Emi & Zach’s romantic mountainside engagement was a dream come true for me to photograph! I have deep familial ties to Colorado. My dad was born and raised there and most of his side of the family still lives all across that gorgeous state. So when Emi & Zach asked me to capture their engagement (and soon their wedding!) in beautiful Colorado, I was thrilled! You can imagine the high I was riding after their session.

But first, we had to deal with the rain!

You see, we planned to meet in Vail Village to begin Emi & Zach’s session. I was staying in Denver (and using this time to visit my grandmother as well) and drove into the mountains hours earlier than necessary to scout some spots and make sure I arrived on time. (If anyone is unfamiliar with the roads that cross the Colorado Rockies, you do NOT want to get caught in traffic when you have an appointment!)

As we exited the Eisenhower Tunnel, our car was pelted with a downpour of rain! I’d never seen anything like it in all my years visiting family in Colorado. As we got closer and closer to Vail, I kept checking and rechecking the forecast to see what it would do. But, much like in the midwest, the weather is genuinely unpredictable and ever-changing. As we parked our car at Vail and I walked into the closest outdoor gear store to buy a flimsy plastic poncho to cover my camera gear, my mind went into overdrive. I was weighing every option in front of me – do we postpone? do we try to photograph under archways and indoors? do we wait for the rain to stop? will it stop before sunset? – when finally I called Emi & Zach to get their opinion.

The second Emi picked up the phone and I heard her kind singsong voice on the other end, I knew that no matter the forecast things were going to be okay! Something I love so much about Emi & Zach is how laidback they are. As I talked through the forecast with them, they didn’t bat an eye at the chance that their engagement could be rainy. They were down for just about any adventure. The cherry on the sundae was when Zach offered to radio his local air force base for a more accurate weather forecast. Between the three of us, we determined that the rain would likely stop and we’d get to enjoy the most beautiful evening together.

And that was the actual truth 🙂

By the time Emi & Zach arrived in Vail, my poncho had been discarded and the clouds were thinning. Together we explored some of the most beautiful spots along Vail Village’s large walking trails. Then we raced to a nearby mountainside to catch the sunset. By the time we arrived the sun was shining and the result was simply gorgeous! I couldn’t believe our luck!

Spending the evening laughing with and capturing Emi & Zach’s love was pure joy. I am so excited for their wedding this spring at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs!

CHEERS TO EMI & ZACH!
I’m so excited for their spring celebration this May at The Broadmoor!