Mountain Casual
A Boho Mountain Wedding in Telluride
Matty & Alexis | June 21st
From the bride… We wanted our day to mimic the elements in Colorado. There were lots of wildflowers, lavender, dreamcatchers, and subtle earthy tones throughout.
THE ATTIRE
I found a kimono by Rish Atelier that became the inspiration for the entire day. I went with a simple dress by Alexandra Grecco to the compliment the beautiful Israeli lace. The bridesmaids chose their own dresses. Their color and fabrics all flowed together perfectly, one champagne, one navy, one pale blue with a mix of silk and lace.
PRIVATE VOWS
Prior to the ceremony, we shared our private vows on the beautiful valley floor Telluride we took pictures with our bridal party at the ceremony site beforehand to help facilitate moving right into enjoying cocktail hour with our friends and family immediately following the ceremony.
The private vows witnessed by only the photographers and our dog Wall-E was a moment we will never forget. It was simply amazing.
THE CEREMONY
Matty’s brother officiated the ceremony and all three of us had a hand in writing a ceremony that was specifically unique to us as a couple. It was laid back, romantic, and fun.
AFTER THE CEREMONY
At the cocktail hour, we rode horses and the guests also took turns riding and taking photos with the horses. This was very special to see and experience in such a beautiful location.
THE SEATING CHART
Guests were guided to the tables by looking at their names written on tattered paper hanging on the handmade flowing dreamcatchers. Pendleton blankets were strewn about the deck for both looks and warmth at night.
THE GUEST BOOK
Our guestbook was a snowboard from Never Summer with artwork by the brother of the groom/officiant.
THE RECEPTION
Our band kept the entire party dancing well into the night. Everyone continues to compliment us on the beautiful and moving personally crafted ceremony, the horses, the food, and the music!
ADVICE
I highly recommend utilizing at least a day of planner.
While making decisions in the planning process it’s so important to remember there are no “rules” and whatever works for you and makes you and your partner feel excited and happy about the day is exactly how you should do it!
On the day of, take a moment to stop, breathe and take in all the love and beauty that’s surrounding you with your new partner, family, and friends.
THE WEDDING TEAM
Photographer: Ben Eng Photography | Event Planner: Telluride Unveiled | Floral Designer: Dahlia floral | Venue & Caterer: Gorrono Ranch | Hair Stylist: Megan Keever Hair | Dress Designer: Alexandra Grecco | Band: Jonny Mogambo Band | Cake Designer: Fig & Bloom Cakes
An Adventure Wedding in Colorado Springs
From the Magazine: Andrea & Jeff | July 1st
Tina Joiner Photography captured this fun wedding day that began with an early morning ceremony at Garden of the Gods, followed by a train ride up to Pikes Peak, and a reception in an elementary school turned brewery. Read the couple’s story below:
The Wedding Team
Photographer: Tina Joiner Photography {portfolio}
Ceremony Site: Garden of the Gods
Reception Site: Ivywild School
Cake: Little London Cake Shoppe
A Mountain Wedding in Silverthorne, Colorado
Sam & Kyle | June 11th
From the bride: Kyle and I met in the funnel cake line at Colorado State University (CSU) where we both attended. We dated for about seven years before he FINALLY proposed! On the morning of my birthday, we walked around at the CSU oval throwing the ball for our puppy, Bailey. I reached down to get the ball and saw the ring!
WHY COLORADO
We absolutely love the Colorado mountains. We both love to ski, snowboard, hike, etc. We’re also Colorado natives.
THE CEREMONY
We got married at a private house north of Silverthorne. It was BEAUTIFUL! Looking to the west, you could saw Buffalo Mountain and a field of purple flowers. We didn’t plan it, but the flowers perfectly matched our wedding colors.
My most memorable moment was seeing my husband cry as I held his hands. This was the first time that I have ever seen him cry. I held it together but just lost it after that.
THE RECEPTION
We held our reception at the Silverthorne Pavilion, a beautiful building in town right across the river.
ADVICE
Plan everything together! Break in your shoes several weeks before the wedding – I didn’t do this and my feet hurt so bad. I ended up taking off my shoes after the ceremony. If you have a destination wedding, rent a house so everyone can be together and have FUN!
THE WEDDING TEAM
Reception: Silverthorne Pavilion
Photographer: Sarah Roshan
Event Planner: Entwined Planning | Flowers: Southern Charm and Events | Officiant: Rocky Mountain Dream Weddings
A Campground Wedding on Big Bear Lake in California
Natalie and Tyler exchanged their vows at Cedar Lake Campground in an intimate and cozy amphitheater on Big Bear Lake. Natalie’s parents actually fell in love working as camp counselors at Cedar Lake, got engaged on the property, then purchased the campground. Additionally, the property served as the filming location for the original Parent Trap movie and episodes of Bonanza. With so much family history and childhood memories, Natalie could not imagine a more meaningful location for her wedding day.
Love all the pink-tinged flowers with greenery.
