Notes from the bride and groom:

How did you meet?

Before moving out to Colorado we lived in New York City. We met in a dive bar on the lower east side called Whisky Town. We laughed and danced the night away like no one was watching. 

What is your proposal story?

I thought a big grand gesture was coming since we go to some very beautiful places. Ryan completely surprised me by proposing on a casual Sunday afternoon hike in Boulder. As soon as he said it was his mother's ring, I completely lost it. It was amazing!

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

The majority of our friends and family live on the east coast. We wanted to bring them out to Colorado and give them a glimpse of why we love it so much out west. We loved how Camp Hale felt natural, raw, and real. The fact that it is family owned and surrounded by Natural Forest Land made it even more special. When we found out how involved they are in environmental conservation, that sealed the deal. We wanted people to be outside, see the stars and leave with a little dirt on their feet. We went for a classic Colorado theme, with a few southwestern special touches thrown in like the rugs and my vintage turquoise brooch. We let the incredible landscape inspire everything else. I also chose to work with people who I consider artists and I respect their vision. I simply told them my basic ideas and let them create the magic. If the artists were passionate about what they were creating, I knew the results would be special.

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

Music was very important to us. Before we were even engaged we knew that Thunder and Rain would be the perfect choice. They are a local bluegrass band from Golden, Colorado that we discovered at a concert in Denver. They far exceeded our expectations and played like they knew us our whole lives. The dance floor was packed all night! We also took our photographer selection really seriously. I fell in love with the softness and ethereal quality of Sara's work. As soon as she told me she shot partially in film, I was sold.

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

We went on a Jeep tour up in the mountains to take pictures right before the wedding. It was an absolute blast to do something so rustic in your wedding clothes. We climbed rocks, stood on ledges and laughed till our bellies hurt. All in all, we had an experience we will never forget. We also brought in a fly fishing guide for cocktail hour. Our guests actually caught fish during the wedding reception!

What did you do for favors?

Whoopie pies!