Q&A with Bride and Groom:

Tell us a little a bit about your wedding (your vision, color, style, and location choices).

The vision was for everything to be natural, outdoorsy, romantic, and authentic.  We chose Spruce Mountain Ranch because it was stunning & you could see the mountains and have the ceremony outside.  It was a quintessential Colorado view and we loved being outside and having wildflowers and a natural setting.

What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?

We skipped a lot of the formalities - big wedding party, garter, throwing the bouquet....we are an older couple getting married in our 40s & wanted the wedding to reflect who we were.  We chose music that was meaningful, food that we loved, and tried to really have the wedding reflect us as a couple.

What were your favorite parts of the day? (memories and stories)

Favorite parts were getting ready for the big day with the people who mean the most to us, saying our vows that we each wrote and hearing them for the first time, hearing the speeches people wrote, and celebrating with those we love.  Mike also guided Mount Everest twice and we had an ice sculpture of Mount Everest that was pretty cool!

Tell us about your wedding flowers.

Wildflowers were the key, nothing too structured.  Wild & natural.

What did you do for favors?

We are big college football fans - Mike is an Ohio State fan & Chris is a Michigan State fan.  We had cookies made that were decorated with each school and gave them out as favors.

Did you include any family heirlooms or special traditions?

Chris carried a bible that her grandmother, mother, and sister all carried in their weddings.

Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?

Don't get caught up with what everyone else thinks you should do.  This is your day & you should do what you want, regardless of how untraditional it may be!