As we enter this season of gratitude, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our clients, vendors, friends, and the greater community who continue to shape and support Calluna Events. Thanksgiving offers a meaningful moment each year, a pause in the rhythm of life, to gather with loved ones, enjoy delicious food and drink, and make space for rest and reflection. It’s a time to look back on the experiences, partnerships, and people who have carried us to this moment, and to look ahead with fresh intention.
This year, our team carved out a moment of purposeful pause to reflect on the months behind us. In a year full of growth, collaboration, creativity, and memorable celebrations, we each found ourselves grateful for something uniquely personal yet universally shared: the relationships that make our work meaningful. Whether we were designing a once-in-a-lifetime wedding, collaborating with talented vendors, or supporting one another behind the scenes, we were reminded again and again that our strength lies in community.
We are especially grateful for the trust you place in us; entrusting us with your most important milestones, partnering with us to bring bold visions to life, and championing our team as we continue to evolve. Each event, each conversation, and each joyful moment throughout the year has left an imprint on our hearts.
As we close out the year and prepare for the new chapters ahead, we hope you, too, find time to rest, reconnect, and reflect on the things that bring you joy and purpose. May your holiday season be filled with warmth, abundance, and meaningful moments with the people who matter most.
From our Calluna Events family to yours, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving and a beautiful start to the holiday season.
Warmly,
The Calluna Events Team
Photo Credit: Carrie King Photography
Heather Dwight
Once again, we’ve arrived at my favorite time of year, a season that invites us to slow down, pause, and reflect on the year behind us, all our accomplishments, and the milestones that have shaped our journey!
This year marked our 22nd season in business, a milestone that still fills me with awe and gratitude! Spending more than two decades in the wedding industry is an honor I never take for granted. Each day, I wake up inspired, humbled, and deeply grateful to do work I love, to serve our clients, and to create alongside such a talented and generous community of wedding professionals.
I am profoundly thankful for our clients, who entrust Calluna with some of the most meaningful days of their lives. This year was our most successful to date, and that would not have been possible without the trust, collaboration, and enthusiasm of our clients. From beautiful weddings to milestone celebrations, including a 40th birthday in Aspen and a baby shower for past Calluna brides, as well as a 40th wedding anniversary, every event challenged us to grow, stretch creatively, and expand our offerings. I am inspired by our clients’ dreams and grateful that we get to bring them to life.
I am also endlessly thankful for the Calluna team. Gabby Gray, our full-time planner and my right hand, is truly the heart and soul of Calluna! She stepped into her role this year with unparalleled energy and dedication, and we simply could not have achieved what we did without her tireless work and unwavering positivity. I am so proud of how she has embraced this year, our couples, and her place within Calluna. It’s an honor to work alongside her and to witness her growth. Noe Horton, who joined as Associate Planner in May, has been an incredible addition to our behind-the-scenes, as well as on-site this summer. From helping with websites and hotel blocks to coordinating venue and vendor correspondence, she has quietly yet indispensably shaped our season and stepped into Calluna seamlessly, as if she’s been a part of the team forever. I couldn’t imagine our year without her. To our extended team: Gina, Francesca, Kristen, Melanie, and Kirbi, thank you for the countless hours spent caring for our couples and ensuring every event runs seamlessly. Wedding planning is often behind-the-scenes work, but your grace, calm, and dedication make magic happen, and allow me to dream bigger for Calluna. I consider each of you a dear friend, and I am so grateful for the impact you’ve had on my life and our business.
This year also brought so much joy to the Calluna family personally:
Francesca and her fiancé Mike are engaged!
Kristen and her partner Bridget, are engaged and getting married this year!
Megan got married this year!
Watching our Calluna family grow fills my heart in ways I can’t put into words.
I am also grateful for the gift of travel, one of my greatest sources of inspiration. This year, I had the incredible opportunity to visit Mallorca, Spain for Engage! (my first time in Spain!) and Juniper Preserve in Bend, Oregon for Kindred Collective. Each trip was inspiring, educational, and restorative. And, of course, I had the privilege of planning weddings across Colorado and Wyoming, each one reminding me why I love this work so much.
On a personal note, my heart overflows with gratitude for the love and support of my family and friends, especially my husband Brandon, our daughter Maggie, and our son Grey. Some of my most treasured memories this year include weekends at our cabin, a summer trip to Mexico, countless mountain road trips to ski and bike, and simply enjoying Colorado’s fresh air, sunshine, and stunning outdoors. I am endlessly grateful for the life we get to live here, a life filled with adventure, nature, and love.
As we close this season, my heart is full. Thank you for being part of this journey, for supporting Calluna, and for allowing us to do the work we love so wholeheartedly. Your trust, encouragement, and belief in what we do make every challenge worth it, and every celebration a joy to be a part of!
Gabby Gray
It’s hard to believe that we have made a whole new trip around the sun since the last give thanks post! This past year has been humbling, joy filled, intense, rewarding and so much more. Throughout this past season, I was lucky enough to not only plan incredible weddings, but also be a piece of each couple’s story, which also turned into some true friendships. This year showed me just how much I can push myself to be not only the best planner, but also wife and friend. The summer was filled with long days and little sleep, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. The joy that comes from this career is unmatched and I am thankful everyday that this is what I get to call my job!
To my couples, past and present, thank you for entrusting Calluna and myself to be a part of your story. It is not a job I take lightly and y’all are what make this job so worthwhile.
