Lionsgate Event Center Wedding | Stephanie + Sam’s Colorful Wedding

Stephanie and Sam’s wedding at The Gatehouse at Lionsgate Event Center in Lafayette, Colorado was full of the things I love most about photographing weddings: meaningful traditions, thoughtful details, beautiful personal touches, and so much joy. From Stephanie’s three incredible bridal looks to their very fashionable pup, Lulu, their celebration felt unmistakably like them.

What I especially loved was the way Stephanie and Sam made room for both tradition and personality throughout their day. Stephanie honored her Chinese heritage with traditional red wedding attire, then later changed into the most incredible beaded reception dress made for a night on the dance floor. Their guests were treated to live watercolor portraits, Lulu joined the celebration in an outfit of her own, and even their wedding cake included the sweetest little nod to her.

It was a beautiful day, but more than that, it was a celebration filled with details that actually meant something to the people at the center of it.

Lionsgate Event Center Wedding at The Gatehouse

The Gatehouse is such a lovely venue to photograph because there is so much variety without ever needing to leave the property. The ivy-covered brick, garden paths, mature greenery, stained glass, and warm interior spaces gave us completely different backdrops throughout Stephanie and Sam’s wedding day.

Stephanie got ready surrounded by her bridesmaids in soft blue dresses, while Sam wore a blue suit that tied beautifully into the soft, romantic color palette. Her white-and-green bouquet and classic gown kept everything feeling fresh and timeless, while that incredible cathedral-length veil added just the right amount of drama to their portraits.

And Lulu, naturally, deserved portraits of her own.

Honoring Stephanie’s Chinese Heritage

One of my favorite parts of the day was seeing Stephanie change into traditional Chinese wedding attire to honor her heritage. The brilliant red was such a beautiful contrast against all of the greenery at Lionsgate, and I love that Stephanie and Sam chose to preserve this part of their story alongside their more traditional wedding portraits.

Weddings are at their most meaningful when couples feel free to bring their families, histories, personalities, and traditions into the celebration. Those are so often the details that make a wedding feel different from every other beautiful wedding—and the photographs become that much more significant because of them.

An Outdoor Ceremony in The Gatehouse Gardens

Stephanie and Sam exchanged vows outdoors surrounded by their family and friends, with white florals and greenery framing the ceremony space. Their wedding party’s soft blue and neutral colors looked beautiful against the gardens, and I loved the relaxed, joyful energy their friends brought to the day.

The Gatehouse gardens gave the ceremony such an intimate feeling while still leaving plenty of room for the celebration around them. Watching Stephanie walk down that long aisle toward Sam was one of those moments when everything else seemed to disappear for a little while.

And then, finally, they were married.

Three Bridal Looks and a Reception Full of Personality

After the ceremony, we slipped away for another round of portraits around The Gatehouse before the evening celebration began. Some of my favorite images from the entire day came from this time—the soft light, Stephanie’s veil moving through the frame, and those quiet little moments together before they headed back to their guests.

Then Stephanie changed into bridal look number three: a beaded party dress that could not have been more perfect for the reception. I am fully in favor of the reception-dress trend. After spending the day in a beautiful full-length wedding gown, there is something wonderfully freeing about changing into a dress that was practically created for dancing.

Stephanie and Sam put so much thought into the guest experience, too. 2 Hearts Live Art created individual watercolor portraits throughout the reception, which may forever be one of my favorite wedding-favor ideas. Guests were able to watch their portraits come to life and leave with something truly personal from the evening.

Between the live artwork, photo booth, glow sticks, dancing, cake, and Lulu’s appearances throughout the day, the reception never felt like a collection of wedding traditions they were checking off a list. It felt like Stephanie and Sam.

And that is always my favorite kind of wedding to photograph.

Kind Words from Stephanie + Sam

“Elena kept everything running smoothly and made us feel completely at ease. She was so organized, efficient, and calm throughout the entire day, which made such a huge difference. We also rarely take posed photos, but Elena thoughtfully guided us through every step and made us feel so comfortable and natural. She has such a kind, calming presence, and we genuinely enjoyed having her there on our wedding day.”

The Creative Team

Venue | Lionsgate Event Center — The Gatehouse
Venue Coordinator | Hannah Stimac
Photography | Elena Spraguer Photography
Second Photographer | Anyssa Sands Photography
Florals | Statice Floral Design
Cake | Sweet Sisters Bake Shop
Hair + Makeup | Kim J Beauty
Catering | Greens Point Catering
DJ | 5280 Mobile DJ
Content Creation | Watermelon Sugar Film + Photo
Live Guest Art | 2 Hearts Live Art
Photo Booth | Untamed Smiles
Pet Attendant | Here Comes the Floof

Planning a Lionsgate Event Center Wedding?

If you’re planning a wedding at Lionsgate Event Center and are looking for romantic, light-filled photography with a calm and guided experience, I would love to hear what you’re dreaming up for your day. You can learn more about my Colorado wedding photography experience here.