Wednesday, February 15, 2012
.jpg)
Maggie and Matt were married Saturday, November 26, 2011 at the historic Pauline Chapel. They celebrated with an evening reception at the Broadmoor's Cheyenne Lodge. The lodge sits in a secluded spot surrounded by Ponderosa pine trees in the hills above the resort. Maggie and Matt's wedding was a family affair and their wedding day 
was the culmination of a week's worth of Thanksgiving events both families enjoyed. Much of Maggie's family traveled from Chicago and many had never visited Colorado before. Their wedding week was perfect for getting to know Colorado. The Broadmoor kicked off their Christmas celebrations on that weekend as well. Angie with Sapphire Celebrations helped with planning their wedding day. Design Works provided the floral arrangements and stunning red bouquet for Maggie that perfectly complimented her dress and the fur coat that belonged to Matt's mother. For the sake of light, Maggie and Matt decided to see each other before their ceremony and we took full advantage exploring the grounds of the Broadmoor. Winter light, for those in the know, can be the most beautiful of all because the sun sits low in the horizon throughout the day. After their ceremony, Maggie and Matt traveled to the lodge for a wonderful evening reception that featured a solo performance by Matt's Uncle, an incredible musician, Irish music courtesy of Maggie's father and two brothers as well as the incredible band VooDoo Syndicate. Thank you Maggie and Matt for inviting me to photograph your wedding day! — Sean 
.jpg)
.jpg)
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Here's a list of the best places to get married in Colorado Springs. All of these locations host ceremonies and receptions. If you're looking for both church and reception hall, then I have suggested a church pairing for each of these Colorado Springs wedding locations. At the bottom of this post additional locations are listed that are also really wonderful. Click on the name of any location for more detailed wedding information. Thanks, and I hope you find this helpful! — Sean
.jpg)
Garden of the Gods Club
One of my absolute favorite wedding locations is the Garden of the Gods Club. Its spectacular beauty is an uninterrupted view of the Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak. In this wedding photograph, above, Mamie and Nick walk together in front of a stunning landscape. This location is perfect for small to mid-size weddings and is centrally located. With a larger wedding (200+) ask about a tented event on the south lawn where this photograph was made. Hands down the best view in the city! Suggested church pairing: Sacred Heart Catholic Church
The Broadmoor
The best wedding location in Colorado! There really isn't anything quite like it. It is a AAA Five Diamond and Five Star Resort with luxury accommodations and unbelievable service. Think first-class spa, a half-dozen of the best restaurants you will ever enjoy, three 18-hole championship golf courses and a handful of beautiful settings for a wedding in Colorado Springs. The Lakeside Terrace is one of my favorites ceremony locations. In this wedding photograph, above, Katie and Justin share a moment during their unity sand ceremony on the Lakeside Terrace. Flowers by Design Works. Suggested church pairing: First Christian Church
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center is located in the heart of Colorado Springs. It recently underwent a renovation and addition that allowed the Fine Arts Center to become the premier downtown wedding location in Colorado Springs. The museum is known for its architecture and its extensive art collection. It also offers live theater, art programs and it has a wonderful restaurant and bar. In this wedding photograph, above, Caitlin and Emilio enjoy their first dance in the new wing of the museum. A caterer is required. Suggested church pairing: Shove Chapel
Hillside Gardens
The Hillside Gardens is characteristically Colorado! It is both a plant nursery and a wedding location. It offers a ceremony site with a view of Pikes Peak and an outdoor pavilion for caterered receptions. Larry, the owner, has a knack for collecting things and whenever I am there, there is always a new art piece in the garden. Hillside Gardens also sports the best old-truck-turned-into-bar that I know of and plenty of firepits for the evening. It's a great place for a party and for romance. In this wedding photograph, above, Emily and Billy steal a kiss during their Hillside Gardens reception. Suggested church pairing: Any local
Glen Eyrie Castle
The Glen Eyrie Castle is a real discovery. It is an honest-to-goodness castle (now a retreat center) that sits in a secluded valley just a couple miles from downtown Colorado Springs. The castle was built by the founder of the city and is now enjoyed by anyone who would like to visit. The Glen has it all, incredible grounds, friendly service and a stunning sense of the history of Colorado Springs. The Glen Eyrie does not serve alcohol, but I've never attended a wedding there where everyone wasn't having fun. In the wedding photograph, above, Sigrid and Brock enjoy a moment together on the castle grounds prior to their reception. The Rolls Royce is courtesy of DDG Classics. Suggested church pairing: Air Force Academy Chapel
More of the best places to get married in Colorado Springs: Cheyenne Mountain Resort, Colorado Springs School, The Club at Flying Horse, The Carter Payne, La Foret, The Pinery, Craftwood Inn, Briarhurst Manor, Phantom Canyon, The Cliff House, Venue 515, Spruce Mountain Guest Ranch, Cheyenne Mountain Country Club
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Photography in a dark church is getting easier all of the time. The technology of digital cameras allows nearly everyone to photograph inside a dark church without too much trouble.
Still, it's hard not to get blurry, out of focus or overly flashed pictures... mostly because no one knows exactly how to do it. My rule of thumb for how to photograph inside a dark church? Shoot fast, think slow. By shoot fast, I mean that I use a fast lens, usually a prime lens with a fixed focal lengh, so that I can photograph without a flash. By think slow, I mean I don't move very fast. I'm careful to stand in the most promising places for pictures (where the light is) and I'm careful to hold my camera very still. By holding a camera very still, sometimes leaning it against a solid object like the back of a church pew, I can photograph at slower shutter speeds without causing a blurry picture. It definitely takes some practice and it's a great reason I try to photograph the wedding rehearsal. Practicing before the big day makes it so much easier to create dramatic and beautiful photographs of the ceremony. Shove Chapel, on the campus of 
the Colorado College, and Pauline Chapel of the St. Paul Catholic Church, are two chapels where I often photograph weddings. Both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and both are stunning on the inside. However,
the chapels are very dark and create a challenge for anyone wanting to photograph in the sanctuary. Here are some photographs of recent wedding rehearsals from inside these two chapels to illustrate how I practice taking pictures inside a dark church before the ceremony. In the picture, top, I caught Sigrid and Brock leaving Shove Chapel after their rehearsal. In the picture, top left, I photographed Alexendra and her father enjoying a light moment during her rehearsal at Shove Chapel. Photographing a rehearsal also allows me to capture some family relationships I might not see on the wedding day. For instance, in the picture above, I caught Jim, father of the groom, sitting with his grandson as they watch Matt and Maggie's wedding rehearsal at the Pauline Chapel. And of course, photographing a wedding rehearsal allows me time to make detail pictures of the church like this one at Pauline Chapel, left, without being hurried. — Sean
