Winter Wonderland

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Laura Dombrowski

Winter Wonderland Style Shoot by Sarah Viera Event Planning & Design {LISTmember}

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Attire: Wedding Treasures | Baker: Cakeheads | Event Planner & Design: Sarah Viera Event Planning & Design {LISTmember} | Florist: Fresh Flower Market | Hair: Diane Kingsbeck | Jewelry: Castle Pines Jewelers | Linen Rental: Chair Covers & Linens | Makeup: Magnifica Bella | Photography: Patrick Sola Photography | Rentals: All Well Rents | Shawl Rentals: Splendor for your Guest {LISTmember} | Stationary: Shrine Wedding Invitations | Sweets Table: Sugar Belly Designs | Venue: Blackstone Country Club | Videographer: Sparks Bros Media

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Interview {kate botwinski photography}

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Laura Dombrowski

I am thrilled to introduce you to the talented Kate and Sam of Kate Botwinski Photography based in Colorado Springs.

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How and when did you start your business?

We began our professional photography journey five wedding seasons ago. We were both in transition with our current careers, and ready to let our passion for photographing weddings lead the way. Since launching Kate Botwinski Photography as a husband and wife team, our weddings have taken us from coast to coast, and allowed us to capture some of the most incredible moments‐ the kind of moments that changed as people.

How did you learn your craft?

In order to create the kind of photographs that we do, we have experimented, read books, blogs, attended workshops, and tried, tried harder, and tried again; but most importantly, we have hungered to create something that is “us” and that is “our clients.” Nothing else matters to us. Not what another photographer is doing, not the type of weddings that are trending, it’s about the love that two people share. It’s about our clients’ relationship and how we portray that for them in their photographs.

Describe your style/approach.

Kate Botwinski Photography’s signature style is photography that is true, genuine, and authentic. Before we ever launched our business, we knew it was crucial to dig deep, to look at ourselves, and find out WHO we are as a couple and as artists. To us, art really begins where your heart is. We take time to slow down and really learn about our clients. It is important to us that they are comfortable in front of our cameras and in front of us. A wedding day is such an intimate celebration, and we are honored that our couples welcome us into their lives; and we hug them into ours. As a result, the photographs are genuine and the emotions are real.

What is your biggest accomplishment?

Although we are grateful and honored to have our work published and recognized in publications such as The Knot, Style Me Pretty, and The Wedding Chicks, our biggest accomplishment is working together in a successful business side‐by‐side every day, and traveling with our clients to off‐the‐beaten path locations around the United States for our sessions and weddings. There is nothing more rewarding to us, than receiving heartfelt letters and packages from our clients expressing their love for their photographs!!

What is your favorite part about your job?

By far, the best part about being wedding photographers is meeting and befriending new couples. We are so inspired by real love stories. From our first phone call, to the engagement session, wedding day, and sometimes even trash the dress session, and beyond, we enjoy the relationships that we share with our clients. We love creating artwork that hangs on our clients’ walls for years. To top it off, we are able to do this work together everyday, which is such a blessing!

What inspires you?

We are inspired by our surroundings. Big views, laughter, hands held, crowded airports, late night driving, starry skies, reunions with friends, cozy spaces, real love in all its forms. We swoon over soft weddings, detailed stationery, unique vows, venues, and unique footwear, favors, and speeches. We think beauty is found in unexpected moments.

Where did you grow up and how did you end up in Colorado?

We are originally from a small town, safely tucked away in Central Wisconsin. That’s right, we were raised on Green Bay Packer football, cheese curds, and surrounded by beautiful farmland. It is an amazing place and we take a lot of comfort in it. Since we’ve been married, we’ve been lucky to spend time living in Washington DC, Texas, Minnesota, and Colorado. From the Dairy State to the Wild West, we have loved it all.

What is your favorite part about living in Colorado?

We have loved Colorado for years. The mountains, the rustic ranches, Air Force football, big blue skies, the fresh air, road trips through the small mountain towns, and the opportunity for discovery. What an amazing backdrop that our Colorado couples have for their weddings!

Photography by Kate Botwinski Photography

Boulder Bliss

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Laura Dombrowski

Boulder Bliss by Denver wedding planner, JA Special Events {LISTmember}

Show off your personality by including a prop in your portraits. I loved how these turned out with their guitar and dog.

