Wedding Vendors Who Go Above and Beyond
I have had the pleasure of working with some fantastic vendors over my years of being a wedding photographer. All of these vendors have the same commitment to excellent customer service that I pride my business in.
Venues:
Your wedding venue is one of the most important parts of your wedding day, yes even more important than the photographer! Where your wedding is held sets the tone and mood for the day, and for every photograph taken. All of my favorite venues offer world-class photographic options and with every one of these places I still feel like there are new places to photograph and new views to be seen every time.
Wild Basin Lodge: I have a love affair with this venue just outside of Estes Park. If you are laid back, love being outdoors, want a wedding that is uniquely yours and a space of your own for your wedding day, start here. They offer two settings for your wedding at, River Run, along a mountain river with amphitheater type seating, or Mountain Peak out in a meadow with the stunning mountains right behind the ceremony site. Most people pick the Mountain Peak location, but at altitude the walk out to it is a challenge for some guests. What really makes this venue exceptional is that it is right alongside a mountain river and the relaxing sound is the background soundtrack to your wedding day… and the hummingbirds zipping around the porch that wraps around the building. Wild Basin Lodge Wedding Photos
Boulders at Black Canyon Inn: Since the Boulders room opened at the already stunning Black Canyon Inn this venue has become one of the top venues in the state. The staff is professional and fun, service is caring and efficient, and the ceremony views are one-of-a-kind in the world, much less Colorado. Black Canyon Inn Wedding Photos
The Landing at Estes Park: Since I do so much work up in Estes Park I am always excited when I get to try a new venue. In 2021 I had my first wedding at The Landing at Estes Park and couldn’t believe I hadn’t known about it. This venue is more budget friendly for Estes Park and is right by the main entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. The grounds and buildings have an Alps theme, it’s a smaller venue, offers a ceremony space right down by the river and has a great reception area with a large porch to view the mountains from. The staff is also super sweet and kind. The Landing at Estes Park Wedding Photos
Cherokee Ranch and Castle: A one-of-a-kind wedding venue in Southwestern Denver (Sedalia) with history and views to compete with some of the best venues in the world. It is an actual stone castle perched on top of a hill with direct views to the mountains at sunset. Cherokee Ranch and Castle is built on a rich Colorado ranching history and is perfectly preserved by the staff and volunteers. Cherokee Ranch & Castle Wedding Photos
The Greenbriar Inn: This restaurant between Boulder and Lyons off of US36 is a gem of a venue. Normally an upscale restaurant, if you are having a small wedding they have a lovely warm wood room connected to a private outdoor space full of baby bunnies hopping around in the summer. The venue offers a ceremony space a little bit away from the restaurant, with a waterfall and pool as backdrop, and behind that field and foothill. Of course the main reason to book The Greenbriar Inn is for their fantastic food. The Greenbriar Inn Wedding Photos
YMCA of the Rockies | Mountainside Lodge: I finally got a wedding at the Mountainside Lodge ceremony site at YMCA of the Rockies in 2025 and I was blown away. Everything that made me not recommend YMCA for weddings (service and reception locations & food) was not true of the Mountainside Lodge location. YMCA has always had some of the best views at the best prices in Estes Park, but this place is phenomenal! I highly recommend it for your full day in the summer. It offers a lot of character, history, places to stay in one place, amazing views during the ceremony and an outdoor covered reception area with equally gorgeous views. YMCA of the Rockies Wedding Photos
Arapahoe Basin Ski Resort: Ski resort weddings are not always so good for weddings (avoid Vail!). There is a huge wedding industry in the mountain towns off of I-70 in the summer and at times it can feel like you are a cog in the wheel. That is not true at A-Basin. The weddings are held at 11,500 feet on the mountain at the Black Mountain Lodge (there are other options as well) and include a gondola wedding procession up to the venue and a roundtrip gondola ride for the couple after the ceremony for photographs (with an adorable “Just Married” sign). The staff up here is phenomenal and helps with all the coordinating involved with having a wedding up on top of a mountain with a smile. I do recommend getting oxygen for your wedding guests as it is up there! Arapahoe Basin Wedding Photos
Boulder Creek Wedgewood: I used to work here a lot and I love the location and setting. It’s just a short drive west of Boulder to reach this outdoorsy venue set against Boulder Creek. It offers a creekside ceremony site as well as one on the same level as the building. I especially love this venue because I saw three bears walking down the creek here while I was photographing a couple with their baby! The one down-side is the room for dancing is a bit small and circular, but the tented area for dinner is charming. Boulder Creek Wedgewood Wedding Photos
Lyons Farmette: This is another local venue that I adore. Located right on the edge of Lyons, the venue has a “farm to table” feel, with lights strung over tables outside and of course it is a farm, so when your guests need a walk around after dinner there are goats and chickens to talk to… I always like that. Lyons Farmette Wedding Photos
Moss: I wanted to add one venue in Denver that I love and this one stands out. I have only worked here once, but found that the lighting, mossy walls, barn doors, brick, chandeliers and general charm made for a compact, yet extremely photographic venue. Moss Wedding Photos
DJs
DJs get the third spot of importance to your wedding day. A DJ is more like a conductor of your wedding day. They keep the timeline rolling using the ultimate power of a microphone and allow people to be heard outdoors with Colorado’s insane winds. I have had more DJs ruin weddings than any other vendor. They have that power, so hire some of these amazing DJs and use that power for good.
