Beaver Creek wedding Archives - Calluna EventsCalluna Events

Madison and Cooper have deep roots in Beaver Creek so it was only fitting to choose it as the destination to celebrate their 200-person weekend winter wedding. Big time skiers, the duo knew they wanted to incorporate the leisure sport into their day in a way that felt authentic to them – in additional to the personal nods of their relationship, travels and family history woven throughout. The nearly-newlyweds kicked off weekend festivities with a group ski day, donned in matching suits as they whipped down the mountain – freshly powdered by the mid-January snowstorm.

In a change of scenery, guests embraced the spirit of Ohana and channeled the islands of Hawaii for an Aloha Welcome Party hosted at Beaver Creek Club, paying homage to M+C’s time spent in Hawaii. Red Maple Catering created a custom menu of mai tais and mahi ceviche shooters while family-friend and island musician Nino Kaai played traditional Hawaiian music and gave a blessing to the couple. Guests headed home under a sky full of stars while sporting hand-made leis from Plum Sage Flowers and high altitude treats from Bundles Gift Co in tow.

Saturday brought more quintessential Colorado bluebird skies and flurry snowflakes to make for an idyllic wedding day. Madison’s stunning Galia Lahav lace number from Little White Dress set the tone for the wedding’s modern romantic design, leaning heavily into the natural elements of the mountains, complimented by a dreamy palate of creamy neutrals and accents of rich jewel tones.

With experts Nate Shepard Photography and Aflatis Films documenting, M+C two exchanged their forever vows in front of loved ones at the iconic Beaver Creek Chapel – the very same spot Madison’s parents got engaged 30+ years ago. Immediately after the I do’s, the bride + groom braved the cold & boarded the gondola – celebrating their adventurous spirit and cementing the new chapter of life atop their favorite mountain.

The evening transitioned over to Park Hyatt Beaver Creek where family and friends were invited to cozy up with spiked hot chocolate before finding their table assignments on a custom ski-themed seating chart, creatively crafted by the team at Knapp Design Co. A reception chock-full to of belly laughs, a packed dance floor and –– you guessed it –– a ski-chair photo booth was the perfect way to celebrate the special union of this sweet couple.

In the final hoorah, the weekend capped off with a savory Mexican brunch before the wedding crew hit the slopes for another day of Beaver Creek bliss – rounding out one of the most exciting winter wedding weekends we’ve had the pleasure to be a part of. Endless thanks, as always, to the many hands who touched each part of this event to make it a resounding success – our well of gratitude runs deep to the entire vendor team!

Mountain Wildflower Wedding Of Our Dreams | Wedding Recap | Morgan + David

When we started working with Morgan and David to design their dream wedding at Beano’s Cabin in Beaver Creek, we knew we were in for a treat as soon as Morgan described her vision of being “a mountain wildflower, mom’s garden, spring meets summer, whimsical colorful dream come true!”

We immediately got to work, hand selecting a vendor team that would bring this vision to life, and boy did they deliver! Beaver Creek is a special place to Morgan and David – their family has a house up there, they spend their weekends there and it meant so much they brought our team along to share what makes it so special to them.

We kicked off the weekend with an intimate rehearsal dinner at Mirabelle Beaver Creek. Nestled in a vintage house right inside the main gates of the resort, guests gathered for dinner al fresco. While the rain might have had other plans, we rolled with the punches and it was the perfect kick-off to their weekend.

Finally, it was the wedding day! As we tracked another pesky Colorado storm, we were determined to execute as much of this wedding outside as possible and we’re sure glad we did. It turned out to be the most picturesque Colorado day. The ceremony was filled with florals from Alli J Floral that looked like they were growing straight out of the ground, the mountain wildflower, springs meets summer vibe came to life – all captured stunningly by Jess Leigh Photography.

Before walking inside, guests found their seats on a completely custom escort board from Knapp Design Co. that had custom watercolor sketches of all the places that meant something to the couple. As guests found their seats, they were taken to a room that had been transformed with more wildflowers, a showstopping cake by Katy Pierson Cakes and a five-star meal by the amazing chefs at Beano’s Cabin. At their seats, one of our favorite moments was the charger that doubled as a placemat, a menu and a place card. It was a fun way to add a pop of color to the table in a practical way.

After heartfelt speeches, guests made their way to the dance floor for a night of dancing under the stars to music by The Get Down and were able to stay close to the action if they wanted to take a break but beautiful lounges by Hazel Grove Rentals.

