Sunken Meadow Pavilion Wedding Photos
Apollo Fields | Long Island Wedding Photographers | Sunken Meadow Beach Wedding Photos | New York Wedding Photography | Best Wedding Photos
Gina + Peter
It’s funny how every growing family finds their little nook to get away from it all. Many times it’s a lake house or cabin in the woods that the family has been renting for generations. Other times it’s a landmark of mom and dad’s relationship that brings them down memory lane.
For my family, it was Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a wind-swept peninsula an hour-and-a-half drive from Boston. Its cozy cottages, relaxing beaches, seafood restaurants, and family-friendly establishments makes it a destination for the entire New England area. I always thought that the vibe was remarkably similar to the north fork of Long Island, not too far from where my grandmother lived in Wading River. This notion was driven home when I walked into the house that Peter grew up in Patchogue, where his mother warmly greeted me in the sunroom of her adorable colonial-meets-beach style home.
rom-com Relationship Origins
The story of the first time that Gina met Peter sounds like it is straight out of a rom-com: Gina was babysitting and went into a pizzeria that Peter worked at and the little one she was caring for ordered an eggplant Parmesan slice. Peter couldn’t believe that was what they wanted because he still didn’t like eggplant, and offered them a free slice of pepperoni on the house. There wasn’t any monumental shift in the kid’s palate but both Peter and Gina knew that there might be something between them.
Fast forward a couple years when they’re coincidentally both working at a restaurant in Patchogue. Peter comes in to meet up with one of their co-workers when they see each other and remember one another from the pepperoni/eggplant encounter. They wind up going on a beach date shortly thereafter and both show up to work one day rocking the same sunburn. They didn’t care about everyone knowing that they were dating but this totally blew their cover.
The Incredible Lightness of Being (In Love)
I never read the Milan Kundera novel of the same title minus the parentheticals, but I couldn’t help but notice the lightness of Gina and Peter’s relationship. It was clear in the way that their body language relaxed as they approached one another, folding together not only physically but socially and emotionally as well. You could tell that they were on the same wavelength, like they perpetually living in the “honeymoon stage.” You might think that every one of our couples behaves like that on their wedding day, but not quite like Gina and Peter.
Heather and I’s Relationship Origins
Coincidentally, Heather and I met at hospitality jobs also. We worked across the street from each other in 2013 at neighboring restaurants on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. People always find it romantic when I tell them that story, but it wasn’t until after getting to know Peter and Gina’s relationship origins that I began to understand why. I think it’s the idea of an organic, budding romance in the age of dating apps; how of the many relationships that come from working in the hospitality industry—where workers more often than not are in transitory parts of their lives, and people are growing into or building towards the next stage in their lives—that the idea of two people happenstantially meeting to come together and grow together seems improbable. That the odds say most paths diverge.
For Heather and I it adds to the strength of our relationship. We were talking about it the other day and it’s like we were building a foundation even though we didn’t know it. And every subsequent year or period of growth we were building on top of that. It would follow then, that we, and Gina and Peter feel lighter, because rather than building separate foundations we were building on the same one. The higher we go, the lighter we feel.
Vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | Sunken Meadow State Park Pavilion | King’s Park, NY
How to DIY a Wedding on a Budget
Casey & Thomas’s Wedding in Longmont, CO | Laid-Back Colorado Wedding Planning | Sentimental DIY Weddings | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography
It is always interesting to read the answers that our couples come up with to our pre-wedding questionnaire. It gives us a glimpse into their past and allows us to begin to picture what their wedding day might look like. After reading Casey and Thomas’s, I noticed that in every one of their answers there was a different, important aspect that goes into a healthy relationship, and I knew right then that their special day was going to go off with only one hitch (getting hitched, that is!).
After briefly dating in high school, Casey and Thomas reacquainted when Thomas was driving through Chicago about five years ago. They wound up meeting up for burgers and talking a lot and well, “the rest is history.” What this glimpse taught us about them was that they are steady, confident individuals who are comfortable meeting up with a friend from the past, but more importantly, it provided them the opportunity for serendipity to open their hearts to a long-lasting relationship.
