Heidi and Aaron were married last month in Colorado Springs at the Charis Christian Center with their reception at the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and first look and portrait time at Garden of the Gods. They were an amazing couple to begin 2011 with–full of excitement and fun and emotion. I cried like a baby during the mother-son dance, and we were having so much fun with them during the cocktail hour portraits that we could have easily kept shooting for another hour and forced all the guests to go hungry!
After getting ready at the Charis Christian Center, they rode separately to Garden of the Gods so we could do their first look there. We got sooo lucky on the weather–middle of March, and it was in the high 60s and sunny! That brought out the tourists, so there were plenty of witnesses for the first look!
After the smiles and hugs and kisses and tears we took some pictures of the wedding party.
Bride with bridesmaids in green dresses at Garden of the Gods
Groom with groomsmen at Garden of the Gods
Wedding party with view of mountains at Garden of the Gods
More proof that a first look doesn’t spoil the ‘down the aisle’ moment. Here’s Aaron as he watched Heidi and her dad walk down the aisle toward him.
Heidi and Aaron planted a tree together during their ceremony–one of very few traditions I haven’t seen before!
Bride and groom after the wedding ceremony
Bride and groom exit Charis Christian Center church with bubbles
Since their portrait time before the ceremony coincided with the most harsh light of the day, they’d also made plans to have more ‘couple only’ portraits taken during the cocktail hour. It was a good thing, too, since right after we got the pictures of the wedding party, the wind kicked up in epic fashion, and when we returned after the ceremony the wind had died down to a respectable level. The light was perfect, and we could have spent hours clicking away!
Bride and groom on stone bridge with Colorado Springs mountain view
There were a handful of little kids having their portraits taken, and they kept heckling Heidi and Aaron with cheers of “kiss, kiss, kiss!” Until Heidi and Aaron REALLY kissed, at which point the cheers turned to “EEEEEW”
Bride and groom closeup
Bride and groom laying on a quilt
Wedding portraits at Garden of the Gods
After one of the most relaxed and fun portrait sessions we’ve ever had with a bride and groom, it was time to head to the reception. A reception I was very excited about, because you know who was catering?! TEXAS ROADHOUSE, THAT’S WHO!!!! (And if you don’t know why I’m so excited, you’ve clearly never had their rolls and butter. )
White homemade wedding cake with green ribbon.
First dance photo
Mother son wedding dance. (At this point, I was crying so hard I could barely see what I was shooting.)
I’m pretty sure (if I was following along correctly), this shot is a grandson dancing with his grandma and his mom dancing with her dad. PRECIOUS!
Heidi and Aaron, thanks for kicking off 2011 with a wedding so full of love! We know you have a wonderful life together ahead of you!
