May Black Diamond Lodge Wedding- Carissa and Kellen

I walked away from Carissa and Kellen’s May Black Diamond Lodge wedding saying, “That was one of the sweetest weddings ever!” I can’t wait to share why!

Getting Ready

I always love when a bride comes prepared with all of the details!

After some detail shots, it was time for Carissa to get into her dress. This turned out to be one of my favorite moments of the entire day! When Carissa got into her gown, she took some time to appreciate it in the mirror. She just kept saying how much she loved it. And don’t we all?!

Carissa’s hair and make-up were done by Danni from Southwest Hair and Makeup, which completed her bridal look perfectly!

Carissa and Kellen were inspired by the show How I Met Your Mother where a couple gets married at a bed and breakfast. They said when they found the Black Diamond Lodge, it had everything they dreamed of and they knew it was meant to be!

The couple chose to do a first-touch instead of a first-look. I love this idea because it gives you a moment to calm your nerves, while still being able to have the classic first-look down the aisle! Carissa said it was nice to be able to catch up and just tell one another about their mornings!

The Ceremony

Weddings here are always special, and this May Black Diamond Lodge wedding had it’s own unique charm! The weather was perfect and the mountains were SO beautiful with just a touch of snow left on them.

Also, how beautiful are those flowers from Mustard Seed Flowers in Albuquerque?!

Guys, when I tell you, this ceremony was one of the sweetest things! You could just feel everyone’s love for Carissa and Kellen so strongly, as well as their love for each other. Look at Kellen’s reaction to seeing his bride!

These two families are super close, so it was special to capture the mama’s reactions to Carissa walking down the aisle too!

Their personal vows and first kiss as a married couple left not many dry eyes in the ceremony.

Carissa and Kellen both had friends, family, and members of the other person’s family in their wedding party. It was so sweet to see all of their friendships with each other!

The Bride and Groom

I love getting to talk about my couples and their stories- so let’s jump right into Carissa and Kellen’s!

These two are high school sweethearts and have been dating for over 7 years! (If you asked Kellen, he would tell you the exact number of days, but I couldn’t memorize that one.)

They both love Disney and you can see that sprinkled throughout their story! I learned that Disneyland was where Carissa first realized she liked Kellen on a school trip. After they started dating, they both attended the Disney College Program where they had some pretty stellar jobs!

Not only did they get engaged at a Disney beach resort, but we also learned that on their way to their bachelor and bachelorette parties, they snuck off to Universal during their layover! And finally, can you guess where they are honeymooning? Yep, you got it! Disney. I love when a couple shares a same passion so strongly!

Carissa and Kellen are so obviously in love that it made photographing them a dream! It was super special to catch them throughout the day just staring and smiling at one another and being able to capture that on camera!

Reception Details

The first thing that stood out to me about the reception and cocktail hour space were all of the details! The couple had so many cute ideas that they incorporated into their day.

I personally loved this guest “book” idea where their guests could pick up this phone and record a message for the couple to listen back on later. I thought this was such a fun and unique way to memorialize the day and everyone who was there! Plus, how adorable is that phone??

Another touch that made the space feel so personal were their table numbers. For example, for table 12, they had pictures on the table from when they both were 12! I loved that they thought this through and made a super cute conversation starter for the table!

These tablescapes were set up by the folks at Perfect Day Co who I always adore working with! Not only do they make sure everything looks just how you envisioned it, but they make the day run seamlessly. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Hire a coordinator. They make a world of difference!

Reception

The reception and cocktail hour got started with Willy who was with With a Twist Bartending. He was super personable and professional! I kept hearing great things about the drinks all night!

As most of these wedding guests were from Albuquerque, I am always excited when they get to experience some local Durango things! One of those being Serious Texas BBQ for dinner.

Speeches are often one of my favorite parts of the day! It is so special to get to hear more about the couple from their closest friends and family.

I may or may not have teared up just a couple of times throughout these speeches. Kellen’s sister had a beautiful speech about when siblings find the person they love and I think her words with stick with me forever. 🙂

Another noteable speech came from Carissa’s dad as he shared a story about a family adventure they had all gone on with Kellen. In the end, he gave Kellen credit for saving his life and had the whole room in tears from laughing.

I also heard multiple comments throughout the night about how beautiful this cake was! It was from Simply Sweet by Darci and she really outdid herself!

I know I sound repetitive at this point, but when I tell you it was one of the sweetest and most emotional days, I mean it! These special dances also got everyone a little teary.

Carissa and Kellen rallied the single ladies and guys for the bouquet and garter tosses! Since Kellen’s a big sports guy, I loved how he added a personal touch by wrapping the garter around a football!

Kyle from SoundChoice DJ Services kept the party rolling as they moved into dancing. I always talk about how much I love DJs. They are so skilled at reading the room and making the needed adjustments to keep the atmosphere fun and free! Kyle was no exception!

The night ended with a Black Diamond Lodge classic- the confetti cannon! I love that these images captured Carissa and Kellen’s excitement and the magic of the moment!

They had such a fun crew who were excited to dance the night away!

Mr. and Mrs. Nee, I could not be more excited for the two of you as you embark on this new journey! Thank you for letting me be a part of your best day!! Congratulations!