Emma and Eric’s spring wedding at Della Terra Mountain Chateau is only my 3rd wedding of the year but I already know it’s one of my favorites.
There were some road bumps (jump ahead to the first look/portraits section of this blog post) but despite everything Emma and Eric were in their own little bubble of wedding day love. From their incredibly sweet first look (Eric’s face!! 🥺) to their personal vows– this day was all about them and their 9 year love story.
To Emma and Eric
Thank you for trusting me to photograph y’alls day! I had so much fun photographing you both. Thank you for not freaking out when my car nearly spontaneously combusted– y’all kept me calm! Loved being a part of your special day and celebrating with you both. Hope you have a blast in Italy and Croatia!
The Wedding Day
Getting Ready
I had the honor of photographing Emma’s sister, Lisa’s, wedding last year so it felt like I already knew this sweet family so well. I love photographing family and friend’s of past couples because it truly is not just an honor but a privilege to be continuously welcomed back into these people’s lives and families lives. And it’s super fun!
Emma didn’t care too much about wedding day details– so I started the morning with a quick shot of her gorgeous dress and then moved on to some candids of her and her sisters getting ready.
Della Terra is such a fun venue because it truly feels like a mountain getaway. And you have the option of staying onsite, which makes getting ready such a breeze!
First Look & Portraits
Emma and Eric chose to do a First Look and it was one of my favorites! Eric’s face was absolutely giddy. I was literally grinning like a maniac behind my camera the whole time. And after their First Look Emma kept mentioning how much she was so happy that they just did that. All of the nerves and anxiety was pretty much gone. First Looks are great!
After the couple saw each other, had some hugs, and did the classic look at me and go “what next”, we piled into my car and headed into Rocky Mountain National Park for some portraits. This is where things took a turn…
I typically don’t drive couples or clients anywhere because it can be an insurance issue if anything happened while driving. But since the park is literally 5 minutes away, I didn’t see how it could be a problem… Welp. The second we passed the ticket entrance and (of course) lost service in the park, my car threw up an emergency light on my dash. “Critical Engine Failure”. Talk about the worst possible hazard notification one could ever receive. “Do not go above 4,000 RPMS. Service vehicle immediately” was what my glove compartment dash guide said. I pulled off and tried desperately not to freak out. Not only did I have the wedding couple in my car, stranded without service, but the wedding ceremony was in 45 minutes!!! We turned the car off, let her sit and rolled down the windows. Eric talked me off a ledge and Emma suggested naming my car so we can call her by name. After a few minutes I turned the car (Wilma) back on and miraculously the light was gone!!!! So I drove, truly, the slowest (I swear we could’ve walked faster) I’ve ever driven to our photo location.
Roadblock number 2. The meadow was closed. And not just closed but being patrolled by two very serious, very stern park rangers. And despite asking very nicely and not a single mating sheep in sight, we were told absolutely no exceptions, stay on the sidewalk. Beautiful mountain meadow views– big bust.
Luckily, after continuing on (at a turtle’s pace) we came to a beautiful clearing with epic views and were finally able to take some gorgeous pictures. I didn’t breathe a sigh of relief until Emma and Eric were safely deposited back at the venue.
The Ceremony
Emma and Eric’s ceremony was short and sweet but filled with their personality. They were laughing and smiling the whole time.
Some highlights: Eric’s face seeing Emma walk down the incredibly long aisle, their unity tree ceremony and then joking about killing said tree the rest of the day, their rose petal exit!
Note on the rose petal exit: this was such a fantastic idea!! It’s a great way to get those high energy, fun exit photos without having your photographer stay all day or breaking up the dance floor with a staged exit. 10/10!
Post Ceremony Portraits
After some quick family photos we decided to do some rapid fire couples photos since the overcast skies looked like there wouldn’t be much of a sunset. Emma and Eric really wanted to join their cocktail hour and mingle, so it was crucial that I was able to capture a variety of photos in a short amount of time.
This photo session began at 5:24pm and ended at 5:36pm, which is pretty impressive if I do say so myself! My top priority for couples is them enjoying their day, so when couples say they want to join their cocktail hour or start their reception early I do everything in my power to get their as soon as possible.
Cocktail Hour & Reception
I was only at Emma and Eric’s for a few hours but during that time I witnessed some incredibly sweet and emotional toasts, a toast done entirely through miming (apparently the groomsmen was banned from speaking due to previous toasts so had to act out his toast while another groomsmen narrated, it was hilarious) and a dancing line that got every single person on the dancefloor (go DJ).
Emma and Eric’s Vendor Team
Venue – Della Terra Mountain Chateau
Dress – BHLDN
Catering – Front Range Catering
DJ – Creative Exposures
Learn more about Leah, a Colorado wedding photographer
Hey there! I hope you enjoyed this wedding highlight of Emma and Eric’s big day! I’m a wedding photographer based out of Denver and serving locations across Colorado and beyond. I’m originally from Texas but beelined it here as fast as I could. I’ve always loved the Colorado way of life– the mountains, the food, the people, it’s unlike any place I’ve ever been! Being a wedding photographer here is a dream. I love serving fun and in love couples. If you’re wanting candid, authentic imagery with a creative twist and a luxury experience, I’m your girl! I’d love to learn more about you and your special day! You can send me a message here or using the contact form below.
And while you’re here, why don’t you check out some of these other helpful posts and resources!
let's work together!
Contact Us!
I'm so excited to hear more about your vision! Send me a message and I'll get back to you within 24-48 hours!
