Hillside Gardens: Celeste & Michael

Good evening and happy Friday!  I hope this week has treated you well and that you’ve got something just blissful and relaxing scheduled for this weekend.

In the post before this, you met Celeste and Michael in their Monument engagement session.  Today, we share their wedding with you.

These two were married on Labor Day at the lovely Hillside Gardens here in Colorado Springs.  May you enjoy this beautiful morning ceremony as much as we enjoyed shooting it – which was a lot! :-D Especially because of how musical the day was.

Celeste has quite the heart for musicals, so their reception was different than any reception I’ve seen in that they had many of their talented friends and family tell their love story through sining.  Celeste and Michael’s own musical was narrated by a family friend, which told of their history and maturation of their love.  Throughout the narrative were meaningful songs sung by meaningful people.  It was just lovely!  Celeste even sang a song that captured her feelings before their first date: Will He Like Me? from the musical She Loves Me.

I’d say he more than likes her. :-)

Michael and Celeste, thank you for friendship and vulnerability in front of our lenses.  We adore you and consider you lifelong friends.  May this day be the day you love each other the least.

With love and joy,
René + Jesie

With 20 years of experience, I bring a calm, steady presence to your most meaningful days. I specialize in documenting relationships over time—from weddings and anniversaries to babies and families—with a love for black-and-white imagery, honest moments, and photographs that belong in albums, not just on a feed. There are no forced poses or “pretend to” prompts here, only space for what’s real. I’m not just here for the highlight; I’m here for the history you’re creating.

And I can't wait to capture your story

Hi! i'm rené, your
photog & legacy keeper

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