Ardent Photography by Rick & Stephanie Osborne

Mother’s Day | Gift Certificates

admin — Fri, 03 May 2013 02:12:36 +0000

All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”- Abraham Lincoln

Rick and I have both been blessed with amazing mothers. Mothers who are hard working, supportive, loving and dedicated to their children. We are SO HAPPY every year when Mother’s Day comes around because it is in excellent reason to celebrate our Moms! Each year though it get’s harder and harder to figure out the perfect gift. We thought many of our clients may be in the same boat so we wanted to let you know about a great gift idea that every mom will LOVE! Photography… Rick and I allow clients to ‘pre-purchase’ a photography session in the form of a gift certificate. It is custom designed with your mom’s name and has no expiration date. After she has received it she can give us a call to set up her session and use it for anything she would like. There are no additional fees and she will receive all the photos from her session with a printing release in a digital DVD album.

We never need an excuse to show off our fantastic clients, but included with this post are a few of our favorite moms. For more information on purchasing a gift certificate for Mother’s Day send us an email

Kate & Nick | Wedding

admin — Wed, 01 May 2013 21:02:21 +0000

There is a line that Rick uses when he talks about how God has absolutely blessed us by allowing us to be photographers… “We get to take pictures for a living, it’s not like we are out digging ditches.” This always makes me chuckle. We really do have it good. For every day spent in front of the computer going through the mundane business items on our to do list, I can name 2 other days spent photographing love in a picturesque location. We often spend our afternoons up in the mountains, deep in the heart of the city (see Kate & Nick’s esession) or at the homes of clients who trust us to capture stunning images of their lives. Of course SOME locations completely take our breath away and make us realize that we aren’t just LUCKY to get to shoot there, we are blessed…

Kate and Nick chose to have their wedding at the Coryell Ranch in Carbondale, CO. A gorgeous cabin, lush greenery, stunning ponds and rustic brides, this is a dream location and was the PERFECT backdrop for their special day. What started out as a day full of amazing sunshine soon turned rainy and stormy within a few short hours. This could have shaken many a bride and really put a damper on the entire day. What we LOVED about Kate and Nick however was that they chose to focus all of their attention on what they were there to do: pledge their unending love and commitment to one another. SO the day went on and they said their vows under umbrellas and danced the night away in a tented reception surrounded by the sound of falling rain.

Photographically, this wedding was such a treat! Vintage inspired it featured thoughtful use of burlap, an antique type writer guestbook, mis matched china settings and some really beautiful flowers in a lovely muted color pallet. The rain helped make the grass that much greener and brought out the rick dark brown in the rustic bridge and cabin. What starting out as a looming curse was turned into a blessing instead!

Kate & Nick, you guys are amazing. Choosing to focus on one another vs. allowing the weather to get you down is such a positive and exception viewpoint. We are so happy to have gotten to be there to capture your day!

Here are a few images loved, along with info on the thoughtful vendors Kate and Nick chose for their wedding day…

VENDORS:

VENUE: Coryell Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHY: Ardent Photography
CATERING: Conundrum Catering
FLOWERS: Susan Burr
DJ: Arrow Productions

Laura & Bryan | Wedding

admin — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:56:48 +0000

Meet Laura and Bryan. These two share that classic, timeless, only found in the movies kind of love. We had the pleasure of photographing their engagement session in Rocky Mountain National Park. It was then that we found out how Laura’s face lights up when she looks at Bryan and saw the way he would playfully tease her just to see her smile. These two are beyond cute and SO made for each other.

They chose to tie the knot at one of the most stunning venues in Northern Colorado, Brookside Gardens. Their decor was every bit as classic as their love affair and featured rich browns, deep blues and a peacock theme carried throughout. Intricate Icings our of Erie, CO created the most amazing cake based around this peacock theme. The creativity these ladies exhibit always blows us away! Their ceremony was personal, truthful and touching. After they said their ‘I Do’s’ these two made their way inside for a happening reception surrounded by their family and friends.

Laura and Bryan, thank you for allowing us to be a part of your special day. We wish you a lifetime of love and happiness and cannot wait to see what God has in store for you!

