Jenny and Joel's Golden, Colorado Wedding

Hello, last Saturday I photographed Jenny and Joel's wedding at Calvary Episcopal Church in Golden, Colorado.
Calvary Episcopal Church
Nicole Iverson with Swank Stems decorated the chapel with flowers, candles and much more to look and feel like we were in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
Swank Stems
Click here to see a short slide show.
Wedding
The reception was held at Rolling Hills Country Club where Kathie Baratta and her staff did a wonderful job.
Rolling Hills Country Club
Michelle Gillette of Dramatic Events kept the events running on schedule from start to finish.
Dramatic Events
One of the big highlights of the evening was having the band Funkiphino, a 12-piece group from Boulder perform.
Funkiphino
They rocked the club until midnight when Jenny and Joel made their exit as guests lit the path to their limo with giant sparklers.
A special thanks to everyone involved for making this a wedding to remember.
Cheers, Kent
PS. My good friend and fellow wedding photographer, Melissa Rich, helped me with this wedding and I can't thank her enough!
Melissa Rich

Comment from bride and her mother

Here are a few comments from Carrie and her mother Mary after seeing the pictures from her wedding in Santa Barbara.
Cheers, Kent
Wow!! I am totally speechless! Oh my goodness Kent, the pictures are absolutely stunning! I can't wait to see more! Thank you again for everything, the day was magical and you truly captured all the best moments!!
Thanks again, you truly made my day!!!!
cheers....carrie
Wow Kent, again I am speechless! They are absolutely amazing! So many of them I didn't even realize you were there capturing the moment, wow! Now I know what everyone else was talking about!!
Thanks again Kent, I know everyone must tell you this but you have a truly amazing eye and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to have you fly out to capture our memories!! You're the best!!
cheers....carrie

I don't think it's possible to express how happy Carrie is with the photos. They are fabulous. I particularly love the black & whites. My particular favorite (of all my favorites) is the one with her skipping on the beach & Scott "grounding" her. A perfect expression of why their relationship works. Thanks again for your part of this tremendous week-end. Mary

Carolyn and Jason

Hello, last weekend I photographed Carolyn and Jason's wedding in Estes Park, Colorado with my friend and fellow wedding photojournalist Adam Welch. Adam Welch
Click here to view a short slide show. Wedding.
The day started off at Marys Lake Lodge with Jason, his family and groomsmen etc. getting ready. Marys lake Lodge
We arrived at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church where Carolyn and the bridesmaids were getting ready. Our lady of the Mountain
After their ceremony the bridal party went up to Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park for photo session. At that point the weather had gone from cloudy, rainy, sunny and back to cloudy.
The weather actually worked out perfectly giving us soft light when we needed it and a rain storm after we were safely tucked in at Taharaa Mountain Lodge for the reception. Taharaa
Just before dinner the storm broke and one of the most beautiful rainbows I've ever seen drew everyone outside.
Jessica Adler with JA Special Events kept everything going from one location to another. Jessica
Cheers, Kent Meireis

Carrie and Scott's Santa Barbara Wedding

Hello, last weekend I travel to Santa Barbara California to photograph Carrie and Scott's wedding at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore.
The Biltmore.
What a spectacular location in the heart of "America's Riviera" for a their wedding plus they live about a half mile up the beach!
Click here to see a slide show.
Wedding.
The wedding day start with Scott going surfing using a large paddle board because the waves this time of the year aren't big enough for regular surfing.
Mean while back at The Biltmore, Carrie was eating a special waffle while her hair was drying.
Guests began arriving at 10:30 and were treated to Mimosa's in the Mariposa Garden before the ceremony.
Wedding planner Rebecca Gigandet of Imagine did a great job of making sure that every detail was perfectly executed.
Imagine.
The ceremony was filled with laughs and a few tears before Carrie and Scott kissed and recessed as guests tossed rose pedals over them.
The reception was held in the El Mar which has a terrace view of the ocean.
It's always a treat to get such a beautiful location and a wonderful couple.
Cheers, Kent Meireis

Sarah and Shaun's Hotel Boulderado Wedding

Hello, last Saturday I had the pleasure of photographing Sarah and Shaun's wedding at the Hotel Boulderado.
Hotel Boulderado.
What a classic Boulder, Colorado location for a fun wedding. Click here to see a slideshow.
Wedding.
Cheers, Kent Meireis

50th Birthday Surprise

Hello, last Friday we woke up to find a cemetery in our front yard, courtesy of my step brother from Birmingham, Alabama. Thank you Tom! Now the entire neighborhood knows I am over the hill. The neighbor kids were all very impressed. The adults are afraid this will happen to them!
Cheers, Kent Meireis

