We always knew this one was going to hit us hard….⁠ But, ooft, did we grossly underestimate just HOW hard. Turns out photographing and MARRYING two of your best friends is a really big deal!!

So, let’s backtrack, to August of 2023…

In an attempt to diversify our portfolio and help more couples to feel welcome when they saw our work, we worked hard that summer to set up a series of ‘styled shoots’: essentially mock elopements with real couples. This was how we first met Kelci and Katherine as they replied to our advert and we met up for coffee and to brainstorm the whole concept.

They soon became dear friends of ours and the day of the mock elopement was a BLAST. The four of us adventured all around the mountains of Ouray, CO, soaking in the scenery and getting KILLER shots for our portfolio.

Most excitingly, unbeknownst to Kelci, Katherine had been working with us in secret to plan her PROPOSAL!!!! Kelci legit had noooooo idea and was surprised beyond belief when Katherine got down on one knee atop a 13 ooo’ pass and asked her if she’d share the rest of her days with her.

Obviously it was a resounding YES!!! (And then a lot of tears and laughter!).

We could not have been more happy for these two: their souls are so evidently intertwined, in this life and beyond.

And we were so EXCITED when they asked us to photograph their wedding day… So we went from mock elopement, to surprise proposal to REAL elopement in the space of a year!

For their actual elopement, it was a no brainer that Kelci and Katherine would return to Ouray: it holds such a special place in their hearts and it’s where they feel most deeply connected, to each other and to the natural world around them. It’s where they find absolute peace.

We planned two days of truly EPIC adventures with them!

The first day we set off in the dark up a pretty sketchy road (the kind we’d only take with friends!!) to get to the most insane mountain basin with incredible views in time for sunrise. Kelci and Katherine got ready on opposite sides of their Jeep and then saw each other all dressed up for the first time as the sky turned pink all around. There were instant smiles and tears…. And they pretty much didn’t stop for the next 36hrs!

Oh, and let’s just take a moment for the outfits! Kelci’s dress was positively ethereal with its train that went on for daaaaays, and Katherine looked sharp AF in her perfectly fitted suit. We also loved the quirky details: the loud-n-proud rainbow hiking boots, the math socks as a nod to Katherine’s career, as well as the ‘Art of Wandering’ cap which sums up their love for the outdoors!

We then spent some time taking gorgeous portraits of these two in the soft morning light and, uggghhh, ROMANTIC doesn’t even begin to cut it! Seeing two people so comfortable in each other’s presence is a joy: in fact, not just comfortable, but UPLIFTED, each coming to life around the other.

Kelci and Katherine invited their family to join their ceremony later in the morning, but chose to share private vows at sunrise, creating a space where they could speak truly from the heart and say exactly what they wanted to say. Holy moly! I don’t know if these WERE the most emotional vows we’ve ever witnessed, or if they felt that way because they’re our friends but, oh myyyyyy, we struggled to hold it together. I (Vanessa) was videoing and legit had to focus to keep the camera still and not let it wobble with my sniff sobs!! At one point Katherine shared a secret letter she had written to Kelci just weeks into their relationship and had been saving all this time. It began with ‘I just know that one day I shall be reading this to your on our wedding day, about to call you my wife….’! Can you imagine?? What a beautiful, beautiful thing.

Once we’d all stopped weeping enough that we could actually see straight to drive, we headed back down towards Ouray to meet with family for the official ceremony. Both Kelci and Katherine had invited their parents to join in the special moment, along with Katherine’s young daughter, Emma. In the sweetest touch, Emma walked her Mom down the aisle and then went back to Kelci to then escort her down the aisle towards Mom. And as part of her vows, Kelci promised little Emma ‘I may not have been there for your first word or your first step, but I promise to be here for all the other firsts in your life’. I told you…. EMOTIONAL!

After some fun celebrations – which involved Emma pretty much sticking her face in the cake! – we parted ways with family and the four of us headed back into the mountains.

We hit up one of our favorite passes, where we got some fun photos with the Jeep, as well as some bad-ass images of Kelci and Katherine’s complimentary tattoos: the contrast of the black-only and the explosion of color looked so good! And from there we headed deeper into the mountains still, to set up camp for the night. Kelci and Katherine LOVE to camp and the thought of waking up amongst the mountains was waaaaaaay more appealing than a fancy hotel!

We spent the evening cozied up, reminiscing on their beautiful day and waiting for the stars to come out. Goodness, stargazing out here is some of the best! Not another soul around for miles and zero light pollution: we could see the Milky Way with our naked eyes, and it was POPPING in photos!

The next morning, Kelci and Katherine enjoyed a nice and slow couple of hours, making breakfast, enjoying the magic of the mountains and loving on our doggos who joined us for this part of the adventure! Then they got back into their wedding outfits and we headed back to the exact same pass they’d got engaged on a full year earlier. Talk about a full circle moment.

This whole elopement was the stuff of dreams! And not JUST because they’re our dear friends. Kelci and Katherine really honored who they are as a couple throughout this whole process and only made decisions that felt RIGHT to them, resulting in a day that was honest, memorable and really frickin’ good FUN!

Let’s do this thing!