Photography by Kyla Jackson Photography
From the bride, Jessica:
The weather could not have been more perfect. Trees, flowers, and white dusted mountains were enough to make anyone smile. Our guests were overwhelmed by the beauty of the area and Colorado itself. We definitely tried to make the entire wedding our own, something very personal and meaningful. We are pretty laid back people and were not hung up on details, and it is hard to mess up nature.
PERSONAL TOUCHES
-We had a friend officiate the wedding. He did a great job and so many of our guests commented on the intimacy and meaningfulness of that decision.
-I had both my parents walk me down the aisle.
-We had so many children attending that we decided to hire someone who did face painting and balloon animals. There was plenty of room for all the children to run around and we provided bubbles and hula hoops. The kids were happy, the parents were happy, and quite honestly it was adorable and made for some unique wedding photos. The parents really enjoyed having activities planned for their children and the contention and freedom that came along with it.
-Instead of the traditional champagne toast, we served local honey meade. It supported a local business and felt much more Colorado to us.
-Our guest book was a large coffee table book featuring outdoor landscape pictures of Colorado. We asked people to sign the pages. We love it and it is much more fun to look at than a traditional guest log!
RECOMMENDED VENDORS
We were very lucky to have found some amazing vendors. I must mention that the cost of the wedding, for the quality of services received, was at least half of what it would have been had I been married in my home state of Connecticut. My two best friends, one who is a wedding planner in CT, planned most of my wedding here in CO. We used all local vendors and my friend in the industry said she would have priced things 2 to 3 times higher back east (in CT). The venue alone was about 1/8 of what a similar location in CT goes for according to her. And again, the natural beauty of Colorado can not be beaten.
Photographer: Kyla Jackson Photography. Kyla and Wesley were amazing. We decided early on to prioritize the photography of our wedding. They did a great job and were not even noticeable. We ended up with over 700 fantastic shots. So many guests were shocked to see all the photos, especially photos of themselves, because they had not even noticed the photographer. When I mentioned there were actually two, people were astonished. They are so non intrusive and natural, capturing both traditional shots and candid documentation of the event. Above all, the quality of their work is difficult to rival. We loved the photos and so pleased we chose them and made it such an important part of our budget.
Accommodations and Venue: Blue Lake Ranch (lodging and rehearsal dinner) and Ridgewood Events Center (ceremony and reception) Most of our out of town guests stayed at Blue Lake Ranch for 3 nights. The rooms were unique, comfortable and very nicely done. Breakfasts were very enjoyable, the food well prepared and choices plentiful. The grounds are amazing and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their stay there. Ridgewood Event Center was just a charming, aesthetically beautiful place for a wedding. Everything from the grounds to the wood reception hall is quintessentially Colorado. The services were just right and the price is incredibly reasonable. We maxed out the number of guests that the indoor part of the venue can accommodate at 125 people, but it was still comfortable and very manageable with more than enough room outside. Did I mention the amazing view of the snow capped La Plata Mountains!
About Durango: Colorado is an amazing place to live and have a wedding, and for those not residing here, it is certainly as worthwhile destination for such a monumental event. The surroundings and activities in and around Durango were perfect. All of our guests enjoyed the area and activities ranging from riding the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, to visiting Mesa Verde National Park, rafting the Animas River and hiking on several scenic trails. The food in town was also enjoyed by our visitors’, as they explored many local dining options during their stay.
The reception had a Scottish theme. We hired a celtic band to play during the ceremony and reception. One of the band members gave Scottish dance lessons to whoever wanted to learn. There were pieces of the plaid and both family crests on the cake, tables, and decorations. We had a Scottish food station with meat pies, whole salmon and Scottish eggs. We also had a whiskey tasting bar and of course, a tea station for the English side of the family.
