Spruce Mountain Ranch Wedding Photos | Rebecca and Justin

Monday, 11 May 2020 by taylorjonesphotography

Spruce Mountain Ranch wedding bride groom portraits

When you’re obsessed with the Colorado mountains and music festivals, what do you do? You have a music festival themed wedding at one of Colorado’s most iconic ranch wedding venues, Spruce Mountain Ranch in Larkspur, Colorado! Becca and Justin’s love for music was so apparent at their wedding when guests went home with guitar picks and their seating assignment was a ticket stub! We loved their attention to detail to make their wedding uniquely them in every sense of the word.

From the moment we arrived, Becca was beaming with smiles and giggles. Literally, Mike came over to me at one point and showed me the back of his camera and said, “We’ve never had a bride smile as much as Becca!” And it was true, her smile graced the back of our cameras all day long. Especially during their first dances that were held outside as the rain sprinkled down.

During their reception, Becca’s sister and maid-of-honor had all their guests hold hands in a circle around them. This was arguably one of the most sincere and moving moments of their day as loved ones said sweet words and wishes for the bride and groom. Becca and Justin were able to focus on being in the moment and watch as those they loved most gathered to support them as they began their journey into marriage.

After a delicious dinner that consisted of meals from every single origin of the world, we threw the newlyweds into our car to head to the top of Spruce Mountain Ranch’s property to catch some epic storms rolling in. I’m not going to lie, at one point we were all running for our cars, with videographers Nick and Kristin, as fast as we could because the bolts of lightning were coming in quickly! Needless to say, the storm clouds made for an incredibly epic sunset that we couldn’t wait to share with y’all. So without further, adieu, Becca and Justin’s beautiful music festival themed wedding at the iconic Spruce Mountain Ranch!

Cheers!
Mike and Tay

Published in Weddings

No Comments

Rosewolff Studio Wedding | Los Angeles California | Matt & Emily

Tuesday, 17 March 2020 by taylorjonesphotography

Downtown Los Angeles wedding at Rosewolff Studios

Rosewolff Studio Wedding | Los Angeles California | Matt & Emily

If you’ve followed us for any amount of time, you likely saw my best friends surprise proposal earlier last year (CLICK HERE if you didn’t). And upon reading that you’ll have learned she’s a much better writer than I am. Aside from saying how much I love this couple and what a true honor it was to capture my best friend’s (since I was 17) wedding, I will, once again, leave the story telling to the well-versed, hilarious, and stunning bride in this beautiful Rosewolff Studio wedding: Emily.

We love you both dearly and I can’t thank you enough for letting me be your photographer/honorary bridesmaid.

How did the two of you meet?

“I (Emily) joined Match.com in March of 2018, with hesitancy and rather extensive encouragement from both my sister and my best friend, the latter of whom took our engagement pictures and also shot our wedding. Let me paint the picture for you. My first date on Match was with this guy who was financially affluent and had an expensive luxury car–which is all fine–until you post multiple pictures of said vehicle on social media with the caption “#blessed”. It’s cool if you’re fortunate and all, but I will never support the notion that owning a Mercedes makes you a candidate for an ordained consecration from an almighty higher power. I just can’t do it. Even more determined to be my true self whilst braving the jungle that is online dating, I decided to filter my dialogue a little less. Weed ’em out, you know?

The second date–when he told me he lived in Beverly Hills, I replied [verbatim] with “I literally only ever drive to Beverly Hills to see my therapist.” Which is true, mind you. Moving right along to date #3…

In the meantime, Matt was working 10-12 hour days, 6-7 days a week at the new Rams stadium in Inglewood. He had been considering the whole online dating thing and decided to test the waters when he saw a commercial for a free 5-day trial on match.com. Lucky for me, his first [and only] Match date was me–March 31, 2018.”

Tell us about your first date!

“We went to Golden Mean (I think it’s now called something hokey like Viva Vegan), a cute little plant-based cafe in Santa Monica. We were both extremely hungry (something that certainly hasn’t changed). We got burgers to-go and walked down the street to a picnic area that overlooked the beach. Our conversation was filled with typical introductory Q&A. I’m highly introverted and probably speak a little less frequently than most. Matt–and this is one of the things I love about him–is not that way. At all. I remember sitting on the wood bench, eating my burger and thinking “Damn, this kid can talk”. In a very endearing, curious type of way, of course.

