Valentines, Balloons and Film - Denver Portrait Photographer

I've got some amazing friends. When I ask if they'd be up for letting me shoot a few rolls of film while they stand in front of my camera, they just ask when and where. How great is that?

Tess loves love. She loves February, she loves pink, she loves hearts and she loves Valentine's Day. When I asked if she wanted to shoot on Valentine's Day with her boyfriend Mike, I already knew what the answer was going to be.

Denver Valentine's Day Weddings

On Valentine's Day this year, I was surrounded by love. Not only did I get to spend the evening with my lovely wife and photograph a super-cute couple, I also got to photograph a few weddings. A few? Yeah, a few. Oh, and a barbershop quartet stopped by for a bit. And so did the mayor of Denver.

The Denver Clerk and Recorder's Office contacted me about photographing couples who came in to get their marriage licenses on Valentine's Day. Instead of treating it like just another day, they've decided to embrace the fun of Valentine's Day and decorate the office, serve cookies and punch and even give out prizes! In the past they've had a staff member photograph couples, but this year decided to take it up a notch and have a wedding photographer (me) come in and take photos.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I was told that I'd be taking quick photos of couples who had just gotten their marriage license in front of a backdrop that the office put together. I had no idea that the entire room would be decorated and the backdrop would have so many hearts on it! I was blown away with how amazing it all looked!

It turns out lots of couples who came in for their marriage licenses decided to get married this year! How many, you might ask? Fourteen couples! Fourteen couples got married at the Denver Clerk and Recorder's Office on Valentine's Day and I photographed them all! It doesn't hurt that Herbie "The Love Judge" Galchinsky was there to marry the couples. What a great guy!

To top things off, the entire day received some pretty heavy news coverage. I think four major news stations were there covering it, as well as local radio and newspaper. As if things weren't crazy enough, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock showed up to see what was going on. He even gave his signature as the witness to one couple's marriage certificate!

Here are just a few moments from Valentine's Day 2012. I can't wait to see what happens next year!

Valentine's Day

It's the weekend before Valentine's Day and I've spent the day hanging out with Belinda and Tess. They've been crafty all day making valentines for loved ones and I've been working and taking photos. Among other things, we've been talking about relationships and love. It's contagious, this talk of love. It changes your outlook on things. Maybe not your outlook on life, but at least on the day. It puts a little spring in your step.

I feel so lucky that I get to spend so much time with two people who I love so much: Belinda, my wife, life partner and soul mate; and Tess, someone who was barely even a part of my life a year ago, yet now we're best friends (homies, if you will), studio mates and so much more. Without these two people in my life, I don't know what I'd do.

Really, to me, that's what Valentine's Day is about. It's about romantic love, sure. But what other holiday is there for letting people know how much they mean to you? Thanksgiving? Maybe. Birthdays? Sure. But Valentines Day... It's written off by so many people as a Hallmark holiday, but it can be so much more if you get past the flowers, candy and cupids. So, this Valentine's Day, I plan to tell two amazing people how much they mean to me. I think I'll tell them in person, though. Maybe I'll even write them a valentine. :)