Looking for a wedding venue with a more industrial city vibe? Check out The Maven Hotel in Denver. This hotel is in the chic Dairy Block near Coors Stadium downtown. The Dairy Block is a group of warehouses that has been reimagined as neighborhood marketplace with cool boutiques offering one of a kind items and distinctive restaurants with food bountiful food options. it also has a lot of art installations that are constantly rotating that are fun to check out and also add to a very picturesque event!
We met Carrie & Marshall a year before as Carrie was a bridesmaid in one of her best friend's wedding that I was hired as the photographer and Mike their DJ. She liked us so much that we were both hired again to provide those services for their fun very urban wedding! Because we're in Colorado it's not often that we get to provide services in a more urban environment, but this wedding had plenty of awesome eye candy options to make for super creative photos. Check out some of my favorite photos from the day below.

Vendors Who Made This Day Possible:

Venue, Catering & Accommodations: The Maven Hotel
Entertainment & Lighting: Digital DJ
Photography: Crystaline Photography & Video

Matthew and Victoria tied the knot on a lovely early fall day at Ralston's Crossings Event Center in Arvada, Colorado. The event was celebrated by a multitude of friends and family. I was able to learn a little about their back story and how they met when I spent the afternoon at the college campus that they met in Ft. Collins doing a fun engagement shoot with them. With similar interests and career paths this dynamic couple will sure to have a lifetime of happiness ahead of them.
Check out their amazing wedding in the chapel on site with a garden reception that followed afterwards.

Vendors who made this day possible:

Venue: Ralston's Crossing Event Center
Wedding Planner: Angel in Disguise
Catering: Deshebrado Catering and Events
Disc Jockey: Digital DJ
Photography: Crystaline Photography and Video

Since we're entering the colder winter months close to the holidays I thought it would be a great time to share this late fall wedding that ended up having a much more winter theme then originally planned. Colorado can be hit or miss for snow in October and November, especially in the mountains, but if you are open to an adventure it can also be a great time of year to tie the knot. Michelle & Devin planned a complete destination wedding in Estes Park for close friends and family who were mostly traveling in from Kansas. The historic Stanley Hotel made the perfect venue for their ceremony and getting ready photos while they hosted a more budget friendly reception practically across the street at The Bristlecone Inn. The snow even worked out to their advantage because the venue allowed sparklers for their grand exit which is something most venues will not allow in the mountains due to fire dangers. Check out some of my favorite photos from their amazing event and the list of vendors that made this day possible below:

Vendors who made this day possible:
Ceremony & Hotel Accommodations: The Stanley Hotel
Reception Venue: Bristlecone Inn
Caterer: Jubilations Catering
DJ: Digital DJ
Photography: Crystaline Photography & Video

If you've just started planning your wedding you are probably feeling a little overwhelmed about all the options for every service available for weddings. How do you know who to trust? Who is going to show up and do a great job for you on your wedding and who is just a snake oil salesman? This is a valid question, especially when it comes to choosing a photographer and/or videographer for your event. There is no set of licensing that can tell you if a photographer is a professional or not and since anyone can purchase a camera and start selling themself as a photographer it can be hard to tell who is legit or not. But there will be signs, some not as obvious as others. Here is my list for vetting photographers for your wedding ~

1.) Is this company registered as a legitimate company in the state they are doing business in? The Secretary of State in every state keeps a meticulous record of those who have filed the correct paperwork to be in business and are paying taxes. The first step is to utilize their online features to check and see if the company you are considering using is registered with the state! Someone skirting the law about businesses practices should already be taken off your list.

2.) Pricing! Photography is usually going to be one of the higher ticket items for weddings. Usually if a company is advertising their service at way below the market price in the area there's a reason for it. Either they haven't been in business very long or they are booking quantity over quality. What I mean by quantity over quality is that they are booking more events then they can safely handle by themselves and thus sending others to cover the work under their business name which can mean you could be getting someone without a lot of experience covering your event. There have been quite a few horror stories lately in the news about couples having their photographer cancel last minute, not showing up at all or delivering subpar photos or none at all. Typically, someone charging closer to the going rate for the area is going to be in business for the long haul and know what it costs to stay in business and charges accordingly. They are also going to have more of a stake in providing an excellent product so they can continue staying in business.

3.) Online reviews and/or a client list that you can speak to. While we all know that online reviews can be faked a company with no reviews or very poor ones should defiantly be a red flag. A company with a lot of really great reviews or just a few bad ones are usually legit. Reviews can for sure make or break a business. If the company does have some bad ones it might not mean they are horrible, it just means that they are not able to please everyone 100% of the time. Look at how they respond to those bad ones. Do they offer up solutions or make excuses? Use how they handle bad reviews as another good judgement of character.

