Giddy-Up! This Is the Perfect Recipe for an Epic Western Wedding Weekend

Lauren Megerdichian
November 19, 2019
Categories: Real Weddings, Rustic, The Blog, Traditional Elegance

From a welcome party with panoramic mountain views to a rehearsal dinner in a western store complete with cowboy hats galore to a romantic, rustic wedding day… this weekend is the definition of Western wedding perfection! Bluebird Productions brought the couple’s dream to life, giving every wedding guest the ultimate Aspen experience. Bare Root Flora adorned the day in lush blooms that perfectly complimented the naturally beautiful surroundings of the venue. Luckily, Rebecca Yale was there to capture every can’t miss moment – head to the full gallery for all the wild, wild western wedding inspo!

From Rebecca Yale Photography… Rachael and Ben hosted an incredible wedding weekend over Labor Day for their friends and families in Aspen all planned and designed by the incredible Blue Bird Productions, who “ managed everything seamlessly and allowed for us to enjoy every moment” according to the couple. “We really wanted our weekend to give our guests the complete Aspen experience. We had all of our guests take the gondola up to the top of the mountain for a welcome lunch with panoramic mountain views and then later that afternoon we had everyone join us at the iconic western store Kemo Sabe for drinks and pictures with horses and cowboy hats. It was an epic way to start the weekend and we hadn’t even gotten to the wedding day!” said Rachel and Ben. They were married on Sunday the 1st at Aspen Meadows in a beautiful field with the gorgeous Colorado Mountains setting the scene.

Ben and Rachael said, “We’re both from Colorado and love the mountains, but there was even deeper meaning in selecting Aspen. Rachael’s parents’ courtship started there and it has been a very special place for her family. Through so many experiences – from camping and hiking to skiing to seeing concerts together, it quickly became a special place for us and was the perfect place to get married. The Aspen Meadows campus is stunning and provided one of the most beautiful settings we could have in an outdoor wedding.”

Bluebird and Barefoot Flora embraced a colorful palette with bright florals woven throughout the day- in the ceremony flowers, wedding party flowers and throughout the reception. “We wanted to create an environment that was joyous, loving and whimsical” said Rachael. “Rachael loves bright colors and flowers and we tried to bring in touches that represented our relationship – like having his and hers classic bikes decked out with flowers and a picnic basket” said Ben. The bride and groom chose Anderson Park at Aspen Meadows, saying “the setting and backdrop speak for themselves, so we were able to keep it simple and natural – including a chuppah made of Aspen trees and in-season florals.” The ceremony felt intimate and deeply personalized, with hardly a dry eye in the house. The groom says one of his favorite moments of the day was when “on what was an incredibly sunny and hot day, right as the ceremony began, a cloud came in to provide us and all of our guests shade. It felt like the people who weren’t with us on that day were there with us in spirit, protecting us and smiling down on our marriage.”

For the reception, they wanted a more romantic vibe with candles, flowers, farm tables, and twinkle lights. “Robin at Barefoot Flora did a masterful job of helping us accomplish this – from the flower and votive-filled escort wall, to the tasteful table settings and lighting; it was magical. Rustic farm tables and rounds with cream tablecloths created an inviting scene for the guests decorated with soft silk runners and bright florals mixed with tall white candlesticks and a beautiful installation of draped silk and greenery with florals hung above it all. Guests enjoyed their two signature drinks at cocktail hour before making their way inside to dance the night away in an epic party that did not stop till the bride and groom made their grand exit through a row of sparklers. “As the day transitioned to night, we wanted to have a great party filled with terrific music and lots of dancing” said the couple. Both Ben and Rachael named reception moments as one of their highlights, Rachael’s being her dance with her dad, which she said was very special and one of Ben’s favorite memories of the day was the packed dance floor later in the evening, Ben said “everyone brought the heat. If you want to keep the dance floor hopping pass out LED flower crowns! Such a hit! Thank you Bluebird Production for the suggestion.”

Ben and Rachael shared some advice to future couples planning their wedding day. “We can’t emphasize enough how important it was to have a wedding planner, and an amazing wedding planner at that. Bluebird Productions provided guidance and support throughout the entire planning process which ensured we had every detail nailed. As far as photographers go, we highly recommend doing an engagement shoot with your photographer before the wedding to get to know each other and to get comfortable in front of the camera.

We did engagement photos with our photographer Rebecca Yale and we could see right away how she captured our love and relationship so beautifully. When it was time for the wedding we were “camera ready” because Rebecca had established that care, ease and comfort. It shows in our beyond stunning photographs. In general, we would recommend that you look through vendor’s websites and instagrams first to get a feel for their style, but then to spend some time really getting to know them over the phone or in person to make sure they were aligned with your vision and match your needs. Get clear on the environment you want to create for yourselves and your guests, articulate your vision to your vendors, trust in their expertise and everything will come together beautifully day of. Allow yourself to take it all in – the decor, the surroundings, the people, and most importantly your future spouse. Oh and don’t check the weather, that is something you can’t control, but do have a back up plan!”