Every wedding has noteworthy moments — but the first dance between Autumn and Jacob is, after 12 years of photographing weddings, perhaps the most incredible first dance we’ve seen.
But let’s back up. Autumn and Jacob reached out to us more than a year ago about photographing their wedding at Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Denver, Colorado, and at the Rose Event Center in Golden. The theme was cowboy Western.
First the church: We’ve photographed Holy Ghost Catholic church weddings on several occasions, and each time we’re awed by the beauty of the building, which was completed in the 1940s and whose architecture was inspired by both Spanish and Italian Renaissance. Five priests concelebrated the Mass with Autumn and Jacob.
After a beautiful wedding Mass, we traveled to Three Sisters Park in Evergreen, Colorado, where we photographed the bridal party and Autumn and Jacob. Mid-day bridal party photos during the summer for Catholic weddings can often be a challenge, especially on days when Colorado’s sun is shining so brightly. But we were aided by the large barn at the park, and Anya and I worked in the shade to capture moments with everyone.
We then traveled to the Rose Event Center wedding venue in downtown Golden, where the venue was set up for a great evening of food, drink and dancing.
So back to that first dance. Autumn and Jacob are practiced swing dancers. And it showed. As you’ll see in the later photos, at one point Autumn was nearly upside down while Jacob held on. As photographers, dances like this are our dream — and Autumn and Jacob made it look effortless. Then, they were joined on the dance floor with so many of their guests.
We ended the evening waiting for the sun to set behind Lookout Mountain so we could capture the iconic image of the “Welcome to Golden” sign over the town’s main drag.
![A bridesmaid puts a bracelet on the bride before a Holy Ghost Church wedding in Denver, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-2-scaled.jpg)
![A father puts on a jacket on a groom before a Holy Ghost Church Denver wedding in Denver, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-1-scaled.jpg)
![Bridesmaids applaud a bride when she turns around in her dress during a Holy Ghost Church Denver wedding in Denver, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-3-scaled.jpg)
![The bride's father gets a boutonniere pinned to his jacket before a Holy Ghost Church Denver wedding in Denver, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-4-scaled.jpg)
![A bride boards a bus wearing cowgirl boots before a Holy Ghost Church Denver wedding in Denver, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-5-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and her bridesmaids sit around a bus on their way to a Holy Ghost Church Denver wedding in Denver, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-6-scaled.jpg)
![A bride prays in the basement of a church surrounded by her family and bridesmaids before a Holy Ghost Catholic Church wedding in Denver, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-7-scaled.jpg)
![A bride stands with her father before entering Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Denver, Colorado, to be married.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-9-scaled.jpg)
![A bride walks down the aisle with her father during a Holy Ghost Church Denver wedding in Denver, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-10-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and groom kneel before an altar during a Holy Ghost Church Denver wedding in Denver, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-16-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and groom kneel before an altar during a Holy Ghost Church Denver wedding in Denver, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-17-scaled.jpg)
![A broad view of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Denver, Colorado, during a wedding.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-13-scaled.jpg)
![](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-14-scaled.jpg)
![A groom smiles at his bride during their Holy Ghost Catholic Church wedding in Denver, Colorado, while seated near the altar.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-18-scaled.jpg)
![The bride and groom kiss after their wedding Mass at Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Denver, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-19-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and groom smile before attendees at their wedding at Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Denver, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/holy-ghost-church-denver-wedding-20-scaled.jpg)
![A groom kisses the side of his bride's face near the bar at Three Sisters Park in Evergreen, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/three-sisters-park-evergreen-wedding-3-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and groom look into each other's eyes next to a barn at Three Sisters Park in Evergreen, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/three-sisters-park-evergreen-wedding-2-scaled.jpg)
![The bridal party pose for a photo in front of a barn at Three Sisters Park in Evergreen, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/three-sisters-park-evergreen-wedding-1-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and groom hold hands and press their foreheads together while smiling during bridal portraits at Three Sisters Park in Evergreen, Colorado/](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/three-sisters-park-evergreen-wedding-4-scaled.jpg)
![A groom and bride look at each other's eyes while holding hands next to a brown barn at Three Sisters Park in Evergreen, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/three-sisters-park-evergreen-wedding-5-scaled.jpg)
![A grooms kisses the side of a bride's cheek standing near a barn at Three Sisters Park in Evergreen, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/three-sisters-park-evergreen-wedding-6-scaled.jpg)
![At left, a setup with forms, stationary, napkin saying "Let Love Grow" next to another picture of boots on a wedding cake with sunflowers at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado, for a wedding.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-2-scaled.jpg)
![Place settings are seen during a wedding reception at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-3-scaled.jpg)
![A groom waves while holding his bride's hand as they process in for their wedding reception at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-4-scaled.jpg)
![A groomsman, left, and a bridesmaid, right, dance solo on stage during a wedding reception at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-5-scaled.jpg)
![A groomsman does the worm solo on stage during a wedding reception at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-6-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and groom toast during their wedding reception after the bride's father's speech at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-7-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and groom dance at the Rose Event Center during their wedding reception in Golden, Colorado, as guests in the background look on.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-8-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and groom perform their first dance during a wedding reception at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-11-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and groom perform their first dance during a wedding reception at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-10-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and groom perform their first dance during a wedding reception at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-9-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and groom perform their first dance during a wedding reception at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-12-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and her father perform their first dance during a wedding reception at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-15-scaled.jpg)
![A groom and his mother dance solo during a wedding reception at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-14-scaled.jpg)
![A bride tosses the bouquet during her wedding reception at the Rose Event Center in Golden, Colorado.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-16-scaled.jpg)
![A bride and groom pose in front of the Golden, Colorado, welcome sign outside the Rose Event Center during their wedding reception.](https://anya-dan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/rose-event-center-golden-co-wedding-17-scaled.jpg)