Planner
Adventure friend
Carrier of all the things
Cheerleader
Wedding dress wrangler
The Office quoter
coffe shop knower
Not just your photographer...
Your Colorado elopement expert guiding you to those alpine lakes and stunning mountain views you’re dreaming of
A couple of years ago, I did something a little crazy. And my life has never been the same since.
With my college graduation gown still fresh, I knew I wanted something a little different for my life ahead. After living on the East Coast my whole life, my adventure-seeking heart wanted to take me somewhere further. Somewhere different, where I could do something for myself and myself only. I wanted to do something not because other people wanted me to do it but because I wanted to do it.
So, I picked up and moved to Colorado without knowing a soul! The high mountain air with the fresh snow and alpenglow never gets old. Days spent admiring wildflowers in Collegiate Peaks Wilderness with my dogs or checking out a cute coffee shop in my hometown of Colorado Springs are exactly what I dreamed of when I packed my bags. And I know I have this full life out here all because I took that risky, daring, totally insane first step.
You lovely pair of fiancés are on the same precipice of decision-making that I was back then! You’re about to embark on a new journey—although it’s marriage rather than post-college moving. And you’re faced with a choice: do you go the traditional route with the church ceremony and the hotel ballroom reception? Or do you do something a little different? A little spicier? A little more you?
I hope you choose the latter. Despite my big, traditional wedding, it wasn’t the grandness of the event that I look back on with tenderness. It’s the little moment of calm I had during my first look with my husband-to-be. It’s hearing him read the vows he wrote just for me. It’s the little sprinkling of details throughout that were “just so us.” I loved getting to be myself with my closest loved ones. And I want you to have that, too.
So, whether you’re planning an intimate elopement or a grand wedding day, toss aside tradition wherever it doesn’t feel right. Get rid of the high heels and swap them for hiking boots (I’m Leave No Trace certified, so I’ll show you how to tread lightly!). Grab a Nalgene and fill it with champagne. Say “I do” with the sunset blazing behind you, and have your first dance under the Milky Way. Throw out all your preconceived notions about what a wedding should be, and instead turn it into something entirely your own. Make the day a celebration of the two of you and your love for each other. Because that’s what this whole wedding thing should be about—you.
I can’t wait to go on this adventure with you!
Hi! I'm Sam.
“On the day of the wedding, she kept the timeline on track and did so much more than I ever expected from my wedding photographer. I couldn’t stop staring at the photos, and I will always treasure those memories. My husband isn’t a big fan of taking pictures, but Sam made everything feel so natural and comfortable that he actually enjoyed taking pictures. I have had multiple people tell me you can see the love and happiness in our eyes from the photos she took.”
-STASI F., 2021 BRIDE
“SHE’S FRIENDLY, PROFESSIONAL, RESPONDS QUICKLY,AND YOU CAN TELL SHE ACTUALLY LOVES WHAT SHE’S DOING.”
“IT’S NOT ABOUT THE WEDDING.”
…IT KINDA IS, THOUGH.
When you marry a man in the military, you know life will probably throw you a few curveballs. My husband Eric and I just didn’t expect the first one to come so soon! Just eight months into our relationship, Eric had to deploy. We knew marriage was in our future, and to ensure anything that might happen during deployment went smoothly, we scurried down to the courthouse to get legally married! So, if you asked the county clerk, our anniversary is the day we signed a few papers. But we say it’s the day we slipped into the fanciest clothes we will ever wear and read the vows we’d written for each other for our friends and family to hear.
People always say, “it’s not about the wedding; it’s about the marriage,” but I’m here to say, “why can’t it be about both?” Of course, the decades ahead are important, but let’s begin them with a celebration you’ll look back on with a joy that never fades! A celebration that feels as significant and unique as the promise you’re making to each other.
Today, as a Colorado elopement photographer, I empower couples to chase weddings they’ll truly treasure.
lets adventure together!
Follow your own path
I learned so much by living my own adventure and doing what I knew was going to make me happy instead of what was easy or expected. I'm not a head in the clouds person. I like to think things through and plan. But I've discovered that creating a life I want and being sensible are not mutually exclusive. I found freedom, peace, and happiness because I followed my heart.
Now I get to help couples experience the absolute rush that following their own path and living their adventure are. What better way to start married life than having the best day ever with your partner? A day that's not restrictive, but instead leaves the two of you free to do whatever your hearts desire. How empowering is that?
My approach to photos is all about story telling. I want you to be able to look at your photos and immediately feel back in the moment and relive all the emotions, whether that's a few days after or 20 years later. Your experience should be about the two you, and I think its so important to not have a one size fits all template for couples that makes you feel boxed in.
Instead, we work together to create a day centered around you; to make it your version of "the best day ever". I'm here to help you plan from start to finish and feel loved, supported, and yourselves on your day. I really believe little things add up to be big things and I pay attention to the details. So whether that's recommending a good pair of microspikes, mountain top hair touch ups, or helping carry the train of the dress, I have your back on your day.
The experience
PRIVACY POLICY
Yes, I'm LGBTQ+ Friendly. Inclusion & diversity matter to me. Feeling loved and supported on your day is for everyone.