Make sure to keep reading for a peek at a few of our favorites as well as info on their awesome team of vendors:

VENDORS:

VENUE: Brookside Gardens
PHOTOGRAPHY: Ardent Photography
DRESS: The Bridal Collection
CAKE: Intricate Icings

Megan & Sam | Wedding

admin — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:07:02 +0000

Weddings are an occasion full of traditions. Rehearsal dinners, something borrowed, something blue… One of my favorites though is the thoughtful gifts that brides and grooms exchange as they are getting ready on the big day. Something about being separated, then receiving something so special, so personal from the love of your life is SO exciting! We’ve seen it all, jewelry, hand written notes, unique photo gifts… Well we THOUGHT we had seen it all, that was until we met Megan and Sam.

Megan and Sam are avid outdoor sports enthusiasts, you might remember them from their hidden waterfall engagement session last year. As you can tell from this session these two are head over heels for one another, capturing their love through photos was such an amazing experience for us. Fast forward though to the day of their wedding, gift time, that one time where Megan became the COOLEST FIANCE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. You know that one time where she gave Sam a MOTORCYCLE as his pre-wedding gift. Yep you read it right, a motorcycle!

These two chose to have a private vow ceremony followed by a more formal ceremony at Curt Gowdy Amphitheater. From there we headed to the Hilton Garden Inn, here in Laramie for a fast paced, dance filled, super fun reception. Their decor was rustic, completely custom and GORGEOUS. They did such a great job incorporating their love for all things mountain into their wedding day. We are excited to be able to show you our faves from the day, as well as mention a few of the other vendors who helped to make their day such a success.

VENDORS:

CEREMONY: Curt Gowdy Amphitheater
RECEPTION: Hilton Garden Inn
PHOTOGRAPHY: Ardent Photography
HAIR: Salon 220
MAKEUP: Pink Lashes
FLOWERS: Poppy’s

Sarah & Nate | Wedding

admin — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:54:40 +0000

The day I married Rick, I married into a BIG family. For Chloe’s one year old birthday she had the pleasure of having her entire family on the Osborne side attend. There were TWENTY ONE of us so to say she is part of a large family would be a total understatement. Even with our large family however, we are totally one upped by Sarah who just happens to have FOURTEEN brothers and sisters. When we first met Sarah and Nate we couldn’t help but like them. They were so funny, in love and easy to work with. If you haven’t had a chance to check out their engagement session yet you totally should.

This sunshine filled wedding was held at the beautiful Brookside Gardens in Berthoud, CO. Their decor was in classic fashion and Sarah was such a stunning bride, adorned in sparkling jewels. One of our favorite things about this wedding was just how thoughtful their details were. In addition to their cake the couple chose to offer their guests a custom dessert buffet. It consisted of a few of Sarah’s faves as well as a few of Nate’s. Their table numbers were created from their engagement photos and a matching purple was carried throughout. In addition to beautiful decor however their big day was also FILLED with emotion. These two were surrounded by family and friends who thought the world of them and it was such a touching thing to photograph!

Sarah and Nate, we are so happy for you two! Thank you for choosing us to photograph such an important day…

VENDORS:

VENUE: Brookside Gardens
PHOTOGRAPHY: Ardent Photography
FLOWERS: Ivy Lane Floral
PLANNER: Let’s Plan It

Laurie & John | Wedding

admin — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:19:29 +0000

You might remember Laurie and John from their engagement session in the Snowy Mountains last year. They were the cute couple who incorporated BOTH John’s love for fishing and Laurie’s love for literature into their engagement photos! Their ring shot (on a fishing lure) is STILL to this date one of my faves. Well fast forward just a few short months later and these two tied the knot at the Laramie Historic Railroad Depot. Laurie planned a stunning ceremony complete with classic colors, a Romeo & Juliet paper rose bouquet and completely unique location. Dare I say it was SO GATSBY? (Laurie might be the ONLY one who get’s this reference lol). Their vows were SO touching and Laurie’s brother officiated their ceremony which made it even more emotional! The happy couple left through a sea of bubbles and made their way to the Hilton Garden Inn for their reception.