We finished our food and walked down the 3rd street promenade, grabbing a matcha latte from Starbucks and continuing conversation. I think we ended up walking and talking for like 2 hours or more. Conversely, I think Matt was genuinely impressed that I ate the entire burger I had ordered for lunch. And if I’m being honest, I was also a little impressed myself. Regardless, I do know that we both felt like we’d somehow just met someone we’d known for years.”

How did you guys choose to have your wedding at Rosewolff Studios?

“We were on a budget for sure, and with pretty much any venue in Los Angeles, if you mention “wedding”, it’s a minimum of like $8,000. MINIMUM. I started researching just basic event spaces for rent and found RoseWolff, which was downtown and two minutes from our apartment. It was a lofty/industrial large space with beautiful natural lighting and two distinct areas for both the ceremony and reception. We had a lot of guests coming from out of town and I didn’t want anyone to have to drive all over LA trying to find a second, separate reception location following our ceremony. I also loved that it was a completely blank slate. There was no associated catering/decor/DJ/etc. so I knew I would be able to make the space look exactly how I wanted it. We went to look at it and I could envision everything, so we went with it!”

What was the most fun part of wedding planning for you?

“You hear about how stressful wedding planning is, so I kind of kept waiting for it to get burdensome or boring, but I freaking loved it. All. Of. It. I loved it! Honestly, I think it was more painstaking for Matt to relinquish TV time with me so that I could craft. There are some things at my very core that just excite my soul: organizing conceptual ideas or projects, creating stuff with my hands, coming up with gifts/special things for other people, spending time with just myself, and pretty much anything associated with colorful shit. So I guess I had unknowingly been waiting my whole life to plan a badass giant party for everybody we hold dear to us. I could go on forever about this so I’ll just create some bullet points here.
Things I enjoyed:
• Researching vendors and spaces to find the best fit for us. There are so many cool spots in LA!
• Working with our budget…which sounds insane, I know. We had an exceptionally low budget for a Southern California event, so it was like solving a puzzle trying to decide what I could make myself and what we could afford to splurge on.
• Making everything!…paper chargers; paper lanterns; designing menus/ceremony programs/invitations; our giant 14’ x 14’ paper flower ceremony backdrop; paper leaf/greenery garlands for the backs of all the chairs. We bought all our flowers wholesale from the downtown LA Flower Market/Flower Moxie, and my closest fam/friends made all the flower pieces ourselves (dining centerpieces, bouquets, etc.). They turned out beautifully!
• Having the opportunity to make practically everything special. On our first date, we had burgers, so we also served burgers at the wedding. I found an adorable hamburger wax seal that I used to make all the place cards. I also had a metal stamping kit, so I hand-stamped metal tags and made wine charms for all our guests. I also made clutches, personalized champagne glasses, and monogrammed robes for my bridesmaids and our moms which was so much fun to give them as we were getting ready.
• I went full type A and made a diagram of everything we had to set up – dining tables, the bar, our guestbook table, the cake and cake table, the layout of the reception room (allseated.com is a seriously amazing free event/space planner that lets you create event spaces *to scale*. I am waiting for them to start charging users because it’s so amazingly thorough, easy to use, and customizable). This allowed me to not only make sure everything was set up how I had planned, but it took all the pressure off of me the day of trying to delegate and setup 1,000 things at once. And it also allowed me to easily incorporate family and friends that wanted to help setup while maintaining our vision and design. This was especially important to me because I worked so hard to make this event about more than just us. I wanted family and close friends to become part of our setup process and enjoy spending time with everyone (especially out-of-town guests who we rarely see) instead of being one of those nutso brides who’s so preoccupied with everything else she blows the whole day without ever truly just being present. That was one of my biggest fears leading up to the day, I think…missing all the important stuff because I was giving all my energy to the stupid stuff.
• So much for these brief bullet points.”

Tell us about your first look! Having done one, would you do it again?

