John and Chelzea at Younger Ranch in Colorado Springs

Western Wedding Inspiration: Colorado

September 12, 2023

colorado western wedding inspiration

Grab a shot of bourbon and cozy up while I give you all the western wedding inspiration you’ll need. I’ll show you how modern elegance and trendy florals match so beautifully with western style. Take a look at portraits with authentic Texas Longhorns, pampas florals, and copper flatware . We took some of the most popular trends of the season and made them classic, all in the great state of Colorado.

Western wedding inspiration in Colorado Springs at younger ranch

Colorado wedding phtographer with couple at younger ranch in Colorado Springs

a dipped kiss at younger ranch in Colorado Springs

John + Chelzea

It didn’t take long after meeting John and Chelzea to know that they are wildly in love with each other. He is with the military and she is from Guam, where they met while he was stationed. They adventure together, are both photographers, and spent the drive around the ranch listening to country music. If you know anything about me, you know that’s my kind of people {meet me and my family here!}. They were up for whatever ideas I suggested during portraits, adding their own style of interaction when they got comfortable. It was such a pleasure to get to know them.

Keep reading for some of the best details of the day.

Personal items

Never again will there be another love story exactly like the one you’re living. How you grew up, the paths you took, the choices you made, and the way you fell in love is yours alone. It’s my very favorite part of getting to know each couple I serve. And it deserves to be documented. The personal items and the people who are there to support you will always be what sets your day apart.

Chelzea brought a cherished Guam necklace with her and it was by far my favorite detail to photograph. Her heritage will be with her no matter where she ends up and I knew how important the necklace was. A great way to help your photographer on wedding day is to gather all the detail items {invitations, perfume, jewelry, heirloom passed down, etc.} together in a bag or box so it’s ready when we arrive. Include any meaningful pieces of your story and we will be sure to honor it.

custom hats

When I say that Unicorn of the West is a killer brand, I mean it was exactly what we wanted for our western wedding inspiration shoot. Heidi is all sorts of sweetness and bad-assery with the way she designs just what you’re looking for. They are not simply custom hats, they are works of art. Bring your own or choose one complete with design.

formal wear

With so many bridal shops available, what sets one apart from another is the attention to making personal connections. Luv Bridal is incredibly welcoming at their boutique in downtown Denver. They offer classic gowns to trending styles and everything in between. Their showroom is intimate but not small, and has plenty of mirrors. We had a blast selecting gowns for our aesthetic.
For Chelzea we chose a strapless ball gown with a bustier top {think 1800’s saloon and Jess James}. There was a slight glitter to the tulle fabric which made it reflect beautifully in the right light.
For John we opted for a classic brown suit designed by Midnight Blue from Stitch and Tie. Brown, as it seems is making its comeback and we were fancy to the idea. It matched wonderfully with his hat and boots.

Venue

North of Colorado Springs on vast acreage in the shadow of Pike’s Peak is my favorite venue: Younger Ranch. I’ve actually done another whole blog post on this place because it’s so charming. Read it here. Rex and Gina Younger are 5th generation cattle ranchers and started running their wedding venue after their daughter was married on the ranch. They are as authentic as it gets and will take care of you throughout the process of booking, planning, and having your event.