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I met Jessie and James and their two sweet pups at Coot Lake for their maternity session. We didn’t know it at the time, but they were only two weeks away from meeting their baby girl! Charlottle was born on October 19th, happy and healthy.

Jessie shares, “My beyond-wonderful husband, James, and I just celebrated our first wedding anniversary and nine years together this October! There are days I still don’t think he’s real because he’s been the best partner anyone could ever ask for. Our little family started out just us two and we added one little kitten named Floof, then two years later we got our first sheepadoodle, named him Pretzel, and he’s seriously the perfect dog and my little shadow. As a wedding gift, we added another sheepadoodle to the family and we named him Sully. Having him in our home is like living with the sweetest blue-eyed baby mammoth. He’s a huge puppy with nothing but love and kisses to give.

James and I knew we wanted a big family and I knew watching him with our nephew and niece that he would be the best dad ever. I knew since I was a little girl that all I wanted from this life was to be a mom and here we are! I’m 37 weeks pregnant and feeling absolutely amazing, and honestly, ready to meet her!
My pregnancy journey has been blissfully easy, no nausea, no sickness, no cravings, little swelling and lots of kicks.

We found out in April that we are expecting a little girl and I was OVER THE MOON! My side of the family is nothing but boys, boys and more boys. I am the only girl on my side of the family. James has his amazing sister who has a little girl of her own and one female cousin, so to add another girl to our family makes this pregnancy feel so much more special.

I grew up very close to my grandpa, Charlie, who just turned 90! I always wanted to name my first baby after him regardless if we had a boy or girl. So for a boy we would name him Charlie Gordon after both of our amazing grandpas, and if we were having a girl we would name her Charlotte, but call her Charlie for short. Her middle name is still in the works.

We are so excited to see her! We had a 3D ultrasound and this little girl has some of the biggest cheeks our ultrasound tech has seen. I hope she has my strong personality, with James’ patience and his eyes, his grandma’s curls, and my dad’s smile and dark brown hair.

No matter what she looks like she will grow up beyond loved by her aunts, uncles, grandparents and even great grandparents. She is the most perfect addition to our family and we can’t wait to meet you baby Charlotte!”

The sunset at Coot Lake was majestic. It was like the heavens were shining down on us saying get ready for this little miracle!

Congratulations Jessie and James! And Pretzel, Sully and Floof!

I met Shira and David on a warm September evening at Red Rocks to celebrate their engagement.

Shira shares, “David and I met in northern Colorado, on the dating app Bumble. I was in training to be a veterinarian and have been a lifelong animal lover. Logically, my profile stated “swipe left if you’re allergic to dogs, cats, or horses.” David is allergic to all three, and still swiped right. I can’t quite remember when the truth came out, but it was already too late.

Our first date was at New Belgium in Fort Collins… then Tasty Harmony… then Union. We were having way too much fun to end the date! After eventually parting ways, we met back up the next day to go hiking at Gray Rock, and David brought along his pup Niko. I was hooked.

David and I cultivated our relationship slowly through my challenging years in veterinary school and his demanding years of family medicine residency. After three years together, I headed off to an internship in Washington, DC, and David moved to Montana to start his career in rural family medicine.

I came to Montana to visit David over the new year where he proposed on horseback on the top of a snowy mountain. It was beautiful! I just about froze my left hand off on the way down – I didn’t want to put my glove back on!

Since then, I’ve finished my internship and moved out to Montana to join David. We’re settling into a small cabin at the base of the gorgeous Mission mountains, and have continued acquiring animals. Right now we have three dogs, a snake, and a horse!

Our relationship formed and grew in Colorado, a state that is not only David’s childhood home, but now is a very special place to us. We took our engagement photos at Red Rocks, the site of one of our early dates to see Lake Street Dive, and we’re so excited to marry in the mountains of Colorado in 2023!”

The couple is getting married next September in Colorado. Congratulations Shira and David!

Lauren and Cyrus began their wedding weekend with a rehearsal dinner at the Napa Reserve. There were a few showers earlier in the day, but the rain mostly stopped just in time for their special event.

Check out photos from their wedding day in Sonoma here.

Special thank to the team:
Coordinator: Blissful Events
Venues: The Napa Valley Reserve
Pillows and blanket decor: Loloi
Dress: Revolve
Hair/Makeup: Paige Pelfrey Makeup
Flowers: Plan Decor
Caterers: Elaine Bell Catering
Videographer: Gently Crafted Films
Photographer: Jessica Schmitt Photography

Lauren and Cyrus shared a special wedding weekend with their guests including a rehearsal at the Napa Reserve, a wedding ceremony at Kunde Winery in Sonoma and a wine tasting tour to finish the celebration.

The wedding day began with preparations at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn.

Lauren shares, “Cyrus really only had one request of our whole wedding, that it was to take place in Northern California. Cyrus went to school at Santa Clara University and he really fell in love with the area- I can’t say I could really complain, it is gorgeous there. When we went through the process of selecting a venue, we went to a few places but there was only one where I felt that we were really in wine country. Kunde’s rolling hills with vines sold it to me. I told Cyrus, “You wanted Northern California, this is it plus some!”

