The San Juan Mountains make a pretty incredible backdrop for wedding photos. But some of the best shots from your wedding day might have nothing to do with the scenery.
Your dad’s reaction when he sees you dressed for the ceremony. Your friends laughing over cocktails. A sweet moment alone after the ceremony.
Those are the moments that tend to stick with you. And that’s exactly what documentary wedding photography is about.
Meet ONCEWEST Photography
Husband-and-wife team Mark Sprague and Michele DeVries of ONCEWEST Photography have been photographing weddings throughout the Colorado Rockies since 2004.
Their approach is simple: pay attention.
Rather than filling the day with poses and prompts, Mark and Michele focus on what’s happening naturally. The quick glances, unexpected reactions, and little moments between the big ones.
Their work has appeared in various magazines and Colorado wedding blogs, but what matters most to them is creating photographs that bring couples right back to how their wedding felt.
And that means knowing when to step in and when to let a moment happen.
Less Posing, More Being
One of the biggest advantages of documentary wedding photography is getting to spend more time actually enjoying your wedding.
Of course, you’ll still want portraits with those Colorado mountain views. But your entire day doesn’t need to revolve around a photo schedule.
ONCEWEST works efficiently and unobtrusively, capturing the celebration as it unfolds without constantly pulling couples away from their guests.
It’s an approach that feels especially fitting for destination weddings, where everyone has traveled to spend time together.
A Natural Fit for Mountain Lodge Telluride
At Mountain Lodge Telluride, weddings are designed around intimate celebrations of approximately 20–100 guests. With on-site lodging, indoor and outdoor event spaces, and dining through Alloy Kitchen, couples can turn their wedding into an entire weekend together.
With a documentary-style photographer like ONCEWEST, you can enjoy those moments while knowing they’re being captured.
Because years from now, you’ll want photographs that remind you what it actually felt like to be there. ♡
