I am trilled to show off this Aspen wedding and interview of the father of the bride, Mr. John Elway. And if that wasn't enough, we are holding a GIVEAWAY with John Elway's new wine company. Skip to the bottom of the interview for giveaway details.

Juliana (John Elway's daughter) and Kent, both from Denver, were set up through a mutual friend—even though Juliana was living in Arizona at the time. The couple credits the beginning of their relationship to that friend and asked her to officiate the ceremony to usher them into their next chapter. The wedding was planned in just four month. The celebrations stretched over the Fourth of July weekend in Aspen. Guests went to the parade, attended a welcome party at Shlomo’s, and then rode the gondola up Aspen Mountain on the wedding day. Juiliana thought she would be nervous—“It was a perfect day,” she says—but it was her father, John Elway, who had to wear sunglasses to walk his youngest daughter (and last to marry) down the aisle. 

 “Rather than having a long engagement, ours was short. We just wanted to start our lives together. That meant we weren’t overthinking things like the tablecloth. You’ll still make those decisions as a couple, but they’ll be made more quickly. So having a short engagement was the best thing we did. It came together perfectly,” says Juliana. 

Q & A WITH THE FATHER OF THE BRIDE, JOHN ELWAY

Did you do anything special at your daughters wedding incorporate your wine? 

Of course…we included it at both the rehearsal dinner and at the ceremony. It was a big hit.

As the father of the bride, what were your top priorities?

Since I already had two of my other daughter’s (Jesse and Jordan) weddings prior to  Juliana’s, I was more prepared than most. But I’m a quick study and realized that my top 3 priorities were; 1) Pay for it and, 2) Say “Yes” a lot, and then 3) Stay out of the way.  In all seriousness, I just wanted my baby girl to have an amazing day that she’d remember fondly the rest of her life.   

What details did you want to be involved with? 

I didn’t need to be involved with anything unless she asked. Juliana and her wedding planner did such an amazing job planning every detail. I was very proud of her. It was an amazing day.

Looking back at your daughters wedding, is the anything you would have changed?  

The only thing I would have changed was that I would have had the oxygen bar a little closer to the dance floor. It’s not easy dancing at 12,000 feet at the top of Aspen.

What advice do you have for fathers of the bride?  

As a dad, you want to say “yes” to as much as you can for their special day. But there are limits for everyone. So, just pick your battles carefully. Know going in that it’s a very emotional time  for them. What they may want one day turns out isn’t all that important the next. So, just be patient. It usually works out.  It’s a similar process to working with a housing contractor. Even though you decide on a budget…you still need to plan on allocating an extra 20% on top of whatever that amount is.

When and why did you want to start your wine company?  

About 7 years ago, I was starting to enjoy wine more with dinner.  I had owned my Elway’s restaurants for about 10 years at the time. Additionally, my kids had become adults and were starting to enjoy it as well, convening around the kitchen and talking. I became more curious and thought that it would be complimentary to my restaurants, my lifestyle, and my brand. So, I had my longtime agent and friend, Jeff Sperbeck, who lived near Napa, begin the process of researching options. We partnered with OneHope Wine on the business side, and then with Rob Mondavi Jr as our wine maker. Thus began our journey into the world of wine, which is now going on six years.

Tell me more about the giving back aspect of 7 Cellars. 

Every bottle sold gives back to Team Rubicon. TR is an amazing volunteer organization that takes returning service men and women and deploys them into natural disasters. It gives them a sense of purpose, and comradery that they had while serving thus making their transition into civilian life a smooth and familiar one.

What wines do you currently offer? 

We have two collections under our 7Cellars brand. One is our ultra premium, Elway’s Reserve which consists of a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Carneros Chardonnay. The newer brand is our premium level wine called The Farm Collection. There are three central coast wines, including; Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, a Monterey Pinot Noir, and a Arroyo Seco Chardonnay.  Both have excellent ratings and we are equally proud of them both.

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GIVEWAY

What: We are giving away 7 Cellars The Farm Collection - which includes 3 bottles of wine - one Cabernet Sauvignon, one Chardonnay, and one Pinot Noir. 

How to enter: Comment on this post saying you would like to win the wine. By commenting, you are signing up for Couture Colorado and 7 Cellars newsletters. *you must be 21 years old to enter

When: You must enter by April 16th, 2021. Winner will be announced and contacted on April 17th. 

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