“Yes. I loved it. Matt loved it. We loved the pictures we were able to take prior to the wedding when our clothes and makeup were pristine. Since the whole day of our wedding was a major group effort, Matt was in and out of our dressing room while setting up at the venue. He saw my makeup and hair as it was being done, so it wasn’t like he was pass-out astonished when he first saw me in my dress. But it was still a big reveal and he was still surprised and excited. It was special. I think a first look is a more intimate and memorable experience in comparison to waiting until the ceremony. We got time with each other that we wouldn’t have had otherwise. I’d do it again 100 percent. I actually also really liked that he was in and out of the makeup/hair party and we were able to keep updating each other. We were all just enjoying the day and being with one another.”

What was your most memorable moment from your wedding day?

“Ahh, I don’t know! Everything! Getting ready to walk down the aisle with my dad and trying to hold it together as we got closer to my husband. Standing up at the altar trying to squeeze Matt’s wedding band over his fat knuckles (we got it re-sized after the honeymoon and all phalanges are still intact). Cutting and eating the most rad, awesome, delicious cake I’d ever laid eyes on. My sister’s speech.

Oh wait, here’s a moment. I was unable to help with wedding setup past about 10am, as hair and makeup occupied a lot of time. My family and friends set up everything. My cousin Nicole and her husband Dave came at 7am in the morning with us and were there until probably about 3 busting their ASSES. They set up our WHOLE wedding, no joke. I’m still trying to figure out how to express my full gratitude to them. My aunts/uncles/cousins/close friends…everybody came and helped. Taylor/best friend/photographer/owner of this website transformed into a BOSS and captured every last detail, and every last goddamn craft I’d created over the past year. I was bummed out because I missed so much of the small details and the things I created on the day of our wedding. But then I got our wedding pictures and I got to see everything I didn’t see on our wedding day, and more. Which—if you truly think about it—is a genuine privilege and the most extraordinary gift anyone could have given us.

As her bff, it was with utter joy/fascination that I watched her transform into a superhuman and do all the things that desperately needed done that I didn’t even KNOW needed done. She coordinated everything and everybody and every moment and I don’t know how anything would have ever happened—in even a remotely organized fashion—without her there. Like, I think she burnt over 2,000 calories dashing around, running the show, and corralling drunk and excited family members into a single photo frame (that’s the caloric equivalent of over TWO large chocolate milkshakes at Chic-Fil-A!). And somehow also making all of us look like movie stars. This whole time, this whole weekend, her two year-old was sick (like legit sick, guys) and I didn’t even know about it! Extra time she should have spent with him and her family, she spent with me and Matt capturing our wedding day. Whatever she charges for her work, she deserves twice that. I’m also struggling to find a way to extend our gratitude to both Mike and Taylor for everything they did for us. I don’t know that there are words or gifts to meet that equivalent. If that wasn’t a tangent, I don’t know what is.

However, I say all this to describe part of that day I will never forget. I was in the makeup room for a few hours before the wedding, and I was finally able to take a quick peek at the venue before getting dressed. Everything was beautiful. Just stunning. Everything I’d pictured in my head for the last year was laid out before me in all its jewel-toned, rose gold glory. Even more overwhelming was that everything somehow got set up, by our friends and family who could have been relaxing and enjoying LA. I admittedly teared up some. All these people—practically everyone we love most in the world—came to do this for us, to enjoy this with us, on the biggest day of our lives. And that, to me, was a sacred and unforgettable moment.”

What are you most looking forward to in marriage?

“I don’t know! I never expected that anything would significantly change. Am I a terrible person? The continual and unending process of strengthening our team of two? Put simply, I guess I’m looking forward to just enjoying more of life with my person. Although now that these questions are really making me think, I suppose there is something indiscernibly solidifying about being married. Our apartment is the same, we are the same, our day-to-day lives are the same, but there is a difference that I can’t quite adequately describe. We plan for forever now. Every argument, every burger, every date night. He is my family. There is a sort of omniscient understanding now, that whatever we’re doing, it won’t be the last time we do it together. There’s no more concept or mindset where my subconscious operates, considers, or forms expectations, based on just myself. I’m attached to him and he’s attached to me. I chose my team. And I chose knowing that whatever loss we face, whatever adventures we undertake, we will get through it together. Even if we don’t think we can. I guess that’s a hell of a thing to look forward to after all. HOWEVER, I also really like being able to refer to Matt as my husband and I also love wearing my diamond wedding band and vainly looking at it at least 65 times a day.”