Venue: Unity of Boulder Church and Rembrandt Yard | Caterer: Big Bang |

Flowers: Statice Floral | Photography: Brinton Studio | Ceremony and Reception Music: Orchestrated by the groom, Selasee Atiase | Videography: Mares Videography | Vegan Cupcakes: Kim and Jake’s Cakes | Vegan cookies: Shamane’s Bake Shoppe | Décor: JA Special Events {LISTmember} and Rembrandt Yard | Coordination: JA Special Events {LISTmember} | Alcohol: Total Beverage of Westminster | Wedding dress: The Bridal Collection | Linens/Rentals: All Events | Accommodations: Hotel Boulderado

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‘I Do’ Shoe

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Laura Dombrowski

by Liz Finkelstein of MILE HIGH STYLE {LISTmember on LIFE & STYLE}

For a number of reasons, I tend to keep my professional involvement with weddings to a minimum. Mainly, I am not a great believer in and follower of the rules and traditions of fashion, of which weddings are steeped. However, through my (non-professional) consulting with two bride-to-be friends, I’ve noticed a subtle and exciting shift in certain ‘I Do’ details:

the shoes.

Color- The easiest way to infuse a modern spirit into your wedding style is through a bold shoe. My friend and client Kyle Decker embodies this perfectly with a hot pink peep toe heel (pictured) to compliment her traditional yet ideally understated dress. As far as color selection goes, it’s a personal one. Like Kyle, I endorse hot pink and also love red, yellow and (in an homage to and twist on the tradition) blue.

Flats- Women today are nothing if not practical, and many don’t want to spend their most important night hobbled by uncomfortable shoes. Additionally, as many Colorado weddings are outdoors, high heels are often impractical on grassy terrain. Ballet flats are the answer. Available in metallic gold or silver and every conceivable color, I prefer the contemporary look of patent leather and, to that end, nothing is quite like Lanvin. With flats, you’ll be wearing them again so a little splurge is sensible.

Flips- For a beach[y] wedding, these are a non-negotiable, but rarely do women know how chic they look contrasted with the ethereal formality of the dress. A classic flip from J.Crew or Tory Burch is as casual as you’ll want to go, while high-end lines like Prada offer can offer everything (color, comfort and contemporary) all in one.

by Liz Finkelstein of MILE HIGH STYLE {LISTmember on LIFE & STYLE}

Image by Ashley Davis Photography

Ghost-Town Bride

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Laura Dombrowski

A bridal style shoot in a Las Vegas Ghost-town photographed by a Fort Collins photographer, Sarah Christine.

Photographer: Sarah Christine Photography

Hair Stylist: Hair and Makeup by Mayra Jauregui,Hair By Liz

Event Planner: Event Organizers Emma & Josh Smith

Dress Store: The White Dress Couture and Vintage Bridal Boutique

Other: Judith Leiber The Forum Shops at Casers Palace

Makeup Artist: Hair and Makeup by Sarah Diaz Professional Makeup Artist and Hairstylist

Jewelry: Renee Pawele Bride

Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Tuxedo Junction

Event Venue: El Dorado Canyon Mine Tours ( Ghost Town)

Fashion Designer: K Rose Kouture

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Browse through more of our featured style shoots.

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Invitations Etiquette

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Laura Dombrowski

Maura Gauthier from Paper Guppy, one of our local invitation expert, gave us her professional opinion on the timing of your invitations and save the dates.

While there are plenty of stationery stores (both brick and mortar and online) with a wide variety of invitation styles – the benefit of using a custom stationery designer is that they are able to work with you from start to finish to create all of the pieces you need. The result is a completely cohesive look!

12-8 months before

Start to meet with stationery designers or stop by stationery stores to review their portfolios. It will take time for a store to get your order in to the manufacturer and it will take time for a designer to develop a few concepts for you if you’re not picking something off of the shelf.

6 months before

Mail your save the dates out 6 months in advance. A lot of people like to mail a little sooner which is certainly acceptable too. I prefer 6 months because it gives your guests enough time to start planning for your wedding but not so much time that they forget about booking their rooms etc.

6-4 months before

Meet with your stationery designer or store and begin to discuss invitations.

