Dec 31, 20185 min read

BEST OF 2018 - Destination Wedding Photographer and Colorado Wedding Photographer

BEST OF 2018 Colorado Adventure Wedding Photographer & Destination Wedding Photographer - Callie Riesling

We kicked off the New Year the same way we ended the year before. With Clark and Christine. In 2017 we wrapped up our year on the side of a 14'er with Clark and Christine for their Engagement Session and we started our year a few days after New Years in Black Forest at the Wedgewood shooting their beautiful wedding. Of course they wanted snow and Colorado didn't give them any, but the lighting in the forest that evening was perfect.

A few weeks later, we met up with another couple Chris and Tonni on another snow less winter day in Black Forest. We also will have a few of their wedding photos on here later on in the year!

They don't love each other.... AT ALL. Hahahaha.

And then, TJ and Nat got lucky. We finally got some snow! So we ventured up to Evergreen for their Engagement Session. They handled the snow pretty well for California and Florida natives!

The very next day, we ended up with even more snow with some wind and whiteout conditions mixed in. It was COLD. But so gorgeous!

You guys are going to laugh, because the following weekend.... It snowed yet again.

During this time, the Shoot and Share Photo Competition was going through voting. Here's the info on how we did!

This contest is the largest free and fair photo contest in the world and I love entering each year. This year, I placed the highest that I have ever placed.

Now you guys are going to laugh at this one too because this was the story of my winter/spring of 2018. CRAZY WEATHER. On this session, when we met, it was sunny and blue skies. Then it went to wind and heavy, thunder snow. Yep. Thunder snow. Then it all cleared up and we had sun rain for a little while and ended with big fluffy snow. If only it would've hailed a bit, we would've had all of Colorado's chaos in one engagement session.

So we are standing here in this spot for a few minutes posing and having fun...

and then literally seconds later, thunder snow and crazy wind. Seriously seconds apart.

Yep, Springtime in the Rockies. Just a short while later, we had sunshine and clear skies for Chris and Tonni's beautiful wedding day in Black Forest.

Then we headed out for a double destination weekend.

Yep... two weddings, one weekend, different states... not our home state. First up, we have our beautiful Tuscan Barn Wedding at the Weston Red Barn Farm in Weston, Missouri with Ian and Aubrey!

The next morning (Seriously at 4am) we flew out to California for our evening wedding in California.

Our amazing Bride and Groom, Nick and Adrianna booked us a few weeks out due to Nick's tight schedule

being a Marine and knew that there was the slight possibility that we wouldn't be able to make it.

Of course we had back up precautions, but they thought we were worth the risk and

I mean, I think they were right because we had a lot of fun and created some beautiful images!

Following our time in San Clemente, we did another 'secret wedding' locally and then headed out to Washington DC to meet up with Phil and Emily. You may recognize Emily from our Kansas City wedding where she was a bridesmaid for Aubrey. So glad we were able to connect and book their wedding for 2019 in Arlington, Virginia! We enjoyed our time in Georgetown and then hopped over to the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial for the rest of our session.

Here's a little behind the scenes from our session! <3

As soon as we got back to Colorado, we started wrapping up the plans with Sam's Mom - Amy for Sam's surprise proposal to his girlfriend Brittani while they were here in Colorado for a visit. Amy and I had met up and spent quite a bit of time over email getting everything ready for the big proposal day.

By the way, she said yes!

We spent one of the warmest days of the summer with Brady and Kristen for their engagement session and then a week or so later, we spent another one of the hottest days together on their wedding day! These two are so sweet. So much love!

The same week, we ventured out on a hiking adventure engagement with Jonathan and Kristi. Here is the review that Kristi left on the Knot following their session! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Callie recently did our engagement photos and we could not be happier! We had initially decided to go with Callie for her artistic style and the packages she offered. She was willing to do an "adventure session" with us that had her driving 4+ hours into the mountains. Then a 3 hour hiking photo session. She is easy-going, personal and she made the whole experience so much fun. The pictures turned out phenomenal! The pictures and the experience will be something we cherish forever."

And then the very next morning, I left my house around 2 am to make it up to

my sunrise, adventure, paddle-boarding, engagement session with Sean and Shannon.

It was a very chilly morning on that alpine lake, but the Alpenglow was perfect.

The following week, we met up with Alec and Chassidy at their

2019 wedding venue - Coors Field for our engagement session!

We met up with Dean and Delaney up in the mountains for their Adventure Engagement Session!

Can't wait for their 2019 Wedding at one of our favorite venues, Crooked Willow Farms!

Mallory and Alex came in from Pittsburgh for their engagement session. This is one of my new favorite secret spots!

So if you know where it is.... SHHHHHH!

Colorado is one of the few states where you can legally self solemnize (Get married without an officiant or witnesses). These two came all the way from Tennessee to marry on the Continental Divide.

Right after, my husband and I celebrated our 8 year wedding anniversary.

Here are a few photos from our day 8 years ago! Weddings have changed SO much!

As a part of our anniversary celebration and just our annual family trip, we took time off to go to Europe.

We typically don't go on vacation during the summer/fall because it is so busy, but this year we decided to just block it off and turn down weddings and work if we had to.

That is always hard to do but we both need work/life balance and the memories are worth it!

We Started in London, visited the Cotswolds UK, Lille France, Bastogne Belgium, Luxembourg, Rothenburg Ob De Tauber, Berchtesgaden, Garmish, Mittenwald Germany, Hallstatt Austria, Liechtenstein, the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Wengen, Murren Switzerland and Paris France. It was a busy trip, but a great one!