Evergreen Lake House Wedding
Devon & Alex's wedding at Evergreen Lake House was the perfect mix of tradition and unique details. Their wedding was so intentionally planned to honor both their families and their story as a couple.
Devon and Alex were referred to me by their close friends, whose elopement I also captured this year. It means so much when couples recommend me to their friends!
Hey there! I'm Sam, Your Colorado Elopement Photographer & Planner
I know and adore Evergreen (and the rest of the Colorado Rocky Mountains!), and I would be thrilled to help make your wedding or elopement just as amazing as Devon & Alex's.
Private Ceremony with Family
The first event of Devon and Alex's two-day celebration was a small, traditional Catholic ceremony for just family.
This tradition meant a lot to both the couple and their families, and I loved that they wanted to document both this and their larger ceremony the next day.
Welcome Party + Geode Bar
After the Catholic ceremony, Devon and Alex went straight to their welcome party, where their most important guest made his first appearance: their dog, Elbert. The couple (and Elbert) spent the evening catching up with family and friends from all over the county. It was a great way to get some one-on-one time with guests during the wedding weekend!
Devon and Alex incorporated some cool, unique details into their welcome party – like the food, which was traditional dishes from Alex's family's culture. They also had a mobile cocktail bar from Wandering Wagon. They made camping-themed signature drinks, including one with juniper berries inspired by the bride's foraging adventures, and a toasted s'mores old fashioned!
D & A also had an activity I've never seen before (but it was so much fun!): a "break your own geode" bar. Guests could grab a hammer and smash their own geodes to take home!
Getting Ready at the Cabins
The next morning, Devon and Alex got ready with their wedding parties in separate cabins near the venue. Elbert was determined not to be left out of anything, so he traveled back and forth between the guys' and girls' cabins.
I also grabbed some detail shots – the couple had the coolest save the dates, with custom watercolor art of Evergreen Lake House.
Before we headed to the venue, Devon and Alex shared a private first look on the balcony of one of the cabins. I always recommend setting aside a moment before your ceremony to just hang out together and take in the fact that you're getting married today!
Portraits at
Evergreen Lake House
After the first look, we all headed over to Evergreen Lake House. I absolutely love this venue – it's a log-cabin lodge right on the edge of Evergreen Lake, with a huge deck and a great room for ceremonies and receptions.
We grabbed some wedding party and family photos in front of the lake house, then found a more private spot for portraits of Devon and Alex (and Elbert, of course).
Ceremony on Evergreen Lake
Devon and Alex's wedding ceremony was on the deck of Evergreen Lake House, with panoramic mountain views.
Elbert led the charge down the aisle before the couple's super personal, sweet ceremony – led by their officiant, who was their best friend's dad! This was such a great way to have a very personalized ceremony.
Immediately after the ceremony, the whole wedding party gathered for a quick private moment (and a big group hug). I caught an incredibly sweet interaction as Devon and Alex chatted with their officiant about how much they loved the ceremony.
Cocktail Hour + Dinner
During cocktail hour, the newlyweds (and Elbert) mingled with their guests on the deck of Evergreen Lake House.
Devon and Alex did a grand entrance that transitioned right into their first dance. Then dinner was served – all the food was Colorado-inspired, which was such a great way to incorporate the couple's love for Colorado with their out of state guests.
Drinks on Me
Around sunset, Devon and Alex snuck out of the reception for some golden hour photos on the deck. We were joined by a gaggle of geese!
But the best part of sunset was when Elbert came out to join us – wearing a cooler bag that said "drinks on me," filled with some of the special beers that Devon's brother brewed for the wedding – which he named "To Hop and to Hold." I thought this was the cutest (and most classic Colorado) detail!
Partying the Night Away
Devon and Alex's friends and family made some sentimental (and hilarious) toasts, and then the bride and groom both danced with their parents.
Devon went to change into a shorter party dress – but when she put it on, she realized the bow was too long and people would step on it while she was dancing. So one of her bridesmaids immediately pulled out a pocket knife and hacked off the end of the bow.
The moment felt like a perfect summary of the whole weekend – carefree, insanely fun, and surrounded by the love and support of the couple's friends and family.
"Sam is truly an amazing Colorado-based photographer!
She photographed our engagement photos in Leadville, our welcome party in Golden, and our wedding in Evergreen. She went above and beyond to make the experience perfect for us and captured all of the important moments! Sam is the perfect mix of documentary-style photography while still helping capture organized family photos that we’ll cherish forever! We recommend her extremely highly to anyone looking for a photographer.
- D & A