If you could pick one word to describe your wedding ceremony, what would it be and why?

“Authentic. We wanted to keep it real—our ceremony and everything else about our wedding. I didn’t want to go stand in front of a bunch of people and listen to a string of pre-selected, typical wedding jargon that was more robotic than it was meaningful. It just wasn’t us. I wrote the ceremony, and Matt and I both selected the readings together. My cousin Nicole read a poem about dinosaurs being in love, for Christ sake. But it was us. The words were meaningful and sincere, and often simple. And when they were read, I felt them and they resonated with me. And I know Matt felt the same way. I think we captured what love is to us and how we express love—to ourselves and to others. Also—Matt’s cousin officiated our wedding and if you’ve ever met Tyler, you almost immediately feel his genuine and grounded nature. We were over the moon excited when he agreed to marry us. I think he was also essential in maintaining the laid-back, yet classy atmosphere. He did an amazing job!”

What advice do you have for couples planning their wedding now?

“Live in the moment. If you’re going to read any part of this blog post that I’ve managed to turn into a novel, it is to be present throughout your wedding day. I went to a wedding a few years ago that was beautiful. Everyone had a great time, the couple spent a lot of money, the venue was stunning, the food and drinks were delicious. The couple looked amazing. Everything looked like it went perfectly. Which is why I was shocked a couple weeks later when the bride didn’t even want to talk about the wedding because she was so bitter about how poorly everything went. What?! What wedding were YOU at?? I think there was a myriad of reasons that elicited this attitude of hers.

I think the wedding was more of what her mother wanted–not what the bride truly wanted. But I think 99% of her disappointment came from one thing–she wasn’t focusing on the real things, the things that truly matter in a marriage, and in life. I think she chose to see decor that wasn’t quite perfect; people that didn’t give her a hug when she thought they should have; a couple of bridesmaids that were a few minutes late to breakfast the morning of the wedding; all the shit that doesn’t really matter once the day arrives. Needless to say, that marriage didn’t last. But man I’m glad it happened because I learned so much about what I DIDN’T want my wedding day to look like!

I’m also beyond thankful for the many people who reinforced the fact that the day goes by in a heartbeat. I’ve found myself a couple weeks later, re-living our wedding day in my head and wishing we could do it again just one more time. Not to change anything–but to live through it all over again. It was the best day of my life. I’ve never felt more beautiful, more present, or more sure and excited about my love for someone. And I felt so..rich. I had everything around me that I could ever want. I was literally engulfed by people I cherish most; both myself and others were feeling more regal than we ever knew was possible, surrounded by so much meaningful and beautiful décor (and burgers!); and in close proximity to the most beautiful cake I’d ever seen in my life. Seriously, I cannot tell you how happy that cake made me. I honestly don’t think I would have enjoyed everything as intensely as I did if I had not gone in with the mindset of purposely absorbing each moment.

I took a deep breath and drew in everything around me when my dad took my arm and we prepared to walk down the aisle. I was there. And nowhere else. Matt and I stood still in time when we exchanged vows, making the biggest promise I’d ever made in my whole life. Afterwards, we were both in sheer bliss. It was (along with the day he proposed to me) one of the only times I felt high on happiness, like literally light-headed. At the reception, we made a point to talk to people and tried to say hi to most, but we didn’t make that our mission. When the food came, we sat down and ate. I had fries, guys. Fries. And my husband right next to me. What else is there?

Someone advised me to not feel obligated to greet and thank every single person for coming. I’m so glad I took that advice. You’ll be doing that all night. Another bride told me that she and her husband just got on the mic and thanked everyone for coming and said that if anyone wanted to talk to her, they could find her on the dance floor. I thought that was pretty boss. Just enjoy yourself. It goes so quickly, but if you make a conscious effort—you will have unforgettable, vivid snapshots of the best moments of your life. Also, if you’re going to spend money on anything, spend it on a photographer who will give you little pieces of that day to take with you. Spend more on someone you click with, and whose work you truly love. Now that our wedding is over, our pictures are one of the most precious things we own. Trust me, you won’t regret it.”