It was truly one of those that you’ll remember forever – we wish Morgan & David a lifetime of happiness!

Featured on Style Me Pretty

Vendor Credits:

Wedding Planning | Calluna Events

Photography | Jess Leigh Photography

Videography | Wedding Videos Colorado

Florals | Alli J Floral

Decor | Hazel Grove Rentals, Event Rents, Charming Chairs

Linens | BBJ La Tavola

Entertainment | Oncue Entertainment, The Get Down Co.

Wedding Day Venue | Beano’s Cabin

Escort Board + Day Of Paper | Knapp Design Co.

Invitations | Longest Time Design

Cake | Katy Pierson Cake

Gown | Allison Webb NYC

Bridal Shop | Emma and Grace

Hair + Makeup | Jones Beauty Co.

Suit | State and Liberty

Rehearsal Dinner Venue | Mirabelle Beaver Creek

TOP COLORADO WEDDING VENUES of 2022 | MOUNTAIN VENUES

This week we’re focusing our venue love on the mountains! With views of endless mountain ranges, sweeping valleys, and rivers and lakes, it’s no wonder Colorado is quickly becoming a destination couples flock to! We’ve been so fortunate to plan some amazing weddings and events at these venues and can’t wait for more to come at these breathtaking destinations.

Many of our clients find that the mountains are the perfect destination and love bringing their guests to the beauty of the Rockies for their wedding weekend. We couldn’t agree more! While it feels impossible to narrow down our favorite destinations – please enjoy some of our favorites below!

EAGLE COUNTY (Vail, Edwards, Beaver Creek)

Sonnenalp (Vail, CO)
Why We Love The Sonnenalp: The Sonnenalp is timelessly Vail! This luxury alpine hotel offers a beautiful partly glassed in dining room, that brings in beautiful light for a reception. Picture a ceremony right in front of Gore Creek, followed by dinner and dancing under the stars. It’s the perfect mix of alpine-modern! Ludwig’s glass enclosed terrace is a dream too and is where Meghan and Chris’ absolutely gorgeous reception took place. We are always so excited to be back at the Sonnenalp!

The 10th (Vail, CO)
Why We Love The 10th: This one of a kind venue is an iconic Vail wedding site. With high-quality service and views that *literally* take our breath away, this special destination is so close to our hearts. The restaurant looks over the Gore Range at Vail mid-mountain providing the most epic dance party backdrop you can imagine.

Calluna Event’s Real Wedding | Abbie + Eric | Photography by Nate Shepard

Calluna Event’s Real Wedding | Abbie + Eric | Photography by Nate Shepard

Four Seasons Vail (Vail, CO)
Why We Love the Four Seasons Vail: Nestled in the heart of downtown Vail, you can still come home to the familiar and exceptional caliber of Four Seasons. Call this beautiful hotel a home base for your guests or enjoy one of the many versatile spaces for your weekend celebrations (including their newly renovated ballroom – hello!!). Last year we had the joy of planning Russ + Paula’s wedding reception at Four Seasons Vail with a ten piece orchestra you don’t want to miss out on!

Larkspur (Vail, CO)
Why We Love Larkspur: “Our award-winning restaurant is situated in Vail at the base of Golden Peak and the views don’t get much better. In the winter and early spring, the snowy slopes of Vail Mountain are literally steps away from our patio. From late spring through fall, Larkspur’s lush, green event lawn is surrounded by Aspen groves and stunning views of the majestic Gore Range.” They have both indoor, outdoor patio, and outdoor lawn options, so it is perfect for a reception, ceremony, or both! We loved planning Zoe + Pete’s and so many other weddings here!

Vail Wedding Deck + Arrabelle Square (Vail, CO)
Why We Love the Vail Wedding Deck and Arrabelle Square: We were over the moon planning Brooke + Christian’s romantic mountain wedding here (look at those views!), and love that the Wedding Deck has 360 degree views of the Vail Valley (!!!). Travel by gondola for the valley’s quintessentially mountain backdrop to say “I Do” for your ceremony and then head back down the mountain to Arrabelle Square. We love opting for the tent so you can dance the night away under the twinkle lights in the middle of the town square – central yet intimate.

