A Fall Wedding in Silverton
From the bride, Jacqueline: Our inspiration was the beauty of fall in the mountains. It is definitely our favorite season with the warm sunny days and cool nights, and the changing of the aspen leaves to glowing gold. We wanted to bring that feeling into our wedding day while complementing the mountain lodge architecture of our venue, and keeping in mind Silverton’s Victorian/mining history.
THE CEREMONY DECOR
Our wedding arch was hand-built by my dad, with downed aspen trees that my husband, parents, and I had collected earlier in the summer.
THE CEREMONY
We held our ceremony at 4:00 pm, outside on the deck of the Kendall Mountain Community Center, with beautiful mountain views, and golden aspen trees in every direction. We wrote our own ceremony (short and sweet).
We opted to turn on the chairlift on Kendall Mountain, so guests were able to ride up and down for the lovely views and photographs!
THE GUEST BOOK
Our guest book was a painting by my mom, of an aspen tree and two lovebirds.
LOOKING BACK
If I would do anything different, I would have tried to be more decisive along the way. I second-guessed every decision and tried to research every possible option, instead of going with my gut feel. I also might have reconsidered the timing a bit. We wanted a fall wedding so were only engaged for 9 months, which seemed like it would be plenty of time, but I quickly learned that wedding venues and vendors book very far in advance!
My advice would be to ask for and accept help both in the planning process and the day of! It takes a small army of people to set up a wedding, especially depending on the staff and services provided by the venue. Also try to keep in mind that while the planning may be a challenge, the day will be perfect! Planning can feel like an endless amount of details and decisions, but having help and remembering the big picture can really help with the stress.
I’d also suggest having at least a day or two to decompress after the wedding before traveling for a honeymoon. Not only were we exhausted after the wedding, but we also had so many last-minute details and packing to do for the wedding, I can’t imagine having to be packed for the honeymoon too! Plus we were able to take day-after wedding photos, which we love.
RECOMMENDED VENDORS
Venue: Town of Silverton, Kendall Mountain Community Center. The venue was basically a blank slate so it allowed us to completely customize the day. From selecting our vendors to shopping for all of our table décor, to deciding the setup and flow for the space, we were able to personalize every aspect.
Caterer: Durangormet // Florals: April’s Gardens // China, Flatware, Glasses: Durango Party Rental // Photographer: Caroline Colvin Photography
Honeymoon Location: Three weeks in South Africa! We started in wine country, spent some time in Cape Town, traveled along the Garden Route, and finished our trip on safari in Sabi Sands, at Kirkman’s Kamp. 100% amazing. Trip of a lifetime!