Kristie + Luke Colorful Fall Wedding

Kristie and Luke snagged one of the most popular 2020 wedding dates, 10-10-2020, and I am so glad they did!

Kristie and Luke are such a wonderful, laid back, sweet and caring couple. They rented an AMAZING air bnb out in the mountains. It was a beautiful rustic mansion, surrounded by colorful, glittering, fall trees.

The moment I arrived Luke was there to greet me, we had only met virtually before that, and he was ready to introduce himself and help me any way he could, at his own wedding! Everyone there was so helpful and kind, ready to do anything to help Kristie and Luke's day go as flawlessly as possible.

I found Kristie getting ready in a beautiful large room overlooking what may be the best mountain view I have ever seen in Durango. She was just finishing up her hair and makeup, just about ready to get into her gorgeous dress and start her first looks.

We set up two first looks for Kristie, first was the father daughter first look. We set up her dad in the beautiful backyard (backyard doesn't even seem like the right word for the colorful forest behind this house), and when he turned around to see his daughter, in her gorgeous dress, in this breathtaking setting, and I can't imagine the joy and happy tears emotions that hit him. But next was the groom's turn, and wow! When he turned around to see his beautiful bride, you could see the happiness overwhelm them both, they both looked so amazing!

Now everyone was ready for their intimate beautiful ceremony! They had a beautiful arch decorated, with the mountains in the background, in front of the house. They had Kristie's brother officiating, adorable little nieces and nephews throwing petals and carrying important ceremony items, and I swear half the guests were crying before everyone even got down the aisle. I seriously love these personal intimate weddings!

Kristie and Luke each had their own individual vow book, matching their wedding colors. After their vows, and rings, they had a unique addition to their ceremonial events, a celtic handfasting ceremony. Handfasting is an ancient Celtic ritual in which the hands are tied together to symbolize the binding of two lives. They wrapped their hands in beautifully colored chords and then left the chords tied together where their hands had been, allowing them to keep this symbol of literally tying the knot for the rest of their lives! (I love unique unity rituals like this!)

Even though we had gotten so many beautiful photos of the bride and groom together after their first look, we had to go get more after their ceremony because the scenery around their wedding location was so amazing and breath taking, but also because they were just so dang cute I couldn't stop! They were definitely one of those couples I took too many photos of because they just wouldn't stop being cute long enough for me to put the camera down!

I am so glad that Kristie and Luke found me to capture their amazing day, and I feel so lucky that I get to have these glimpses into such personal and meaningful moments in the lives of so many wonderful people like these two.

Congratulations Kristie and Luke, I know your forever will be just as beautiful and magical as your wedding day was!