Camp Hale (Vail, CO)
Why We Love Camp Hale: Camp Hale is every bit of mountain magic – complete with a waterfront ceremony and a backdrop of 12,000 foot mountain peaks. It’s nestled in aspen and pine trees, and located just up the hill from Vail (about 30 minutes by car). We were so happy we could got to celebrate Abby + Kevin’s big day at this stunning spot. We can’t wait to be back later this summer!

Calluna Event’s Real Wedding | Abby + Kevin | Photography by Sarah Porter

Calluna Event’s Real Wedding | Abby + Kevin | Photography by Sarah Porter

The Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch (Beaver Creek, CO)
Why We Love The Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch: The Ritz Carlton offers a wide range of venues that can cater to each couple! These venues offer a blend of rustic outdoor settings overlooked by mountains, elegant indoor ballrooms, and restaurant and lounge spaces to host smaller intimate affairs. Our favorite? A striking sailcloth tent at the base of the mountain that will quite literally take your (and your guests!) breath away.

Calluna Event’s Real Wedding | Shelby + Arthur | Photography by Jill Houser

Calluna Event’s Real Wedding | Shelby + Arthur | Photography by Jill Houser

Saddleridge (Beaver Creek, CO)
Why We Love Saddleridge: While offering all of the beautiful scenery of Beaver Creek, Saddleridge also offers that authentic Colorado experience, with their vaulted ceilings, western artifacts and mountain views that go on and on! Rich with historical knick knacks, this venue is not your classic ballroom – and we love that. Don’t sleep on Saddleridge!

Beano’s Cabin (Beaver Creek, CO)
Why We Love Beano’s Cabin: Beano’s Cabin in Beaver Creek is a Calluna tried and true favorite. The cabin is nestled on the mountain with a beautiful interior and equally stunning views of the mountain. Beaver Creek is the perfect destination with plenty of delicious restaurants, scenic hikes and adventurous activities! One of our all-time favorite weddings was at Beano’s – check it out!

Zach’s Cabin (Bachelor Gulch, CO)
Why We Love Zach’s Cabin: “Perched on the mountainside high above Bachelor Gulch with the uninterrupted views of the magnificent Gore Range, Zach’s is the epitome of fine dining at its peak. Guests are whisked away for a starlit sleigh ride, pulled by a Beaver Creek Snow Cat. Famous for its artful assemblage of fresh Rocky Mountain fare featuring the finest regional and seasonal ingredients paired with excellent vintages for the perfect dinner experience.” Need way say more!?!? We were thrilled to have planned Mackenzie + Tom’s winter wedding here!

Park Hyatt Beaver Creek (Beaver Creek, CO)
Why We Love The Park Hyatt Beaver Creek: A new-to-us venue for the 2021 season, we’ve been quick to fall in love with this hotel at the base of the mountain. We love the versatility of the event spaces (Crooked Hearth for a more intimate feel or rehearsal dinner!) and their ceremony views are something to write home about – whatever the season. We had so much fun planning Jenny + Mason’s wedding here last year, where they skied into their ceremony! It was epic!

PITKIN COUNTY (Aspen, Basalt, Snowmass)

The Little Nell (Aspen, CO)
Why We Love The Little Nell: The Little Nell is the epitome of luxury and getting married here would be an unforgettable experience. Looking for epic views? Check. World class service? Check. A phenomenal party like no other? Check, check check. “The experience waiting for you as you step off Aspen’s Silver Queen Gondola may be reason enough to exchange vows. Floating three miles above the town of Aspen but just steps from The Little Nell, our Wedding Deck is a venue unlike anything else in Colorado. At an elevation of 11,212 feet, with sweeping views of the Elk Mountain Range, it doesn’t get much more romantic.” We loved this top of mountain moment last year at Shelby + Ben’s wedding!

Hotel Jerome (Aspen, CO)
Why We Love Hotel Jerome: “Located in the heart of Aspen with a unique blend of contemporary luxury and historic heritage, deluxe Aspen Resort accommodations, superb amenities, genuine hospitality and dedicated service for an elevated experience in the Rocky Mountains. With stunning views of Aspen Mountain and affording convenient access to downtown, the Hotel Jerome featuring Aspen’s only above-ground ballroom is the ideal event venue for an effortlessly elegant wedding or special event.” We can’t wait to be here next year for Nicole + David’s wedding!

The St. Regis Aspen (Aspen, CO)
Why We Love The St. Regis Aspen: Located at the base of Aspen mountain, The St. Regis will provide your guests with the ultimate “Aspen” experience. A St. Regis wedding means luxury, comfort and unforgettable memories. Just steps away from the slopes and the amazing bars and restaurants of Aspen, the location of the St. Regis could not be more ideal. Page + Scott’s big day was on for the storybooks and we couldn’t imagine a better destination to celebrate them.

