Boulder Wedding Photographer | Rachel and Keith | Wedgewood on Boulder Creek Wedding

Rachel and Keith | Wedgewood on Boulder Creek Wedding

 

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Savannah Chandler Photography | Boulder Wedding Photographer

 

I met Rachel and Keith back in early 2018, at what was described as a “coffee house”, but come to find out it was actually the coffee shop inside of the local Whole Foods Marketplace.  This ended up being great – for both Keith and myself are Gluten Free.  We ate our “glutenless” yummies and coffee and chatted for quite some time.  I’ve been so very fortunate to meet couples that are such great people and that I mesh so well with – Rachel and Keith are my kind of people.  Rachel is a Pediatrician and Keith is an Actuary.  Not gonna lie, my only experience with the word “actuary” is from Zootopia where the little tiger wants to be an Actuary when he grows up.  Haha.

September rolled around, in quite the dramatic fashion for my family, but I was SO excited to get to see Rachel and Keith again to photograph their Boulder wedding.  I met Rachel and the gals near Flatirons to get some getting ready photos prior to heading to Wedgewood, while my second (the amazing Megan Alvarez) met Keith and the dudes over at the venue.

Once ceremony time came, I knew that we’d be in for some tears, as well as humor.  One of my favorite parts looking back through the ceremony photographs is the look on Rachel’s mother’s face looking at Keith as her daughter approached the aisle – a very loving “look at how beautiful she is” gaze.  After toughing speeches amongst the lovely fall foliage, some dry humor, and lots of touching moments – Rachel and Keith proudly walked down the aisle as man and wife.

Fall foliage was something that was important to Rachel, and we fortunately got the surprise of an early fall this past year.  Though the trees weren’t at peak, we did get unexpected colors of reds and a few yellows.  We took full advantage of this for Rachel and Keith’s couple’s portraits.  We headed down to the creek, and with the cloudy skies I thought we’d be SOL for a sunset – I was WRONG on that front!  Just as we were wrapping up portraits, the sun peeked out and the sky turned a beautiful pink color.  It was a simply stunning way to end our “formal portraits” together.

Thank you for inviting us to celebrate with you, Rachel and Keith.  It was truly a beautiful day.  I can’t wait to go adventuring this year with you to get your adventure photographs!!!

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Secondary Photographer: Megan Alvarez
Venue: Wedgewood on Boulder Creek

 

Savannah Chandler Photography | Boulder Wedding Photographer
Based in Denver, Colorado | Available for Travel Worldwide

Servicing the Rocky Mountain Region and Beyond
Telluride | Dillon | Keystone | Vail | Breckenridge | Winter Park | Granby | Grand Lake | Estes Park | Buena Vista | Ouray | Aspen

Aspen Wedding Photographer | Maroon Bells Elopement | Kendra and Nelson

Kendra and Nelson | Maroon Bells Elopement

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Savannah Chandler Photography | Aspen Wedding Photographer

 

 

I met Kendra and Nelson through a Colorado Wedding Planner, Lily with Sweetly Paired Weddings .  We chatted over Skype about their August Maroon Bells Elopement and all things mountains and alpenglow.  For those that don’t know, the Maroon Bells (on a clear day) turn a bright pink at sunrise… it’s quite the spectacle to witness.  Kendra and Nelson would be flying out to Colorado with their closest family members from a small town in Illinois for their intimate wedding in the mountains near Aspen.

Come the week before their wedding, my son was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, leaving me to stay in Denver and having one of my very closest friends and fellow photographer, Haley Allen, to head up to Aspen for Kendra and Nelson’s elopement.  Needless to say, this blog post is quite unusual in the fact that Haley photographed, where I edited the images.  Have no worries, my son is doing well and on the road to a full recovery.  We’ve made it through the end of Chemo and I’ve been back behind the camera since mid-September.