2 months before

Mail your invitations. The standard is 6-8 weeks but I prefer 8 weeks because it gives your guests enough time to review the invitation and respond back to you by your response card date (roughly 4 weeks before the wedding)

1 month before

Meet with your stationery designer or store review all of the supplemental pieces that you might need. Including programs, menus, thank you notes, escort cards, place cards, welcome letters, signage and any other paper items that might be associated with your wedding.

custom invitations by Paper Guppy

Looking for more invitations inspiration? Check out paperswell. I have collaborated with Kelle McCarter of designsgirl to create an . This one-of-a-kind specialty annual art magazine features modern design ideas for paper goods & weddings.

Our debut issue features modern wedding invitation design. It is full of photos and info of the current trends in wedding invitation design, letterpress, and paper goods. Sixty pages of ad-free content for you to swoon over. It also includes an interview with one of our , Maura Gauthier of The Paper Guppy.

Purchase your own copy here. It is currently 25% off until May 13th making it only $12.74 for a hardcopy.

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Interview {broadmoor}

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Laura Dombrowski

I am thrilled to introduce The Broadmoor.

1 Lake Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80906 | 866.290.4414
web | facebook | twitter | real wedding features

From the Lake Terrace Dining Room to Cheyenne Lodge, The Broadmoor offers a variety of beautiful ballrooms, picturesque outdoor locations, and lush accommodations, all under the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. World-renowned for its cuisine and legendary service, the team at The Broadmoor will assist you in making your special day just that, quintessentially yours. Elegant receptions and ceremonies are only the beginning. Imagine a day of relaxing treatments for the bridal party at The Spa, or an afternoon of golf on one of the 3 championship courses. Begin with a cocktail reception to welcome your guests and end with a farewell brunch; all of the details will be covered by our professional wedding coordination staff. Your lifetime of romance begins here. The Broadmoor. One Destination, Endless Possibilities.

The Broadmoor offers a lot of options for a wedding. There are five outstanding outdoor options for your ceremony or reception and a two indoor options.

What makes your venue unique?

We have a variety of spaces to fit your amount of guests. We are the longest running 5-Star, 5-Diamond resort in the country. The majestic views, the high quality of service and the convenience that everything is here at The Broadmoor. We have it all from Spa, Golf, Dining (and catering, of course), Pool, Tennis, Shopping, etc. Your guests never have to leave!

Name one interesting or fun fact about your venue.

We have had only 3 owners and 4 executive chefs since 1918. Between the 3 Catering Managers (Nora, Denise and Lindsey) we have a combined of 38+ years of working at The Broadmoor, and 50+ years of being in in the Hospitality Industry.

Is there a particular time of the year that is exceptionally gorgeous at your venue?

April – October is beautiful with flowers around the hotel and all the green leaves and grass. We also have our Christmas lights up from November – early March which makes for a very romantic setting.

How far in advance should a couple book their venue? Anywhere from 2 months (or less) to 2 + years in advance.

Photography by Paige Eden

Mountain Chic Wedding in Beaver Creek

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Laura Dombrowski

a MOUNTAIN CHIC wedding beautiful beaver creek. Loving the ceremony decor with the hanging florals. Gorgeous.

Browse through more of our featured MOUNTAIN CHIC weddings

Photographer: Kelli Nixon Photography

Event Planner: I Do

Reception Venue: Beano’s Cabin

Florist: Rose Braden from Rose Petals

Lighting and tent design: Claire Tyler from Pink Monkey Solutions

Ceremony Music: Buddy Greene and Jeff Taylor

Wedding Band: Groove Nation

Wedding Cake: Mountain Flour

Hair: Erin Watkins

Officiant: Don Bissett

Ice Skating

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Laura Dombrowski

Love this WINTER ICE SKATING engagement shoot.

Notes from the photographer: Elyse and Lyle met while studying at Wyoming University. They wanted a fun and wintery engagement shoot that highlighted their journey meeting each other at school. Since my husband is a hockey coach, I naturally thought of doing an ice skating shoot and knew the perfect location. One of my husband’s hockey players lives on this beautiful ranch just east of Morrison, CO. They have a private lake that freezes over and provided the perfect back drop for a fun iceskating inspired shoot. South Suburban Ice Rink donated Elyse’s skates and Lyle used one of my husband’s pairs.

We started the shoot on the ice, letting them get used to the camera and have a little fun together. After a fun little skating session, we moved to a Colorado camp style shoot. We made it feel warm and wintery with a little hot chocolate and warm blankets (and some cuddling too). We finished the shoot with Elyse and Lyle wrapped in a Wyoming University blanket. Elyse and Lyle are getting married this summer at the Lodge at Cathedral Pines in Colorado Springs.