{Elizabeth&Paul | Day After Session at Emerald Lake |…
I got to spend a whole weekend with these two! From the rehearsal dinner to the wedding to this awesome day after session. Elizabeth and Paul met me at Emerald Lake in CB and we romped around in their wedding attire. I may or may not have gotten them a bit muddy, but we still had such an amazing time with these adventurous two! Check out our awesome day after session below!
Enjoy!
KiKi
{Courtney&Raphael | Wedding at The Mountain Wedding Garden |…
Let me start by saying, these two are a kick ass couple! They’ve lived in my two favorite places, Hawaii and Colorado. Courtney is a gorgeous read head. They have an adorable dog, in which they put a giant bow tie on. And to top it off, they hiked around on their wedding day even though Courtney was sportin’ a broken foot and a baby bump. It was just one of those days where I felt like I was hanging out with my friends all day. Even though we had just met. 🙂
The wildflowers were going off for their beautiful summer wedding at the Mountain Wedding Garden in CB. With a flower crown on and their pup in the back seat, we ventured around Gothic for some sweet portraits. It was a perfectly beautiful day! They have since moved back to Hawaii and are expecting their baby soon! They are going to be some seriously adventurous, fun loving parents. Congrats you two!
KiKi
{Lana&Greg | Engagement at Garden of the Gods |…
I am headed back to Colorado tomorrow after two weeks of weddings in Neptune Beach. So what a fitting time to post Lana and Greg’s engagement at Garden of the Gods. I give props to a girl who can hike uphill in heals! Check ’em out below.
Enjoy!
KiKi
{Ali&Aaron | Wedding at Waunita Hot Springs | KiKi…
Ali & Aaron’s wedding was truly a labor of love. Their friends and family came together to put on a loving and beautiful spring wedding. I was literally the only vendor there that was not a close friend or related to them. Her mother made her absolutely gorgeous bouquet, her aunt made her vintage looking, adorable cake, friends helped with hair and makeup. A close friend played acoustic guitar during the reception and another officiated the ceremony. The entire wedding even stayed on the property together, sharing a private hot springs and horse ranch all to themselves.
The details of the day were gorgeous, but the most amazing thing was my interaction with Ali and Aaron. I had met them for the first time an hour before their ceremony. Their warmth and overall excitement was contagious. And made me, the only “vendor” of the day, feel like family. They were genuinely kind and spiritual people. During their ceremony they asked their guests to remove their shoes with them. Saying that it would connect them not only to the earth around them but to each other, on a day that was so important and special. After their ceremony, family pictures were filled with a bunch of jokes and goofy poses. Their reception was filled with several speeches from close family and friends on how much they cherish and adore Ali & Aaron, how meant to be they were. The love from their guests was almost never ending and incredibly sweet to hear and be apart of. The cherry on the Sunday is that the song they danced to, one I have never heard at a wedding before, was always one I had dreamt of dancing to on my wedding day. They are two seriously awesome people and I feel so special to be the one to capture such a wonderful day.
Enjoy
KiKi
{Schanell&Sam | One Year Session at Slate River |…
A sweet and moody one year session for Schanell and Sam’s one year anniversary. Check out our adventure out Slate River in Crested Butte!
{Catherine&Ryan | Wedding at Custer State Park | KiKi…
I wish I could post photos from this wedding everyday. The ease and beauty in which Catherine and Ryan put on their South Dakota Mountain wedding was gorgeous. Even with rain almost the entire day of the wedding, we managed to adventure and photograph in some amazing spots.
I also love the adorable touches they had the day of. Their grandfather marrying them and their other grandfather, that had passed, recorded a message and blessing that they played before dinner. Catherine wore a two piece lace dress that her mother softly helped her button, while Ryan was dressed in a tux that his Father helped him straighten up. Only their family stood by their side as they were married. Catherine’s Sisters and Ryan’s Brother and Father. Where they were married, Ryan built a buffalo made of steel. And let’s just say he added an extra part to the “male” buffalo that was asked to be removed prior to the wedding day. That is only a testament to what a goofy and fun guy Ryan is. And how beautifully Catherine’s sweetness and wit compliments him.
Beyond that, Catherine and Ryan (and all of their friends and family) know how to party! I can easily say of all the couples I have photographed over 9 years, Catherine and Ryan were on the dance floor more than any other couple. And they looked damn good doing it. Twirling and dipping and at one point playing spin the bottle to who would dance next. At times they were dancing with cowboy hats on, whiskey in hand and a lit cigar in their mouth. And I am not just talking about Ryan, Catherine was doing it too. They’re just a bad ass, good looking couple. And I am pretty stoked to be the one to capture their outdoor, wooded, super fun wedding! Check out the amazingness of Catherine and Ryan below!
Enjoy! KiKi
Venue: State Game Lodge in Custer State Park
Photographer: Kara Lamm, Kiki Creates
Dress: Gown Boutique of Charleston
Makeup and hair: Melissa Dykman, Love & Beauty Maui
Florist: Roots Wedding Florals
Cake: Bakehouse
Band: Peewee Moore
DJ: JD Productions
Caterer: State Game Lodge
Officiant: Tom Bullock, Groom’s Grandfather
{Ariana & Kurtis | Wedding at Seven Falls |…
To be apart of only 20 people at someones wedding is a very special thing. Of all the places, people and things in this world, some how your moments along the way lead you to be one of the most important people in someones life. 1 of 20 in attendance to share their most special and thoughtful day. Now that is pretty neat. And out of the sea of photographers they could have chosen to be that person to capture such a sweet and family oriented day, it is pretty darn neat to be picked for that too.
