If you know me, you know I am a sucker for sunrise engagement sessions and elopements. Do I hate myself when my alarm is going off at 3 am? Yes 100%. Do I get over it the second I have a warm beverage in my hand and I am driving in no traffic while listening to a fabulous audio book or podcast? Yup. So while the first 30 minutes are rough, I get over it pretty quickly, and I am so glad to be on the road and on my way to photograph some pretty people in some pretty colors.

Erin and Taylor met me right before the sun came up for their Rocky Mountain National Park Engagement Session on a warm early fall day. It was a little bit stormy, so at one point we saw a rainbow in Morraine Park. Not only did we take a million photos with the rainbow in the back ground, but shortly after that we found a patch of golden yellow fall leaves and had another mini freak out while we took another bunch of photos. Erin’s red dress made for a stunning addition to the colors of our back drop. After some time in Morraine Park, we left to get some last minute photos at 3M Curve. One of my favorite things about 3M curve is that even if the light isnt great, the photos are still stunning - the mountains and the backdrop are just too pretty. We had a mini sun shower that lasted all of like 6 minutes, but it gave the session a bit more life and also some more fun. Erin and Taylor are some of the most fun, kind hearted people I have ever met, and if you haven’t seen it yet, please make sure to check out their amazing Maroon Bells Wedding.

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When I met Maria and Chris for the first time during their RMNP engagement session, I knew this was going to be a fun wedding. I think we laughed the whole time, and even Maria admits they’re not your typical mushy PDA-y kind of couple. They’re constantly poking fun at each other (in the sweetest of ways, of course), laughing with each other and genuinely having fun together. And let me tell you, thank god for that kind of attitude, because their wedding day was CRAZY.

Let’s start off with the morning of, which was actually kind of perfect - it was freakin beautiful, the sun was shining, and it wasn’t ungodly hot, which is pretty common in the middle of summer. We knew there was going to be a storm later, but being Colorado we all just assumed it would rain for a bit and pass. Once we got up to the Overlook Chapel at the YMCA it started coming down, but nothing crazy. Then the wind picked up and all hell broke loose - I’m talking lightening, hail, torrential downpour, all of it. And yet we still managed to get some fun photos (despite everyone, even Maria & Chris, getting soaked to the bone - somehow my gear survived). Finally we had to call it, and Maria and Chris decided to have a quick faux ceremony at the top before heading back down to their reception area to have the full ceremony. Both were fun and intimate in their own way. On the one hand we had rainy ceremony, where everyone was just kind of laughing over the ridiculousness that is Mother Nature. On the other we had this super intimate ceremony by the fire place, where everyone was cozy and got to enjoy a cocktail as they watched. Both were great, and overall I’m glad that despite things not going according to plan, Maria and Chris enjoyed their day and embraced all the madness!