Rosewolff Studio Wedding Vendors
Venue: Rosewolff Studio, @rosewolffstudio

Rentals: The Rental Ave. @rentalavenue

Hair: Christy Yoo, @christyyoo_artistry

Makeup: Ann Nguyen @makeupbyann.n

Florals: self-arranged, purchased through @flowermoxie

Tailoring: Nayantara Banerjee, @williamsburgseamster & Mercal Sweiss, @focusonthebride

Food: Veggie Grill, @veggiegrill; & In-N-Out @innout

Cake: Helena Wirth Cakes, @helenawirthcakes

Dress: Monique Lhuillier/preowned, @moniquelhuillierbride / @stillwhite

Suits: Friar Tux, @friartux

Published in Weddings

No Comments

Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort Winter Wedding Photos | Bryan and Jackie

Thursday, 06 February 2020 by taylorjonesphotography

Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort winter wedding Jackie and Bryan with dogs

Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort Winter Wedding Photos

Okay, I’m just going to say it…can we ALWAYS shoot winter weddings? I mean, come on, folks! How can you not want to get married on the snowiest day of the year at Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort after seeing these photos? Lucky for us, Mount Princeton is practically our backyard, so we were absolutely thrilled to shoot Jackie and Bryan’s wedding day for them just a few days after Christmas and less than three weeks after having our little boy. The magic of their big day was unmatched and we were so honored to work with them and alongside some of our favorite vendors. A huge thanks to Avery with Paper Posey Photography who second shoot with us to help me through those first postpartum weeks after pregnancy.

Congratulations, Jackie and Bryan!
Cheers,
Taylor and Mike (and Avery)

How did the two of you meet?
“Through the Tinder App.”

Tell us about your first date!

“I told Bryan I wanted to go to a Casula restaurant. We met up on Veterans Day and Bryan wanted to take me to Apple Bee’s for our first day for his veterans discount 😉 haha but I told him I did not want to go to Apple Bee’s. We went to Fong’s Pizza, a pizza place in Iowa that puts asian food on pizza. We also got some Tikki Drinks which were yummy!”

How did Brian propose?

“We went to Medford Oregon for a job interview and we went on a hike (Mikes View Point) and at the top he proposed to me!”

How did you guys choose to have your wedding at Mount Princeton Hot Springs?

“I Googled “Colorado weddings” because Bryan LOVED Colorado when he visited last. And Mount Princeton had hot springs, too!”

What was the most fun part of wedding planning for you?

“Picking music.”

Tell us about your first look!

“100% would do it again. It was a great way to have a private moment together. Plus got the jitters out.”

What was your most memorable moment from your wedding day?

“Our vows.”

What are you most looking forward to in marriage?

“Just the overall adventure of being together, traveling, and starting our family.”

If you could pick one word to describe your wedding ceremony, what would it be and why?

“Love. I think once it came down to it all I was just happy to be in the moment with Bryan and I just focused on that feeling and the love Bryan and I share for one another.”

What advice do you have for couples planning their wedding now?

“Remember that no matter what you do the wedding will not be “perfect”. Just enjoy every second of the day and don’t focus on the little “mistakes”. Because I know my wedding wasn’t “perfect” but I wouldn’t change a thing. I was glad that I just didn’t get caught up in anything that went wrong and just had fun!”

Mount Princeton Hot Springs Wedding Vendors

Dessert: The Dessert Stand
Flowers: Rancho Verde Flowers
Photography: Taylor Jones Photography
Hair and Makeup: Face of Make up
Videography: Hickory Grove Pictures
Venue: Mount Princeton Hot Springs

Published in Weddings

No Comments

The Barn at Sunset Ranch Wedding Photos | Kathleen and Will | Buena Vista, Colorado

Friday, 27 December 2019 by taylorjonesphotography

The Barn at Sunset Ranch Wedding Photos | Kathleen and Will | Buena Vista, Colorado

If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again…we live in the most beautiful place in the world! So it’s so surprise that when world travelers Kat and Will were deciding where to have their mountain wedding, they spontaneously ended up in Buena Vista, Colorado at the Barn at Sunset Ranch. What started as a hunt in Summit county ended in our beautiful valley. When we first met Will and Kathleen, their passion for traveling and adventure (plus their sense of humor…#kathehir) tugged at our heartstrings and we were elated for the opportunity to work with them on their big day! Kat’s vintage style and worldly approach to their wedding was perfectly paired with the stunning 14er views the Barn had to offer at their fall wedding.

