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Real Photography closed in December 2014 and is no longer accepting clients.

Thank you for your support over the years! Please follow me at my new personal blog: www.needlesandapen.com to keep up with my latest photography, craft, and nursing school adventures.

We photographed Bernadette and Haydn’s wedding this weekend. I have been talking with Bernadette about wedding photography for the past seven months–it’s almost impossible for me to believe that her wedding is already over!

Bernadette and Haydn are an extraordinary couple that you can’t help but love, and at their wedding all of that was totally clear. Haydn’s toasts at the rehearsal dinner had me (and everyone else) crying. They are two fantastic people with two fantastic families.

I felt like I already knew Bernadette’s family and Haydn’s parents from photographing Bernadette’s grandparent’s 50th wedding anniversary party, and I was excited to spend another day with them. The three Bernadettes have an amazing ability to make you feel like part of the family, and I loved that so many people at the wedding said just that–that they felt adopted into Bernadette’s family. I’ve only met her grandmother twice, and her mom a handful of times, but I’m already ready to call them my own! :)

I met Bernadette right after we launched our wedding site, and she jump-started our business in the biggest way. We are hugely grateful for all of the couples she has sent our way, and I wanted to photograph the rehearsal dinner as a small token of our giant thanks. (And I’ll use pretty much any excuse to hang out with Bernadette, Haydn, and their families.) :)

The rehearsal was at a park in downtown Colorado Springs. Haydn’s dad was the officiant for the wedding, which I thought was a great touch!

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I love how Haydn poses for pictures. (And that he is holding two things every groom needs: cell phone and Red Bull.)

colorado springs wedding photographer

There was a rumor going around that Rae, one of Bernadette’s maids of honor, doesn’t photograph well. I have to disagree. :)

wedding photographers

The groomsmen had a train behind them. Which made Will happy when he saw this shot:

wedding photographers

Speaking of portraits…Taylor (the flower girl and Will’s buddy at our “Cooking Club” meetings) saw me taking pictures and decided that I must want to take pictures of her, too. And she busted out some serious poses.

wedding photographers

Watch out America’s Top Model!

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Bernadette and her momma:

wedding photographer colorado springs

Haydn and his momma:

wedding photographers colorado springs

Bernadette and Haydn crack me up. They are always dropping in something funny or unexpected. Like at the rehearsal “hand-off” there was some question over what everyone would do. As Bernadette gave directions, Haydn improvised and jumped on Jim, Bernadette’s step-dad!

wedding photographers

At the rehearsal dinner, the laughter continued when Haydn’s dad, Bill, broke out the karaoke machine!

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And we were treated to some awesome Cher “Just Jack” from Will and Grace style (complete with hair flipping):

wedding photographer colorado springs

Check out the summer lovin’ going on in this photo!

wedding photographer colorado springs

And then we went home to get ready for the wedding the next day!

Posted in Event PhotographerWedding Photographer

Bethany and Rebecca asked to do their senior portrait shoots at the same time so that we could get some shots of them together. I love the idea of a few senior portraits with your best friend!

senior portrait photographer

The beautiful Rebecca looking like she belongs on a magazine cover…

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Hello gorgeous evening light!

senior portrait photography colorado springs

colorado springs senior portrait photographer

Bethany has a fantastic smile.

senior portrait photographer colorado springs

I am so jealous of her amazing brown eyes!

senior portraits colorado springs

senior portrait photographer colorado springs

Posted in Senior Portrait Photographer

Congrats to one of our sweetest couples–Leona and Lucas–who tied the knot this weekend! They are as sweet, down-to-earth, and in love as they come, and their wedding was a perfect celebration!

The gorgeous Leona getting ready in her amazing hotel room:

denver wedding photographer

They were staying at the Hotel Monaco, which is…well…pet friendly doesn’t seem to do it justice. They are more like pet LOVERS. There were embossed beautifully wrapped dog bones on the entry table of the room, goldfish in goldfish bowls by the elevators, and Leona said that they brought Pickle his food bowls on a silver tray! It was very cool, and I think Pickle enjoyed it greatly:

denver wedding photographer

Meanwhile, a couple of blocks away, the boys were getting ready. Gust was a perfect brother, pre-tying Lucas’s tie:

denver wedding photographer

Leona and Lucas saw each other before the ceremony so that we could get all of the formal portraits out of the way beforehand. We talked a lot about the best way to time everything, and it turned out perfectly. I love it when the portrait time is absent of stress and perfectly on time!

Leona and Lucas chose Wash Park in Denver for their portrait spot…and I didn’t realize until we got there that it was the one park in Denver that I actually knew! We shot Faisal and Sonya’s engagement portraits at the park, so it was easy for me to quickly get them to the best spots…

wedding photographer denver

These two make being a photographer EASY!

denver wedding photographer

Leona and her sister/maid of honor (Leona and her three sisters are all way too beautiful!):

wedding photographer denver

Aren’t the bouquets gorgeous?! Leona and Lucas chose an orange and teal color scheme (and I think it’s safe to say that’s a color scheme I approve of–he he) and orange Gerber daisies for the flowers. I am nothing if not a HUGE Gerber daisy fan. I think Leona’s bouquet officially replaces Julie’s rose and steponopolis (or snuffalufagus or whatever those flowers are called) bouquet as my favorite ever!

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The adorable bridal party:

denver wedding photographer

The ceremony and reception were held at the Space Gallery (which we will visit again next month for Carolyn and Jack’s wedding)!

denver wedding photographer space gallery

wedding photographers colorado

Probably my favorite captured moment from the night. After politely feeding each other a little cake, Lucas put a little frosting on her nose. This is where he explains that it was just a little…:

wedding photographer cake cutting

It was a beautiful evening, so the party eventually moved outside onto the sidewalk. Nic rocked the low light shots!

denver wedding photographer

Leona and Lucas, thank you so much for letting us be a part of your wedding day!  You have been a complete and total pleasure to work with–your laid back calm and friendly attitudes spoiled us!  Your friends and family were all so welcoming and friendly.  It was such a delight to meet them!  We hope you have a fantastic honeymoon, and we don’t need to wish you a long and happy life together–because we KNOW you will have it!

***

Two behind the scenes shots to share this time.  Here’s Nic stalking his prey…which, in this case, appears to be the wedding cake.  ;)

wedding photographers colorado springs

And then there’s this one of me.  Some photographers don’t use any camera straps at all.  Some use a neck strap, some use a hand strap.  Me?!  I’m safest when I’m using both.  ;)

wedding photographer colorado springs

(And if you’re like “hey?!  Why is Nic wearing the orange bag flap which clearly was intended for Traci, while Traci is wearing the blue bag flap, which is obviously wrong because blue is for boys?!”  then I applaud your good sense.  Nic took one look at the blue cover, declared it “the girliest blue ever” and literally called dibs on the orange one.  Which didn’t totally ruin my intended “orange bag to match my orange shoes” plans at all.)

Posted in Wedding Photographer