Tyler Jones recently shot this e-sesh, and I love when a couple is not afraid to get down and dirty. Well, in this case, roll in the snow.

Happy Friday!

Images courtesy of Tyler Jones Photography

You see, my sorority happens to have its very own philanthropic center in town, and each year to raise money for the foundation, they run the Shining Light Tree Lot.  And, each year I spend a few of my Saturdays (and Sundays) volunteering my time, selling trees and soaking in the fantastic smell that is Christmas Trees.

When I stumbled upon this engagement session by Jenna Walker Photography, I was a bit jealous.  Why hadn’t I thought of this? Le sigh.  Nonetheless, the couple, Julia and Jacob look like they had a fantastic time.  And, I bet they enjoyed their time together (and the smell of the trees) oh so much.

Images courtesy of Jenna Walker Photography

Which reminds me – I’ve never actually told you how he proposed, so here it goes! And, of course, photos are included!!

Last January, we had planned a trip to Colorado for some skiing and to visit some friends of ours. We were both pining for a visit to the Rockies, but the Pilot had a hidden agenda for this trip – a proposal! His initial plan was to propose on the first night while we were out snow tubing. Our flight arrived a bit late, so after driving from DEN to Keystone, a delicious Mexican dinner and countless hours of catching up, we never made it out to go snow tubing.

The Mr. had to come up with “Plan B” – to propose on Saturday while we were on the slopes. Unfortunately, I took a pretty big spill mid-day and was not feeling up to par (Side Note: Always wear a helmet on the slopes – it’s what saved me from getting a concussion).

To an improvised Plan C he went. On Sunday, I decided to take a half-day snowboarding refresher course in the morning. It had been nearly four years since I had last been on the slopes, so I was not game for hurting myself again on Day 2. After dropping me off, the Pilot shared the news with our friends that he was going to propose. They spent the first half of the day skiing/snowboarding and scoping out the perfect spot for him to pop the question.

Mid-afternoon, we all took the Keystone Gondola up to the summit to enjoy some lunch. On the way up, my mom had called to “check in.” Really, she was calling to see what was up. The Pilot had told my parents he was going to propose on Friday, so she was getting antsy as to why I had not called her yet with the news.

This photo was taken just moments before the proposal!

Anyway, after lunch, we all headed back out for our last run of the day. My friend A (who also happens to be a bridesmaid) managed to get my camera from me by offering to get some action shots of me snowboarding down the mountain. By this point, I was still completely clueless, so I offered her my camera so she could snap some photos (all of the photos I had taken up to this point did not have me in them).

Our friends plopped down at the top of run to strap on their snowboards, but I opted to set up on a more flat spot so my snowboard wouldn’t take off down the mountain. Oddly enough, a few weeks prior, I had purchased new snowboard bindings, which had been giving me trouble all weekend, requiring someone to help me strap my boots into my bindings. The Pilot had begun to take off his skis “to help” (or so I thought).

The Pilot about to pop the question!

He sat down next to me (instead of helping me with my bindings) and pulled the ring out of his coat. While all of this is happening, our friends are behind us snapping photos of the proposal, and I’m extremely focused on trying to get my bindings locked. He managed to get my attention and went into a spiel about starting our lives together, most of which I don’t remember (sorry honey!). I started crying and shaking a bit, but of course said “YES!” The sun was setting over Keystone, and my best friend asked me to marry him while we were at the top of the Frenchman ski run. It is definitely a day I will never forget and only strengthened our love for the State of Colorado.

Ring on the finger action.

A snowboard shot of the ring.

The happy couple!

Sunset at Keystone.

Ring shot from the car ride back to our condo.

**All images are personal and taken by a friend.**

To the Pilot – Happy Engage-aversary! And, a big THANKS for picking such a beautiful location to start a new chapter in our lives!

Image courtesy of Tyler Jones Photography

Is there a spot you would love to take your engagement photos?

Back in early Fall, I fell in love with this video, which I found via Style Me Pretty. (I’ll wait, as I encourage you to watch the entire thing).

Aspen, Colorado – Super 8 Film from Kevin Von Qualen on Vimeo.

I fell in love with this video so much so, in fact, that I shared it with everyone.  I was so in love with the idea of Super 8, that I came thisclose to buying a camera myself for personal use and went on a mission to find a Super 8 videographer close to town (with no luck).

When I took a visit out to Colorado to visit to see one of my best friends back in mid-October, I showed her the video.  She, too, fell in love.

Not even a week after I’m back in town, I get an email from her.  She happens to know the guy who shot the particular video above AND she contacted him about having him videograph our wedding (bonus points for her).  I seriously was beyond excited and shared the news with the Pilot.  We did not make any commitments, only asked Kevin a few questions, as we needed to review our budget and the logistics, but were ecstatic at the possibility of booking him (him, being Kevin Von Qualen).

Again, we had not originally wanted to book a videographer, but the second we saw the Super 8, it just really struck a chord with me and the Pilot.  So, we took a few weeks to mull it over, talk with the Pilot’s parents and review everything. We finally (and officially) booked him in mid-December.  You all have no idea how excited the Pilot and I are to have the amazing talent of Kevin as our videographer.

Kevin, also happens to be a wedding and portrait photographer, who is based in Denver. BUT, he absolutely loves shooting Super 8 – so I urge you, if you are interested in hiring a videographer, to definitely consider him.  Super 8 is different than traditional videography (obviously), but the film truly tells a story like no other.

Did you book a videographer?  What was important to you and your significant other when making a decision?

You don’t need to focus too much on the details when you have a backdrop like theirs, but they did not miss a beat anywhere. From the screenprinted maps on handkerchiefs, to the cute little bags for the guests.

All images courtesy of Tec Petaja Photography

Image courtesy of Tec Petaja Photography

I’ll have more on this wedding tomorrow, so stay tuned!

That’s what happened here.  That lady there on the left side of the photo is the groom’s mom.  And look at how happy she is!

Photo courtesy of Andy & Angie Wood

I love the idea that it is a tri-fold, and features several photos of the couple, which were taken by the talented James Christianson.  The bride, Laura Dombrowski, is a photographer in the Denver/Boulder, CO, area, but is from Cape Girardeau, MO (giving her Midwest ties!).

At any rate, here are the Save the Dates from several different angles.  I was also able to find out that she had them printed on recycled paper (a girl after my own heart), which I just love. She used color, which more brides should do. And, she opted to include photos of her and her fiance, which guests really love – they can use it as keepsake.

Laura Dombrowski