We love you guys and are so thrilled to have been there with you as you started your biggest adventure of all…marriage! Thank you!
Cheers,
Mike & Tay

How did the two of you meet?

“We met through the dating app, Hinge.”

Tell us about your first date!

“The first night we decided to meet up I was out with friends and so was Will so we got together as a group which took the pressure off as a first date! When Will first sat down I was squished in the corner of a booth and my cousin was actually sitting between us, we eventually changed seats. We then went on our real first date the next week at Denver Central Market where the magic really started as we gushed over our love of food and ceviche. We ended the night at Nocturne Jazz afterward and the rest is history.”

Will, how did you propose?

“It was early October 2018 and we wanted to get one more hike in before winter and a chance to see the fall leaves one more time. We were leaving for our trip to The Netherlands that Sunday and I knew I didn’t want to travel with the ring in my pocket. We took our pup, Finney with us on the hike and went up Guenella Pass to find a good spot. The place I had in mind was a bit too snowy so we decided to get back in the car and look for a different area. We found a trail right off the road and started to head in. It was a beautiful aspen grove along a river. I started to scope out a good spot and saw a little opening by the river. I suggested we try and take a family photo and worked to set up my phone’s timer on my backpack, instead of setting the timer I turned the video on. Kat was standing by the river with Finney and I went over to join and instead got down on one knee. Kat said yes and I got the whole thing on video! We had a teary-eyed walk back to the car and saw a deer about 10 ft away which we took as a good omen. The best part was we got to go on vacation the next day and celebrate!”

How did you guys choose to host your wedding at the Barn at Sunset Ranch in Buena Vista, Colorado?

“We went for a drive up to Summit County to take a look around at a few places, none were quite fitting what we were looking for. We were feeling a bit defeated and remembered someone saying at a party we were at that their friends got married in Buena Vista at The Barn at Sunset Ranch. Kat decided to call and see if we could possibly stop by that day. Luckily, Jayme is such a sweetheart and said “of course! come on by!”. We drove from Breckenridge and as soon as we got to The Barn we were both grinning from ear to ear. We knew pretty quickly this was the spot for us.”

What was the most fun part of wedding planning for you?

“I really enjoyed putting the website, save the dates, and invitations together! I’m pretty good with technology and I love any chance to be creative so it was really fun to create themes, make it all look beautiful and then share it with our loved ones!”

Tell us about your first look! Having done one, would you do it again?

“Yes! The first look was a wonderful peaceful moment away for just us that day. Our photographers found an incredible spot among the aspens that just added the touch of fall we were looking for in our photos too.”

What was your most memorable moment from your wedding day?

“At the end of our ceremony we had a trumpet player play our recessional and it was so fun to dance back down the aisle and know we were now married! It was time for the celebrations to begin and the pure joy of that moment filled our hearts.”

What are you most looking forward to in marriage?

“The partnership and tackling some of life’s biggest challenges together and knowing we’ll always have each other’s backs. I feel so lucky to have found someone as solid as Will and I know he feels the same about me.”

If you could pick one word to describe your wedding ceremony, what would it be and why?

“Gezellig! It’s the Dutch word for cozy and a feeling of connection shared between individuals that gives a warm, fuzzy feeling.”

What advice do you have for couples planning their wedding now?

“Enjoy every moment of it! Use your resources for support and trust!”

