{real Mountain Wedding} Dani + Joe: Ceremony at St. Mary's Catholic Church / Reception at the Silverthorne Pavilion
This real mountain wedding photoblog is all about the wedding day of a local Summit County couple who were married in St. Mary's Catholic Church in Breckenridge. The reception was held later at the Silverthorne Pavilion.
We received a submission via Two Bright Lights from April O'Hare Photography and these beautiful photos tell the story of Dani and Joe. Our goal is to show more real mountain weddings, so if you or someone you know was recently married in the Breckenridge and Vail areas, please contact us!
I always like to hear the stories from other vendors, and feel like it's a good way to get to know them better. If you like these photos, please mention this blog when contacting April. Thanks a lot!
Q. What tips / advice would you give to a couple considering a destination wedding in Keystone or Summit County?
A. While I haven't personally planned my own wedding in the mountains, I would definitely advise a bride and groom on giving their guests who are not from the area as much info about preparing for high altitude as possible. I'll never forget the wedding I did where the groom's mom got a severe case of altitude sickness and almost wasn't able to witness the ceremony. Some guests may not realize that there are things they can do to avoid it like drink a ton of water and go easier on the alcohol than they would if they live closer to sea level.
Q. What are some fun ideas for engagement photoshoots in the mountains?
A. This isn't exactly unique, but I cannot get enough Aspens in my photos. Love those trees at any time of the year. They're just gorgeous.
And, I don't know if this counts as "the mountains" but I think it's close enough. I have been dying to photograph an engagement session in Manitou Springs. They have this really beautiful vibrant shopping district set against the beautiful mountains as well as a really kick ass gigantic old school penny arcade too! Hit me up if you want to do your engagement photos there!
Q. What kinds of questions would you recommend the bride and groom ask their potential photographers?
A. I think one of the best things you can ask your photographer is to see a few full weddings so you can see more than just the best shots shown in their portfolio and blog. You want to make sure they have consistent work throughout the day and that the images taken during the reception when there is normally less light still look good. It doesn't hurt to see if they have photographed at your venue too. If they have then it's nice to see how their photos turned out when they photographed there.
Q. What's the best way to work with wedding photographers?
A. Try to be open to their timeline suggestions. Most wedding photographers realize that your wedding day is not meant to be one long photoshoot, but if you suprise them with a huge formals list on the day of and haven't built in enough time to take those photos you will be disappointed that they aren't able to get through all of them. Your photographer is also likely to have some good ideas regarding what time of day will look good for your pictures. Often the prettiest light falls during your reception. If you are flexible and take 10-15 min away from the party for some shots of the two of you alone you will likely be pleasantly surprised with the results. Some of my favorite shots of the newlyweds are taken during that short window of time near sunset.
Q. Favorite part of Colorado? Favorite Restaurant in Denver? And, one more. Last concert seen.
A. Oh man, favorite part of Colorado? I think that depends on my mood:) I have to admit to being a a city girl at heart so spending a summer day walking around shopping in the South Broadway area in the Baker neighborhood and sipping on a mocha or stopping in for a microbrew at The Walnut Room is hard to beat.
Although I will say that I LOVE being a wedding photographer in Colorado because it gives me an excuse to get up to the mountains on a regular basis:) I am particularly fond of going to hot springs. Strawberry Springs in Steamboat is high up on my list but I still have many that I want to visit like Hot Sulphur Springs which is closer to Keystone.
My favorite kind of food is Mexican and I'm partial to green chili. In my opinion, the best green chili in Denver can be found at Santiago's. I go to the one on Leetsdale or the one on 6th and Santa Fe all the time:)
As for concerts I haven't been going to as many as I used to when I was younger. I think the last one I went to was Snoop Dogg at the Fillmore. And I'm thinking about maybe going to see Morrissey in February.
// VENDORS
Photographer: April O'Hare Photography
Ceremony: St. Mary's Catholic Church
Reception: Venue: Silverthorne Pavillion
Flowers and Decor: DIY (Do-it-Yourself)