Kendra and Nelson’s elopement amongst the mountains was a typical Colorado day – filled with sunshine, wind, rain, and fog.  😬 . Our weather likes to live up to it’s reputation… CRAZY.  During the vows, the wind kicked up off Maroon lake and took Kendra’s cathedral length veil with it.  But like any good gentleman would, Nelson promptly ran after the veil and made sure that everything was just as Kendra wanted for her mountain ceremony.  While they walked in the Snowmass wilderness, the sky darkened, the fog rolled in, and the rain began to come down.  Over the years, one of my very favorite “emergency” items to carry has become a clear umbrella.  I believe that they make for such lovely rain photos.

The next morning, at the late hour of 6:00 am, Haley met Kendra and Nelson back at the Bells for what we hoped would be an Alpenglow session.  But that good ol’ Colorado weather had different plans… Clouds covered most of the skies, which made for a stunning, dramatic background.

Thank you, Kendra and Nelson, for your love, understanding, and support for me and my family.  I wish you both all the happiness in the world, and a lifetime of adventure.  Cheers, and congratulations on your stunning mountain wedding!

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Associate Photographer shooting for Savannah Chandler Photography: Haley Allen
Wedding Planner and Coordinator: Sweetly Paired
Florist: The Olive and Poppy
Venue: The Amphitheater at Maroon Bells | Aspen, Colorado

 

 

Savannah Chandler Photography | Colorado Wedding Photographer
Based in Denver, Colorado | Available for Travel Worldwide

Servicing the Rocky Mountain Region and Beyond
Telluride | Dillon | Keystone | Vail | Breckenridge | Winter Park | Granby | Grand Lake | Estes Park | Buena Vista | Ouray | Aspen

Denver Engagement Photographer | Cara and Andres | Mt Falcon Engagement

Cara and Andres | Mt Falcon Engagement

Savannah Chandler Photography | Denver Engagement Photographer

 

When Cara and I first spoke on the phone about her vision for their Denver Engagement session, she let me know that they wanted to capture the Colorado feel without it feeling like the dead of winter.  Colorado is such a unique place, that we have SO many beautiful and sunny days year round.  Especially in the front range.  I knew that Mount Falcon in Indian Peaks would be the perfect location – it’s low enough in elevation not to always be covered in snow and has beautiful views of the rolling hills near the Mount Evans Wilderness area.

In the days leading up to our planned session date, I kept checking the weather (as we all know that Colorado weather changes super fast and a cat predicting the weather is about as accurate as a weatherman).  50* and sunny.  We had a FABULOUS day with some sun and basically no wind.

To begin our time together, we headed out to the old ruins along the Castle Trail.  The trail leads out to an old brick mansion that was destroyed by lightning in the 1900s.

Once the sun began to get closer to the horizon, we walked back towards the vista overlook facing Mount Evans.  The trail begins to turn and open up to a stunning view.

Congratulations your engagement, Cara and Andres!  I can’t wait to see the images from your Lionsgate wedding this upcoming September!

 

 

 

Savannah Chandler Photography | Denver Engagement Photographer
Based in Denver, Colorado | Available for travel worldwide

Best Colorado Wedding Photographer | 2018 Year in Review | Savannah Chandler Photography

2018 Year in Review
Best Colorado Wedding Photographer | Savannah Chandler Photography

 

 

2018.  It’s been a year.  One of the best years, and quite possibly the worst year.

2018 started off fantastic.  I typically end my wedding season with a “bang”, traveling outside of Colorado and photographing somewhere amazing.  2014: Asheville. 2015: Iceland. 2016: Sedona. 2017: Virginia.  I did end 2018 off with a bang (more on that later), but I also began the year in some absolutely amazing locations.
In March, I headed to Belize with my good friend Lindsay Lack to photograph what I can only describe as the biggest, craziest party of a wedding I’ve ever been a part of.  Belizeans know how to throw one hell of a party.  We photographed until past 3am, and there were still a good 400 guests in attendance at that point.  Needless to say, laying on the beach drinking frozen mojitos was definitely in order the next day.
In April, I headed back to the land of Fire and Ice – Iceland – to photograph a fellow photographer’s elopement.  It was just the two of them, and me with my entourage of “assistants”, or better known as my siblings.  In all honesty, they were great assistants, sherpas, light holders, navigators… they really helped with everything.  Amanda and Justin’s wedding days was honestly one of my favorite adventures I’ve had – we spent 17 hours exploring Reykjavik, Vik, and the south of Iceland.  We even went spelunking for photos.  That was a first for me.
Once I got back from a personal trip to Ireland, Colorado wedding season came on with a vengeance.  I booked more weddings, elopements, and engagements than ever before this past season.
Photographing all over the great state of Colorado, I had the pleasure of celebrating with some pretty amazing people.  I will say, I’ve never been so reassured of how great the human spirit is as I have been this past year.

