About

Everybody has a gift inside them. That passion for me is capturing little slices of life moments. It was obvious from my first art photography class in high school that photography was what I was born to do.

I grew up in Wichita, Kansas and went to Wichita State University on an art scholarship where I met one of the most famous photojournalists of all time Eugene Smith. Smith who also grew up in Wichita was one of the great photo essayists for Life Magazine. He did photo essays such as "The Country Doctor" which was actually photographed in Grand County Colorado. Seeing his work and work by Dorothea Lange's "Great Depression" photographs hanging on the walls of the art museum at WSU opened my mind to the power of documentary photojournalism. I changed my major from Art to Journalism and never looked back.

I spent the next 20 years working as a newspaper photographer in Kansas and Colorado winning numerous state, regional, national and international awards for news, feature and sports pictures. I was twice nomanated for a Pulitzer Prize in feature photography while working at the Fort Collins Coloradoan for two different long term documentary projects.

Most of my newspaper career was spent working as a staff photographer for the Denver Post during a time when the paper had the budget to cover sports teams both at home games as well as on road trips. There were also two Sunday magazines and an arts section that kept me traveling all over the west.

I met my wife, Geri, working at the Post where she was the Marketing Director. I seriously almost had to quit my job so that we could get married in the middle of July in Montana 25 years ago. That's when I first realized I needed to get out of the news industry and work for myself. Five years later in, 2000, I began photographing weddings full-time and winning awards from the Wedding Photojournalists Association consistently. I still enjoy competing with many of the top wedding photojournalists around the world.

In the summer of 2108 we sold our house in Denver and bought another house in Kalispell, Montana all in the same week!
We've come full circle to live in the town where we were married and we are looking forward to enjoying skiing, bicycling, camping, hiking, cooking, gardening in our new location.

Spruce Mountain Ranch Wedding

Alison and Bryce’s Spruce Mountain Ranch Wedding, June 18, 2017.

Denver Post staff photographer Helen Richardson referred Alison and her father, Denver Post Sports Editor, Scott Monserud, to me because Alison really values photo journalistic storytelling. Both Helen and Scott are cancer survivors.

Scott was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer, two years ago. He’s in remission and has been hiking, camping and running, including running the BolderBoulder 10K Memorial Day Classic with Alison this past May.

The wedding day just so happened to be on Father’s Day and Scott rocked it.

Another twist to their Spruce Mountain Ranch Wedding was that Bryce is deaf, reads lips and uses American Sign Language to communicate. His best friend, Albert, who is also deaf, surprised Bryce by arriving while he was getting ready. He didn’t think Albert was going to make it for the wedding. Not only was he the Best Man but he and another friend were sign language translators during the ceremony.

Bryce is from India and had a group of relatives who traveled halfway around the world to attend the wedding. It was more of a traditional American wedding, except for the Indian buffet.

Congratulations to Alison and Bryce, thank you both for trusting me to document your wedding.

Kent Meireis

The Spruce Mountain Ranch Wedding was planned and coordinated by Events by Erin.

Floral designs by Sarah Rovner of Calla Blue Florals.

Biscuits and Berries catered the event, including the Indian buffet and a taco bar.

Anna’s Custom Pews provided seating for the ceremony.

Videography by Henry and Lisa Mares, Mares Video Productions.

DJ Rob Gillen, Function Pro DJ & Event Services.

The Original Shutter Bus Vintage Photo Booth.

Scott and Alison practice a dance move in Ruby’s Cottage where she was getting dressed.

Bryce cools off with a wet towel in Cigar Room where he was getting dressed.

Alison and Bryce recess from their wedding ceremony at Grace’s Chapel.

Alison and Bryce are introduced into their reception in Albert’s Lodge.

Alison and Albert’s first dance in the courtyard of Albert’s Lodge.

2 comments

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Scott - August 30, 2017 - 12:46 AM

Kent, thanks for doing such a wonderful job!!
kent - August 30, 2017 - 9:26 AM

Thank you for you kind words Scott! It’s hard to beat having a front row sit to a heartfelt wedding such as this.

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Spruce Mountain Ranch Wedding