Kent's 50th B-Day Camp Trip

Hello, last weekend I began celebrating my 50th birthday while backpacking with a group of seven friends over Labor Day weekend. Click here for a slideshow. Camp trip B-Day. My actual B-day is September 5th - tomorrow!
We selected Lake Charles near Eagle, Colorado, because it is close enough to Denver, yet a tough, five-mile hike. We were hoping there wouldn't be too many other campers at the lake and we weren't disappointed.
We had a great camp site at the far end of the lake which made for a beautiful sunset on our first night. The next morning I was surprised to see all the paraphernalia my fellow campers had packed-in to mark my special day. It was also our really big day to hike and fish.
We headed off to Mystic Lake which is about another mile-and-a-half at the end of the canyon, with mountain peaks above and an elevation at about 11,500 feet. By the time we arrived at the upper lake, the sun was pretty much gone for the day but that didn't stop us from spending the afternoon fishing for cutthroat and brook trout. Paul and I hiked all the way around the lake, maybe two additional miles, and most of the time in the rain. Our trek paid off as I caught more fish than I've ever caught before - 15 trout! We released most of the fish but kept enough for a delicious dinner cooked on a makeshift grill over campfire coals. Before dinner we had a birthday toast with little bottles of margaritas that Geri had secretly packed in!
While the foil-wrapped trout cooked over the fire, a few of us thought we would dry out our wet socks, using sticks to hold them over the fire - kind of like cooking a hot dog. It wasn't a bad idea, but we needed to be a little more careful than we were. More than one sock ended up charred or with burn holes.
On Monday morning it was time to pack up and head down the trail, which turned into another adventure searching for wild mushrooms. Back in the parking lot, Geri had one last surprise for me, as I was sprayed with little, confetti party poppers.
I owe a big 5-0 thank you to Paul, Margie, Stephanie, Jimmy and Rosie and especially Geri for being such good sports and great friends.
Cheers, Kent Meireis

Democratic National Convention in Denver

Hello, last week the Democratic National Convention in Denver made for some great people- watching, as downtown was as crowded as I've ever seen it. Click here for a slideshow. DNC.
There were planned protest marches every day, starting in Civic Center Park. I covered the Procession For The Future March on a hot, sunny summer day. It was sponsored by Backbone Campaign. Backbone Campaign
On the final night of the convention I was hired to photograph a party in the big, white event tent across from the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The tent was transformed into an amazingly swank club scene with a performance by Will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas. They rocked the house. Sorry, but I can't publish pictures of the show yet. Black Eyed Peas.
Cheers, Kent Meireis

Lacey and Brett's Vail Wedding

Hello, last weekend I photographed Lacey and Brett's wedding at the Donovan Pavilion in Vail, Colorado. Donovan Pavilion
The weather was perfect and Lacey and Brett were a fun loving couple.
Click here if you would like to see a slideshow of their wedding. Wedding
Stacy A. Pisani of Alexan Events planned their wedding from start to finish with amazing detail. Alexan Events
Cheers, Kent Meireis

Kerri and Zach Engagement

Hello, last week everything came in two's, two weddings, two engagements and two concerts! Thats my idea of a great summer week.
On Tuesday evening I met up with Kerri and Zach at Union Station in LoDo for their engagement session.
Zach is a huge Rockies fan so we wandered over to Coors Field as the stadium was filling up for a game.
It was a beautiful summer night including some amazing clouds that caught the sunset light as we finished and it began to pour rain.
Kerri and Zach are getting married on the 4th of July next year!
Cheers, Kent Meireis

Kathleen and Brad's engagement

Hello, last week I photographed Kathleen and Brad's engagement session in and around Red Rocks Amphitheatre.Red Rocks
Its hard to beat Red Rocks for its scenic views and rocks formations.
Brad's brother was married at the Trading Post last summer so the area holds special meaning to them as well.
They are getting married May 30, 2009 at the Overlook Event Center.Overlook Event Center
Cheers, Kent Meireis

Tisha and Previn's Wedding

Hello, last Sunday I had the honor of photographing Tisha and Previn's wedding in her grandmother's backyard in west Denver.
Previn is the son of my good friend and fellow wedding photographer John Hudetz. Hudetz
Going into this wedding, I new it wasn't going to be anything short of amazing. There were multiple cultural themes represented as Tisha is part Jewish and part American Indian plus they both embrace eclectic cultures.
Click here to see a slideshow of their wedding. Wedding
The dress and overall style of the day was Celtic/Renaissance including a Celtic Bluegrass Band.
This was truly a fun wedding and Tisha and Previn along with a assortment of family members and friends planned a wonderful ceremony/reception/party. They even had a keg of mead!
Cheers, Kent Meireis
If you would like to learn more about their wedding check out their website. Wedding website

Karen and James Wedding

Hello, last Saturday I photographed Karen and James wedding with my good friend Melissa Rich. Melissa Rich
Their ceremony was held at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church here in Denver.
And their reception was at The Brown Palace Hotel.The Brown Palace Hotel
Click here to see a slideshow of their wedding day.
Wedding
It was a pleasure working with both Karen and James as they were an exceedingly nice couple.
Cheers, Kent Meireis

Keb Mo and Chris Isaak - Botanic Gardens

Hello, last week I managed to get to two concerts at the Denver Botanic Gardens! On Tuesday it was Keb Mo and Thursday it was Chris Isaak. Botanic Gardens.
Cheers, Kent