There was some stress leading up to our big day; it was forecasted to be very rainy all week long. My dad passed away when I was in high school, but I still talk to him as if he is here, especially on significant days in my life. I asked my dad for a favor, “If there is any control of the weather up there, please send me the weather that you want me to have on my wedding day” – I wasn’t specific, just a simple request. The day before our wedding, the news had headlines of “San Francisco’s Weather Door is Officially Open” and “Impending Bomb Cyclone Hovers for this Weekend.” I was very focused on our friends and family not having to sit in any rain, let alone a bomb cyclone. When we woke up the next morning, the sky had opened up and there was even sunshine!

When we were driving to the venue, our wedding party was in awe of how gorgeous all of the fall colors looked. Then, when we arrived for the ceremony, the sun was really shining. Our ceremony was my favorite part of the day. I felt like my dad was right there with us and had sent the sun to really show off – that was always his style.

It was so special for Cyrus and me to hear our vows that we had kept secret from each other.

Beyond the ceremony, my favorite parts were being able to surprise Cyrus all night long with meaningful parts of our relationship woven into our wedding. We both always wanted a very classic timeless wedding, but I made sure to add in some subtle touches that are really us – our signature drink names, his Toro nigiri sushi groom’s cake, and “bottle service” from the night we met complete with champagne and pancakes. Even our string quartet played a Drake song when he came down the aisle. It was so much fun seeing Cyrus’s face light up through the night at so many of our inside jokes being represented subtly on our wedding day.”

The ceremony included Persian traditions. A mirror brings brightness and gives the couple a view of themselves with their support system – their wedding guests. Kaleh ghand (sugar cones) were rubbed together over the heads of the bride and groom to bring sweetness into their life and marriage.

Lauren and Cyrus shared their first dance to XO by John Mayer.

After the first dance, we snuck out to the vineyard for some golden hour photos.

After dinner, the sky got dark, the twinkle lights came on and the dance floor opened.

Congratulations Lauren and Cyrus!

Photos from the rehearsal dinner are coming soon.

Check out their Aspen engagement session here.


Special thanks to the team:
Coordinator: Blissful Events
Hotel: Sonoma Mission Inn
Reception: Kunde Winery
Officiant: Nilou Weddings
Catering: Park Avenue Catering
Florist: Vo Floral Design
Cake: Krumb Cake
Shuttle: Pure Luxury
DJ: Jeff Mitchell
Tent: Hensley
Lighting: Fiesta Lighting
Dress: Galia Lahav, Stanley Korshak Bridal Salon
Suit: Ralph Lauren, Suit Supply
Hair & Makeup: Paige Pelfrey Makeup, The Powder Room
Stationery: The Phantastic House
Rings: Cartier
Videographer: Gently Crafted Films
Photographer: Jessica Schmitt Photography

I met Kate and Justin at a favorite place of theirs, Meyer Ranch Park, where there are big beautiful groves of aspen trees. The yellow was brilliant and one of the last places we could see the gorgeous fall leaves.

Kate shares, “Justin and I have known about each other since the sixth grade and became a part of the same friend group in early high school. We dated other people, we hung out within our group, we skirted around each other until something changed. Towards the end of senior year we were making excuses to hang out more and more until I finally asked him on a date. So we went to Applebee’s because Justin had a gift card, and saw the Kingsman movie. Super romantic, right?! (Haha) That cold and clear March night we had our first kiss next to my beat-up, old, blue Ford Bronco under the stars and sparks flew. I still think about that kiss sometimes.

We thought it would be a summer fling then we would both be off to different colleges. But we stuck together. We made the two-hour haul back and forth between Fort Collins and Denver nearly every weekend for five years to be with each other and had mini adventures every time. Whether it was seeing movies, searching for Hot Wheels treasure hunts, watching Av’s games or even doing nothing at all, we laughed and grew together.  It became clear pretty quickly that we fit together seamlessly and our relationship felt so natural and good. That’s really the best word to describe our relationship: Good. That simple, comfortable word and every time I look at Justin I’m wrapped in that warm emotion and reminded that life together is good. 

After college, living together, and being together for over six years, I was certainly tapping my foot waiting for the question to be popped. I had a feeling it would happen soon, but I didn’t know when.

July 4, 2021, started like a normal summer holiday. We spent the morning soaking up the sun by our apartment’s pool, went out to a burger place for lunch, and made our way to a local park to play some catch and hang out. I should’ve known something was up when Justin wore a button-up shirt to simply play catch at a park and especially when he asked about our favorite memories together over burgers and fries. I answered something like “The time we went to Mexico” and “Going to game 5 of the Avalanche playoffs against the Flames where we won in OT” and “Oh! Our first kiss. That was a good one.”

Eventually, we made our way down to this pier and with an epic sky half covered in dark rain clouds and half bright in sunshine, Justin pulled out a ring and got down on one knee. He says afterwards that he had all these cool things he planned to say but all that went blank and he just said, “You are my best friend and I love you so much. Will you marry me?” It was perfect. 

Our story is not a “love at first sight” story. Meeting in the awkward phase in middle school made sure of that. It was a gradually growing friendship that took a chance and immediately felt right. Almost seven years later, I am more in love than ever with my best friend and looking forward to a beautiful, laughter filled, good life together.”

Congratulations Kate and Justin!