Dagny + Ben

On a beautiful September day, Jeremy and I had the honor of photographing the wedding of two of the most gracious, loving people ever; Ben and Dagny! This playfully, romantic summer wedding was lavish with feel-good moments from beginning to end. Surrounded by their family and friends, they shared their vows under a canopy of trees at the Glennmere Park in Greeley, CO.

Dagny was perfection from head to toe, even in the midst of a truly unfortunate cold she was simply exquisite. With an heirloom on her hand from her grandfather, she rocked sneakers dolled up with lace; both timeless and true to herself.

She truly thought of every little detail. From the handmade signs informing guests what to do to a hydration station and repellent table with a sign telling guests “get smitten not bitten.” These personal touches made the entire day easy and so much fun.

And Is there any better gift than a mug? To myself, coffee is a love language all in itself. And the adorable mugs Dagny gave her bridesmaids were filled to the brim with love and appreciation for this tribe of women. They’ve loved and supported her through the years and this gift will certainly serve as a reminder of the special friendship they all share.

As for the guys. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more solid crew of men to walk through life with. Having had the opportunity to direct many of them on stage in theatrical productions, I can say with certainty that these upstanding guys are also… the orneriest. And this was proven time and time again while taking groomsmen photos and then later when they busted a move on the dance floor. Ben you are so lucky to have built such a strong support system around you. But also, you guys should never be left alone (see puppet photo below).

Now one thing that made Ben and Dagny’s wedding day so unique was the creative ways they wove in their quirkiness to every detail. From the tiny dinosaurs found resting amongst the centerpieces, to Jenga pieces for guests to write down their names as a guest book. Everywhere you looked, there was a sweet reminder of their playful sense of humor.

Arriving at the ceremony location, we were in awe of this little oasis right smack dab in the middle of Greeley. Glenmere Park is truly breathtaking, covered in a canopy of trees, grassy hillsides and a sweet pond topped with water lilies. This was the landscape of this romantic ceremony.
The blush chiffon danced in the breeze, as the guitarists serenaded the couple and their guests. No detail was forgotten, as the aisle was lined with soft greenery and the handmade canopy draped with lights, framed the couple as they shared communion.

One of the most incredible parts of this wedding day, was witnessing the bride’s 8-year-old sister Sami, stroll down the aisle as the flower girl; a moment that many thought would never happen. Sami has been very sick for much of her life and being away from the comfort of her bed is extremely limited. But with a big smile on her face, and tears shared by everyone, Sami was present at the most important day of Dagny’s life. Before dancing down the aisle as husband and wife, the groom’s father Todd asked for the couple to be surrounded in prayer. A beautiful picture of how wedding guests are more than observers, but witnesses and supporters of the couple. They too make a promise to fight for the marriage and be their biggest cheerleaders.

Heading to their reception in style, the bride and groom were escorted by Conquest Classic Cars of Greeley in a Ford Skyliner convertible. And got to enjoy a quiet moment together before joining guests at The Historic State Armory; the location of Waypoints church, where his dad is a teaching pastor. The reception was filled with laughter, as guests enjoyed food trucks, old fashioned sodas and a donut bar with “donut cake” by VooDoo Donuts. Mikeal MacBeth from Something Random did an incredible job keeping the beats rolling and the celebration fun.

The arts have played such a HUGE role in this couple’s journey; both being active in theater and Ben growing up in a very musical family. So it was no surprise that Dagny and Ben passed on the traditional first dance and instead entertained guests with a fully choreographed medley of songs, which was so perfectly them. And just when you thought the surprises were complete, the bride flew around the dance floor, swing dancing with her dad. While the groom choose to skip on the dance and shared a duet with his mom to the song “I’ll Be There.”

And getting the guests on the dance floor was not an issue, as Mikeal got everyone fired up with great music. Nearly every guest found their way to the dance floor, as they enthusiastically busted a move, having the time of their lives. The evening was wrapped up with a spectacular exit of sparklers and cheers for this sweet couple.

Ben and Dagny, you are such an amazing couple. Jeremy and I are so grateful to be a part of your lives and look forward to sharing in this incredible future with you. Thank you so much for trusting us with this special day, it was truly an honor. Much love to you and your families! Enjoy this glimpse into your wedding day!