T Lazy 7 (Aspen, CO)
Why We Love T Lazy 7: “T-Lazy-7 Ranch is home to three of Aspen’s premier event venues. You can customize your own a twinkle-lit tented reception in the stunning T-Lazy-7 Meadow, or pair a Meadow ceremony with the elegant T-Lazy-7 Event Lodge for the reception dinner and dancing. If you’re looking for a more authentic hoe-down experience, cozy around the campfire at our covered outdoor facility known as the Chuckwagon Grounds. T-Lazy-7 Ranch is a spectacular setting for any event and is surrounded by National Forest and Wilderness for stunning photo backdrops.” We love this place and are beyond thrilled to celebrate our very own lead planner Lindsay + Ken’s wedding here in September!

Aspen Meadows (Aspen, CO)
Why We Love the Aspen Meadows: Say I do in front of gorgeous snow-capped mountains! “The Aspen Meadows Resort offers an unsurpassed level of elegance and sophistication. Everything from the stunning mountain view and warm, relaxing atmosphere to our personalized service creates the perfect backdrop for your special day!” Our lovely Lauren + Eren had their ceremony here then their reception at Aspen Art Museum in April and it was absolutely stunning!

Aspen Art Museum (Aspen, CO)
Why We Love the Aspen Art Museum: “The iconic Shigeru Ban–designed Aspen Art Museum’s Level 3 presents a dynamic and adaptable entertainment space for an array of gatherings (including weddings!) Set atop the internationally acclaimed contemporary art museum and adjacent to the museum’s Roof Deck Sculpture Garden, the AAM’s Level 3 offers unparalleled panoramic views of Aspen’s surrounding Ajax, Red Mountain, and Independence Pass landscapes.” Just take a peek at Audrey + Neil’s wedding and you’ll get why it’s such a dream destination!

THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND BEYOND

Dunton Hot Springs (Dunton, CO)
Why We Love Dunton Hot Springs: Right outside of Telluride, nestled in the San Juan Mountains this up to date ghost town is a Calluna favorite. This intimate property includes hand built log cabins and luxury glamping. Dunton offers a variety of activities around the property and we can guarantee this will be an experience your guests will never forget. Be sure to check out Holly + Matt’s summertime wedding at Dunton Hot Springs and Meshach + Warren’s winter wedding here!

Flying Diamond Ranch (Steamboat Springs, CO)
Why We Love Flying Diamond Ranch: This ranch right outside of Steamboat Springs is truly magical. The views are spectacular and the land is vast. Perfect for any nature lover, Flying Diamond is a beautiful blank canvas. “Picturesque aspen groves and open fields framed by forests and mountains with sweeping, majestic views of the Steamboat Ski Area create a stunning space to host magical and very private Colorado weddings, parties, and events.” We are still in awe Brenna + Jeff’s wedding and are so excited for Kendall + Chris’ wedding here this summer!

Devil’s Thumb Ranch (Tabernash, CO)
Why We Love Devil’s Thumb Ranch: The Calluna team adores Devil’s Thumb and consider it one of our most popular wedding venue destinations of the state. The combination of sprawling ranch views for days, onsite guest lodging for a weekend adventure experience, plenty of leisure activities year round and the most beautiful beautiful barn perfect for wedding festivities is the most incredible combination to bring your celebration to life. We’ve planned countless events throughout the seasons in this special place and can’t wait for all the fun to come!

Brush Creek Ranch (Saratoga, Wyoming)
Why We Love Brush Creek Ranch: Our love for this pocket of heaven on earth runs deep. “Time seems to stand still at Brush Creek Ranch, a collection of all-inclusive guest ranches in Wyoming. It’s a place where beautiful sunsets and starlit night skies instill wonder. Immerse yourself with the true spirit of the authentic American West…” Brush Creek Ranch offers the best of both worlds – luxury mixed with the authentic American Western experience – in a way you’ve never seen before. Hampton + Michael, Ashley + Peter, Brie + Ben, as well as O+R are some of our favorite weddings we’ve done at Brush Creek Ranch! We’ll be back at the ranch in just a few weeks for Robin + Marco’s wedding too!