China travel stories

Hello, with the 2008 Olympics in China, I thought I would post some pictures from our travels around China including Tibet. Click here if you would like to see a slideshow. China.
In May 2005 we traveled around China for 17 days and in 2003 we visited Tibet so I am including some pictures from that trip as well. China is an amazing country to experience and we would like to go again as there were several places we didn't get to see.
We started in Beijing where we began with an authentic Dim Sum Breakfast before going to Tiananmen Square followed by a pedicab tour of the Hutong, Old Beijing's neighborhoods with narrow lanes too small for cars. We were treated to a home hosted dumpling lunch while our pedicab drivers gambled playing cards outside.
The next day we climbed a few miles of the Great Wall which is much steeper than you might think.
On our final day in Beijing we visited the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven before catching an evening flight to Wuhan.
In Wuhan, we began a three day cruise on the Yangtze River including pasting though the Three Gorges Dam.
The cruise ended in Chongquing which is the largest city in the world with more than 40 million people!
On a day trip from Chongquing we went to see the Dazu Stone Carving masterpieces that are combinations of Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian Statue themes.
Our next stop was the city of Guilin in southern China where the Li River flows though picturesque landscapes of lush tropical limestone hills which have inspired many ancient and modern artists and poets.
From Guilin we flew to Shanghai and quickly transfered to the 2500-year-old city of Suzhou which is known for silk, gardens and canals.
On a day trip from Suzhou we visited the city of Nanjing the home of Dr. Sun Yatsen's Mausoleum and the Nanjing Massacre Memorial from WWII.
Our trip finished in Shanghai, the commercial and artistic center of China.
I've only touched on the highlights of our tour so please check out the slideshow to get a real sense of what we experienced.
Cheers, Kent

Stefanie and Dan's Inverness Hotel Wedding

Hello, a few weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing Stefanie and Dan's wedding at the Inverness Hotel in the Denver Tech Center with my good friend John Hudetz. Hudetz.
The Inverness Hotel has multiple locations for weddings and I believed I've seen them all. Inverness Hotel.
Click here to see a slideshow from their wedding. Wedding.
Cheers, Kent Meireis

Hiking in the high country

Hello, last week I took a day off to go hiking with my good friend Rick Everstein. We decided to do a big loop around the Herman Gulch area which is near Loveland Basin Ski Area. The trail started at about 10,000 feet elevation and we went over three summits that were more than 12,000 feet before we hooked up with the Continental Divide Trail. Then we came down Herman Gulch.
It was a perfect day for a long hike above timberline. Most of the time we had high clouds to shield us of the sun but it only rain about 10 drops. The views were absolutely amazing and the wild flowers were in full bloom. I've never seen so many columbine flowers before!
Cheers, Kent

Denver Botanic Gardens Concert Soul Stew Revival

Hello, last Sunday we were lucky enough to have tickets to see Soul Stew Revival starring Susan Tedeschia and Derek Trucks at the Denver Botanic Gardens!
Botanic Gardens.
They are husband/wife blues players with an amazing band. This was the first time I've seen them play together. It looks and sounds like they will be a powerhouse blues band for years to come. If they tour anywhere near you, be sure to check them out. Personally, I am looking forward to a CD from this group.
A couple of weeks ago I posted a blog about another concert at the gardens and mentioned the cool Urban Nature art show on display around the different landscapes. This time I wandered around and collected a few more photos of the urban art mingling in the gardens. Urban Nature.
Cheers, Kent Meireis

Summer Denver Debutante Ball at the University of Denver

Hello, last Saturday I documented the 2008 Summer Debutante Ball at the University of Denver. Click here to see a slideshow. Deb Ball.
A local photo studio Bettinger Photography does all the formal pictures of the girls and their families. Bettinger.
Owner of the studio, Dan Bettinger, has hired me three years in a row to photograph a story line of the day working as a photojournalist. Its like photographing a wedding with lots of brides.
Cheers, Kent Meireis
How the Tradition Started
The idea that a young girl of marriageable age should be presented to society in order to find a husband of suitable means and similar social standing started in England. The landed aristocracy was quite small and physically dispersed on the island. In an agrarian society where wealth and power depended on land, the lords and ladies of England married within a very small circle in order to preserve their holdings and ultimately their social and political influence. One of the principal attractions of their daughters was the often large dowries that came with them. This attracted the bold and the unprincipled at a time when the tradition of arranged marriages was ending.
The need to protect and augment landholdings by widening the field of eligible suitors geographically while narrowing it socially gave birth to the tradition of the debutante ball. Over the centuries English society came to be increasingly centered on the court of the kings and queens of England. At certain times of the year, the court sat in London. During this time, the aristocracy came in from their country homes and opened their city houses and the social season commenced. It was hoped by the end of the season, a girl would have found a suitable husband. The tradition of presenting daughters to the King and Queen lives on in today’s debutante balls in the curtsies the debutants make to mark the beginning of the event.
After the industrial revolution, the foundations of English wealth began to shift from land to money. Impoverished aristocrats became increasingly anxious to make marital alliances with wealthy entrepreneurs. The middle class daughters of industrialists and merchants could be p