Suit and Tie DJs: There are so many great DJs in the area and I am friends with many of them but Suit and Tie DJs have consistently rocked dead receptions into full blown parties. I’ve been impressed with the efforts and talents that both Eddie and Brandon have put into the wedding receptions that I’ve been photographing and they are great to work with as part of the wedding vendor team.
Standing Room Only DJ: Jay is a DJ’s DJ. He has been doing it for a long time and it shows. He moves the music all night to fit the mood and how full the dance floor is. He uses mixing and the skills you hire a live DJ for more than anyone I’ve worked with. He’s amazing, you won’t go wrong when choosing him.
Pure Sounds Production: Michael is a long-time professional DJ with a knack for feeling out your wedding night and playing what your crowd wants to hear. He works everywhere in Colorado and he is just a great guy to work with!
Wedding Planners
I have worked with some pretty underwhelming wedding planners unfortunately, so when one stands out I am super excited and love to pass their names along to my clients. Here are some that handle weddings professionally, seamlessly and with joy in their job.
Mountainside Events: These are my favorite wedding planners. If you can get them for your wedding do. Not only are they great planners, but they have fun creative ideas for your wedding that they are there to help you execute. They are on top of everything that comes up on your wedding day and are super fun to work with.
Carver Coordination: Hire Stacie! Competent, fun to work with and very experienced, especially in Estes Park.
Hair and Makeup
I don’t work that long with the hair and make-up people, just at the beginning of the day. However 2nd to the DJ they have messed up more wedding day timelines than any other vendor. At one wedding, the trip to Rocky Mountain National Park for couple photos had to be cut out because the hair & make-up person went 1.5 hours over their time. At another they showed up an hour late and then went another hour late and messed up the entire day for the couple. I spell this out because when you are choosing a hair and make-up artist, do a test day with them (usually done before your engagement session), time how long it takes and as with any other vendor make sure they are professional and have current great reviews. These two hair and make-up companies have been exceptional to work with.
Amy Merritt Hair & Make-up: I had the unique opportunity to spend more time than normal with Amy at a wedding where the bride had an entirely different hair style for the reception. She is absolutely stellar, from her interactions with the clients, to the stunning hair styles she created for the bride, I was really impressed with her work ethic, friendliness, professionalism and adaptability.
Something Borrowed: Madison is fantastic to work with. The brides and bridesmaids whose make-up she has done are always extremely happy with the results and her complete expertise. She is also local to Estes Park, so if you are planning a wedding in Estes make sure to consider her. However, make sure you book her early if you have a wedding during high season in Estes Park because she does have a packed wedding season every year.
Catering
A Spice of Life: I love this catering company! I work with them regularly at both weddings and at events that I photograph as well. The food is always exceptional but the real greatness of this company is the owner, Rebecca (that’s her in the photo with the infamous Armadillo cake at a 2024 wedding) and her staff. Every time I work with them they have the proper wedding spirit of joy and high-end customer service that I value in my business.
Estes Park Wedding Association
The Estes Park Wedding Association (EPWA) is a group that I am proud to be a member and Board member of. If you are having a wedding in Estes Park these are the top vendors who work in the area. The group is very hard to get into and they ensure that all the members are in good standing in the community and with their work. It’s a very rare kind of group. There is no paying your way in, the application process is long and thorough. If you need any vendor I would recommend looking on EPWA’s website and choosing from there.