Surf Hotel (Buena Vista, CO)
Why We Love Surf Hotel: “Beyond breathtaking views, stylish guest rooms and the vibrant community just steps from our door, the Surf Hotel’s amenities and services provide a number of unique options for your special celebration. From a charming ground floor restaurant to a spectacular outdoor courtyard and onsite ballroom, our spaces were designed to adapt to a wide range of events. No matter the style or format of your wedding, our hospitality begins in the planning process, as we help you curate your unique vision for a day (or several days) of mountain town elegance.” We loved planning Taylor + Phil’s romantic micro-wedding here last year!

Juniper Mountain House (Evergreen, CO)
Why We Love Juniper Mountain House: “Juniper Mountain House offers a variety of unique gathering spaces. With 10 acres of dynamic indoor and outdoor spaces, we aim to create truly memorable experiences for you and your group of up to 60 people. As a small boutique hotel, we only offer two to three wedding slots per month, which means your day will truly be one of a kind.”

Wyman Hotel (Silverton, CO)
Why We Love The Wyman Hotel: We had the pleasure and privilege to be hosted by The Wyman Hotel, a relatively new boutique hotel in the southwestern town of Silverton, Colorado. The makers behind The Wyman describe it as “a 1902 landmark building which has been reimagined with the comforts and amenities of an urban boutique hotel and is a welcoming, thoughtfully appointed space, perfect for artists, creatives, and adventurers.” We couldn’t come up with a better description if we tried. Each detail was perfectly in place, making our stay feel both comfortable and inspired. For our clients looking for an outside the box, western chic experience – this is the spot for you. Read more from our visit here!

Daphna + Steven’s summery Beaver Creek Wedding

When Daphna and Steven reached out about helping with their Beaver Creek wedding we were thrilled! Not only because they are one of the sweetest couples, but also because they had a vision for their day which included some of our favorite vendors such as Dana Romanoff Photography, Cori Cook Floral Design, Batter Cupcakes and SaddleRidge at Beaver Creek.

Calluna’s own Spice Jones gives us her thoughts on working with Daphna and Steven.

Daphna and Steven both have beautiful families… I seriously loved them. Everyone came in from out of town…they were originally planning a hotel wedding in Tampa for 300 people but canceled the contracts and opted to bring 100 family and friends to Colorado. Steven’s parents actually travelled to Beaver Creek for their own honeymoon exactly 30 years ago.

Steven and Daphna were both so calm and easy going throughout the entire process. Even when Mother Nature went wild and gave us rain storms followed by gusts of wind reaching 80mph (no joke) these two just smiled and enjoyed and allowed the day to take on a new personality…Instead of “the calm before the storm”, I called Daphna my “the calm during the storm” bride. As a result their photos are some of the most amazing I’ve seen.

Steven runs an event and lighting company so the party atmosphere was key…and he delivered. They weren’t sure how their friends and family would respond to bluegrass but White Water Ramble delivered a party that could not be resisted…the chairs were empty and the hardwood floors of the old cabin literally started bouncing.

I just can’t say enough about how beautiful their friends were. Looking at the photos you’d never know the Chuppah actually blew over 20 min before the ceremony but because of Steven’s nearest and dearest (and I have to add extremely handsome) buddies jumped in to hold the beautiful structure upright, the ceremony looked even more beautiful than planned. Cori Cook also deserves a year’s worth of chocolate for jumping in to help save the day.

Jeannie + Daniel :: Beaver Creek Saddleridge Wedding Recap

Talk about a beautiful wedding! Last year Jeannie + Daniel wed at the Beaver Creek Chapel, followed by a gorgeous reception at Saddleridge. The day was just as beautiful as the couple … from their funky personalized bow ties, naked cake to goofy photo poses! We are so happy we played a role in this very special wedding. Click here to see the full wedding and details!

Happy Anniversary to our very own Jolene & Chad!

Two years ago today, in the most auspicious way, Jolene and Chad were married on top of Beaver Creek Mountain at the wedding deck with their reception at the Westin Riverfront in Avon, CO. Calluna Events Lead Planner, Spice Jones coordinated their stunning fall wedding, complete with some snow flurries. A little more than a year later Jolene reached out to Calluna Events again but for a different reason. Chad and she wanted to relocate to Boulder from Los Angeles and she was looking to continue on her chosen career path in the event planning world. We hired Jolene as our newest Lead Planner in January 2013 and she has handled the transition from the world of Mindy Weiss and LA weddings & events to the Colorado wedding & event planning scene. Fast forward nearly a year later (wow how time flies!). Jolene was first and foremost a bride with Calluna Events, so she can honestly and accurately speak to brides about the value of working with a wedding planner AND more importantly, working with Calluna Events!