To my family and friends, I truly wouldn’t be able to do this without you. You give me grace when things are crazy and are always my biggest cheerleaders. I can count on each and everyone of you to be there for my wins and also my stumbles. “Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.”
To the team that has been behind me this whole season, we did it! This was potentially the busiest season yet and Calluna/myself wouldn’t be where we are without each and everyone of you. Heather, Gina, Kirbi and Noe – thank you. There are no words to describe my immense appreciation for each of you. Heather, for being an incredible mentor and always seeming to have the right answer. For being by my side through this insane season and always cheering me on. Gina, you are my ride or die on wedding days. I never have to think when I have you around and can always count on you for literally anything. You don’t let anything go unnoticed and I am so thankful to call you a friend. Kirbi, without skipping a beat, you said yes to helping with weddings when I needed you the most. I don’t think you quite knew what you were getting into, but I couldn’t imagine this ride without you. Noe, you jumped into the Calluna Crew this year like you have been doing this for years. You do so much behind-the-scenes work that most people don’t know about, but I know and wouldn’t be able to be as good as I am without you backing me.
2025 was not what I was expecting, but it was just what I needed. 2026, I can’t wait to step into the new year with a refueled heart and new pair of wedding weekend sneakers!
Photo Credits: Sarah Nann (L) Ian Santiago (R)
What a year! 2025 has been filled with so much joy, love, new chapters, endings, and beginnings. With my college graduation from CU Boulder in May (which somehow feels like both yesterday and a lifetime ago), I began my transition into post-grad life, and became part of the Calluna team very shortly after. An amazing opportunity and group of women that I cannot thank Heather enough for introducing me to.
When I think about what I’m most grateful for, it will always be the people I surround myself with. To the Calluna team— I’m beyond grateful and inspired to learn from you and to witness some of our couples’ most unforgettable moments. And to my parents, Miles and Leigh, and my best friend, Maddie, who are my forever rocks in life, I truly could not be luckier to love you and be loved by you.
Looking forward, I am so excited to see what 2026 holds, both in work and life, especially with my upcoming move to Denver! The post-grad experience and your early 20s come with uncertainty, many (many!) questions, and so much to look forward to. Taking this time and holiday to reflect is such a wonderful reminder that new chapters are a blessing, and there’s so much to be grateful for in this season of my life.
Francesca DeOrio
With every year bringing a multitude of challenges, joys, peaks, pits and moments of growth, a few 2025 glimmers include:
- A summer in New York, a lifelong heart-pull to spend a season out east, finally fulfilled! We packed it with shows, incredible food, long nights and as many trips to Prospect Park as pastries & slices consumed.
- A year of good health for me and my loved ones — something I will never take for granted.
- The healthy birth of my niece and two best friends’ children born just 6 days apart, followed by so much happy quality time with the littles in my life.
- The weddings of so many family and dear friends, bookmarked by to-many-to-count dinner parties, game nights, showers, backyard parties and gatherings big + small (if you’re looking for a sign to host more, this is it!!)
Deep gratitude flows for the strength and steadfastness of the community I hold close – I’m so lucky to extend and receive such vast, fun, joyful love. Always grateful for a calendar full of new adventures and experiences and yet, equally, the quiet and comforting rhythms of home with my husband Erik and sweet pup Teddy. And mostly: grateful for another trip around the sun.
This year, I’ve been reminding myself to pause more often and let the small moments sink in – appreciating the steadiness of ordinary days, and feeling deeply grateful for the people who make life feel full.
Calluna Giving: In that spirit of community, we also felt called to extend our gratitude outward in a tangible way. As a team, we hand-selected several local charities to support this season; causes that resonate deeply with the values of Calluna Events and the work we’re honored to do. We hope that by sharing them, you might consider joining us in giving back.
Here are some of the local organizations we’re proud to support this year:
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EFAA (Emergency Family Assistance Association) — Based in Boulder, EFAA provides critical services, including food assistance, housing help, and case management to families and individuals in crisis. City of Boulder+1
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Community Food Share — Serving Boulder and Broomfield counties, this organization runs mobile food pantries, supports older adults, and helps neighbors access nutritious food. Community Food Share+2Community Food Share+2
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Boulder Food Rescue — A grassroots group that rescues surplus produce and food to redistribute to people in need — reducing food waste and amplifying food justice locally. boulderfoodrescue.org+1
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Denver Community Fridges — A growing network of community fridges throughout the Denver metro area where people can leave or take food anonymously.
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Food Bank of the Rockies — One of Colorado’s largest hunger-relief organizations, working with hundreds of partner agencies to fight food insecurity across the Front Range. Feeding Colorado+1
- We Don’t Waste – We Don’t Waste works to reduce hunger and food waste in the Denver area by recovering quality, unused food from the food industry and delivering it to nonprofit partners, such as food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, schools and daycare programs, and more. We Don’t Waste.org
We share these organizations because we believe in strengthening our local food system and supporting those who may be struggling, especially in a season meant for abundance and generosity. Whether you choose to donate, volunteer, or simply spread the word, your help can make a real difference.
As we close out the year and look toward the next chapter, we hope that you, too, find time to rest, reconnect, and reflect on the things that bring you joy and purpose. May your holiday season be filled with warmth, abundance, and meaningful moments with the people who matter most.
Love and gratitude from the Calluna crew