After their romance had been rekindled, they dated long distance for six months, establishing a trust and system of communication that would later serve as the basis of their loving relationship (Isn’t it ironic how we can grow closer the farther we move apart?).
Yet an example of perhaps the most integral part of any relationship occurred when Casey received a large gift on her birthday from Thomas at her office. She had no idea what it was, but when she tore back the wrapping to reveal an original print of a photographer she mentioned once (time to step up your games, fellas!), she was floored. Being present enough to listen and conscientious enough to act is a level of thoughtfulness that every relationship can benefit from.
And I know that surprises aren’t for everyone, but Casey said she had NO idea that Thomas was going to propose. I think I can speak for the married couples out there who must remember the nerves that coursed through their veins when the question was popped—kind of like the first time you went in for a kiss—and the immense relief that rested upon the lips of your partner on the other side. A healthy dose of vulnerability can go a long way, and continuing to surprise your S.O. with acts of love will never get old.
Before I let Casey and Thomas’s beautiful relationship turn into a dating column on our website, let me finish with what they said they were most looking forward to on their wedding day: “looking out and seeing all of my favorite people together.” It’s a simple enough answer, but the fact that they designed the itinerary of their day to maximize their time with those who traveled to the celebration of the union of their love showed their commitment to their communities. Sometimes we can get caught up in all of the details that we forget that the assembly of all of our friends and family on our wedding day might never happen again—but Casey and Thomas did not.
Now I can only imagine that Casey and Thomas are probably laying on their backs on a mountaintop near Telluride, gazing up at the broad sky of stars, thinking of all of the things, big and small, that they will experience together, because they place value in every single one of them. Cheers to you, Casey and Thomas, and congratulations!
Enjoy Casey & Thomas’s Sneak Peeks:
The Vendor Team:
Colorado Wedding Photography: Apollo Fields
Longmont Wedding Venue: Altona Grange
Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Jenny Yoo
Hair: Carbon Salon
Ethical Wedding Bands: Brilliant Earth
Wildflower Wedding Invitations: Paper Culture
Running A Wedding Photography Business With Your Spouse
Colorado Outdoor Wedding Photographer | Apollo Fields | Long Island Wedding Photographer | Golden, CO | Longmont, CO | Altona Grange Hall | The Pines at Genesee | Clear Creek |
Wow. What a weekend. Two weddings, an engagement shoot, a maternity session and all of the friends, outdoors, and craft beer in between. Back when I was bartending in New York City in my mid-twenties, my older regulars would always say, “your twenties are great—but just wait for your thirties,” and I never quite believed them because my life was dope AF. But now as we come back to New York after this epic extended weekend of professionalism mixed with genuine connections and long-lasting friendships, I’m beginning to understand what they were talking about.
At Apollo Fields we like to be as connected to our couples as much as possible. That means spending time with them and their families, laughing through the embarrassing stories, and working through the inevitable bumps in the road that hosting a wedding brings. At Naomi and Johnny’s outdoor wedding in Colorado this past weekend at the Pines at Genesee, we saw some familiar faces (Naomi’s cousin is Dylan Kintish, whose wedding to Alli Bell we shot in the August 2017) and embraced new ones. We’ve sort of become their family photographers and we’re loving every second of it! Every wedding we shoot we get a little better at inserting ourselves into these wonderful intimate circles that envelope our couple’s lives; and every wedding we shoot our storytelling ability gets that much stronger, especially as we develop these long-lasting relationships with our couples and their families.
Speaking of lasting relationships, we captured these maternity shots of Lindsey and her husband, Jeff, who got married in November 2017 at Grant-Humphrey’s Mansion. It humbles us to know that our previous couples trust us to continue to document the most pivotal moments of their lives. In the coming weeks, once Lindsay and Jeff’s baby is born, Heather will also be their newborn photographer and storyteller, and it’s these deeper connections that enrich our hearts long after we hear the couple say, “I Do.”