Highlights from their wedding include Laurie’s handmade heart lantern paper flower centerpieces, John’s serenade to his bride accompanied by all of his buddies and of course some EPIC dance moves. Laurie and John, thank you for asking us to be a small part of your big day. We are so happy to have gotten to know you and cannot wait to see what wonderful things the future holds in store for you! Here are a few of our favorite photos and details on the amazing vendors who made everything go so smoothly!

Vendors:

CEREMONY: Laramie Historic Railroad Depot
RECEPTION: Hilton Garden Inn
PHOTOGRAPHY: Ardent Photography
CATERING: Hilton Garden Inn
FLOWERS: Poppy’s

Kate & Nick | Engagement

admin — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:06:46 +0000

You can find Rick and I any given Saturday in the mountains photographing people in love. Whether it’s Estes Park, Grand Lake or the Snowy Mountain Range, there are no shortage of picturesque open spaces for us to take our couples to. Every so often though we have a couple that adores the city and is looking for an engagement session with tall buildings, busy streets and a bit of urban romance. This is exactly what kind of a feel Kate and Nick were after. So we headed to the Mile High City and wandered around some of our favorite city neighborhoods.

It’s so interesting that even though we shoot in Downtown Denver regularly, every time we go something different seems to jump out to us as interesting. Rick and I can’t believe that we haven’t found some of these gorgeous spots before! Get ready for some awesomeness including one of our new favorite bridges!

Tabitha & Thomas | Engagement

admin — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:44:01 +0000

Last year Rick and I vacationed in Yellowstone National Park. Now if you have ever been to our home you would know that most of our walls are blank. I know what you are thinking ‘You’re photographers! How on earth could you not have a million photos all over your walls?’ Well Rick and I take photos of people for a living. Although we absolutely LOVE our clients, the thought of decorating our kitchen with their wedding photos never sounded like a good idea lol. So we decided when we went to Yellowstone we would make it our personal mission to come back with some outstanding landscape photos to adorn our walls. With both our DSLR and a Film SLR in hand we took photos everywhere and of everything.

Fast forward to when we returned from our trip, excited to see the photos. They were… great. But not AMAZING as in Ansel Adams. Funny how an artist can excel in the medium within which God has gifted them with talents and yet be so so in some other form. Thomas on the other hand is a very talented landscape photographer who has an incredible eye and a fantastic amount of skill. He met the PERFECT girl in Tabitha who is studying to be a geologist. I bet these two will have an amazing sense of wanderlust and see all kinds of exotic places throughout their lives! When they contacted us about shooting their wedding we knew we would need to dream up something amazing a picturesque for their engagement session. So we headed to Red Rocks in Morrison, CO. Since a photo is worth a thousand words and it seems like I have just rambled on and on in this post, here are a few of our favorite images from their session:

Sarah & Spencer | Engagement

admin — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 02:09:13 +0000

Meet Sarah and Spencer… These two have a love for the outdoors, great beer and each other. We often ask our couples what kind of a feel they are looking for when it comes to their engagement photos. Some people tell us about how they love the mountains, or perhaps how they have always imagined having them taken in the city. Sarah and Spencer threw out the New Belgium Brewery, half joking (but totally serious). We LOVE it when people come up with out of the box ideas that are so special and unique to them. We were thrilled to be able to include this very important element into their session. Plus how awesome is that vintage Airstream?

The following images were shot throughout Horsetooth Reservoir and the gorgeous New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins, CO. These two were a breeze to work with, we cannot wait for their wedding this summer!

Happy Birthday | LOVE

admin — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 05:00:45 +0000

“Put me like a seal over your heart,
Like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
The very flame of the Lord.
Many waters cannot quench love.”
- Song of Solomon 8:6-7 NASB

I know what it is like to feel love like this. To find my counterpart in another who loves me, challenges me and completes me. Someone who makes me laugh by just being himself. A man who can be a strong Christian leader of our home as well as a goofy Dad that his little girl adores. I have found this man in you Rick and today, on your birthday, we will celebrate.

I have SO many memories that involve you. Dedicating our lives to Christ, the birth of our daughter, buying our first home, our courtship… Every single amazing and monumental thing in my life has happened with you by my side. You KNOW me and you know my deep rooted affection for photos… Momentos that help up to remember better. Happy Birthday Baby! Here is my present to you (complete with photos!):

I used to call it fate, now I know it's God. Who knew that try as we might to get in the way we really WERE meant for one another after all. Thank God for his perfect plan...

