One of my last weddings of 2021 was Tyler and Melissa’s beautiful winter wedding at The Oaks. The day was full of emotion (Melissa told me right from the get go that she’d be crying the whole day). From the sweetest First Looks to the most sentimental toasts, this day was filled with such a wonderful energy.
I first met Tyler and Melissa way back in January when I photographed their wintery engagement photos. You can see that session here! I knew right from the get go that these were such sweet, kind hearted people.
To Tyler and Melissa
Thank you for trusting me to capture your day! You and your family made me feel so incredibly welcome. Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness!!
The Deets
How did y’all meet?
“Tyler and Melissa met on a blind date at Angelo’s Taverna restaurant in Denver, CO. Tyler was extremely nervous and excited to meet her; therefore he arrived at the restaurant about an hour and a half early to get a great spot at the bar and to calm his nerves with a drink. Upon arrival, Tyler knew Melissa was the one as she confidently walked into the restaurant excited to get to know Tyler better. Despite sitting a foot away from a bin of oysters for three hours, their first date went very well, and the rest is history.”
Tell me about the proposal!
“Tyler proposed to Melissa at 12:01 on January 1st 2021. We had a few of Melissa’s really close friends in town over for a New Years party. My plan was to have it be a surprise and the couple had celebrated New Years with us the year before so it wouldn’t look suspicious to have them there again this year. I had the ring in a 2021 piñata and the plan was for everyone to open one at 12:01 to have a start of the year shooter. Her ring was taped on the shooter. At first she was more focused on reading the label and didn’t even see the ring. As we stood there waiting for her to look at it, I told her to look closer. Then I got down on one knee, gave a brief speech and popped the question. She said yes.”
The Wedding Day
Getting Ready
Getting ready at the Oaks is literally what dreams are made of– this venue has it all. Melissa got married in the massive bridal suite while Tyler got ready in the speakeasy room and then played golf with his wedding party. Melissa and Tyler each wrote the sweetest notes on each others shoes, what a great idea and keepsake of your wedding! Melissa also hand drew their welcome book, which was an oak tree where all guests wrote their name. We had 3 different first looks in the morning– one with the bridesmaids, one with dad, and finally one with Tyler.
First Look and Portraits
Tyler and Melissa chose to do a First Look, Melissa said she wanted to get all tears out of the way! After their First Look (and a quick makeup touch up) we went outside for some portraits. There are so many reasons I love doing First Looks, but one big reason is my couples will get double the portraits. Not only is this great to have the variety, but in case of inclement weather, you get to two shots at your photos!
I really love the Oaks for portraits, the space isn’t huge, yet the variety of backdrops is super impressive. We started with the front of the venue since the lighting was still a little harsh and then moved in back by the ceremony space.
Wedding Party
Because we did a first look, we were able to complete all our wedding party portraits before the ceremony. This meant all we had to do post ceremony were family photos, allowing Melissa and Tyler to enter their reception as soon as they wanted!
Ceremony
After wedding party portraits it was time for the ceremony!! I was so proud of Melissa and how well she held the tears back– she did great! And the look on Tyler’s face was priceless, look at that grin!! The officiant did a fantastic job of including the guests and keeping the ceremony super personal.
Sunset Portraits
After family photos we did some couples portraits, because it was winter the sun was setting at the perfect time to achieve a beautiful golden, glow. Melissa’s main request was to get a flowy veil shot– and we definitely delivered! It was the perfect length and weight that it absolutely flew!!
The Reception
Once the couple entered the Reception we immediately moved to dinner. After guests were fed and relaxed, we started with toasts. These were some of my favorite of the year! Because of the layout of the venue, we kept all dances together and moved from the Reception space into the cocktail hour area. This is one of my favorite dancing spaces in all of Colorado. I absolutely love how it transforms from a swanky bar to an incredible nightclub feel.
Open Dancing
After special dances were done it was time to party! I was only there for about an hour of dancing but I can tell they had an incredible party!
Melissa & Tyler’s Vendor Team
Wedding Dress – The Bridal Collection
Bridesmaids Dresses – Bella Bridesmaids
Florals – Garden Path Floral
Catering – In house
DJ – S Rod DJ
Hair & Makeup – Lola Beauty
Learn more about Leah, a Colorado wedding photographer
Hey there! I hope you enjoyed this wedding highlight of Tyler and Melissa’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.
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