St. Julien wedding Archives - Calluna EventsCalluna Events

Here at Calluna we are always looking for new ways to highlight and honor some of the amazing creative partners we get to work with. We feel incredibly fortunate to work with some seriously talented vendors in the industry, and we are showing them off to you in our Calluna Community Series! We are sitting down with some of the fabulous vendors of Colorado to get to know about them, their business and what life is like behind the scenes.

“I am the Social Catering Manager for St Julien Hotel & Spa in Boulder, Colorado. I’ve been with the property for the past six years and work with our wedding couples from start to finish; this includes initial site tours, the contracting process, negotiating room blocks, conducting menu tastings, planning meetings, final walk throughs and of course, being present on the actual day of the wedding! I also book and service social events and non-profit events for St Julien Hotel & Spa.

Located in the heart of downtown Boulder, the property features more than 16,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event facilities, with arguably the best view of Boulder’s iconic Flatirons. It’s a great destination for the family and friends of our couples, as guests find themselves just steps from both popular dining and shopping at the outdoor, pedestrian-only Pearl St. Mall, and miles of hiking and biking trails at nearby Boulder Creek and beyond.“

“My dream project is working with a couple or client who is striving to make their wedding day or event authentically and uniquely their own. I love seeing the creative process, from menu planning to incorporating personal or cultural influences. It is amazing to get to know a couple throughout the planning process, which allows us to find ways to incorporate their unique ideas, and then to have the privilege to see it all come to fruition on their big day!”

“Well, that’s a tough one, since there are so many! One of my first weddings meant a lot to me, as it was a semi-traditional Indian wedding, and we worked directly with the bride and her mother on re-creating and perfecting their family recipes. The bride presented me with a gorgeous saree to wear for the wedding day and she even let me keep it! Another favorite was a Calluna Wedding; one of the most beautiful outdoor receptions that I have ever seen was followed by a down pour of rain before entrées were served – eek! All the vendors came together as a “power” team to provide a solution for the couple and it made for such a crazy, but fun, night! Not to mention how sweet and grateful the couple was – that always helps!”

“I typically spend the morning with a cup of cold brew coffee (yes, even in the winter!) and a walk with my French bulldog, Pono. On wedding or event days, I spend the morning at a yoga class or the farmers market. From there, it’s a gorgeous commute from my home in Longmont to Boulder. I love seeing the Flatirons in the distance, and once I get to the St Julien Hotel…boom! Best view in Boulder!”

“Miniature dessert bars! I like that couples are opting away from the large traditional wedding cakes. We have a fabulous pastry chef at St Julien; her creations are unbelievably beautiful and creative, and the alternative setup gives the guests such a variety of tasty options. They can easily grab their beverage of choice and a mini dessert and get back to the dance floor!”

“Be ready to always be learning! In this ever-changing industry, there will always be something new to learn. Always be kind and keep an open mind with any guest, client or vendor you might meet along the way—you never know how it might all connect in the future.”

“My favorite way to start out any wedding work week is with sending a “Happy Wedding Week!” message. I understand that the week is so stressful, as we’re often the couple’s venue, accommodations, caterer and baker, and I hope to alleviate some of the anxiety by communicating with my couples leading up to their big day. The weekend-of is so exciting, seeing the couple be reunited with their family and friends. It’s just a rewarding experience all-around!”

“Craft beer! I love a piney, tropical or west coast style IPA. Colorado does not have a shortage of microbreweries, so there is always a new brew to try or brewery patio to visit with my hubby and pup!”

Real Wedding :: Boulder Wedding Recap

We are oh so excited that Annie + Thomas tied the knot this past weekend! They are about the sweetest couple ever and we were thrilled to help them in the planning of their special day! Their ceremony took place at St. John’s Episcopal Church and the reception took place at the beautiful St. Julien Hotel & Spa. It was certainly a night to remember for the newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. King!

The bride was an absolute vision! She wore a Lela Rose gown which was simplistic yet absolutely stunning! Becca Greene did a fabulous job with both her hair and make up!

Beet & Yarrow outdid themselves with all the floral decoration. It was our very first time working with Beet & Yarrow and it was most definitely a treat! Kimberly and her team are amazing and they were able to capture exactly what the bride had envisioned!

RC Special Events brought in all the beautiful farm tables that sat out on the lawn of the St. Julien with the stunning back drop of the Flatirons. Charming Chairs supplied the lovely cross backed chairs that tied in perfectly with the farm tables. The look was complete with a beautiful hemstitched white runner with Beet & Yarrow’s floral garland running down the center! The guests had cocktail hour on the terrace of the St. Julien and then dined al fresco under market lights supplied by LMD Productions. It was a magical night!

The dancing room, inside the St. Julien, was completely transformed by LMD Productions. The room looked like a twinkling fairytale with white string lights and drape covering the walls in the entire room! In an alcove in this room there was a naked wedding cake, with simple florals and succulents, as well as the surprise groom’s cake from Shamane’s Bake Shoppe! After dinner, Tunisia got everyone on the dance floor and had them there the rest of the night! It was certainly a night to remember and we cannot wait to get all the photos from Laura Murray Photography. Until then – take a moment to check out the photos we snapped with our iPhones as well as some we got from #allhailthekings – Enjoy! xx, Calluna

Wedding Weekend Recap :: Fiona + Lane

We are over the moon that Fiona + Lane tied the knot this weekend! We have a small place in our hearts for these two – not only are they incredible to work with, but are also so in love and such sweet people! They had their exquisite wedding at the St. Julien Hotel & Spa. Saying their vows in the courtyard with the stunning Flat Irons as their backdrop. The clouds parted for their ceremony and we had a moment of sun for the happy couple!