You've always been a BIG dreamer, but it takes such a special person to care that much about someone else's dreams too. You have always pushed me even back then. It has been a crazy ride but we've made a little idea a big success and I am so happy we get to share it together. It really would not have been possible without you!

Head over heels in love with you, butterflies in my tummy and you putting 'forever' on my finger... Doesn't seem like it was 5 years ago does it? Unbreakable...

Do you remember sitting there at the computer talking about how we could go anywhere? We settled on Paris, as usual you were making my dreams come true. I want for nothing, I have no lack of gain with you as my husband.

Not every girl is as lucky as I am... to have found a catch who looks handsome in a Calvin Klein tie and JUST as handsome in a Nike Ballcap. You onion you...

Do you remember the time that crazy wedding guest asked to borrow my camera to steal this shot? I get to work with my best friend. Not a bad gig... Thank you for loving Ardent as much as I do, for working harder than I do and for being all in for this crazy dream.

People date, they fall in love, they get married. Feeling 'close' often falls away as people settle in to their reality. You make it a point for us to stay 'close'... LOVE that about you!

Can you believe inside that big old tummy was a baby Chloe Lynn? We tried for so long. I gave up hope, thought it was me, tried to find a way to fix what was broken. YOU never did. You knew we would be parents, you had a LIGHT inside of you. I love you more than you know for this alone.

The way that you love me lets me know how special I am. The way you look at me makes me feel like I am the most important thing in your whole entire life. This same love and this same look now also belongs to our baby girl. God made you to be HER Daddy... lucky girl!

I remember when Chloe was born I had ZERO experience with babies. I didn't know the first thing about how to play with her. I remember watching you two play goofy games. Seeing you guys giggle and play still melts my heart even today.

I love you because you make me snort when I laugh. And NOW you make Chloe snort when she laughs too... thats talent!

You are the glue that holds our little family together. We didn't always have the things we do now. But we had love and that was enough. Chloe will grow up knowing that life isn't things and stuff, it's her mommy, her daddy and a lot of love.

Chloe is an affectionate girl. She doesn't hestitate to jump up into our arms, cuddle and share her love. She learned this I believe from her daddy.

I like to use the phrase 'Mini Me' when I talk about you and Chloe. She absolutely adores you (as do I) and I love seeing how much she looks up to you...

Spontaneity is absolutely one of your strong points! You are the Dad that pulls over at some random park just so we can all go play. You make our lives fun and we are so thankful for you!

I remember getting ready for her party. Being SO over the moon excited. I really don't think anyone has ever been THAT excited over planning a one year old's birthday party... except you! I love that you get just as excited as I do. It's so much fun to dream big and execute fast. Dreaming up 'larger' than life with you is so fun!

Your dimples are one of my favorite of your features. The fact that our baby girl inherited them spells out trouble for us both. I know how irresitable they are!

You are our protecter. The same way you make me feel at ease you make our baby girl feel safe. She knows she can have absolute trust in her Dad even around scary horsies

This is one of my FAVORITE images of you two. The way that you love her, makes me love you all that much more!

We are those parents. The ones that let their daughter wear a cow costume for family photos. You encourage me to be who I am no matter what. That is SO important and such a gift that we can give our daughter. Thank you for being so wonderful!

This one is from Chloe... I love it when you "Kiss-a-me" Dada!

THIS right here, this is what dreams are made of. Take away our house, our business, money, fortune. Our little family makes me happier than I ever thought possible. Thank you for making it all possible

Remember packing almost every member of our family up and driving to Yellowstone? I love that you have such a big sense of adventure. You get excited about something and want everyone to be a part of it. THAT is special, and so are you

Again from Chloe: "I love you because you give me 'MM's"...

You are fearless... You aren't afraid to fail, you aren't afraid to start, you aren't afraid to do something that scares you. Putting on a workshop scared me, but you inspired me to be bigger than my fear.

This is it. You can see it right here written all over my face. This look is reserved for only you. THIS is how I love you. I am STILL this much IN LOVE with you. I have never met anyone like you and I never will. Thank you for being you. Happy Birthday baby, we love you…

- Mommy & Chloe

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