Category Archives: Weddings

Nichole +Dustin

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Wedding portrait of Nichole and Dustin at their wedding at the Chateaux at Fox Meadows in Colorado

The Janisch girls really know how to throw a spectacular wedding event. In 2010, Danielle and Jason were married in an intimate backyard wedding in the town of Nederland, located in the foothills surrounding Boulder. Danielle, an engineer by trade, crafted all the wedding details herself, even the flowers. Her work was so visually stunning that I chose her wedding as one of my display albums.

Fast forward to 2011, when the Janisch family welcomed me back for younger sister Nichole’s wedding at the Chateaux at Fox Meadows in Broomfield, Colorado. Once again Dani was the event stylist, and paired with her elegant sis, the two took wedding details to a whole new level. The elegant ballroom was decked out with red themed details and bird accents, which complimented Nichole’s exquisite feather-adorned wedding gown. Dustin contributed to the production as well, by lending his intense commitment to flower preservation with self proclaimed Groomzilla fanaticism. You could tell he was ready to let it all hang out on the wedding day and provided extra entertainment with his backflip exploits.
It was a pleasure to be a part of another family celebration with familiar faces, and these guys were super fun to play with in front of the camera lens. From the outdoor sun flare portraits on the ceremony lawn, to elegant captures amidst the ornate railings, to some long exposure evening funkiness, we covered the gamut of awesome wedding photography. Thanks and enjoy the timeless memories.

A wedding gown adorned with feathers hangs in the balcony on the wedding day

Wedding ring and high heeled shoes getting ready at Chateaux at Fox Meadows

A bride smiles for a portrait with her father before her wedding

Portrait of a bride on the balcony, and a group portrait of bride and bridesmaids in the balcony doorway

Portrait of the bride in the balconies and railings of the Chateaux at Fox Meadows

Portrait of a groom with details of his tuxedo

A cute portrait of the groomsmen having a laugh before the wedding ceremony

A groom does back flips while his groomsmen watch in awe

Wedding details of a floral centerpiece with red roses and hanging jewels

Red roses and candles at the head table in the ballroom at the Chateaux at Fox Meadows

Closeup of red yellow and purple wedding flowers

Bird Cage Wedding Centerpieces and bird printed gift boxes

First sight of a groom of his bride walking down the aisle

A father walks his daughter down the aisle a the wedding ceremony

Landscape Scenic Ceremony view at the Chateaux at Fox Meadows outdoor wedding ceremony

A candid ceremony moment with beautiful sunny backlighting

Sun flare modern wedding portrait of a bride and groom in the trees

Romantic evening wedding portraits inside at a Denver wedding

A bride and groom laugh as the best man roasts the groom

A wedding moment during the First Dance captured using a two strobe setup

A bouquet flies through the air as does the groom during the Denver wedding reception

The front of the Chateaux at Fox Meadows illuminated at night, with the bride and groom on the balcony

Long Exposure Night Portrait of the Bride and groom under the full moon

Wedding Vendors

Venue .:. The Chateaux at Fox Meadows .:. 303-466-8078

Caterer .:. Biscuits and Berries .:. 303-277-9677

Cake Artist .:. Das Meyer Fine Pastry .:. 303-425-5616

Makeup Artist .:. The Makeup Guru .:. 720-300-9724

Musician/DJ .:. A Music Plus .:. 303-426-9990

Gwen + Jaime

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I meet my clients in many ways, both common and uncommon. Internet searching falls into the common category. A more uncommon way is to meet them while completing a bicycle tour of Boulder County brewpubs dressed in a costume. Since Gwen and Jaime fall into the latter category, I knew they would be up for both some common and uncommon engagement shoot locations.

At the time of our engagement session, the fall colors were in full swing. I’m a sucker for the changing colors, and made sure to visit a nature setting to get those sweet photos for Mom. But after that, we headed over to a location that I’ve been meaning to use for years, but have never quite remembered to visit. This concrete spillway is a super unique location where I can get creative and capture images with stunning geometric patterns. The stark colors and lines draw me into funky poses, Blue Steel expressions, and fiance shoulder presses.

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Karen + Ken

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The Mount Vernon Country Club is located in the Front Range Foothills just up the hill from Golden and the Denver metro area. The facility offers an outdoor wedding experience with breathtaking views of the mountains, Clear Creek Canyon, and the Denver city lights. This means wedding clients and guests get the Colorado mountain experience while maintaining the convenience of being close to the city. As a photographer, it means I get a lot of great scenic backdrops to work with.

You may remember Karen and Ken from their Denver engagement photography blog post earlier this year. Their wedding day brought typically bright Colorado sunshine that illuminated the portrait session in the mountain field, and clear skies that provided stunning views from the deck during the wedding ceremony. Once the sun went down, the guests enjoyed the Denver skyline view through the monstrous glass windows in the reception venue. Photographically, we had a grand evening, which was filled with reception dancing, some creative long exposure night photos, and a sparkler exit into a 1930 Chrysler Imperial 8. Congratulations Karen and Ken!

