Ashley & Nick’s Wedding | The Evergreen Lake House | Colorado Mountain Weddings | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography

When I woke up on the morning of Ashley and Nick’s wedding, I rolled over to see Heather staring at the ceiling, eyes wide open like she’d either seen a ghost or drank too much coffee. These are the excited jitters that run through a wedding photographer’s veins that send most thin-skinned photographers running for the hills. The morning of a wedding is like being in the shoes of a performer in those final moments of waiting backstage on opening night, knowing full well what is on the other side of the red velvet curtain.

The pressure that’s slowly been building in the pit of your stomach like a dull pain starts to climb to the bottom of your throat and it’s up to you to swallow it back down. Whether an audience of spectators or a guest list of family and friends, meeting their expectations is an uncertainty that can drive an artist at their core. The worst of them quit and exit stage left; and the best of them, well, bring the fucking house down.

Fast-forward twelve hours and I’m dancing behind the DJ booth, and Heather is on the dance floor camera in-hand. Ashley and Nick’s wedding couldn’t be going any better. When we first arrived at the house where Ashley and the bridesmaids were getting ready, we expected to walk into a hurricane of hairspray and a tangle of hair straighteners (as is tradition); instead we were greeted by a group of beautiful, calm and organized girls in floral robes who were ready to party. The atmosphere at the boys’ house was more of the same (except for the floral robes). The rest of the day transpired as planned with less logistical hiccups and more amazing dance moves, and it had us analyzing just what it was that made their wedding so seamless to us as photographers.

Obviously Ashley and Nick were well-prepared, but it was their energy and trust that set the tone for their wedding. For example, both wedding parties, despite being large groups (7-8 people/each) were down to clown but still listened to and followed our dictation. When it came to family formals, romantics, and the first look, Ashley and Nick totally put the ball in our court, trusting us with where to go, when to do it, and what angles to take. That’s not to say our couple’s shouldn’t generate photo ideas or looks of their own, but rather that that trust in our professional and artistic vision 1) makes our jobs a breeze and 2) allows our couples more time with their guests. This is all not to mention the deep, genuine love that Ashley and Nick have for one another which made photographing them a joyous experience composed of one-part envy and one-part melt-your-fucking-heart. Nick was crying before he even turned around for the first look! (Sorry, not sorry bud!)

So when it comes to the pre-wedding jitters and meeting the expectations of such an event, the uncertainty is just part of the ride. Some weddings are obviously more difficult than others, but it often comes down to the tone that the couple sets for the day. That tone is so important because it stems from the current health of the relationship at a point in time where they’ve both deemed their love worthy of an official union. As wedding photographers, we embrace the unknown with our artistic hearts, but are always hoping that a couple’s trust and energy will reign supreme.