A Natural & Organic Wedding in Vail, Colorado

From the bride, Emily: We love Colorado – in particular outdoor Colorado. So, we wanted the feel of our wedding to very natural and organic. Almost everything was recycled – from the fabric on the table runners, the wood used to make the signs, the mason jars, it was all found through thrift stores, treasure hunting and estate sales.

A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado

Just about every aspect of our wedding was personally touched by us or someone we love. There were many nights spent laboring over details, constructing signs, painting, ironing, sewing, drafting programs. Everything was carefully planned and perfectly executed.

A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado

For my bridesmaids, I wanted dresses the girls could wear again.  We found them at Anthropologie and they were only $50. I loved them so much, I got one for myself!

A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado

Piney River Ranch is amazing! The backdrop to our ceremony was so majestic, and couldn’t have been more perfect. We had Cole’s Uncle Robert officiate our ceremony because we wanted someone who knew us the best and loved us dearly to be the one to unite us.

A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado

We chose to write and share personal vows, and in honor of our athletic backgrounds, we asked Robert to flip a coin to see who would go first (to mimic a coin toss before a big game).

A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado

A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado

 The table centerpiece boxes were made by Cole using reclaimed wood from an old fence.

A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado

The table runners were made using fabric found at an estate sale by Cole’s Grammie.

A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado

The wedding favors were homemade peach jelly, complete with hand crafted thank you cards.  

A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado

We chose not to put too much décor throughout the reception, mainly because we did not want to take away from the natural beauty surrounding us. And I think our guests would agree – the scenery of Piney River Ranch is more than enough.

A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado

My advice: Enjoy the time you have to plan. If there is something you truly want, you can find a way to make it work. Be open to alternative ideas, and be creative!

A natural & organic handmade wedding at Piney River Ranch, Vail Colorado

THE WEDDING TEAM

Venue & Caterer: Piney River Ranch  |  Photographer: Chris McLaughlin, CMP Studios |  Florist: 3 Leaf Floral  |  Cake: Mountain Flour