Do you feel like you’re stuck in time?
Forever waiting on that line
If nothing ever moves
Put that needle to the groove
And sing.
Dr. Dog – “The Breeze”
Man am I excited to share these photos. Excited, but also feeling a little vulnerable because this is the first project I have done in years that is a really true representation of who I am as a photographer. I am so blessed to get to work with fantastic real couples on a regular basis, and it brings me so much joy to get to see what kinds of images that we produce together to represent their relationship. But with this project, I was able to have full control of styling, locations, themes, and mood and I had no idea how freeing it would be. My goal with this shoot was to tell a different kind of wedding story; a little less polished and truthfully, to get to live vicariously through photos that I would love to see myself in. I am really attracted to the idea of breaking the social expectations of what a wedding should look like and the wide open highways of a road trip just sounded like such a fun way start a journey as husband and wife. I had so much fun with this shoot and I hope it shows in the pictures! Make sure to read below about the incredible vendors, Emma & Grace Bridal Studio, Rocky Mountain Camper Vans, and Brian Paul Mallik Photography who made it all possible! – Jo
I made a playlist to accompany the photos – turn it on! (Click here to open it in Spotify, or play directly through the player below.)
When it came to pulling together vendors, I wanted to keep it simple. With the venue being the road, the most important things I needed were the right couple, a vehicle, and the perfect dress. Ever since I first saw the Emma & Grace Bridal Studio down in the RiNo district I knew that it was the kind of studio for people like me – ha! What I mean by that, is that they maintain a very genuine urban Denver vibe while still being as classy, girly, and beautiful as you would expect in a bridal salon. They are also known for carrying designers with the boho-indie flair that I was looking for. So obviously, when Kirsten said that they would let me use a gown in this shoot I definitely had a little dance party. I had a dress in mind, but when Natalie tried on the Daalarna Couture “Pearl” long-sleeved lace gown with both gasped. It looked like it was made for Natalie, and it was just the right balance of sophisticated, but could also be dressed down a bit to get that retro-glam vibe I was going for. I am in love with the dress and with the whole experience at Emma & Grace. Definitely look them up when you are in the market for a gown!
As for the vehicle, all I have to say is that Rocky Mountain Camper Vans 100% saved my shoot. I wanted a VW bus and had one all lined up until about 10 hours before the shoot. A.B. and Erin were referred to me from my friend Eric from a frantic Facebook post, and I have never felt so honored to have come in to contact with a business. They jumped right in, cleaned up a SWEET VW Vanagon Westfalia, and couldn’t have been nicer about it. There is something magical that takes place when you drive one of these babies for the first time, and now owning one of my own is super high on my “must do in life” list. The steel grey exterior wasn’t what I had originally envisioned, but seeing the photos now, I couldn’t see any other van being right for the project. You should absolutely be in touch with them to rent a camper van for your next adventure!
And lastly, this will come as a surprise, but Natalie and Chris are a real couple. You wouldn’t know they weren’t professional models by looking at the photos, but they aren’t…well, at least not at the moment, I can see that changing after this shoot! When I came up with my concept for a road-trip wedding I wasn’t sure that I would be able to find a real couple who would be excited about that idea and I had no clue that I could find anyone as perfect as Natalie and Chris. They not only had the exact look, but they are also both musicians (check out their band Felling Giants!) and artists and totally “got” my idea. They brought a banjo and an accordion along – I mean, couldn’t get any better. Also, when I went with Natalie for the dress fitting, I learned that they were actually in the process of selling their home to downsize to “living tiny” in a camper! Although they have been married for 8 years now and their wedding day was stylistically very different, I feel like this is the wedding shoot that they should have now to fit their new adventures. In the time it has taken me to complete these images, they are now proud owner of a sweet little camper and are really and truly going for it living smaller, smarter, and freer. How perfect.
Geez, this sounds like an Oscar speech – sorry guys! I do have to give another “shout out” though to my good friend Brian Mallik who second shot with me. He was so great to have along for inspiration and encouragement, and a number of the images below are his. It was hard for me to share my creative vision with another photographer, but he absolutely nailed it and his photos complemented what I was going for perfectly. It wouldn’t have been complete without him, and I am so thankful to have such talented friends! That said, Katie and Patrina made their floral-design debut by handcrafting the amazing succulent crown and boutonniere. We might be seeing “Elevate Floral Design” in the future?