Another wonderful couple of ours, Casey and Thomas, had an outdoor wedding in Colorado at Altona Grange Hall in Longmont this weekend. Our trusted photography associate, Sara, captured their destination wedding beautifully, telling us of their community-centric approach. Casey and Thomas held a two-hour cocktail hour to offer more time to connect with their guests who traveled a long way to enjoy their special day. They even gave a personal heartfelt toast to express their gratitude to all who made the trip. We love when our couples explore the customizations of wedding planning and cater to their values rather than outdated traditions.
Then there was this engagement session in Golden Gate Canyon State Park with our dear friends, Kat and Brett. I developed a great relationship with Kat while bartending at Oasis Brewing Company in Denver, but it was this session that made me realize our friendship is in for the long haul. Kat and Brett are goofy but professional, serious but light-hearted, and celebrate their rough edges with a self-deprecating elegance. Documenting these intimate moments brought us all closer together as we helped them conquer the shyness that freezes most couples when they pose in front of the lens. “We couldn’t imagine anyone else taking these photos,” Kat said. Funny thing is, I couldn’t imagine anyone else taking them either. It made me think, who else should document these intimate moments in your life other than people who make you feel most comfortable, most yourself, and most happy? I don’t mean to toot our own horns (OK, maybe I do), but this entire trip set in cement what Apollo Fields is all about.
At Apollo Fields, we connect with our couples. We embrace the raw and the genuine. We don’t settle for anything other than what your soul carries. We don’t just want to be a part of your wedding day, we want to be part of your lives.
So if my twenties were about exploring the world to find myself, then my thirties are about finding who I want to spend my life with. And I gotta admit—after this trip—our lives are looking pretty damned good.
This One's For You, Colorado
September is here…
For someone who’s moving across the country and getting married in the next few weeks, I’m surprisingly calm. The opposite of having cold feet, Heather and I are inching towards our departure from Colorado with equal parts celebration and anticipation. Of course, leaving will be hard, but our two years in Arvada has only shown us that our ambition cannot be contained in our cozy cottage on Cody Street.
The friends we’ve made here caught us at a pivotal developmental phase of our relationship, and because of that they mean that much more to us. From the dinner parties to dancing like idiots at Red Rocks, Heather and I have never quite had the community that we’ve fallen into here. I’ve never felt more like myself than when Heather’s sampling sauce from her wooden spoon and I’m welcoming friends in through the front door. To know that our Colorado friends have helped us realize that – these core parts of who we are – is to understand an achievement of friendship that we will never feel worthy for.
It would be scarier to leave if we didn’t have such a solid plan in place. When we land in New York on October 1st, 2018, we are emptying Joey (our car) into our interim home in East Northport, NY, on Long Island, and scooting over to Ramsey, NJ, to prepare Honeymoon Acres for our wedding. It will be a week of tedious logistics where we will transform inevitable accidents and miscues into laughter and memories. After that, we get married, cry, and party. It’s that easy.
From there, we will take our wedding brand, Apollo Fields, into its next iteration: a wedding venue. We dream of a lush green piece of land with a barn and a farmhouse with a long, wrap-around porch, complete with a swinging bench that creaks as you reminisce in those long moments before dinner is ready. We see hard work and love coexisting in a space where relationships are honored as partnerships, and where friendship is built into the bones. The best part about this dream is that we cannot only see it, but that it is fully within our grasp.
I’m not going to pretend to say that I won’t cry when we leave (mainly because I already have), but I will say that the hit won’t be as hard because we have so much to look forward to. When we left New York for Colorado two years ago, we packed everything we cared about into Sacajawea (our now deceased Subaru), and now as we return we will be doing the same with Joey. With Riddle, Rumor, (and Limbo living the luxury life in a commercial trailer) in tow, Heather and I are turning the music up and making our way back home. Who knows when it will hit us, as the tears began to pour as we drove over the George Washington Bridge last time, but I know that I’m ready for them. This one’s for you Colorado.
Your Immeasurably Grateful Friends,
Terrence & Heather
(The Apollo Fields Family )
Cookbook Sale!
We’re also having a dope sale on our books to lighten our moving load! Click HERE.