4.) Do you like the quality and style of their work? If you like the price, but haven't gone through sample images that they provide and you end up surprised when you get the images back about what they took or how they edited them, you can't be surprised if they look exactly like samples on the company's website. Most companies are going to post work that will be very similar to the quality they will provide. The exception would be someone starting out who steals images from another photographer, uses stock images etc. This unfortunately does happen! I'm a follower of a person that has a whole blog committed to exposing people who steal other photographer's work and try to pass it off as their own! One way to check if the images are the photographer's or not is to do a reverse image search on google. By doing this you can see other sites that the image is being used on the internet. Sometimes the photographer uses it on different sites for advertisement. A red flag would be if the images on the site are attributed to a photographer with a different name or business. Either their images are being stolen or the photographer is the one stealing them. A photographer using "watermarks" (their company logo) on the photos is usually doing this to ensure you know who created the images so that they get credit where it's due.

5.) Ask to see a full wedding gallery! Why is this important? Because photographers usually choose their best images to put on the portfolio pages of their website. The ones to draw you in. I guarantee even the worst photographer can come up with one or two images that are portfolio worthy for their website. The key is to make sure that they can still deliver amazing photos from an entire event. Now I'm not saying every photo is going to be awesome! But I am saying they shouldn't be afraid to show you an entire event so that you can get a really good sense on what types of images you would be receiving from a whole wedding. Bonus points if they have shot at your venue or a very similar one!

5.) Have a conversation with them! The last thing I would do is narrow down the top two or three choices in your budget and reach out to them to set up a consultation. An in person meeting is always the best, but next to that a zoom or phone call to discuss logistics and what you are looking for. Ask about equipment (do they mention that they have back-up gear) ask about plans for emergency coverage and anything else pertinent to the event. This is a really good idea on how to gage the photographer's personality and how they will handle things on the day of your event.
Red Flag answers:
- I only have one camera body and don't see the need for an additional one (translation: I don't have enough money or I haven't been in business long enough to invest in more)
-I'm a natural light photographer I don't ever need to use a flash (translation: I don't know how to use a flash which is always needed at some point for indoor and night time events)
-I don't like taking group photos so I spend as little time doing those as possible (translation: I'm only going to focus on the fun candid photos, I don't like to direct people so you probably won't get the important group photos you need)
- Or the opposite - The group photos are going to take 2+ hours (translation: I don't know how to do these quickly and efficiently and these photos are more important to me than you getting on to your party, there is a happy medium!)

Here is a list of questions that you may want to ask during your interview:

1.) Take me through a typical wedding day and your process. What does a full day of wedding coverage with you look like?
2.) How would you describe your photography style (e.g. traditional, photojournalistic, fine-art, moody)?
3.) If your style is mostly candid, will I still get formal, posed portraits (and vice versa)?
4.) Are you the photographer who will shoot my wedding? If so, will you have any assistants/second-shooters with you on that day?
5.) What type of equipment do you use? Do you have backup equipment?
6.) What about a backup plan if you are unable to shoot my wedding for some reason?
7.) How will you (and your assistants) be dressed?
8.) Is it okay if other people take photos while you're taking photos?
9.) If my event lasts longer than expected, will you stay? Is there an additional charge?
10.) Do you have liability insurance?
11.) What is your refund/cancellation policy?
12.) How long after the wedding will I get my images? Will they be viewable online?
13.) How many final images should I expect to receive?
14.) Do you help with creating an album? Can I see some album designs?
15.) May I have a list of references and/or a link to reviews?
16.) If I hire you, when will I receive a written contract? What information do you need from me before the wedding day?

Gut Check! Questions to Ask Yourself:
- Does your personality vibe with the photographer? This is the person you will spend most of the day with (even more time than your spouse) if you're not comfortable with them it will show in the photos.
- Do you feel a connection with their photos? Don't just book someone because they meet your budget.
- Are you comfortable with this person's communication style and level of customer service?
- Did the photographer listen well and address all of your concerns?

Our weekend holiday mini sessions are over for 2024 due to a fully booked weekend calendar! Check in with us again in September of 2025 to see what we’re planning for the next holiday season!