Karen and Ken: married in the purple flowers

A bridesmaid sprays hair spray as a bride gets ready for her wedding

A bridesmaid sprays hair spray as a bride gets ready for her wedding

Scenic outdoor wedding ceremony at Mount Vernon Country Club

A rabbi speaks at the wedding ceremony

Wedding flowers line the aisle

Romantic wedding portrait in the Colorado mountains at Mount Vernon Country Club

A bride and groom walk down the road leading to Mt Vernon Country Club in Golden, Colorado

Toasts at Mt Vernon Wedding Reception

A bride and groom dancing at a Mount Vernon wedding reception

Breakdancing on the wedding dance floor

Long exposure scenic night wedding portrait overlooking the Denver city lights

Sparkler sparks

Sparkler exit from the wedding reception

1930 Chrysler Imperial 8 Wedding Limousine

Bride and groom toast inside their vintage wedding car

Wedding Vendors

Venue .:. Mount Vernon Country Club .:. 303-526-3105

Gown Boutique .:. A Total Image Bridal Wearhouse .:. 303-424-5333

Florist .:. J Escapes .:. 303-204-1523

Caterer and Cake Artist .:. Mount Vernon Country Club .:. 303-526-3105

Musician/DJ .:. ABC Music, Video and Photography .:. 303-987-0303

Transportation .:. The Ambassador’s Rolls .:. 303-293-2719

Caitlin and Phill .:. Wedding

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Romantic wedding portait in a mountain field under dramatic skies in Winter Park Colorado

Mountain weddings rule. The Winter Park area always serves up stunning scenery and dramatic skies that make my Cloud Whispering job easy. Caitlin and Phill brought me back to the Wild Horse Inn, which is technically in the town of Tabernash which is in the Frazier Valley of Colorado. You may remember this dynamic duo from their Boulder engagement photos taken at Settler’s Park. Fast forward to 2011 – they enjoyed a perfect summer wedding with an outdoor ceremony and stunning mountain views.

Wedding Dress and Bridal Portrait at the Wild Horse Inn

Portrait of a groom in a mountain field in Winter Park Colorado

Wedding Ceremony at Wild Horse Inn photographed with a tilt shift lens

The Kiss at a wedding ceremony in an outdoor ceremony in the Colorado mountains

A bride and groom are lit with off camera light in a mountain field in Winter Park, Colorado

A bride and groom hold hands and walk away down the road towards the mountains

Wedding details in the Wild Horse Inn reception tent

A bride and groom toast their guest at their Colorado wedding reception

Candlelit dancing at a wedding reception in the Frazier Valley of Colorado

A groovy groom groovin' at his wedding reception at Wild Horse Inn

Wedding Vendors

Venue .:. Wild Horse Inn .:. 970-726-0456

Florist .:. Pick Me .:. 720-270-4647

Caterer .:. Wild Horse Catering Co. .:. 970-726-1368

Jennifer and David .:. Engagement Photos

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Are you ready to check out some engagement photos taken in downtown Boulder? I know, I know, you’ve been waiting around for weeks and weeks thinking, “When the hell is Steve Z ever going to blog creative and magical downtown Boulder engagement portrait sessions? I mean, I know he’s always busy shoot something or another, but there just aren’t many blog posts coming along, especially ones taken in downtown Boulder that will melt my face off with creativity, lighting, composition, and dead sexy couples who are so in love it makes my own relationship seem inferior. I mean, what, is he going to wait until all the leaves have fallen off the trees so that it is completely obvious how far behind he is on his blogging?”

My answer to that line of thinking is apparently, “Yes.”

I’m thinking that all my summer and fall portrait shoots that haven’t been blogged are going to be looking pretty good when I post them this winter. I mean, I could blog in the summer, when everyone in Boulder is outside doing sports and not blog stalking, and all the other photographers are blog blogging away and oversaturating your Facebook News Feed. I could have done that. But I believe that it will probably be even better for me to blog when it’s mud season and you can’t ride or hike because it’s muddy and windy, and it’s still too early to ski, because then, oh yes then I will have you right where I want you. You will be a captive audience just sitting around bored waiting for something interesting to come along, and then I will hit you up side the head with a blog post filled with fantastical engagement sessions like this one with Jennifer and David. This is a blog post about Jennifer and David, remember? Enjoy Jennifer and David’s engagement photos, because they are super rad and totally deserve to be worshiped.

A couple leans on a yellow wall for engagement photography in Boulder, Colorado

A couple touches fingers, I know, it's weird

A couple kissing on the stairs

Portrait of a couple in front of an ivy covered building

Jennifer and David's Engagement Photography

Engagement Photos don't all have to be serious

Engagement photos at the playground, some serious, some not

Dramatic Engagement Portrait in Boulder as the sun sets over the Flatirons

My favorite part about this last shot is not the kicking sand, the pink toenails, or the backlit foot hair … it is the strobe reflecting off of the inside of David’s mouth.

A couple in bare feet jumps over the photographer