Della Terra Wedding | Estes Park, CO

Kelli and Bob seem to live life on their own terms, which I really admire. They were caught in a rain storm on one of their first dates, but instead of seeking shelter, they just had a water fight in the flooded streets. I love this. You could say they made lemonade out of lemons, but getting caught in a flood doesn’t even seem like that sour of a situation for these two.

When Kelli first inquired, she told me she was a shy bride. But watching her absolutely rock out to Lil Jon’s “Turn Down for What” after her first kiss made me question her shyness just a little.

On a side note, I Googled the lyrics for the song and realized there are just three lines that get repeated over and over. On one page on the great Internet, the highest upvoted suggested song meaning was this: “I think these lyrics are talking about his wife, whom he is truly in love with.” Hahaha — betcha didn’t know it was a love song. Perfect for a recessional!

I first met them over Skype while I was in Mallorca last winter, then met them again for their Denver engagement session, and finally I shot their wedding at the beautiful Della Terra Mountain Chateau up here in Estes Park, Colorado. It is a fantastic venue on the outskirts of Rocky Mountain National Park, with amazing views and a serene feel.

They dressed up the venue with lots of colors, Kelli made good on her sweet tooth with a huge table of candy, and she also sported the most colorful shoes I’ve ever seen.

It was a joy to photograph Kelli and Bob’s authentic connection, and incredibly beautiful to see the closeness between Bob’s kids and Kelli. They had an awesome first dance, where Kelli danced with her dad and Bob danced with his daughters. Everyone cried their faces off.

These guys have spunk, pizazz and are a great match. Kelli, Bob, you guys rock!

Also, thanks to the great vendors who helped this day go off without a hitch.