Jolene brings a sense of style, calm and ease that all Calluna Events Lead Planners bring to our clients. However she adds so much more to our company and Colorado brides are finding out what an amazing asset she is – read about some of her testimonials from recent brides here.

Happy Anniversary Jolene & Chad. From the bottom of our hearts we wish you much love and happiness always. Thank you for picking up the phone initially to call us to help with your wedding. xx

Jolene + Chad’s Magical, Modern Mountain Wedding

I’m Jolene. Yes, just like that really great Dolly Parton song. I have brown hair (not auburn) and eyes of emerald green. I am so lucky to have the greatest job on the planet! I get to be a part of other people’s parties and witness life’s most precious moments on a regular basisthrough special events and celebrations. Calluna Events made my dreams come true on my wedding day (October 2011), and now I get to be a part of future celebrations as Calluna’s newest team member, with a company I know, love, and trust.

I was born and raised in Palm Springs, California, among mid-century modern design, palm trees, mountains, pretty people, and a lot of sunshine. My two younger sisters and I laughed often, traveled as much as possible, and were constantly surrounded by other family, friends, and great dinner parties. From birthdays to bat mitzvahs, there was always reason for celebration!

I discovered at the age of 13 what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, while “helping” Beverly Hills event planner, Mindy Weiss on the planning of my own bat mitzvah.

Yep, just a wee young 13 year-old party planner-to be with a blossoming sense of style + creativity and passion for bringing ideas to life.

5 years later, I went on to legitimately work with Mindy Weiss and her amazing team in Los Angeles, while attending the University of Southern California. I assisted with high-profile + celebrity weddings, bar / bat mitzvahs, destination events, corporate parties, and more. I am SO grateful for my time with Mindy Weiss Party Consultants and have taken everything I learned along with me throughout my career.

From one rock star planner to another, I am now so fortunate to be in Boulder, working with Colorado’s most creative event curator, the fabulous Heather Dwight at CALLUNA EVENTS!

I contacted Calluna Events to help with the details of MY big day, and wanted to share my inspiration, details, images (big thanks to our phenomenal photographer Cary Jobe), and reflection…. Spice, our Lead Planner, was heaven-sent. She made my wedding dreams come true and now I get to make that happen for others as a Calluna Event’s team member! Enjoy the overwhelming amount of collage photos below + I look forward to working with you!!

After my first week living in Avon, Colorado (having just moved from Los Angeles), a fellow co-worker invited me to join their “team” at the Tuesday Trivia night at the local hang-out, Loaded Joes. The man with the mic had me at Round One, and three years later he proposed…

There is another story when we actually met for the first time, but it was years earlier, lasted about 5 minutes and involves a bottle of Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne on New Year’s Eve. Ask me about it when we meet.

The Vail Valley held such strong meaning for us. We knew right away that we wanted to incorporate the mountains and valley views in our wedding day. After much investigation and contract comparison we thought … let’s just get married on the mountain!!

Fall has always been my favorite season… The colors are magical and can’t be compared to anything I’ve seen, having grown up in the season-less Southern California. So, we decided to take our chances on the leaves and booked our early October wedding on Beaver Creek mountain’s wedding deck. The deck was brand new, so there were no “inspiration photos” from past events to work from. We only had our imaginations and the breathtaking natural scenery to create our eclectic ceremony site. Fortunately for us, we were surrounded by one of the most stunning backdrops in the world, so the space required very little decorating. Our simple chuppah with notes from our friends + family hanging were all we needed. Oh, and a touch of yellow orchids to compliment the yellow backdrop.

For our reception, we decided on the FABULOUS LEED Silver-certified Westin Riverfront Resort + Spa’s restaurant Avondale, now Cima, (voted #1 Western Resort by Conde Nast Traveler 2012).The Westin’s restaurant has a huge deck, modern furniture, a “fire pit table”, PHENOMENAL food, tasteful mood lighting, and the best views of the entire Beaver Creek mountain. It also allowed for a convenient stay after the reception at the hotel for out-of-town family and friends.

I am (and was) inspired by a number of different things on a daily basis – from a Pinterest post, dish at a restaurant, someone I spot on the street, the weather, interiors, fabrics, blogs, etc…

I stayed away from any and all “trends” and wanted our day to be timeless and of course feel completely authentic! We didn’t want to have traditions for the sake of traditions. So, we found a way to fuse together my Jewish background with Chad’s sense of spirituality and only incorporated traditions that had real meaning to us. We also created our own, new traditions….

For example, instead of just Chad and I cutting our wedding cake, we decided we wanted each table to partake in the cake-cutting. So, we had a smaller version of our wedding cake at each table and asked that our guests all cut their cakes with us. It was fun to see who grabbed the knives and who the “leaders” were at each table. Thankfully, no chocolate food fights.

Yes! We decided that instead of including the traditional tallit on the top of the chuppah, we preferred something more personal. So, we asked all of our guests to send back little hang tags that we included with their wedding invitation. I was SO impressed by the creativity and wise words our friends + family had to offer. One family friend wrote a poem and other’s included their marital advice. My favorite was the one that said, “Chad, Jolene is always right. Happy wife, happy life.” Correct!!

Music was so important to us and we definitely wanted our personal music tastes to shine through. For example, I walked down the aisle to the Eels “Fresh Feeling”

Recessional: the Cure’s “Mint Car” GREAT SONG! You are welcome to “borrow” this one…

And, our first dance was New Order’s “Temptation ‘87”. Not a slow song. Not easy to dance to in front of a crowd. But, we made it work and have the photos to laugh for years to come…

For our guest book, we ordered a custom “tree” with our names + date at the bottom. Each guest was asked to use their thumb to leave a leaf print + name/note to create our wedding tree. The final product was absolutely beautiful and is hanging in our bedroom.

Our invitations were also completely customized. We designed them from the innovative Printable Press and used very untraditional verbiage to set the tone of our wedding. We had a quote on the invitation from the very clever Story People that read, “You’re the strangest person I ever met, she said & I said you too & we decided we’d know each other a long time”

There are so many different elements to making a wedding come to life, so watching the pieces come together was the ultimate satisfaction. Spice was there from day to bounce ideas off of me, plan for every possibility, and to pull everything together.

I loved our intimate ceremony, I cherished every toast, hug, tear, dance, bite of food and sip of champagne, and I feel so fortunate to have been able to been the star of my own wedding fantasy. But, to be surrounded by so much love from my new husband, my family, my friends, and even my amazing vendors will still trump any of the beautiful details. No one (or no blog) could have prepared me for the overwhelming happiness that I experienced being on the other end of the event.

1) Hire a professional planner to help (Calluna Events). You may think you have everything under control (and you probably do for a while), but you will truly be able to enjoy every moment of your special day if you aren’t worried about who will light the candles, tip the vendors, pin the boutineers, or make sure your cute cousin remembers the rings. Planners offer a variety of price points and packages to fit every budget. WORTH EVERY PENNY!

2) Don’t sweat the small stuff…. And it’s all small stuff. If you find out last minute the peonies you dreamed of just went out of season, remember that no matter what it is going to be beautiful and you are probably the only one who will notice. Give yourself a minute of panic, then step back and remember what your big day is really about.

3) Try to say hello to each and every guest (and try to take a picture with them too). Your guests are almost as excited about your knot-tying as you are, so let them feel the love. Chances are your family and friends traveled long and far to send you off, so try to take a few moments for everyone on the guest list and let them know how glad you are to have them there.

4) Experience every emotion. Smile, dance, freak out (for a minute), hug, kiss, talk, drink, cry, laugh, sing, eat the food you ordered, and ENJOY! This is your day. It (hopefully) only happens once, so let yourself feel everything. It goes by really fast and there is nothing else like it.

Winter Wedding in Beaver Creek | Wedding Sneak Peek | Madison + Cooper

Mountain Wildflower Wedding Of Our Dreams | Wedding Recap | Morgan + David

TOP COLORADO WEDDING VENUES of 2022 | MOUNTAIN VENUES

EAGLE COUNTY (Vail, Edwards, Beaver Creek)

PITKIN COUNTY (Aspen, Basalt, Snowmass)

THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND BEYOND

Daphna + Steven’s summery Beaver Creek Wedding

Jeannie + Daniel :: Beaver Creek Saddleridge Wedding Recap

Happy Anniversary to our very own Jolene & Chad!

Jolene + Chad’s Magical, Modern Mountain Wedding

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