VENDORS at The Barn at Sunset Ranch Wedding
Flowers: Rancho Verde
Videographer: Sarah Stip
Rentals: Settings Event Rental
Bartending: BASH
DJ: TH Entertainment
Ceremony Music: Noelle Hogan and Friends
Officiant: Jack Highberger
Hair and Makeup: Face of Makeup
Caterer and Cake: Kalamatapit Catering
Coordinator: Knot Just Another Wedding
Wedding Transportation: Dvorak Rafting
Alcohol: Total Wine Beverage

Published in Weddings

No Comments

Eclectic Ranch Wedding in Buena Vista Colorado | Lexy and Pat

Sunday, 22 December 2019 by taylorjonesphotography

Eclectic Ranch Wedding in Buena Vista Colorado | Lexy and Pat

Oh, friends. I don’t think we could be any more elated to share this amazing couples wedding day with y’all! We met Lexy and Pat through our wonderful mutual friends, Carrie and Alex (who ironically also introduced and setup this couple at their own wedding). It’s crazy the parallels in our lives before we ever even met! Pat and I grew up about 45 minutes from each other, and we all now live in the same small Colorado town that Lexy grew up in. Unbeknownst to us, Pat also bought a dirt bike from Mike before we ever met…we were super embarrassed to find out he was “THE PAT?!” after the sale took place. Since their eclectic and intimate wedding at Lexy’s parents home, we’ve quickly developed our friendship. We were so excited when Lexy was our labor and delivery nurse just a few weeks after their wedding when we had our son, Dawson, and we feel so thankful to have them in our lives!

Lexy’s parents deserve some serious praise! Her mama is an insanely talented designer and envisioned and executed the over all classy yet boho look of their reception. What’s more is Lexy’s dad and Pat actually built the barn they had their reception in! It was truly one of the most beautiful days and we are honored to have been the ones to capture this amazing time for them.

Love you guys!
Mike & Tay

How did the two of you meet?

“We met and Carrie and Alex Junker’s wedding here in BV. Carrie had been trying to set us up for years and finally her wedding was beginning of our relationship!! About an hour after I saw Pat I grabbed Carrie at the Lariat and said, “I’m going to marry that man.”

Tell us about your first date!

“So our first date was really a week long trip. I was living in Denver at the time, and Pat was living in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania. I quit my job to go on a Grand Canyon river trip and had some extra time before setting off on the grand. Me and two friends drove from BV straight to Ohiopyle and we spent five days back east. Pat arranged what he calls the “living the dream tour”. We rafted the Upper Yough, the Gualey and then spent three days on Summersville Lake. It was really the perfect trip.”

Pat, how did you propose?

“Lex and I went on a spring break trip to my parents beach house on Key Largo. Two of our close friends had just met us and we were getting ready to head out on an adventure to the Everglades. At sunset I asked Lex to walk out on the Jetty to watch the sunset. If you ask her though, I suggested that she change out of her bright green melanzana before, which elicited some sass from her. We walked out on the path and I got down on one knee as the sun was going down and asked her to marry me!”

How did you guys choose to have your wedding at your folks ranch in Buena Vista, Colorado?

“It’s a really special place for both of us. Our first winter dating we lived in the guest house on my parents property. Lexy grew up hiking and camping up there, before the Cranes built any structures. The land is so beautiful – we couldn’t have thought of a better place to start our marriage.”

What was the most fun part of wedding planning for you?

“We really lucked out with wedding plan. Lexy’s Mom is great at that stuff and really did most of the work for us. The most special part of the entire wedding was that Pat and Lexy’s Dad, Randy, built the entire barn from the floor up. It was awesome watching Pat learn from my dad and work together to get the barn ready for the big night.”

Tell us about your first look! Having done one, would you do it again?

“Having a little alone time with each other was so important. The day of the wedding is really a huge blur, between getting ready and the ceremony and reception – there really is very limited time to spend alone with one another. It was probably my most treasured moments of the entire day. It was also nice to get some of the pre-vow jitters out as well. I would HIGHLY recommend doing a first look to everyone.”

What was your most memorable moment from your wedding day?

“There were so many special moments. My uncle married us, which was awesome. Almost everything that formed the day was local – the caterer is a friend of my mom’s, the florist was one of my best friends from high school, our best friends introduced us to the band in Gunnison, the beer was from a local brewery, the photographer is a local :). All of those were amazing pieces of the puzzle. Probably one of the coolest things that happened was during the final moments of the reception. The band asked everyone to surround Pat and I and hold hands while they played the final song. All of our friends and family danced around and showered us with their love!! Also one of Pats groomsmen fainted during the ceremony – and to be honest, looking back on that moment is pretty funny today. Just a reminder to not take life too seriously :).”

