When you think of destination weddings you tend to picture a beach and palm trees... and that's exactly why Alycia and CJ chose to get married in the mountains of Colorado; they wanted to mix it up! Alycia visited Steamboat Springs on a business trip years early and she loved the sweet little town and thought it would make for the perfect location for her small, low-key wedding to CJ. Alycia and CJ actually live in different cities; Alycia in Houston and CJ in Chicago, so a third, neutral location for their wedding was a great choice. While it wasn't the typically snowy scene one might expect from a Colorado mountain location, the massive log home and stone and wood church where the ceremony and reception were held made for a warm and cozy setting. Since music is a huge part of CJ's life, his friends who happen to be world renowned musicians serenaded the small crowd with a private concert that had everyone singing along. It was a completely unique experience for us and everyone absolutely loved it. Some of the catering staff even stayed long after their shift ended so they could listen to the show. My personal favourite was their rendition of Elton John's Daniel, which they improvised to modify the lyrics to make it about a photographer. I don't think Daniel's ever been personally serenaded at a wedding before!
We often brag about the keenness of our couples to trek through less than ideal terrain for their day-after portraits, but I think Alycia and CJ deserve extra shout-outs for trekking through feet and feet of snow... in the cold... AND the rain, for just a handful of portraits! CJ and Daniel both rocked some Moon Boots for the occasion, and Daniel took one for the team (the team being he and I, as I was several months pregnant) when he unexpectedly fell waist-deep into a pile of snow, got one of his boots stuck and had to shovel it out with his bare hands! It was an adventure, to say the least!
We certainly felt the weekend vacation vibe that Alycia and CJ were hoping for, and it was a pleasure to spend a few days in the quaint town of Steamboat Springs to celebrate this couple in a really unique and down-to-earth way. Thank you for inviting us along, Alycia and CJ!