The glowing bride looked stunning in her dress by Lela Rose. Her make up was flawless thanks to Alchemy Mineral Blends and her timeless up-do by Brianna Sudberry. Needless to say she was an absolute vision for her very special day!

The flowers from Lalé Florals were over the top! We absolutely loved everything from Fiona’s amazing bouquet to the table decor complete with tea tins, terrariums, and blooming roses! Lale also decorated the gazebo with floral, garland, drape and 1,001 gold cranes (a nod to Lane’s Hawaiian heritage). Mint and Maple designed the save the dates, invitations, menu’s, programs and calligraphed the placecards and all the signage for the evening. LMD Productions completely transformed the reception room with their beautiful draping and lighting. Jen from Lucky’s Bakehouse outdid herself with a naked cutting cake and amazing sweet treats that provided a nod to Fiona’s British heritage. Beautiful cake stands from Long Ago Love were over flowing with macaroons and other sweet treats! Soul School, one of our favorite bands, put on quite the show and had everyone on the dance floor for the entire night!

We can’t wait to see all the amazing photos from Tess Pace Photography – until then, catch up on the weekend by taking a peek at the photos we snapped with our iPhones! xx, Calluna

Fiona + Lane’s lovely engagement shoot

We are absolutely smitten with this couple and swooning over these engagement photos by Tess Pace Photography! We have a small place in our hearts for these two – not only are they incredible to work with, so in love and such sweet people… Fiona is British and Lane is part Hawaiian. Fiona was born in England but raised mostly in the states. We are helping them incorporate touches throughout from her British and his Hawaiian heritage. And you might know that our owner Heather is also half Scottish. So when Fiona started talking about tea tins, eton mess, sticky toffee pudding, Pimm’s Cup and all things British we knew it was a complete match!

Kelly + Adam’s Etheral Wedding at the St Julien

Kelly + Adam’s wedding was both classically beautiful and elegantly modern. The St Julien was the perfect backdrop for this inspired use of space and décor. The ballroom transformed into an ethereal alter for a devout and sacred ceremony, then was converted into a magnificent reception where traditional seating gave way to lovely lounge areas. The beauty of the spaces was perfected with fun geometric shapes, textured and patterned linens and vases, wispy air plants and bright bold flowers.

From Kelly, “I wanted a sleek, contemporary wedding dress. While my parents were visiting in New York City we decided to have the Kleinfeld Bridal experience, mostly just for fun. This was the first dress I tried on and it turned out the designer, Mark Zunino, was in the salon that day. I decided not to look any farther and so I said “Yes to the Dress!” ”

Kelly’s Dad is part owner of Epilog Laser and he used their lasers to cut the belly band for their invitations as well as the acrylic backdrop for the ceremony. He also laser engraved the Jenga pieces with their names and the date of the wedding and laser cut and hand-painted the cake toppers! What a personal touch from the Bride’s Father!

Sarah + John’s stunning St. Julien wedding

Sarah and John met during their freshmen year at University

of Colorado Boulder where they quickly bonded over their hometown roots of Dallas, TX. Their love for Boulder brought them back to wed at the St Julien, bringing a taste of Texas with them. By incorporating their Dallas based florist, Bella Flora , Sarah + John crafted a wedding and overall vision that was earthy and calm, while being unique and detail oriented. I mean, a succulent backdrop?! Genius. This juxtapostion created one of the most beautiful events we’ve seen at the St Julien. The happy couple accompanied their 200 guests into a tented festive fete where they danced through the night up until the best wedding send off we’ve ever seen – in a vintage VW van!

Christine + Patrick gorgeous St. Julien wedding

Brides with a deep sense of authentic style are our cup of tea. Christine came to us with a very clear vision of what she wanted and we were instantly in love after the first email. It was clear she wanted to produce an amazing party with unpredictable rocking music (hello Talking Heads cover band, This Must Be the Band), gorgeous florals, and wow-worthly lighting and decor. We immediately signed up and helped Christine bring this vision to life, knowing that we would enjoy the entire process with her.

For the details of the wedding day, we focused on GOLD accents including gold painted eucalyptus hanging from the chandeliers, gold linen, gold chargers, and gorgeous golden glowing free-standing chandeliers. Christine and Patrick had so many lovely personal touches such as a vintage typewriter for love notes / guest book and custom made postcards with their favorite Instagram photos and music quotes. There were so many special details of this wedding and paired with picture perfect end of the summer weather and a fun-loving group of friends and family, this wedding goes down as a true success!

Preppy Styled Shoot with Rocky Mountain Bride

A few weeks ago, we teamed up with Rocky Mountain Bride and an insanely talented group of creative vendors to do a styled shoot. Driven by the inspiration of ‘preppy with a modern twist’, each vendor took their interpretation of the theme and channeled it to create a stunning end result.

With the gorgeous flatirons serving as a backdrop to the already luxurious St Julien Hotel, our lovely duo channeled romance, beauty and won the best dressed award – at least in our eyes. Paired alongside bright flowers that emulated a fresh spring vibe, we are still head over heels for the all around style of the day.

Below is a little preview but make sure to swipe a copy of the real deal when this shoot hits the stands in April. Thank you to everyone who was involved – we had a blast!

Calluna Community: Cocktails with the St. Julien Hotel & Spa