdrop!

Or a beautiful forest!

You can even do a first look!

The more the merrier :)

So if you’d like to include your doggo in your engagement or wedding we have plenty of options!

And that includes your kitties as well!

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!

All In The Details

It all begins with the DETAILS! In some ways the details set the look for the whole wedding and gives way to the style of the day! For my brides out there, this blog is a guide for what you should expect from your detail photos as well as some tips on what you should include for your day. From everything to your rings to the invitations, to the dress.. they all encompass your big day and deserve some spotlight!

Gather The Goods

First things first, I want to list out a lot common details I shoot. This will give you a good idea of what details you may want to include on your wedding day! Make sure you have all of these items in one spot wherever you are getting ready so I can get right to work creating beautiful details for you. Here’s a short list:

• The dress

• The Rings (All Three Of Them)

• Jewelry

• Shoes

• Perfume

• Veil/ Hair Pieces

• Invitations

• Bouquet

• Gifts

• Sentimental Items

The invitations give a great focus point for your detail photos!

And showing off your colors will truly make your details your own!

Keep All Three Rings

The most common detail missing when I arrive are the rings! So make sure you have all of them with you when you’re getting ready. Don’t worry we will get the groom’s ring back to him :) If you do forget, no worries, we can always get a ring shot at the reception if there’s extra time!

Don’t Forget The Bouquet

Have the bouquet delivered to the bride before first looks so we can have them for the bridal portraits. Don’t worry we will make sure to keep them in water if it’s a hot day so they still look great for the ceremony!

Gifts Make For Fun Pics!

Whether they’re gifts for the bride/groom or for groomsmen/bridesmaids, they make for a great personal touch for your detail shots! If you do want photos of gifts for your wedding party, just make sure everyone has them on hand at the beginning of the day!

Dress shots always make great details!

Clean The Ring

For your engagement session as well as wedding day, make sure you get your ring cleaned ahead of time. That it looks breathtaking when I get those up close ring shots!

Leave the Reception Details To Me

Your reception details should be all taken care of for you, so leave all of that to me! Typically I’ll get those photos during cocktail hour or before entrances. So relax, I got this :)

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!

Engagement Session Tips

I totally get it! It can be a little intimidating having your picture taken, especially engagement sessions when the photos are a little more intimate. Prepping for an engagement session can be a little stressful as well! What do you wear? What does your fiance wear? How many outfits do you need? Well hopefully I can help with some of these tips for your session!

1. Don’t try to match your outfits exactly! Try to coordinate your colors and accessories instead. Outfits that compliment each other instead of match are going to create a great look for your engagement photos!

2. Most patterns are actually ok as long as they don’t have graphics on them. If you are wearing a pattern just make sure it is not overwhelming or distracting for the photos!

3. Don’t be afraid to be bold! Make your outfits your own and something you feel shows off who you are. Fun shoes or scarves are some examples of accessories!

4. Most of the time, my couples bring two outfits along for the session. One that’s casual and a little more fun, the other being more dressy and romantic. This will give you two different looks for your session and gets you even more variety!

5. If you have a pup you want to bring with you I’m all for it! I love doing photos of couples with their furry friends! Just make sure you have a friend or family member that can take care of your pup when they’re not in the photos.

6. Make sure you empty your pockets before the session! This includes keys and phones (for the guys you can put your phone in your back pocket).

7. Be on time for your session! We will only have so much time before the sun goes down, so the later you are unfortunately the less photos we’ll be able to get.

8. Create something unique and true to you as a couple! The best part is we can do literally anything for your engagement shoot. What do you two love to do together? What do you see when you think of yourselves as a couple? I’ve done everything from a cooking session in a couple’s home to an epic mountain session! Don’t be afraid to be unique to who you are.

9. Make a day of it! Incorporate your session into a day long date. Take advantage of having the time together. Have a dinner date afterward and just enjoy each other!

10. And finally just relax! You don’t have to be a pro at this! That’s what I’m here for and I’ll help you along the way. We’ll have fun with it!

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!

Cassie + Thomas Boulder Engagement

From the moment I met them out for beers at Seedstock Brewery, I knew Cassie and Thomas were going to be a lot of fun to work with! They were just so easy going and clearly loved being around each other, which is what I always look for in my couples. They have such a great story meeting in Minneapolis and eventually finding each other again Denver. Which is fantastic because, based on the time I’ve spent with them, they clearly belong together!

Fast forward to their engagement session this past Friday and they absolutely did not disappoint! Of course, we created some very epic and beautiful mountain photos, but my favorite parts were all the fun, little moments we were able to capture. Don’t get me wrong, ever since I moved out to Colorado these mountain photos are a dream! But I’ll always adore the small, fun moments more than anything else. I can’t wait to capture more of Cassie and Thomas’ moments together when they get married in September! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these photos from their engagement session!

I mean right from the beginning these two were just having so much fun!

We started at Chautauqua Park and found some great spots!

We almost walked right past this spot, but there was no way I was passing up this gorgeous light!

I just love how much these two enjoy each other!

After Chautauqua Park we made it up to the Lost Gulch Overlook… and wow what a view! I loved that Cassie and Thomas were totally up for navigating these giant boulders in their dress clothes. Honestly, Cassie did better in her heels than I did in my trail runners…

So gorgeous!!

Nothing like getting your dance on at the top of a mountain!

Telluride+ Mesa Verde+ Ouray Trip

Moving out to Denver recently, I was completely sure what I had gotten myself into… and so far it’s been everything I could have hoped for! Being out here I get to be near some of my closest friends and I’ve been able to meet some new people as well! So when a bunch of us decided to take a trip down to Telluride, I was so pumped! My first trip since moving to Denver and it’s in one of the most beautiful areas in the country, I was more than happy to sign up for that.

We started with a visit to Mesa Verde and it was absolutely stunning!!! The colors, the canyons, the mountains… everything about it seemed out of a painting!

Mesa Verde was unbelievable!! We did dinner at the cabin and enjoyed the evening with games and good company. But we needed some action the next day and we had the perfect hill for sledding! So of course I took pictures and they are absolutely hilarious!

It was so much fun and pretty ridiculous honestly! Finally we made our trip out to Telluride and I’ll tell you what the views did not disappoint!

What a trip! We finally capped it off with a stop in the authentic mountain town of Ouray!

I gotta say what a hell of a first trip out in Colorado!! I had so much fun with old friends and new ones. Definitely a trip I won’t forget and I can’t wait to go back!

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!