Come August 11, I was in Estes Park photographing with an amazing couple in Rocky Mountain National Park.  At home, I knew my son (4 years old) had a headache, but really didn’t think much of it.  The next day, he still had a headache so we brought him into the ER at Children’s Hospital.  That day, August 12, our lives changed forever.

We found out that our son had a brain tumor.  Medulloblastoma, grade 4 with extensive Nodularity.  Cancerous.

Our whole world flipped that day.  Brain surgery was set to be in 2 days.  Everything moved so fast.

Another first happened this year, after 7 years in business, I had to have two of my amazing friends cover 2 weddings for me the week our son had his tumor removed.  Thank you to Haley Allen and Erin Cady, I can’t begin to tell you the depth of my gratitude.  A few of the images in here were photographed by them and edited by myself.  Both couples – Mandy and Nick & Kendra and Nelson – were so gracious, patient, and understanding.  Thank you for that.

Once September 15 came, my husband and I decided that we were at a place that I could resume photographing the remainder of my weddings.  I’m sure that I sound redundant at this point, but I can’t stress enough how amazing the couple’s I’ve come to know and love are.  Everyone was so kind, patient, and just the best all around humans I’ve ever met.  <3   This is as close to a “rooftop” as I’ll ever come, so I want to shout it from the “Blogtop” – THANK YOU.  I LOVE YOU ALL.

In October, after the approval of our Oncology team, I did in fact end my season with a BANG once again.  Iceland for the second time in 6 months.  My brother and sister came once again to assist, and we ventured around Vik and Snafellsness with Kim and Scott for their elopement.  Iceland has always had a piece of my heart, but I really think that I’ve become quite attached with this lovely little island now.

To those of you wondering, my son is doing well and nearly finished with his Chemotherapy.  We end his regimen on February 15th.  That day will be one of celebration.

Here are some fun tidbits to cap off the 2018 Colorado Wedding photography season.

– 4 times out of the country
– Lowest altitude wedding ever photographed: Underground in a Cave in Iceland near Reykjavik.
– Highest altitude wedding photographed this year: 11,991 Feet at Loveland Pass
– Watched a pregnant badass bride outpace nearly everyone at Loveland Pass
– Coldest Wedding photographed this year: the top of Vail ski resort in February at -2*
– Hottest Wedding photographed this year: Allenspark in July at 95*
– Bought 2 new cars, one my dream Jeep to get to all the amazing mountain loations
– Bought a Cabin in the San Luis Valley (which we can host private elopements at, hint hint 😉 )
– Got in a decent amount of hiking (all things considered)
– Longest Wedding photographed: Belize just outdid Iceland at 18.5 hours vs. 17 hours
– Most weddings ever photographed in a week timespan to date: 6 weddings in 7 days (this past September)
– Number of Soft Boxes bought this year: 4
– Number of Flashes bought: 6
– Number of cameras that went Kaput mid-wedding: 1 (and this, ladies and gentleman, is why you only hire people who shoot with more than one camera 😬)
– Number of lenses lost, but never forgotten, due to dings, scratches, cracking, waterfall damage: 3
– First time ever photographing with Horses this year
– Second time ever photographing with Horses this year 😆
– Countless memories made with my fellow photographers
– Number of Amazing couples with the best hearts: 27
(that’s how many weddings/elopements I photographed this year 😍)

Here’s to an amazing 2019.  To HEALTH (for reals though, no more surprises universe… okay??), Happiness, and Photography.

