Liz and Brian
Donovan Pavilion
Vail, Colorado
March 20, 2010
It was a perfect weekend for a winter wedding in the mountains. After a Friday storm, the sun came out on Saturday to reveal a fresh coat of snow decorating the Vail landscape. Liz and Brian got married at the Vail Interfaith Chapel and celebrated with a lively reception at Donovan Pavilion. It was a destination wedding, with guests traveling in from all over the country, including a large group from Texas. Liz and Brian really showed them the best of Colorado.
My good friend Tamera Goldsmith photographed the wedding with me. The two of us had such a fun weekend!
Brian and his friends began the afternoon at the bar at the Vail Cascade Resort. (Photo Tamera)
Liz wore gorgeous purple Kate Spade shoes!
The ladies got ready in a suite at the Vail Cascade Resort.
Liz and her mom
It was the flower girl’s fifth time in a wedding, so she was very helpful with all that experience. (Photo by Tamera)
Beautiful Liz
They used antique skis as a guestbook — a perfect touch for a winter wedding.
First dance
(Photo by Tamera)
With Liz’s parents
Liz’s grandparents
Liz’s parents
Brian’s engraved champagne glass, during the toasts
After the maid of honor toast
Brian’s 13-year-old brother gave an eloquent and entertaining best man speech.(Photo by Tamera)
Father-daughter dance (Photo by Tamera)
Mother-son dance
Brian’s fraternity brothers serenaded Liz to “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling.”
This was one of the sweetest wedding moments I’ve seen. At the end of the anniversary dance, it was revealed that Liz’s grandparents had been married longer than anyone else in the room. Next the DJ played the song from their wedding first dance 53 years ago.
We were all crying.
I cried so hard that I lost a contact lens. I went to the restroom to put in a new one, and found this guest calling her own grandparents, still crying.
Bride and groom preparation: Vail Cascade Resort
Ceremony venue: Vail Interfaith Chapel
Reception venue: Donovan Pavilion
Wedding coordinators: Mindy, Courtney, and JoAnn of Mountains and Meadows
DJ: Randy Waters
Categories: All posts, Photography - People, Weddings
Tags: mountain weddings, vail
Great photos – really crisp and clean, and captures the day brilliantly.
What a gorgeous wedding! They look so in love. I love the ski signing idea! Congrats, may you dance to your first dance music at your grandchildren’s wedding in 53 years
Beautiful work Charlotte!
Awesome possum! I had so much fun shooting this with you Char! Beautiful job!
Amazing as usual! Your blog has become a total guilty pleasure of mine!
Guilty because I WISH I could take pics 1/100th as good as yours, but certainly a pleasure- no explanations needed! 
Thanks for beautiful shots! They always cheer me up!
Love the story about the grandparents, if that doesn’t make you cry, I don’t know what would, maybe Old Yeller? lol.
Amazing as usual! Your blog has become a total guilty pleasure of mine!
Guilty because I WISH I could take pics 1/100th as good as yours, but certainly a pleasure- no explanations needed! 
Thanks for beautiful shots! They always cheer me up!
Beautiful wedding and beautiful photos, as always.
Those are wonderful photographs. That’s fantastic candids there. It’s really a wonder how much you can shoot on a wedding day, so many things to cover..so many emotions.
Great detail shots. Nice light.
Good to see you back in action.
That is indeed a very lovely wedding. And good tip about the contact lens! Lately, I find myself crying more at weddings too, and I never thought of bringing spares.
That is indeed a very lovely wedding. And good tip about the contact lens! Lately, I find myself crying more at weddings too, and I never thought of bringing spares.
Yes, bringing extra contact lenses is one of my favorite tips! This was the first time I’d ever lost one, but I always bring extras just in case. I’m completely useless without corrective lenses.
Thanks for all the kind words, everyone!
I LOVE that photo sequence of them dancing in front of the chapel.
Also, Charlotte, I have had the most up and down day and I finally thought I was done crying but nope – the grandparents story did it for me too. What song did they dance to?
I LOVE that photo sequence of them dancing in front of the chapel.
Also, Charlotte, I have had the most up and down day and I finally thought I was done crying but nope – the grandparents story did it for me too. What song did they dance to?
Great set of pictures here Charlotte! Lots of emotion, pretty faces and nice place. I bet you had a great time. Thanks for sharing.
Unfortunately I can’t remember which song was the grandparents’ first dance. If anyone reading this remembers, please chime in.
i love the bride’s shoes and that shot of the bride’s parents – they look so in love!
Beautiful as always
The song my grandparents danced to was “True Love” by Bing Crosby from the movie High Society:) Charlotte, they look great!! Thanks again!
Thanks so much, Laura!
Charlotte,
What a pleasure it was meeting you and Tamara…and what a wonderful group of people! Yes,
Laura is correct with the song. Liz and Brian danced to “This Year’s Love” by David Gray…Liz and her Dad chose a great version of “The Way You Look Tonight” by Alan Silvestri and sung by Steve Tyrell (from the Father of the Bride soundtrack)…and Brian danced with his Mom to “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts.
By the way…Great shots! I especially love the black & white of Liz & Brian during their first dance…but also, the shadow they cast in the shot of the two of them walking toward the Pavilion holding hands.
It’s great to hear from you, Randy! I such a great time working with you, and would recommend you to anyone!
You and Tamara, what a team.
Your images have always been beautiful, but it looks like there was something very very special about this wedding. The images are so crisp and clean, and you couldn’t have asked for a better looking couple. They must be sooo happy with their photographs.
b
Beautiful wedding, great pictures! Love love love them!!!
Thanks again for everything!!! I LOVE all the pictures, you captured everything perfectly!! I would recommend you to anyone!!!
Gorgeous photos and beautiful couple. Great job on the great outcome of the photos.
Where did she get those purple shoes? They’re beautiful! I need them for my wedding. Can you find out for me?
I got them at the Kate Spade store in Houston, you may still be able to find them!! So sorry for the delay, hope you found something fabulouse for yor wedding!
[...] parents, and two 8×8 leather coffee table books for their grandparents. I really loved their winter wedding at Donovan Pavilion in Vail, and the final albums are [...]