North Star Gatherings located in Idaho Springs just outside of Denver is one of the newest venues to host a dream mountain wedding. It's a magical location with just the right kind of Colorado vibe and spectacular mountain views! We met Lexie & Nick at a wedding we had shot the year before and because they loved our work they hired us for photography and my husband's DJ company, Digital DJ for their musical entertainment. It was a beautiful fall event planned to perfection! I don't think a nicer couple could have had a better day!
The venue includes an amazing bridal suite in the loft that overlooks the reception hall and an extra igloo that works perfectly for the groomsmen getting ready area. A high alpine area offers lots of photo opportunities with a wrap around deck around the venue for seating the guests with an awesome mountain backdrop for your ceremony. The modern barn feel with high ceilings helps to keep you connected to the outdoors during the reception.
Check out some of our favorite photos from this event! It was so hard to choose just 20! And probably one of the reasons it took me so long to blog about it! Enjoy!

Vendors Who Made This Day Possible:
Venue: North Star Gathering
Planner: Every Little Detail
Catering: Rocky Mountain Catering
DJ/Music: Digital DJ

I just love late summer weddings at Willow Ridge Manor! The weather is always amazing and the couples always have a great time celebrating with friends and family! This couple just exude love on every level. They opted to share private vows with just their close friends and family before the official ceremony in front of the mansion and then officially tied the knot down on the red rocks with all of their guests. This was a little different than how it's usually done, but never the less provided a lot of extra emotional photo opportunities. Enjoy some of my favorite photos from this lovely wedding in Morrison, Colorado!

Vendors who made this day possible:
Venue: Willow Ridge Manor
Caterer: Roots Catering
DJ/MC: Digital DJ
Beverages: Molly's Spirits
Photography: Crystaline Photography and Video

Fall mini session examples from our 2024 Photo Shoot!

Each session we will include a couple different full family poses, separate groupings such as individual parents with children, children alone, parents alone and individual shots with a few different background options. Grasso Park offers a lot of options in a tight small park. There are no hills or stairs to climb, but if anyone has any disabilities or needs special accommodations please let us know.

One thing we can not guarantee is how much the trees will have changed or the weather! I try to set these sessions around the peak of the fall foliage season with weekend dates that we still have open, but it always varies from year to year. Unfortunately, we only had this one Saturday become available for hosting the photos! I cross my fingers for a beautiful day with abundant color and leaves still on the trees! But be aware that nature is going to do what nature does and we’re just at it’s mercy! If the forecast calls for cloudy and overcast, but not torrential downpours we will still be doing photos! So please dress accordingly.

One of my favorite family sessions that I offer is photographing the very start of a family during the mother's maternity. Nothing makes me happier than capturing the beauty that is motherhood. It's a very special time in a woman's life it's a time of contempaltion of both the life they've had before a child and the one coming afterwards. It's also a time of excitement along with worry of the uncertainty of it all and the perfect time to document all of these emotions before a baby comes into this world! We can do photos out in nature alone or with a partner or even in our studio if you want to show more skin and a naked baby bump.
Check out these glowing photos of Secil and the father of her child, Michael in the beautiful setting of South Valley Park near Littleton.

We don't do a ton of style photo-shoots anymore because we usually just don't have the time to do them, but when Pure Vida reached out and asked us to participate in their summer session at the St. Vrain in Longmont we couldn't resist. I absolutely adore this industrial venue with glam vibes. There's literally a photo opportunity around every corner making it an awesome venue for today's modern couples! Pure Vida's team put together a great group of vendors to pull off an amazing shoot with lovely models, rentals, floral designs and more! Creating a one of a kind wedding experience that was a joy to photograph. I even met some other photographers and a videographer that put their own spin on session too!

Check out some of my favorite photos from this awesome day below! I'm including the links for each vendor featured in the photos at the bottom of each set. We did a separate session with each set of models. The photos are broken up by the models featured:

Marina & Ron

Vendors -
Venue : St. Vrain
Planner, Triangle Arch, Cake Stand, & Lantern: Pure Vida
Marina's Hair: The Bridal Goddess
Marina's Make-up: CO Bridal Artistry
Officiant's Hair & Make-Up: The Bridal Goddess
Marina's Purple Dress & Black Gown: Boho Fluxx
Marina's White Dress & Ron's Floral Jacket: Dwell Attire
Jewelry: Nikki Nation
Florals for the Triangle Arch & Tables with the Patterned Dishware: Amore Fiori
Bouquet for the Bride & Circle Arch & Coffee Table & Amber Dishware: Hutson Floral Design
Barware, Glasses & China: Shindig Partyware
Loveseat Set (white couch, neon sign, coffee table etc.), Golden Hoop Arch, Champagne Wall & Cornhole Set: Wildflower Design
All Calligraphy Provided by: Dotting the I
Cake: Cak the Bakery
Videographer: Wedding Videos Colorado
Officiant: Nearlywed Coaching

Lizzie & Amanda

Vendors -
Venue : St. Vrain
Planner, Triangle Arch, Cake Stand & Rainbow Scarf: Pure Vida
Lizzie's Hair & Make-Up: CO Bridal Artistry
Amanda's Hair & Make-Up: The Bridal Goddess
Officiant's Hair & Make-Up: The Bridal Goddess
Orange & Teal Suits Provided by: The Suit Shop
White Outfits for the Second Look: Dwell Attire
Jewelry: Nikki Nation
Florals for the Boutonnieres & Triangle Arch: Amore Fiori
Florals for the Circle Arch & Coffee Table: Hutson Floral Design
Loveseat Set (white couch, coffee table & plant wall), Golden Hoop Arch, China, Glasses, Centerpieces & Candle Sticks: Wildflower Design
All Calligraphy Provided by: Dotting the I
Cake: Cak the Bakery
Videographer: Wedding Videos Colorado
Officiant: Nearlywed Coaching

A new school year is about to begin and so is the last year for a lot of high school seniors! It's time to schedule your senior portrait session and document your last year of non-college schooling! Senior photos have become a cherished tradition in the United States culture. It's a great opportunity to document your youth and activities before heading out into adulthood! We love capturing summer memories because it's a great time to schedule a session. The days are longer and warmer leaving lots of outdoor options, but as we get into fall the deadlines for yearbook photos loom closer and availability for sessions with us get less and less.
Like Braeden who took advantage of our senior bonus offers in July you still have a few more weeks to secure the August bonus items! We don't have much in the way of weekends open this month, but if you can swing an evening session during the week we'll still give you the 16 free wallets added on to any package as well as a 20 minute bonus cap and gown session next Spring! Hurry up and call us to book one of the few remaining dates on our calendar!

Check out this awesome mountain photo-shoot of Braeden!

I'm always looking for topics that would be important to everyone and data storage and back-up in this day and age is vital to almost everyone. Families no longer have a box a negatives sitting in a closet somewhere (at least the young ones) where they scrounge up to make additional prints of important family photos, now everyone has digital images. In some ways this is a superior format and in other ways it is not. We've all seen color photos printed in the 1960s & 1970s that are now fading. Digital files retain the same color from year to year, however the way we store data can become damaged leaving many people without their cherished memories. I'm adamant about backing up photos, especially because data loss has even happened to me! I've been super religious about always backing up my client's images, however not as good about backing up my own personal photos and that became my Achille's heel when I had a hard drive go down and lost all of the images I had been taking of my kids for over five years! Guess who became even more crazy about the back up process after that?! It's been an expensive and heartbreaking lesson to learn.

Here are the four main reasons you need to have a back-up plan in place:
1.) Protect Against Accidental Loss - Devices can fail and files can accidentally be deleted. Technology is not flawless and hard drives can fail without warning.
2.) Guard Against Theft & Disaster - Computers and hard drives can get stolen. Fires and floods are always a possibility no matter how small the likeliness of a loss like that would be.
3.) Preservation Over Time - As technologies change so do the ways we store and access our data. Having multiple formats and regularly updating your images on new formats will help preserve your memories for future generations.
4.) Access & Organization - Implementing a great back-up plan also leads to proper labeling and organization of your files which in turn leads to easier access of the images when you need them. Additionally if you use online storage you can access the images from anywhere.

We suggest two if not three back-ups of all your important photos because of the redundancy you are sure to not lose your important images. Your professional photographer will usually keep back-ups of all their work, but not always and usually not forever. Take the security of your family heirlooms into your own hands with these examples of data storage:
1.) Offline: Computer, External Hard drives, USBs, or burnable media such as CDs & DVDs (the last suggestion is quickly becoming an outdated format, but I still like it because once the images are burned they can not be easily erased)
2.) Online Cloud Storage: Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.

Offline media. When you receive your professional images from your photographer or even the photographs you take yourself you should probably have a back-up hard drive that you store your images on. Suggestions would be to download the photos that you will want to view at the time on to your computer for quick usage, but always have a separate device that you store unaltered copies for yourself. For really important images (like the ones you just spent $3K+ on for your wedding) we suggest making extra copies of the photos on USB drives and giving duplicates to important people like your parents because not only will they thank you for their own copy of the images, but they will also have a back-up should anything happen to yours. If you don't have a trusted family member that you'd like to give a copy to then make a duplicate USB and place it in a fire proof safe with all your other valuables.

Online storage. Cloud/Online storage offers the advantage of remote access and protection against physical damage or loss. While you do have to have an internet connection to access your files at least you will be able to access them from anywhere in the world and should something happen to your physical storage devices.

I hope this article will get you thinking about ways to safeguard your memories!
Best Wishes,
Jamie