Some of Our Favorite Memories in Colorado:
Photos Credited to our wonderful and talented friends:
Sam Hines
Kim Klein
Sarah Valencia
Hudson Gardens Winter Wedding in Colorado
Mary & Brad's Winter Mountain Colorado Wedding | Hudson Gardens | Apollo Fields Photojournalism
Springtime weddings in Colorado can mean flower blossoms, cherry trees blooming, tulips sprouting, or blizzards. Mary and Brad got a little bit of everything on their wedding day in March at Hudson Gardens. The day began with full blazing Colorado sun, and by the afternoon had grown ominous and cloudy, then the skies broke into rain, which became hail, which became snow. It was crazy, but sort of perfect for them because they got SO many different looks for their photographs. And Mary, especially, wanted snow. So when the sun went down and we finally got these big huge snowflakes, we couldn't help but to run outside and snap some dreamy romantic snow pictures.
I loved the modern and simple touches of Mary's lace wedding dress. Personally, I've always loved lace sleeves, I think they are so classic and surprisingly sexy. Less isn't always more, and I just love the way that a delicate sleeve can flatter our brides. Her veil was also simple and classic, it was so fun to photograph through because of the shapes and textures that it creates, and her updo looked great with it on and off. Modern boho braids showed off her blonde highlights and beautiful cheekbones.
Their friends and family gathered for a sweet and heartfelt ceremony. We got to snap fun photos of their friends all gathering together to celebrate and toast their new journey, while kids got to run around and play, and a big fireplace kept everyone toasty as the weather began to turn. A cozy dinner and then dancing wrapped up their perfect night together, and everyone had such a great time coming together to celebrate their love.
Hudson Gardens is a great venue for weddings year round because they have acres of countryside gardens with awesome mountain views. There is a quaint red barn in the back of the property, which is one of my favorite rustic looks. The farmhouse feeling on one side of the property is perfect for country brides and the cabin in the front of the property is a warm and rustic mountain look. When the weather is nice, they have plenty of space to celebrate outside, among the trees and flowers and gardens. With manicured paths and woodsy retreats, there are so many different looks that can be photographed at this venue!
Hudson Gardens Winter Wedding
The day started out as many Colorado days do in March: A strong sun brought the daytime temperature well into the 60s and I got to ride my horse outside before heading out to shoot Mary and Brad's wedding.
By the time the afternoon rolled in, so had ominous rain clouds that lingered, but stayed at bay while Mary and Brad arrived at Hudson Gardens with their family and bridal parties. They say that rain on your wedding day is good luck, but Mary had her heart set on snow instead.
Here's what I love about shooting in Colorado though. By the time the night ended, we seemingly had all of the seasons in one day. Soon after the ceremony, the skies opened up into a hard rain that felt like every element of spring, which was right around the corner, as the little flowers that have recently popped up through the mulch have suggested. Then, for just a moment it seemed, the rain turned to hail, and then as soon as it started, morphed into big beautiful snowflakes. Mary got her wish.
Her elegant and timeless dress was so flattering, and classically beautiful. I am a sucker for lace dresses with sleeves because I just think they photograph so well, especially when they flow on the bottom without being this big cumbersome and heavy dress. Mary was able to dance and move effortlessly in her wedding gown. And her veil was light, simple, and classy.
The cabin at Hudson Gardens is cozy, with big fireplaces that were adorned with eucalyptus and other woodland greenery. The floral design was modern, with little roses peeking out around the bolder flowers. The gardens are beautiful, even in the off-season. It seems rare to find cactus growing around the evergreens, but feels natural there.
The big red barn in the back of the property rounds out the property to remind us of the working landscape and rural nature of a garden. With big open fields and manicured tree lines, we just loved this space for bride and groom portraits. Rustic details weren't forced in this setting, and the wedding guests had an amazing time celebrating and dancing the night away with their friends.
Photography: Apollo Photojournalism shot for Laura Anderson
Venue: Hudson Gardens
The Chautauqua Dining Hall Wedding in Boulder, Colorado
Alli & Dylan | Chautauqua Dining Hall Wedding | Boulder Colorado | Mountain Wedding Photographer | Wedding Writer | Apollo Photojournalism
Kintish - Est. 2017
On a cloudless Colorado summer day, the Flatirons at Chautauqua Park in Boulder play second fiddle to no one. The greens and grays of the slanted rock faces humble all that meander along its worn dirt paths, but when Alli and Dylan danced as dinosaurs before the cliffs, the mountains knew there was something familiar yet admirable and new about them.