Ariana and Kurtis and their closest family and friends shared a spot under the waterfall at Seven Falls the day after Thanksgiving. Gathered around with no chairs or microphones and using each other to keep warm, they inched closer to hear their teary eyed vows. With their pup at their feet, rings tied around his collar, they held hands underneath the roaring of the falls. So much love and energy it was hard to stay focused and not get swept up in the moment. As they were pronounced husband and wife, everyone put their hands on them in prayer and then they shared a huge hug and kiss.
To follow such a unique and beautiful ceremony was hard. But being a crew of 20 we slowly became the talk of the park. Of course my crazy idea was to have them walk up some 200+ stairs, stand on a platform with no people (on the busiest day of the year), while I ran a half a mile across to another platform and up an elevator to get a shot of the whole waterfall. We had Kurtis on the phone with me kindly asking people to get of the tiny platform and their wedding guests holding people off on the stairs by them and cheering me on over at the other platform while on the phone directing them. I was trying my hardest not to giggle while making the photo but it really was the biggest joint effort to make it happen and it turned out pretty epic! But enough from me! Below is what the Bride told me about her wedding day and be sure to check out the images after! Enjoy! KiKi
From the Bride, Ariana:
“Our wedding was so perfect because it felt like just a gathering of family which is what we wanted. We had the most important people there to celebrate such an important event and we got to do it in one of the most beautiful places in the world. We got to be so relaxed and laid back and just focus on the important things rather then making sure everything was perfect which in the end it really was. We got to really spend the day together and just laugh and really feel all the love that we have for each other. I honestly cant imagine marrying the love of my life any other way.”
Venue: Seven Falls
Dress: Davids Bridal
Makeup and hair: Done by the bride
Florist: Skyway Creations
Cake: Edelweiss Restaurant
Caterer: Edelweiss Restaurant
Officiant: Erich Michelfelder (father of groom)
A Look Back on a Wedding & Lifestyle Photographers…
2017, I feel like you were a blip in the radar because you went by so, so fast. But when laying out all I’ve done over the past 12 months, I’m amazed at all that has happened. Every year I think I need to push myself more, do more, create something new. But this year, although emotional and stressful. And at times, overwhelming. This year, I feel accomplished and satisfied and ready for more.
I began the year in Italy and after seeing some amazing places, I made the decision to add a location in my favorite tiny town, Crested Butte. I photographed 49 wedding, 36 engagements/portraits, and 59 photo booths. My busiest year by far brought on a second location, moving to Colorado, my thirtieth birthday, six very exciting awards for my photography and announcements that I am going to be an aunt for the first time x2!
Throughout the year we smiled, laughed, danced, photographed in the mountains, several beaches, under a waterfall and during a hurricane. Under the stars, the moon, at sunrise and sunset. During a snow storm, -1 degree weather and 101 degree weather. Traveled to Italy, Greece, Wyoming, South Dakota, Texas, Colorado, Maine, the Carolinas, and the Keys. Met tons of people and their adorable doggies. I had the opportunity to photograph firsts for a lot of couples. They opened up their homes, hearts and most intimate moments to me and I could not feel more grateful for their trust and love along the way.
It’s hard every year to narrow down a small group of images that are my “favorites”. Most of these are moments I couldn’t get out of my head throughout the year. Moments that made me feel secure in what I’m doing and moments that pushed me to become better at something I’ve been at for almost 8 years now. I can never seem to put together words that describe how amazing I think this life is. A life that I’ve built, but not alone. To everyone that has put their hand in helping me and my company, I am forever thankful. This has been another year where I wonder what would I do without photography. Where would I be? I’m hoping I’ll never have to face that. Because I truly love what I do and couldn’t imagine life without it. I hope your 2017 was prosperous and made you think about what in life makes you happy. And I hope in 2018, you go get that happiness. Cheers!
Love, KiKi
Fin.
{Wes & Franny's Wedding at Woods Walk | KiKi…
It’s suppose to snow all day in Crested Butte (fingers crossed) today. So I thought, why not post this winter wonderland wedding! Easily the most magical, snowy, stunning wedding I have had the chance to be apart of.
I woke up the morning of to -4 degrees. Coldest wedding I’ve ever photographed. While the girls were drinking champagne and getting ready, the guys took a couple hot laps on the mountain. I really couldn’t imagine anything more perfect to start your wedding day with.
We did a first look as it dumped snow on us and Franny and Wes’ adorable pup, Mr.Finn, joined dressed in bow tie and all. As they saw each other for the first time, Wes popped a bottle of champagne and they sipped straight from the bottle as we stood in the secluded woods while it snowed. It really was such a happy and beautiful moment.
They gave their guests the option to not attend the ceremony, since it was snowing outside and in 20 degree weather. Everyone still showed up, wrapped in jackets and sharing blankets they watched the two red nosed lovers say I do and kiss with Mount CB as their backdrop. Again, such a happy and beautiful moment.
We photographed everything outside, family photos, bridal party, everything. And not one person complained about the cold, even the girls that had sleeveless dresses were up for it! Such an amazing group of people to photograph and share memories with. The reception took place in a warm and cozy restaurant in town. With a fire in the background and whiskey and champagne flowing all night, we danced, took Polaroids, laughed at speeches, and ate some amazing elk! It was a super classy and beautiful day. But I’ll stop talking and let you just check it out yourself 🙂
Enjoy!
KiKi
Thank you to the awesome vendors below that helped make this day possible!