Allie and Connor’s beautiful summer wedding in the Denver Botanic Gardens was a celebration to remember. Complete with Irish dancing, delicious Guinness sliders, and beautiful gardens, this Denver Botanic Garden wedding in Colorado was unlike any other. And I’m thrilled I was able to document every moment!

If you can believe it, it’s been so long since March 2020 that all the couples who wanted to get married that month have had the chance to reschedule and say “I do,” and couples who first met that month are wedding planning! This is Allie and Connor’s story—a couple who met just as the world was shutting down. Allie messaged Connor on Hinge because she noticed one of Conner’s pictures was taken in front of a bar she loved going to while in grad school at Notre Dame. They quickly learned that their lives were intertwined in so many ways, like how Allie was in Irish dancing classes with Connor’s sisters when they were kids. Allie joked that she’s probably in the background of Connor’s family’s photos from decades before they even knew each other existed!

With these family connections as the jumping-off point, they started slowly falling for each other. But, right when sparks were starting to fly, everyone had to go into lockdown. That couldn’t keep this pair apart, though. They kept in touch over Facetime, and yes, they traded opinions on every episode of Tiger King. When they finally met up in person again, it was clear they were meant for each other. And the rest is history! 

Their wedding day began at Allie’s mom’s house, where Allie got her hair done while surrounded by her closest friends and family. While the girls put finishing touches on their makeup, I took detail photos of the engagement ring surrounded by flowers provided by Newberry Brothers. I also captured other beautiful elements of the day, like the Minted invitations and sparkling jewelry. Afterwards, everyone jumped in the party bus to head to the ceremony.

Held in Allie’s childhood church, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, the ceremony was full of family elements. Both of Connor’s sisters got married here, too, and Allie has a picture of her and her sister standing in the church’s grotto every year! I loved how special of a place this was for both families. Once arriving, Allie proceeded to put on lacey, fit-and-flare gown from Anna Bé.

For the traditional Catholic ceremony, Allie and Connor chose readings that were special to them. They said, “We got a book from our church with options for each reading, and Connor and I read them all and picked the ones that had the most meaning to us and our relationship.”

After the ceremony, we went to Denver Botanic Garden, where we took photos in the iris and daylily gardens. This moment was beautiful because the sun had just broken through the rainclouds, which made for some wonderful portraits. 

The reception began with something that was totally Allie and Connor—with Guinness blue cheese sliders! And while they’d have been happy with just the delicious burgers, Serendipity Denver had a full menu of delicious eats for the couple and their guests to enjoy. As the sun began to set, we snuck away from the party for some golden hour photos. We ventured to the Monet Pool and Japanese Gardens for their evening portraits, and the golden light falling around them made them look like they’d stepped into a fairytale!

Then, it was time for the dance party! Allie and Connor said they were most looking forward to “having all of our favorite people in the same place at the same time,” so hitting the dance floor surrounded by all the people they loved most was at the top of their to-do list. DJ Perry Washington kept everyone on their feet, and I loved getting on the dance floor and snapping photos of everyone while they partied! 

At the night's end, Allie performed an Irish folk dance with some of the dancers from her childhood dance group! It was as if the night had come full circle: Allie had met the O’Toole family through Irish dancing, and here she was doing it at her wedding. It was a great way to end such a fun summer wedding!

Venue : Denver Botanic Gardens
Ceremony Venue : Lourdes Denver
Makeup Artist : Lola Beauty Denver
Hair Stylist : Salon X Denver
Bridal Boutique : Anna Be Bridal
Bridal Brand : Eva Lendel
Groom Attire : Indochino
Floral Design : Newberry Brothers
Invite Suite : Minted
Rentals : Allwell Rents
Bridal Party Attire : Dessy Group
Groomsmen Attire : The Black Tux
DJ : DJ Perry Washington
Officiant : Fr. Sean Conroy
Catering : Serendipity Denver

If you’re planning a wedding in Denver, maybe even at the Denver Botanic Gardens, I would love to hear from you! Get in touch through my contact form, and we’ll start designing your perfect wedding photography experience. Or if you loved this Colorado day, check out some more below!