Scottish Wedding at Highlands Ranch Mansion | Shelby and Christopher — Colorado Wedding and Elopement Photographer

For their wedding day Shelby and Christopher knew they wanted a venue that would act almost as an homage to Christopher’s Scottish heritage. Luckily for them Highlands Ranch Mansion not only was THE perfect venue for their vision, but it’s also one of my favorite wedding venues in the Denver area!! The venue really was the perfect setting for what they were looking for though, I can’t wait to show you all. But first, a few lovely words from the lovely couple!

“I knew I had found the perfect photographer when I stumbled upon Katie’s page. We wanted a photographer to capture the natural beauty of the day. Katie was there from the beginning of our journey, rather that be from our engagement session at Garden of the Gods, to the random questions along the way to the BIG DAY! I can not recommend her enough to capture your day.”

A bride and groom dance outside of the Highlands Ranch Mansion

Getting Ready and Their First Look

Both Shelby and Christopher got ready for their wedding day at the Highlands Ranch Mansion. Just one of the MANY reasons I love this venue is the spaces available not only for your ceremony and reception, but also for getting ready! From the get go the Scottish heritage and influence was on full display. From little things like the Scottish green in their wedding colors all the way up to the kilt Christopher wore as part of his wedding attire. It was SO cool seeing their wedding tied together through this central idea and vision! Once dressed and ready it was time to head outside for their first look. It’s always such an anxious and exciting moment of a wedding day and that was definitely the case with theirs!! After some portraits with the beautiful exterior of the mansion it was time for their ceremony.

A bride looks away from the camera as she puts an earring on at the start of her wedding day

A wedding day flat lay consisting of invites, earrings, wedding and engagement rings, a green strand of fabric and the groom's shoes

Detail photo of wedding rings on top of a floral arrangement

A wedding dress hangs next to a large golden mirror

A bride in a white flannel sits on a couch with her four bridesmaids in green flannels as they all smile at the camera

A bride has her first look with her bridesmaids, mother, and flower girls on her wedding day at Highlands Ranch Mansion

Highlands Ranch Mansion in Colorado on the day of a wedding, pink flowers are in the foreground

A groom smiles as he sees his bride for the first time on their wedding day, they're standing in front of one of the stone walls outside Highlands Ranch Mansion

Outside of Highlands Ranch Mansion a bride and groom hold hands and smile at one another after their first look in front of the stone walls of the Mansion

A bride smiles and laughs with her four bridesmaids at her side, they're in front of the exterior stone wall at Highlands Ranch Mansion before the brides wedding ceremony

A bride and her 4 bridesmaids pose with serious faces and their arms on each others shoulders outside Highlands Ranch Mansion

A bride walks and smiles to the side as her four bridesmaids walk behind her outside of Highlands Ranch Mansion

A bride spins in her dress as her 4 bridesmaids stand behind her and smile while they're outside Highlands Ranch Mansion

A groom stands with his four groomsmen as they pose for the camera before the wedding ceremony at Highlands Ranch Mansion, behind them are the stone walls of the mansion

A groom walks his four groomsmen as they adjust their suit coats before the wedding ceremony at Highlands Ranch Mansion, behind them are the stone walls of the mansion

A bride and groom stand with their wedding parties on either side of them and smile at the camera while standing outside Highlands Ranch Mansion before the start of their wedding ceremony

A bride and groom walk hand in hand as their wedding parties walk behind them outside of Highlands Ranch Mansion's stone walls before their wedding ceremony

A bride and groom kiss while surrounded by their wedding parties who are cheering, they're outside Highlands Ranch Mansion

A bride and groom hold hands and smile at one another as they walk down the stone stairs outside Highlands Ranch Mansion before their wedding ceremony

A bride and groom stand together and touch foreheads together underneath a tree that has changed colors at Highlands Ranch Mansion

A bride and groom walk holding hands and looking at one another along a path with fall colored trees at Highlands Ranch Mansion

Inside Highlands Ranch Mansion a bride and groom dance in front of a fireplace

Outside Highlands Ranch Mansion a bride rests her head on the shoulder of the groom as she stands behind him before their wedding ceremony begins

A bride and groom look at one another and smile while holding hands in a field at the Highlands Ranch Mansion before their wedding ceremony

A bride and groom walk hand in hand while looking at one another on their wedding day, behind them is a window of the Highlands Ranch Mansion

On a balcony at Highlands Ranch Mansion a bride leans her head on his shoulder as he looks at her on their wedding day

A bride smiles as she plays with wedding her dress while surrounded by the stone walls of the Highlands Ranch Mansion

A groom smiles wearing his Scottish wedding kilt while surrounded by the stone walls of the Highlands Ranch Mansion

A bride and groom kiss on a balcony of the Highlands Ranch Mansion

A groom stands behind the bride with his arm on her shoulder as they look out from the balcony at the Highlands Ranch Mansion

Their Wedding Ceremony at Highlands Ranch Mansion

Nothing says Scottish heritage quite like a bagpipe procession during your wedding ceremony!! That combined with the colors and outfits of their day and the look of the Highlands Ranch Mansion made it feel like we were in Scotland rather than Colorado. As part of their ceremony Shelby and Christopher had a hand binding/knot tying ceremony to symbolize their union as they venture into this new chapter of life together. After their ceremony was over we took some quick family portraits before heading out to the grounds of the Highlands Ranch Mansion for some newlywed portraits with the fall colors. The grounds of the mansion are gorgeous in general, but the bright yellow of the fall leaves brought that beauty to the next level!

