Quite possibly the best accessory in this Colorado Wedding, captured perfectly by Love Unscripted Photography. That amazing Rocky Mountain backdrop. I’m in total awe at Mother Nature’s way of completely complimenting this lovely bride’s color palette. But I would be wrong if I did not also mention the fantastic cake, impeccable style, and beautiful mountain lodge venue, complete with the most perfectly charming little details. Click here to see them all in the full image gallery!
Bret and I met in our hometown The Woodlands, Texas, but took our first vacation together to Telluride, Colorado. We fell in love with the small town and visit often to ski and enjoy the summer. We were engaged on the mountain in Beaver Creek so we thought it fitting to say our vows on a mountaintop as well.
We planned the wedding ourselves and used local vendors for most of the details. We wanted a very small intimate affair and invited only 45 guests. We were married at Gorrono Ranch, which is a historic lodge that sits under chair lift four on Telluride Mountain.
We welcomed our guests to The New Sheridan Hotel with personalized embroidered welcome bags that included everything from sunscreen to a town map with things to do highlighted. We hosted a cocktail reception to greet everyone upon arrival Friday evening and hosted the rehearsal dinner at the hotel Saturday evening. The wedding was on the mountain and we had hoped the rain would pass, but it did not so our ceremony was moved inside. Each guest took the town Gondola to the mountain and then a private shuttle to the wedding site. The bride and groom had separate cabins on the mountain to prepare for the ceremony along with the wedding party. Champagne was served with appetizers including soup shots, bruschetta, and lettuce cups.
The wedding colors were purple, sage green, and brown, which were incorporated with flowers and fabrics throughout the ceremony. We used instant cameras during the entire weekend to capture special moments and then used twine to hang the photos throughout the venue with clothespins. Each guest was asked to take a snapshot and leave a special note for the bride and groom in the wedding book. The fireplace was decorated with eucalyptus and the aisle chairs were decorated with vases and floral arrangements. Tables were decorated with cream and green silk linens to host the cake, the guest book, and guest favors. Blankets were given to guests along with boxed chocolate truffles. We served surf and turf with baked macaroni and cheese. The cake was vanilla with raspberry filling and butter cream frosting.
One special detail included was an engraved charm from Bret’s deceased mother’s charm bracelet, which was woven into the his boutonniere to keep her close to his heart. My brother also performed a solo during the ceremony and the vows were written by Bret and me. The invitations, programs, and menus, were printed on a home printer using paper by Envelopments. The love bird theme was carried throughout the events of the weekend.
I wore a candlelight gown by Monique Lhullier, pearls that were a childhood gift from my aunt, and shoes by Kate Spade. The bridesmaids wore self-selected dresses by J. Crew. The groom and groomsmen wore chocolate tuxedos with purple and green ties. We wanted to select colors and a theme that were indicative of the outdoor setting as well as our personalities and are happy to say it went off without a hitch!
Photography:Huy Nguyen, Love Unscripted Photography / Cinematography: Mountain Video Productions / Flowers: Kristin Undhjem / Event Planning: Holli Owen, Telluride Ski Resort / Ceremony Location: Gorrono Ranch / Reception Location: Gorrono Ranch / Invitations: Envelopments / Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bridesmaids: J.Crew / Instant Photos: Fuji Instax Mini / Guest Book: Rag & Bone Bindery