Andrew + Ashley: Wedding in Estes Park, Colorado

It was my first time to capture a wedding from behind the lens, and what a great experience it was! I  was so thankful to be fortunate enough to witness the marriage  of my beloved brother and his adorable new wife!



I knew I would like Ashley from the first time I stalked her on facebook a few years back and found out she was a member of Pi Zeta Phi. Our little social service club myself and 20 girls started at our alma mater, Oklahoma Christian University seven years ago. ( crazy its been that long). Well that little club that could made it and thrived and has a dear place in my OC heart. To know that this girlfriend of Andrew had the same affinity for Pi, well, lets just say i was an immediate fan. And that love only grew as I met her and got to know her and see how well her and Andrew got along. They just kind of "fit".

And don't even get me started on that little brother of mine. We have fought since the time we were little cause i was older and better looking than he was.(still am) Then he came to terms with it, realized how cool i was and moved to Oklahoma to join me at school at OC. Yeah he's pretty much awesome and i am so proud of that eagle scoutin, cricket noise makin, great wife magnet he turned into . He makes every event 12% funnier and is just an all around great guy to be around. I guess he's kind of a man now that he is married huh? weird. : ) love you little brudder.

Anyway, back to their special day.

Ya know, those couples that just seem to click and get eachother? Thats them.



Both laid back. Great senses of humor and love to travel. They met Freshman year of college but didn't hit it off until their Junior year when they both sought adventure abroad on the rim of the Pacific. They found eachother, while studying in China, Japan, and that affection grew in New Zealand, Australia and basically were in love by the time they hit Hawaii. I mean could you ask for a better series of continents to fall in love between? Such a cool story!



So they got engaged in the spring and set their wedding date for August! They called a few months into planning the wedding and asked if it would help shoot the wedding.

I said no.

Guys, I was too scared!  The pressure was too much! What if i messed it up, what if i missed shots or get in the way or trip as im hyperfocusing on my camera and crash into the ring bearer???  This was a wedding and my brothers at that , and I'd only been shooting for like one month at this point. One month in my photography 'career'. I was very quick to turn it down but said I'd take a few candid shots. I had no confidence at that time and really didn't want to ruin photos for what should be some of the best memories of their life.

Fast forward 2 months and a dozen or so  shoots later, and i realized what a great opportuinty this could be. Plus you got to start somewhere right?? So I felt horrible I'd said no, passed up on a chance to help and called and asked if i could please still shoot ( but no pressure if they didn't need me!) I was like praying they still wanted me to help and luckily Ashley is pretty awesome and said yes for sure, and that I could be a second for her grandpa who had been shooting for years ( a genius i tell you!)

I was so thankful! So I packed up my camera, lenses and memory cards up and we headed to Colorado. Turns out, not only is Ashley perfect for my brother, but she is a pretty awesome wedding planner and DIY-er surrounded by great family and church folk that helped throw one AMAZING wedding. I guess it doesn't help when the Rocky Mountains are your background for wedding pictures?



The day was amazing, filled with so many great memories and little fun details that made everything so whimsical. It was like the ultimate outdoor picnic complete with lemonade, yellow tablecloths and homeade touches everywhere you looked. I hope these pictures help to capture just a little bit of their day and all of those that support this blessed union of two people as they became one before our Father in heaven.









Seeing eachother for the first time was so sweet. I'll never forget the look of anticipation on Andrew's face as he patiently waited for Ashley to approach and he was given the go ahead to turn around  and see his bride standing before him. So precious!



Ashley's dad performed the ceremony and did a wonderful job. My favorite part was when they took communion, you could just see everyone tearing up as they broke bread and rememberd Christ our Lord. It was a very emotional and sentimental time. You could tell it meant a lot to experience this moment together.





Thank you guys for letting me be a part and capture your day! Love you both and am so excited for you as you begin your life together!!

Cake decor by Edible Details: https://www.facebook.com/EdibleDetails

More photos at: https://www.facebook.com/jennwagnerphotography

Big thanks to Bob Spillers for all his helpful advice and tips during shooting. He is a pro and i am so thankful to have had the opportunity to shoot beside him.