Posts tagged destination wedding
Durango Colorado Wedding, The Black Diamond Lodge Wedding - Crystal and Hunter
 

Crystal and Hunter’s wedding was our LAST wedding that was postponed and rescheduled from the COVID pandemic. I believe their date has changed at least 4 times, and a couple of location changes as well. Crystal and Hunter are very spiritual, so of course they wanted something simple and unique and gathered their beloved ones to celebrate their “overdue” wedding. Oh, and Brett and Crystal have known each other for many years when Crystal was a musician back in the days. I believe Brett photographed Crystal when she was in California.

Their wedding at The Black Diamond Lodge in Durango, Colorado offered a stunning backdrop, celebrating the couple’s love amidst the mountains. Nestled in the San Juan National Forest, we took a short car ride into lush aspen and pine trees. It definitely provides a picturesque setting that was ideal for their celebrations.

Their day was “perfectly” coordinated by Amber from Perfect Day Co., and the lodge offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with rustic decor that complements the stunning scenery outside. As the sun sets, the lodge transforms into a cozy retreat, where everyone can celebrate into the evening. They created a truly memorable experience, including a candy piñata for children, a kid’s room, pizzas, fires pits, and sparklers send-off to end the night.

 
Casa Florida Wedding, Miami, Florida - Caitlin + Mike
 

It’s amazing how I get to photograph former client’s family and friends. They’re seriously the best. Actually, it’s the best feeling, knowing that they already know how I photograph and that we’re on the same page about our values in photography. It’s a cliche to say this, but I feel super blessed, really.

Demi, one of Caitlin’s best friends and the officiant for her wedding told me, “When Caitlin was planning her wedding, she kept saying, ‘I want someone like Annie Bang for my wedding. Where can I find someone (a wedding photographer) like Annie Bang?’ Soooo… I was like… ‘how about…. you just hire her for your wedding…and the problem is solved!?!?’”

Brett and I photographed the groom Michael’s brother (Eric)’s wedding in Santa Barbara years ago, and now here we are in 2024, flying out to Florida for Mike and Caitlin.

Caitlin and Mike met summer of 2014 through an adult kickball league (aka "drunk kickball"). Their league met on Friday nights in Coconut Grove - their fav neighborhood in Miami- and it's basically one big rowdy party. They were on different teams. Mike came up to Caitlin & asked if she wanted “a Solo cup of boozy punch & voila, 8.5 years later, here we are.”

As a couple, “we're playful & affectionate, & we laugh together a lot. Humor is a coping mechanism for us. We can usually see the bright side, the big picture, the silver lining...in other words, if it rains on our wedding day, we're still gonna party with a smile on our faces.”

It didn’t rain (only cloudy here and there) on their wedding day; but it poured down the next day - hence, Brett and I were trapped at the airport for hourssss to come back home. haha.

The wedding was at Casa Florida, a super cute, historic & funky motel with tropical Florida Keys vibes, in Miami, Florida, and we really LOVED partying with everyone.

 
Tucson Museum of Art, Arizona Wedding - Emma & Farley
 

On their wedding day, October 14, 2023, there was an annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. It was visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America, and we couldn’t help but photographed the beauty which will be back 70 years later in Tucson.

Emma works in climate change at a science museum in San Francisco, and Farley is a musician and music historian. They love to listen to college radio, go to shows, and are starting to play music together as well.
Emma was born and raised in Tucson, where her mom still lives and where she has a lot of community; hence, the wedding ceremony was be at a site out in the desert in Tucson Mountain Park, and the reception at the Tucson Museum of Art in historic downtown Tucson. Her best friend bought an old adobe near the museum downtown which was where she got ready.
Emma and Farley have both moved around a lot. After college, she moved around doing climate organizing work, settling for a while in North Carolina where she worked on a campaign to shut down a coal plant. Farley moved to Oakland and then Montreal, studying experimental electronic music performance and musicology. They actually went to the same college for undergrad and knew 'of' each other but weren't well acquainted. Farley was busy playing in bands and she was busy with activism and taking too many Econ classes. There is one photo of them at the same party- 4th of July 2009 at the Grant St. House. There was a super soaker fight that Farley couldn't join because he had to be at his radio station job right after. They then reconnected in Berkeley when they’d both moved to the Bay to be closer to family and were feeling a little aimless. Before marriage, they lived together with our cat Lollie and Farley's older brother, in the old house his brother was born in that is now held together by magic and duct tape.

Brett and I traveled to Tucson the day before the wedding, photographed their wedding with our hearts out. And here is some words we received from them;

“The photos are absolutely gorgeous, you and Brett were amazing We could not have asked for more incredible photographers or sweeter people to capture the day!! Our guests totally loved meeting and partying with you- I’m wishing you were front of the camera!! You guys captured everything so beautifully. We just can’t thank you enough (okay now I’m crying a little).  Please also if you’re ever up in the Bay we’d love to take you guys out for a drink/dinner (for real though.) We love you!! Thank you so much”