The Wedding Team
Photographer: Michael Farmer Photography | Event Design & Planning: Stylish Details Wedding Styling | Floral Design: Lavenders Flowers | Dress Designer: Carine’s Bridal Atelier | Venue: Cedar Lake Camp | Video: Emma Lynn Cinema | Food Truck: Harvest Kitchen | Photo Booth: The Photo Bus | Bakery: Sugar Pine Bake Shop
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A Rocky Mountain Wedding with a Teepee in Ridgway, Colorado
From the bride, Carey: Paul and I really wanted our wedding day to be about us and our love for each other. We’re both very introverted and planning a wedding ourselves was very stressful at times. We wanted to share our big day with family and friends because they mean so much to us, but we had to keep reminding ourselves throughout the whole process that it wasn’t about them and it wasn’t about making anyone else happy but us.
WHY OURAY, COLORADO
Ouray was a special spot for both of us separately before we even started dating – I liked the hot springs and Paul loves to ice climb. I said Ouray was one of my favorite spots in my Match.com profile and he totally picked up on that. It was one of our bonding moments. Since being together we have traveled to Ouray regularly and have decided we really want to move there someday. We are currently in the process of trying to figure out how to make that work, sooner rather than later. We almost instantly agreed that it’s where we should get married. It’s such a gorgeous little mountain town and we really wanted to share it with our family and friends.
THE FIRST LOOK
The first look was so special and important for us. It allowed us to take a breath, recenter and refocus on each other, and have a really profound and beautiful moment just the two of us, before heading into the blissful revelry of the wedding.
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT
Driving away together as man and wife – best 25 minutes on the road ever!
MY ADVICE
Have fun and make it about YOU and nobody else. Don’t stress the small stuff, but do as much as you can upfront so you don’t have to run around like crazy people on the days leading up to the wedding.
RECOMMENDED WEDDING VENDORS: Photographer: Taylor Jones Photography // Floral Designer: Dahlia Floral // Hair Stylist: Salon Envy // Venue: Secret Garden
A Rustic Destination Wedding in Tennessee
There are three things Michael and Carrie love more than anything in the world: nature and its animals, craft beer, and each other. So, it only made sense that their wedding should reflect these priorities in earnest, a goal which they achieved seamlessly on a warm summer day in the Tennessee mountains.
THE WEDDING TEAM
Photography: Eden Bliss Weddings // Venue: The Barn at Chestnut Springs // Coordination: Custom Love // Florals: Melissa Timm Designs // Cake: Catie Cakes // DJ: Smokey Mountain Sounds // Catering: Dead End BBQ // Bartending: The Pour Guys
See more Tennessee Weddings
A Fun & Relaxed Colorado Mountain Wedding
From the bride, Kimberly: We wanted the wedding to feel fresh, fun, and personal to our style. We are outdoorsy, and I’m an elementary teacher, so we wanted little pops of fun and whimsy.
THE CEREMONY: The ceremony was outdoors against a gorgeous backdrop of Piney Lake and the Gore Mountain Range. It was a gorgeous, sunny day, and everything went beautifully! We were so lucky. We wrote our own vows, which we revealed to each other in the moment.
THE GUEST TABLES: Instead of table numbers, each table was named after a country we have traveled to together as a couple (Egypt, Israel, Germany, China, Austria, Thailand, Honduras, etc).
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT: We loved our private canoe ride on Piney Lake at sunset… amazing moment we’ll always cherish!
THE DANCING: During the father-daughter dance to Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely,” my dad pulled a harmonica out of his pocket during the instrumental break and played along.
LATE-NIGHT SNACK: We loved roasting s’mores against an epic night sky of stars – no light pollution in the mountains!
MY ADVICE: Have fun! And create a designated wedding email to separate your personal correspondence from your wedding-related correspondence – that’s step 1! Agree on a budget, talk about each of your non-negotiable hopes and dreams, and get a few big-ticket budget items taken care of early. Find little ways to make it personal – guests noticed and appreciated those little details, and they made the day feel special for us.
RECOMMENDED VENDORS
Photographer: Chris McLaughlin Photography // Band: Diamond Empire Band // Favors: We donated to the World Wildlife Fund on behalf of our guests // Hair & Makeup: Weemala Hair & Makeup // Venue: Piney River Ranch
A Scottish Party in the Mountains – Steamboat Springs, Colorado
From the bride, Gretchen: We wanted a Colorado casual, welcoming and fun wedding day! Our inspiration came from the groom’s Scottish roots and the wedding locations.
The weather was somehow perfectly glorious, like that moment with the sun rays in the beginning of the Lion King movie.
Everything about the day was personal. We deconstructed the traditional ceremony entirely and made our own. It felt very personal without being mushy. We wrote our vows together and said the same ones. I liked that because it felt traditional but personalized to us.
My favorite DIY detail from the wedding were the gold antler table settings and chandelier. The groom’s parents scored a huge lot of antlers in auction in Missouri and I spent many happy afternoons lovingly spray painting them gold. Everyone was skeptical but they looked AMAZING. We split them among the family after the wedding and they make great decorations at Christmas.
Looking back, we’ve never experienced anything like our wedding day—it is a cliché because it’s true. It was a day long adrenaline rush fueled by the biggest out pouring of love we’ve ever experienced. It rocked.
My advice: Hire a day-of wedding planner and have a clear budget.
Gretchen’s RECOMMENDED VENDORS
Photographer: Mark Creery Photography // Event Planner & Floral Designer: One Fine Day Productions // Cake: Cupcake Mini Bar // Caterer: Marnos Custom Catering // Venue: Perry Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp