Summer Nuptials at River Bend

Melissa & Garett’s wedding gallery is one of my favorites from this year because of its uniqueness. From the Red Rocks, rolling fields of wildflowers, to a vivacious sunset atop a mountain; I love the colorful and eclectic side of the Colorado Rockies that their wedding displayed.

Not to mention, these two share such a strong love and connection. It’s so evident in the way they look at each other in every photo. They are two easy-going, outdoorsy people who wanted their wedding day to be focused on celebrating their love and family than the frills that can easily take priority when planning a wedding.

Riverbend is a wonderfully colorful venue with the total Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson vibes. Melissa got ready in a fun glamping tent, and Garett in a funky cabin; both filled with eclectic vintage furniture.

They wed in front of the red rocks at the rivers edge, a location very unique to the mountains of Colorado. Their ceremony was infused with the sounds of their good friend & groomsmen on acoustic guitar as their lifelong family friend married them. It was a heartfelt and intimate with handwritten vows and no sense of rush.

During formal photos, they fearlessly danced in the river to the sound of their live string band playing at cocktail hour.

After a lovely dinner, many laughs and a few tears shed during the speeches, M & G surprised their guests with a performance. They both grabbed their guitars, had everyone gather close to them, and sang their hearts out. Music is a huge part of their lives and is actually a representation of how they met.

She was the girl across the street with the ’94 Lincoln Town Car. He was the boy across the street whose band always played way too loud. He was good at guitar, she was good at singing. They decided they should play together sometime…They started to hang out and play music together as much as they possibly could. He wrote guitar parts, she wrote lyrics, they covered their favorite songs, and eventually played their first ‘Open Mic Night’ together. During their first song up on stage, in front of their friends and total strangers, they fell in love.

I was able to really dial in on candids of guests and take lots of photographs of family and the bridal party because they opted in for a day-after session.

We explored around Vail, Colorado for the day-after session. They absolutely loved the time that they got to wear their wedding attire again & soak in each-other, and the momentous milestone in their lives together.

I find that during the day after session, my couples almost always find themselves in a state of reflection, often in tears, taking in everything. This session was no exception, we were all awe-struck; not only by the scenery but at how lucky we all were. They felt so full of love and contentment from the perfect weekend they had had celebrating their wedding together, and I felt a little tear trickle down too, as I felt so incredibly lucky to have captured it. Moments like this one are why I LOVE my job.

– Colorado Wedding Photographer, Mason Neufeld Photography

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