A welcome sigh for a wedding is set up next to a table with refreshments outside the Highlands Ranch Mansion

A groom wearing his kilt walks with his mother towards his wedding ceremony at the Highlands Ranch Mansion, behind them are the members of both wedding parties and the gate of the mansion

A bride is walked by her mother down a brick road towards her wedding ceremony at the Highlands Ranch Mansion

A groom in a kilt stands next to the officiant of his wedding at Highlands Ranch Mansion who is also in a kilt, in the foreground is the bride with her back to the camera being walked down the aisle by her mother

A Scottish wedding ceremony taking place outside of Highlands Ranch Mansion in Colorado

Guests of a wedding ceremony at Highlands Ranch Mansion are seated outdoors as the ceremony takes place

During an outdoor wedding ceremony at the Highlands Ranch Mansion a groom puts the ring on the finger of the bride as they both smile

Close up shoulder down photo of a bride, groom, and their officiant after the groom just put the wedding ring on the finger of the bride

Wide angle photo of a wedding ceremony taking place outside of the Highlands Ranch mansion in Colorado

A bride and groom hold hands as they walk down the aisle and smile after their outdoor wedding ceremony at Highlands Ranch Mansion

A bride and groom stand next to one another on a brick path at the Highlands Ranch Mansion and smile at the camera, their wedding ceremony space is set up behind them in front of the mansion

A bride and groom touch foreheads together and close their eyes after their wedding ceremony, the brides veil is flowing in front of them and Highlands Ranch Mansion is in the background

A bride and groom kiss in front of Highlands Ranch Mansion as the brides veil flows in front of them

A bride and groom embrace and kiss on a brick path in front of their wedding ceremony space at Highlands Ranch Mansion

A bride and groom hold hands and smile at one another while walking along a brick path, behind them is their wedding ceremony space and Highlands Ranch Mansion

A bride and groom kiss one another in a field at Highlands Ranch Mansion surrounded by trees with yellow leaves

A bride and groom embrace and close their eyes as the brides veil flows in front of them

A bride and groom stand holding hands and looking in opposite directions while in front of their wedding ceremony space outside Highlands Ranch Mansion, there is an effect from a prism on the photo

A bride and groom walk hand in hand in the lawn of the Highlands Ranch Mansion, behind them is the mansion as well as their outdoor wedding ceremony space

A Party Like None Other

Once it was time for the wedding festivities to continue we headed inside of the Highlands Ranch Mansion to their incredible reception space. Their wedding colors, the rustic wooden furniture they used, and the classic and traditional feel of the mansion’s interior all combined to create a truly unique wedding reception. The food and speeches were on point, but the dancing was on another level! Their dance floor was SO much fun to not only photograph, but be a part of. Later in the evening Shelby, Christopher, and I snuck out to get some night portraits with the Highlands Ranch Mansion which looked like an actual castle in the lighting! After some more dancing the only way to end their reception was of course a bubble exit down the stairs of the mansion!

A bride and groom hold hands and enter the dance floor of their indoor reception space at Highlands Ranch Mansion

A groom raises his glass and smiles when he reaches the head table with his bride and their wedding party at their indoor wedding reception at Highlands Ranch Mansion

A groom stands and delivers a speech while at the head table of his wedding reception, his bride and groomsmen are on either side of him and watch

A bride and groom feed each other a piece of cake in front of a stone wall during their indoor wedding reception at Highlands Ranch Mansion

Guests of a wedding reception at Highlands Ranch Mansion smile as they stand on the dance floor with the bride and groom behind them

A bridesmaid smiles after going through a tunnel created by the arms of the rest of the wedding party members during an indoor wedding reception at Highlands Ranch Mansion

Guests of a wedding at Highlands Ranch Mansion all dance during the indoor wedding reception

A bride and groom share their first dance together during their indoor wedding reception at Highlands Ranch Mansion as their guests cheer in a circle around them

A bride and groom dance outside Highlands Ranch Mansion at night during their wedding day

A bride smiles as she dances with guests of her indoor wedding reception at Highlands Ranch Mansion

A bride and groom walk down the stone stairs outside Highlands Ranch Mansion while guests on either side of them have bubble guns blowing in the air

After reading this and seeing Shelby and Christopher’s wedding album, it should come as no surprise why the Highlands Ranch Mansion is one of my favorite wedding venues in Colorado! I’m so happy for these two wonderful people and SO happy I was able to capture their wedding day. If you’re ready to book me for your own wedding day send me an inquiry so we can get this show on the road!!