What are you most looking forward to in marriage?

“I feel so lucky to know that I get to wake up next to my best friend for the rest of my life. Marriage offers so much solace just knowing that I have one other person to share the highs, lows and everything in between with.”

If you could pick one word to describe your wedding ceremony, what would it be?

“Whimsical.”

What advice do you have for couples planning their wedding now?

“Don’t stress out. No one will even know if you plan something and it doesn’t happen. The only thing that really matters is that the two of you are happy with the plan. Stick up for what you want. Don’t be mean to your mom, she’s just trying to be helpful. And have the BEST time you possibly can on the day of your wedding!”

VENDORS for Buena Vista Ranch Wedding

Catering: The Kalamata Pit

Flowers: Ysabella Rankin, Fay and Maye

Band: The Floodgate Operators

Table Rentals: Colorado Party Rentals

Published in Weddings

No Comments

Crested Butte Wedding Photographer | Lauren & Kyle First Look

Monday, 14 October 2019 by taylorjonesphotography

Crested Butte Wedding First Look

Growing up in a small town in West Virginia, I knew I always wanted a destination wedding. I loved my family and friends at home, but also knew I wanted an intimate and smaller ceremony later on in life. So when I (Taylor) fell in love with a Colorado native, it was pretty much a guarantee our wedding would be in the Rocky Mountains, a place our hearts loved.

When we first chatted with Lauren and Kyle, their hesitation to have a Crested Butte wedding in their adopted home revolved around the same concerns. They wanted to get married in the mountains, but wanted to keep the intimacy of utmost importance and decided to get married two hours away in Salida, Colorado. However, those beautiful mountains and wildflowers in Crested Butte weren’t going to get off so easy!

When Lauren suggested having their first look a few weeks before the wedding in their hometown, we were so stoked! First, wildflower season, duh. Crested Butte is notorious for its small town charm…and wildflowers. We started out shooting their engagement portraits with Doc Holiday (their beloved and sweeter than pie pup), and made our way to their home so they could each change into their respective wedding day attire. From there, we headed into the mountains.

“A couple weeks before our wedding, we put on our full wedding outfits and chose a special spot in our town to do formal photos and a first look. We loved doing this because it was a moment that we didn’t have to share with anyone, and we didn’t have any of the wedding day stress. Our photographers had time to take lots of different types of photos, which we wouldn’t have been able to do on the wedding day. I would recommend this to anyone!”
Lauren & Kyle

Crested Butte engagement photos with Lauren and Kyle and their pup

Crested Butte engagement photos with wildflowers

Crested Butte engagement photos in Aspens

Crested Butte engagement photos in aspen grove

Wildflower engagement photos in Crested Butte Colroado

Crested Butte wedding first look with Lauren and Kyle

Crested Butte wedding first look with wildflowers

Crested Butte wedding with wildflowers and first look portrarits

Crested Butte wedding photographer in Colorado

Crested Butte wedding photos in wildflowers

Needless to say, this opportunity to not only get wonderful photos, but to enjoy some champagne amongst the Rocky Mountains was such a wonderful change of pace for us and for our sweet couple. To view more photos from Lauren and Kyle’s wedding day at the Salida Steamplant, click here!

Published in Weddings

No Comments

The Barn at Sunset Ranch Wedding | Mike and Brenna

Thursday, 15 August 2019 by taylorjonesphotography

The Barn at Sunset Ranch Wedding bride and groom at sunset

We’re so excited to share one of our beloved couples weddings with y’all from (practically) our backyard. Mike and Brenna’s The Barn at Sunset Ranch wedding has been hands down one of the most special and emotional days we’ve had the honor of being a part of. From the multiple conversations and coffee date we got to have with this sweet couple leading up to their wedding day, it was obvious they were made for each other.

A HUGE congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Morgan! Read on to see more of their love story and wedding day photos.

Love, Mike and Tay