Blue Spruce + Video Package:
Amelie & Reno wanted a goth wedding and she wore a black wedding dress to fit the occasion! They got married at the exquisite Black Canyon Inn, Boulders venue. The couple and I met up the previous Fall for their engagement photos in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Amelie got ready with her sister Leena and grandmother, June, as well as lot’s of other family and friends. Local to Estes Park, Bridal Glow Wedding Services provided the hair and make-up (highly recommend!). After getting on her stunning black wedding dress she revealed her full bridal look to her brother, Francisco and then to the bridesmaids and her grandmother. Lastly we met Reno down by the waterfall and they had their First Look.
We drove out to get some couple photos and had to pull over right outside of the venue to capture photos of the couple with elk that were grazing in the field by the side of the road. You will notice that some of the photos look a bit different, grainier, greener and more “old school” those are taken using a film camera which I offer alongside my normal digital delivery.
We had so much fun capturing the couple photos! We took advantage of a tall rock that Amelie climbed in 4-inch heels so I could frame them in the sky, then headed to one of my favorite views of the mountains and had them play around for a bit in front of the cameras.
The ceremony was officiated by Reverend Scott Awbrey who I love working with! He slows the ceremonies down and allows space for the magnitude and reverence that a wedding ceremony deserves. He also appreciates the mountains and the fact that couples love them as well. It was an emotional and powerful ceremony sealing a relationship that was already strongly rooted for life.
For the reception they hired Suit & Tie DJs, one of my favorite DJ companies. They work in Estes Park a lot and always get the party going. The couple also loved their cake from Button Rock Bakery!
The party was in full swing when Leena (bride’s sister) fell dancing and dislocated her knee! That put an end to the party pretty quick. The ambulance had to be called and the EMT’s arrived quickly and put her knee back in place (after a shot of a strong painkiller). They took her to the hospital as a precaution, mostly because of the painkillers. Amelie and Reno went back to the party at the end and Leena was OK, but it was the first time (and hopefully the last) that I’ve been photographing a wedding and an ambulance was called!
Make sure to check out Chris James’ video Highlight Reel after the photos. He did an amazing job as always! Check out the drone view of Black Canyon Inn at the front of the video.
Highlight Reel
From the beginning, Gretchen made us feel comfortable, supported, and genuinely excited about our wedding photos. On the day of the wedding, she was professional, organized, patient, and incredibly kind. She knew exactly how to guide us while still allowing every moment to feel natural and personal. We never felt rushed or overly posed, and she made it easy for us to relax, enjoy ourselves, and stay fully present.
Gretchen captured every meaningful detail—from the beautiful mountain setting and ceremony to the orchids, décor, reception, first dance, and all the candid moments with our closest friends and family. She didn’t just photograph how our wedding looked; she captured how it felt. Every image reflects the love, joy, elegance, and emotion of the day.
Looking through our photos allows us to relive those memories all over again. We are so grateful to Gretchen for giving us something we will cherish for the rest of our lives. Her talent, attention to detail, warmth, and ability to capture genuine emotion are truly exceptional.
We could not recommend Gretchen Troop more highly to any couple looking for an amazing wedding photographer. Thank you, Gretchen, for preserving the perfect beginning to our married life so beautifully!
—Brandi & Mike Crawford
She delivered the photos for us on time, and we are ecstatic with how almost all of them came out.
We'd recommend Gretchen to anyone!
I highly recommend her for anything - especially family photos. She was prompt and very easy to communicate with as well.
She gave our family a treasure we will always have and will continue to share with generations to come of our family in our favorite place.
Her friendly and approachable demeanor makes working with her an absolute joy. She has a remarkable talent for capturing the small details, the emotions of the audience, and the magic of music through her lens. Each photo perfectly reflects the energy and essence of our performances, helping us tell our story and connect with our fans.
The amount of high-quality content we receive for our investment is exceptional, making her work an incredible value and a key part of our marketing efforts. We highly recommend Gretchen to anyone looking for a skilled and dependable photographer. We’ll definitely continue working with her for our future productions. Thank you, Gretchen, for your talent and dedication—you help us shine!
There's a little button that says that I can add photos and so I went through our album again looking to select a few that could capture our experience but A. THERE ARE SO MANY. She is not kidding when she tells you this, even for an elopement style wedding! B. They are so personal. I cry every time I look at them, with joy. She gave me everything I wanted and more - moments, emotions, scenery, candids of my guests, stills of a time that I can never recreate or get back.
So I'll leave you with my rainbow picture. It was my one bridal ask, that my guests wear solid colors, since we weren't going to have decoration at our venue. They could be the decoration. I got the idea online and maybe someone else can use it too!
There are many talented photographers out there. There are few where talent, professionalism, kindness, decades of experience and success can all be packaged with that feel that they still love what they do. Gretchen has not gotten stale over time in her work, where instead her work and the experience she brings have become priceless.