Love to you all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Savannah Chandler Photography | Best Colorado Wedding Photographer | Based in Denver, Colorado | Available for Travel Worldwide

Photographing in the Rocky Mountain region and beyond
Telluride | Silverton | Ouray | Granby | Winterpark | Steamboat | Breckenridge | Keystone | Vail | Aspen | Crested Butte | Durango | Silverthorne

Photography Services Available Worldwide | Destination Wedding Photographer
Ireland | Iceland | Belize | Italy | France | Switzerland

 

 

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Planning an International Elopement?  Available for travel Worldwide!
I’m looking to add the following locations to my 2019 Schedule.  Special pricing for the following countries:
Italy
Spain
Scotland
Greece
France

Rocky Mountain National Park Intimate Wedding | Val and Keith | Estes Park Wedding Photographer

Val and Keith | Rocky Mountain National Park Intimate Wedding and Loveland Dinner Party

Savannah Chandler Photography | Estes Park Wedding Photographer

 

 

In June of 2017, Ben and I headed to Manhattan for a couple’s vacation.  Just before we left, I got an inquiry asking about an August 2018 intimate wedding in Rocky Mountain National Park.  I let the couple know I would be able to chat once I got back from NYC… only to find out that Val and Keith LIVE just a few minutes on the train from where we were staying in Midtown!  We made a time to meet up near the 42nd Street Station for some wedding chat and macaroons.  I was over the moon when I heard about their intimate wedding plans – to get married in Rocky Mountain National Park then head over to Loveland for a dinner party with their closest family and friends.  The most important elements to their day were supporting our National Parks system and having good ol’ Colorado mountains in the background.

I met Val and Keith at their reception venue – a LOVELY home that was the perfect setting for both a place to stay for family as well as to celebrate with dinner later in the evening.  Val got ready in the Bridal suite while Keith got ready in the house.  My secondary photographer, Melissa, met up with Keith in the main house while I hung out with Val getting ready.  Something incredibly amazing about all of Val’s details is that she made them by hand.  Yes.  All of them.  HER WEDDING GOWN.  Made by hand.  I was beyond astounded when I saw her stunning gown, veil, shoes, crown – all of these items that she made in NYC and brought out to Colorado.

Once everyone was dressed, read their letters, and ready to go – we headed up Trail Ridge Road inside of Rocky Mountain National Park for their first look.  I love how up near the Lava Cliffs, you get jaw dropping views of the Never Summer mountains as well as Longs Peak.  On our winding way towards our meeting point, Val and I talked all about their amazing adventures – including how they got engaged at Machu Picchu!  Yeah… not jelly at all.  🙃

After we spend some (beautifully emotive) time up on Trail Ridge Road, we made our decent down towards their ceremony site.  Rocky Mountain National Park has a list of designated wedding sites that you can get a permit for – Val and Keith chose Upper Beaver Meadows.  Looking out into the meadow, Longs Peak looms over the stunning valley.  I think that they chose a fabulous ceremony site for their guests to experience all that Colorado and Estes Park has to offer.

To cap off the evening, Val changed into her other gown (handmade of course) with a Dolly-Parton inspired fringe vest.  We spent the evening listening to beautiful guitar music by Piatro and eating amazing food by Sugar Pine Catering.

Thank you for inviting me to celebrate with you and your loved ones, Val and Keith.  I’m so honored to have been a part of your stunning celebration.

Vendors:
Ceremony: Rocky Mountain National Park
Dinner Party: Private Residence
Day of Coordination: Amanda Bowers
Gown and Accessories: Bride
Floral: Bliss
Catering: Sugar Pine
Cake: Daddy Cakes Bakery
Musician: Piatro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Savannah Chandler Photography | Estes Park Wedding Photographer | Rocky Mountain National Park Intimate Wedding
Based in Denver, Colorado | Available for Travel Worldwide

Photographing in the Rocky Mountain Region and Beyond
Estes Park | Telluride | Granby | Grand Lake | Silverton | Winter Park | Vail | Keystone | Breckenridge | Ouray | Durango | Buena Vista
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