Riverbend Ranch Wedding- Emma and Matthew

Oh how I LOVED shooting Emma and Matthew’s Riverbend Ranch Wedding! These two not only have so much love for each other, but for everyone around them. It was super fun and special to get to play a small part in their day.

One of the many reasons I was so excited for this wedding was because Emma told me she loves detail photos! A girl after my own heart! Sometimes this part of the day can feel a bit rushed, but Emma gave me full permission to focus on the details until my heart was content! And I’m SO glad she did!

We always love working with the talented Kawii, who takes care of all the hair and make-up needs of the day!

Although Emma and Matthew didn’t have a traditional bridal party, they had some of their best guys and gals to get ready with!

I thought it was super sweet that Emma included her mom, grandma, and mother-in-law-to-be while she got ready!

I always love a good father/daughter first look, so when Emma told me she wanted to do one with her dad and her brothers, I was very excited! You could tell in this moment how close her whole family is. Everyone had tears in their eyes and were so genuinely taken aback by seeing Emma as a bride!

At one point later in the night, I heard one of Emma’s brother’s say, “I was not expecting to be this emotional today!” Just the sweetest!

The team at Riverbend Ranch always make the whole day run so smoothly! From the ceremony space to the reception, to pinning the boutonniere on the groom, they are there for whatever you may need!

One of my favorite parts of any wedding day is getting to stand close to the groom as his bride walks down the aisle. I get a front row seat to his reaction! Matthew was so blown away by Emma’s beauty that he couldn’t help but say out loud, “Oh my gosh. She is so beautiful.” It was such an endearing moment to witness.

Being the mom of a girl (and another one on the way!), I always love to see different ways that brides include their mama’s on this day! One neat aspect to Emma and Matthew’s ceremony was that they let their mom’s hand them the rings when it was time to exchange vows. Such a small, but meaningful way to include them!

Of course their first kiss and dip shot mid-aisle did not disappoint!

One fun tidbit about this venue is that the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad runs right along the property! This is another reason why I was so excited about this Riverbend Ranch wedding. The newlyweds really wanted to prioritize getting some photos with the train- a dream of mine!

The first shot we got was of everyone who was there! That’s right, their entire guest list got a big group photo with the train!

Then Emma and Matthew gave me the privilege of getting the shot of just the bride and groom with the steam engine! After we got THE shot, they enjoyed waving as all of the train-goers cheered them on!

Then we snuck off to do a few pre-dinner couple portraits. These beautiful flowers were done by none other than Mountain Belle Flower Farm!

After their grand entrance into the reception, the newlyweds went straight into their first dance. It was amazing to have it all be outside with the incredible backdrop of the pond and mountains.

I seem to always walk away from weddings with at least one thing that makes me say, “I wish I would have done that at my wedding!” For this day, it was their dinner table! Emma and Matthew wanted to represent their newly joined families. Instead of having individual tables set up, they had one giant family dinner table! I loved the significance behind it!

The amazing dinner was from Perbacco Cucina Italiana! They are a relatively new restaurant and catering business in Durango, located right next to the train station! And let me be the first to tell you, you should give them a visit. Not only was the food delicious, but the service was so personal! Highly recommend!

I loved the variety of flavors that Eat Me Cakery provided. The cupcakes were so delish and look how cute the cake (and the topper) is!

The guests got to enjoy their dinner while listening to the melodic tunes of Rob Webster! The fantastic musician and DJ!

It was then time for the speeches, given by both of their parents. Emma’s dad obviously has so much love for both his daughter and new son-in-law. He spent much of the time of his speech communicating how proud he was of Emma and how excited he was to welcome Matthew into the family officially.

I also thought this was a special way to incorporate their dads into the day!

During these speeches, we learned there were only two of their wedding guests who had travelled from somewhere in Colorado for this Riverbend Ranch wedding. The rest were from Albuquerque and beyond! This was a huge testament to how loved Emma and Matthew are.

We were able to steal the Sanchez’ away for a few more couple portraits before the party really got started. This dock created such a dreamy spot for some romantic photos!

Matthew and Emma were troopers as I kept getting struck with inspiration during these portraits. They were the perfect models, so how could I not?! The movement of Emma’s dress, the VEIL, the love in their eyes for each other- all of it. Perfection.

Then it was time to head back inside where the real party began. Everyone danced the night away and had a blast celebrating this new chapter in their lives.

Emma’s dad shared a story about her grandma earlier in the evening. He said on the day that Emma was born, her grandma talked about dancing with Emma on her wedding day. Well, her grandma stayed true to her word. Not only did she share a dance with Emma, but she stayed the whole night, enjoying the celebration!

This Riverbend Ranch wedding was so much fun! I could not be more excited for these two and am so thankful that they let me step in to capture one of their biggest days! Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez!