Good morning and happiest of Fridays!!  If there was every a shoot to get your weekend started off right, it’s this one.

Let me start by saying I feel so extremely blessed and lucky to know Michelle & Steven.  Secondly, I am so thankful for that spirit inside me that, every once in a while, gives me a push.

First, a side note: since 2009 we have done a free wedding giveaway and worked with the most amazing couples.  With my own wedding in 2014, we skipped that summer there was just too much going on to hold our usual contests.  Last year was skipped as well (it’s amazing how quickly two summers goes by!) on account of our unexpected move to California and therefore unexpected expenses in coming back to Colorado for a 2015 wedding season. Anyway, all that to say we are BACK in 2016!!

Now back to that spirit thing.  This year, I didn’t have a chance to kick off the normal video blog post calling for entries.  This year, our free wedding giveaway couple landed in my inbox.  You see, every year Villa Parker and its preferred vendors give away a full day of wedding services to an unexpecting military couple. Michelle & Steven were in love with the venue, and a perfect fit for the giveaway.  So one day, they got a call basically saying they won the lottery and that their entire wedding was free!  When the  email went out about vendors who wanted to participate my spirit, didn’t nudge me, but pushed me, saying, “Yooooou really should take this, René.  Just trust Me.”

So I did. (I, of course, wanted to make sure they liked my work, so we gave them the option to opt out if not. So in a way the chose me too.)

And I have been repaid ten-fold in this new, beautiful friendship with Michelle & Steven.  I’m telling you, these guys are just a breath of fresh, bubbly air. Their spirits are so kind and so sweet and so loving.  And they’re pretty easy on the eyes and a photographer’s dream to photograph! I can’t tell you how quickly we’ve connected.  It’s been an amazing journey so far to get to know their hearts and we’ve only just begun.   Their 1920s-themed wedding is a highly anticipated day in my book!  I’m thrilled to work with Villa Parker and its dream team of vendors!

Michelle & Steven, you know how I feel about you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for trusting me with your story!  It goes without saying that this is one of my all-time favorite engagements, so much so that we had to break it up into two parts.

SO much love & joy to you,
René

So many credits in this amazing shoot.  First, a huuuuge thank you to the Glen Eyrie Castle for allowing us to shoot on their property!  I’m so grateful to be a preferred vendor here too and love how they take care of their people and help us to love our couples better.  Michelle’s stunning makeup is by Jacquelynn at Manitou Hair Emporium for Michelle’s stunning makeup!  She’s amazing, you must book her!!  And an extra special thank you to our bride Janet & Rachel at A Florae for providing the beautiful flowers!!