I got an email from Ivan a few days before he and Amanda got married, and whatever he wrote — something along the lines of “There won’t be much going on at our reception — we’ll just be playing board games” — gave me the impression that they would literally just be playing board games.

Pro Tip: When a bride or groom tells you they’ll just be playing board games, don’t believe them. Or just interpret “board game players” to mean something like Board Game Playaz, if you know what I mean. These guys went big.

Because in my humble opinion, these two are more playaz than players. Do you think?

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I still remember the first email I got from Amanda when she inquired a year and a half ago: she told me that the theme of their wedding was “fun” and that I looked like I understood the concept. Despite being such a simple statement, it was also a tremendous compliment! It can be difficult to identify why, as a viewer, you are drawn to photography, but Amanda nailed it.

I like fun. I like shooting fun, I like having fun, I like people who are having fun. I try to present that on my images and Amanda immediately recognized this. And for that I’m truly grateful, because it led to us discussing Dr. Seuss (he said “Fun is good”) and then an engagement session in Estes Park that went on after the sun set and involved stars and cold and good times, and then a kick ass wedding. Click here to see their engagement photos.

The Board Game Playaz got ready at the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek, Colorado, had an emotional first look just outside the hotel, and then boarded the gondola to the top of the mountain. Tears flowed again in a beautiful and extremely heartfelt ceremony at the Beaver Creek Wedding Deck — their vows had pretty much everyone crying, myself included. A few rain clouds threatened, but what happened is what always happens: the clouds blew away and left in their wake gorgeousness and perfection.

We wandered around the fields of grasses and flowers around the wedding deck and I scrambled about 25 feet up into an aspen tree to take a few images of Ivan and Amanda from above, and I loved the fact that they were laid back enough to actually do this on their wedding day. Thankfully the dead branch I kicked out of the tree didn’t hit anyone, and thankfully I didn’t kill myself by falling out of it. Then thunder came and we high tailed it back down the mountain.

Beaver Creek Wedding Deck portrait

The Park Hyatt has a private dining room that gets used for wedding receptions, but just outside that area is a bar, lots of seating (you know, for playing board games), a pool table, and a great space where I set up my new photo booth.

Favorites in a sec, but first, tons of thanks to the awesome team of wedding vendors who made this day possible, and a huge congratulations to Ivan and Amanda. I am so thrilled for you two!

Coordinating: Laura Pearson, lelizabethevents.com
DJ: Total Encore Entertainment, http://www.totalencore.com
Catering and Reception: Beaver Creek Park Hyatt, http://beavercreek.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html
Flowers: Fiori Boulder, http://www.fioriboulder.com
Cake: Mountain Cupcakes, http://www.mountaincupcakes.com

Bride getting ready at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Bride putting on dress at Beaver Creek Park Hyatt Cool wedding ring First look in Beaver Creek First look in Beaver Creek Boarding gondola in Beaver Creek Bridal Bouquet by Fiori florist Bride at Beaver Creek Wedding Deck Bride saying vows at Beaver Creek Wedding Deck Groom putting ring on bride finger at Beaver Creek Wedding Deck Beaver Creek Wedding Deck wedding Bride and groom kissing in Beaver Creek Bride and groom in forest near in Beaver Creek Wedding Deck Bride and groom in forest near in Beaver Creek Wedding Deck Bride and groom in flowers in field in Beaver Creek Bride and groom walking in Beaver Creek Bride and groom grand entrance Park Hyatt Park Hyatt wedding reception Park Hyatt wedding reception Park Hyatt wedding reception Park Hyatt wedding reception Park Hyatt wedding reception Park Hyatt wedding reception Park Hyatt wedding reception

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