Ken and I are photographers in Durango CO and we love to photograph weddings. From leaving our house in the morning until arriving back home at night, this wedding took us roughly 12 hrs – long day, but so worth it because Kristy and Dave are the best!
Kristy and Dave have been together for almost 5 yrs. Dave popped the question in NY at his on the front lawn of his childhood home on May 27th, 2018. Kristy is a project manager who works with homeless veterans, and Dave is a police officer right here in Durango.
Bride getting makeup done
Bridesmaids and Flower Girl admire the beautiful bride
They were married at St Columba’s Catholic Church in Durango CO. It was a beautiful ceremony with lots of family and friends in attendance. During the ceremony their wedding sponsors looped a large rosary, called a lasso rosary, around them.
The “lassoing” act is a symbol of unifying the couple together in marriage for their entire lives. This custom is similar to the lighting of a unity candle used in many Catholic weddings. The couple is to share the responsibility of marriage and raising a family. The figure eight also represents the mathematical symbol for infinity–no beginning and no end. The number eight in the Bible is also the number of new beginnings. The use of rosary beads in this ritual is also significant; using a rosary reflects that the bride and groom are forever bound together in unity by God. Kristy and Dave also did the candle lighting ceremony to honor their deceased parents.
Beautiful church wedding ceremony
Wedding sponsors lassoing the couple with a large rosary
Bride and Groom lighting unity candle
Bride and Groom’s First Kiss
After the ceremony we photographed the entire family of both the bride and the groom. Then everybody headed up to Silverpick Lodge for the reception.
Wedding family portrait
We’ve done quite a few weddings and receptions at Silverpick Lodge, so we had planned on doing some more family, wedding party, and couples portraits up on top of the hill where there’s a beautiful view. However, we had sooo much snow this winter that there was a six foot wall of snow at the entrance to the path, so that plan was nixed. We did most of those portraits on the patio behind the lodge.
After we finished all of the portraits outdoors, we went inside for dinner, toasts, cake cutting, first dance, bouquet toss, removing the garter (with groom using his teeth of course), and mingling among the guests. Steve from Southwest DJs was great at helping keep everything moving because I had put a timeline together for everybody, and it ended up running around one hour late because dinner took way longer than expected. So I am thankful for him doing that.
Wedding party acting goofy
Bride and Groom cutting the cake
Bride and Groom’s first dance
Bride tossing the bouquet
Groom removing garter with his teeth
When the sun started going down, we took Kristy and Dave outside again to get some magical light photos. Kristy’s parents are both deceased, and Dave’s dad is deceased, so I had them bring photos of their parents to take with them on their wedding day.
Bride and Groom with photo of her deceased parents
Bride and Groom in bear hug
Bride and Groom Silhouette
Then we all moved into the lower level of Silverpick Lodge for some dancing with all the guests.
Bride and Groom dance with guests in a circle around them
Thank you for reading about this spectacular wedding.
Long Live Love
Karen Skelly Photography
Durango CO Photographers
970.884.5292