In the beginning, Alli and Dylan’s love was forbidden, a sacrifice to the bureaucracy of Americorps where greens and grays were not to date. It didn’t matter at first because Alli found Dylan repulsive, but eventually he won her over with snacks, silliness, and his patented pose for photographs. After a couple of years of hidden romance, Dylan literally yelled his love for Alli from the mountaintops of Big Bend, Texas, where they met for the first time.
Their lives in service to others was to continue in the Peace Corps in Paraguay after their celebration in Boulder, but for those few days they allowed their love to point inwards towards their own hearts.
Surrounded by sunshine, the hand-stitched chuppah provided the only shade for Alli and Dylan and her snacks as notes from Nathan’s guitar gently danced upon the breeze. By the time that golden hour struck and the sun tucked itself behind the mountains, they gazed upon one another with honeymoon eyes, kissing, just like they accidentally did when Alli arrived at the altar, forgetting tradition in a showcase of their genuinely awkward love.
From amateur poetry to Irish quotes and Jewish rites, all who spoke over glasses bubbling with champagne honored tradition in their own language. Alli and Dylan listened, laughed and cried, dancing through the night in their own way, whether it was a routine to Backstreet Boys and MMMBop, or inch-worming in a wedding dress, they never lost their balance with a reverence to the past as their hearts danced towards the future.
Outdoor Mountain Wedding | Boulder, Colorado | Chautauqua Dining Hall & Erny Photo CO Wedding Photographer
Smiling from ear-to-ear, Dylan Kintish and Alli Bell Kintish said goodbye to their guests as they filed out of their wedding venue, making their way down the stairs as a gentle rain began to fall in Chautauqua Park in Boulder, CO in August 2017. They only had seven months to plan this day and there was little flexibility as they were set to leave for Paraguay just a month later on a 2-year mission for the Peace Corps. This didn’t stop them from having a wedding that Alli’s dad would later call, “rough around the edges, but straight from the heart.”
From the get-go, Alli and Dylan knew that they wanted to focus on making their wedding day their own, knowing that would be a key to the happiness of everyone involved. “Don’t try to fit your wedding into someone else’s box. It should be a day that fits your personality and who you are, not the other way around,” Alli and Dylan wrote after their wedding.
I couldn’t think of a better way to word the day partners celebrate their love. It’s so easy to get lost in the planning of the ‘most important day in your life,’ shuffling through vendors, table settings, venues, DJ’s and travel arrangements.
Alli and Dylan set a great example of how they made the whole experience their own, letting all the conventional stresses of wedding planning fall to the green grass of Chautauqua Park like flower petals from the fingers of a smiling flower girl. To understand just how much they made this process their own, know that they got their engagement photos done in dinosaur onesies. (Who does that?! We loved it!)
Before the wedding we asked them, “What are you most looking forward to on your wedding day?” A lot of couples would say ‘to enjoy the most important day in their lives,’ or to ‘finally make their love official’ but Alli and Dylan selflessly responded, “[to have] all of our loved ones in one place!” Collecting loved ones under one roof is perhaps the most underappreciated aspect when stressing about planning a wedding because those in attendance will not remember the place settings, the food, or the angle that the tent was set up; they will remember the people tucked into their button-down shirts, the smiling faces shining more than the veneer of any gorgeous dress, and the couple that brought them all together.
Alli and Dylan enjoyed every moment of their outdoor Colorado wedding because they made it their own and they focused on the love in their lives and the love of the day. Now when they look back on their photos, they see no trace of the day that was ‘rough around the edges,’ and only see the moments that came “straight from the heart.
About Alli and Dylan
Alli and Dylan dated for four years before getting engaged at Big Bend National Park in Texas. They had recently both signed up for the Peace Corps and decided that they wanted to be married before they started their new adventure.
They believe that marriage means both loving and liking someone.When asked, they said that it is a mutual understanding that two people realize that they are stronger together as one, than they are apart.
I couldn't agree more.
Alli and Dylan's, your summer wedding was one of my favorites to date. Your zest for life is contagious and your love for one another is absolutely incredible to see. We love following your Pair-In-Guay Blog and we can't wait to hear about your next adventures!
Alli and Dylan's Boulder Wedding at the Chautauqua Dining Hall
Alli and Dylan's Awesome Vendor Team:
Wedding Photography: Heather Huie for Apollo Fields
Boulder Wedding Venue: Chautauqua Dining Hall
Wedding DJ: DJ Drake
Alli and Dylans wedding cake and flowers were DIY.
Colorado Wedding Venue: Chautauqua Dining Hall, Boulder CO
Journalism: Apollo Journalism
Heather is a Colorado wedding photographer! Contact her today!
The Burr Homestead Wedding Photography in Fairfield, CT
Laura & Bill's Colonial New England Wedding | The Burr Homestead Mansion | Fairfield, Connecticut | Farmhouse Weddings Photography | Apollo Photojournalism
I met Laura and Bill a few years ago when we were photographing a wedding in Old Quebec, Canada. They are both dancers and I was so inspired by their awesome skills on the dance floor and got some amazing shots of them in the Chateau! Fast forward a few years and they got engaged and were looking for a wedding photographer. I was so excited when Laura reached out to have me travel to Connecticut for their own wedding!
The Burr Homestead Mansion, Fairfield CT
Laura and Bill celebrated their wedding with all of their closest friends and family at The Burr Homestead Mansion in Connecticut. This historical property was the perfect venue for this couple, who I got to know through a wedding that we shot in Quebec two years ago. I loved photographing their big day even more because we knew most of the bridal party already, which made the day so fun and exciting!
Laura and Bill live in New York City and are both fantastic dancers. We got our first taste of their abilities on the dance floor in Quebec, so we already knew how important this part of the day would be for them.
The Wedding Day
The day started out quiet, with everybody casually arriving at the mansion with all of their clothes and accessories. Some of the women in the bridal party are hair and makeup experts, so the bridal suite was a buzz with everybody getting ready! In the grooms room, the guys were hanging out, getting dressed, and enjoying some whiskey and cigars together.
The skies began to threaten rain as we were close to the first look, and amidst all of the business, Laura and Bill had to reroute their original plan to get married in the open garden space outdoors because the rain was imminent. The first look was such a sweet moment – I just love how Bill took Laura’s hand and kissed it when he first saw her! The bridal party watched through the windows of the mansion, which added a little flair.
The ceremony had to be moved to the front of the mansion to keep guests dry. Laura had her heart set on it being outdoors and this backup plan ended up being a great option! People had a great time watching them exchange their vows, and then we did some fun and formal portraits afterwards. The rest of the night was spent dancing, toasting, eating, and drinking! It was a late night, but trust me we got down on the dance floor with everyone too.
Connecticut Wedding Venue: The Burr Homestead, Fairfield CT
Wedding Photography: Apollo Fields
Rocky Mountain National Park Elopement Photographer
There’s something special about reaching high altitudes after traversing treacherous terrain that rewards tired legs and beating hearts. It could be as simple as endorphins being released from the exercise or something more complex like measuring our mortality against the backdrop of conquering massive mountains. Either way, climbing mountains and taking in epic views defines the meaning of awesome.
Callie & Josh's Intimate Mountain Wedding | Rocky Mountain National Park | Estes Park, Colorado | Adventure Wedding Photography | Apollo Photojournalism
Heather and I’s first hike together was near Lake George in upstate New York. It was short, but I remember scrambling up the last couple hundred feet, thinking that the summit was just over the next ridge quickly exhausting myself in the process. When we finally reached the top, I scanned the seemingly endless rolling green hills, panning across the horizon like my eyes were breathing in the refreshing mountain air.
There’s something special about reaching high altitudes after traversing treacherous terrain that rewards tired legs and beating hearts. It could be as simple as endorphins being released from the exercise or something more complex like measuring our mortality against the backdrop of conquering massive mountains. Either way, climbing mountains and taking in epic views defines the meaning of awesome.
We love documenting mountain weddings because they’re so organic and personal. When we immerse ourselves in towering pines and humbling rock faces, we stand in nature to celebrate love as members of our natural environment rather than separate from it. We say scrap the white tablecloths, vinyl tents, and stuffy reception halls and step into the woods and feel the rain. There’s a time to be clean and then there’s a time to feel something, celebrate, and cut loose – we believe your wedding day should be the latter.
Living in Arvada, Colorado, is like living in front of the armoire of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, because at a moments notice we can open up the doors and wander through a world of meandering roads, trickling creeks, and splashing waterfalls. Adventures are never in short supply when the beautiful unknown is less than an hour drive away. This proximity to the Rockies makes mountain weddings accessible realities rather than fleeting dreams.
Let us document your dream mountain wedding, but first... why do you want to get married on a mountain?
Some of our favorite mountain spots in Colorado:
Rocky Mountain National Park for it's famous landscapes and epic elopement locations
Pikes Peak for that "on top of the world" feeling
Guanella Pass for the best views of Mount Beirstadt without all of the hiking
Alderfer / Three Sisters Park for a close-to-Denver adventure and awesome 360 views
Some of our favorite mountain spots outside of Colorado:
Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia for those epic rolling mountains and blue hues that never disappoint
Buck Mountain in Lake George for some of the best Adirondack views
Breakneck Ridge in Cold Spring NY for a close to New York City adventure and cute town to explore
Mount Killington in Vermont for the best New England autumn colors
Sharp Top Mountain in Virginia for light-tight 360 degree views
We have gone on countless adventures and can help you plan your epic mountain elopement or intimate wedding! We've done everything from taking a tiny Cessna plane up to the summit of Mt. Denali in Alaska, to exploring the waterfalls in Telluride, Colorado. Contact us for a true adventure of a lifetime!
Lindsey & Jeff's Colorado Winter Engagement Photography at Lake Dillon
Lindsey & Jeff's Winter Engagement Session | Lake Dillon, Colorado | Mountain Engagement Photography | Adventure Couple | Dog Lovers | Apollo Photojournalism
Lindsey and Jeff are everything that I love about my Colorado couples: they are fun and easygoing, outdoor enthusiasts, dog lovers, and down to earth. Lindsey is bubbly and outgoing, and when I first met her she was planning a wedding while wrapping up her nursing degree. Jeff is composed and polite, and when they first met, it was only fitting that they hit a park together to take their dogs on a walk together.
They quickly connected over their love of dogs and nature, so we knew right away that we wanted the pups to be part of their engagement photos! They wanted those epic Colorado mountain landscapes and Lake Dillon was the perfect backdrop. It was a chilly Denver day, but the sun was out which made it surprisingly bearable. However, by the time we made it up the mountain and out to Lake Dillon, the wind had picked up and the elevation was doing us no favors. It was a balmy seven degrees Fahrenheit (are you picking up on the sarcasm yet)??? Oh my lord, it was FREEZING! With the wind chill coming off the lake, the "feels like" weather report was well into the negatives.
As soon as we stepped out of the car, I thought Lindsey and Jeff were going to want to reschedule. No way they were going to want to shoot in this weather, I thought to myself. But they just smiled and said, "Let's go!" I loved their can-do attitude, embracing the harsh Colorado sun that was bouncing off the pristine snow, and absolute chill that was running over the lake. We did take a few breaks to warm back up in the car and I kept having to warm my camera up in my jacket because it was struggling to keep up, but we got these awesome shots which made it SO WORTH IT!
Lindsey was so sweet because as we were headed back to Denver, she thought the pictures were going to be horrible. She said thought her face was all frozen and her eyes would be too squinty, but I sent her a sneak-peak that night and she was over the moon! This is one of my favorite parts about my job, when the conditions are less-than-ideal and we can turn around and make epic photos anyway. Any photographer can shoot beautiful pictures in optimal weather with diffused golden light, but I pride myself on being able to 'wow' my clients when it's freezing and we're only able to shoot in blaring direct sun, too!!
Colorado Engagement Photography: Erny Photo CO | Apollo Photo
Location: Lake Dillon, Colorado