A Week-Long Wedding Celebration

Ewelina & Tyler | July 22nd

From Ewelina…

WHY DURANGO

We chose Durango for our wedding because we fell in love with the area during a visit to Tyler’s aunt and uncle who live nearby. It felt like the perfect setting to bring together our families for a new and memorable experience in a beautiful location. The stunning scenery and unique atmosphere created an unforgettable experience for our guests.

THE PLANNING

For our wedding, it was essential to us that the celebration extended beyond just one day. Since we were inviting our families from out of town, we wanted to make their visit truly memorable by planning a series of fun activities leading up to the wedding day. Our guests joined us on a scenic ride aboard the train from Durango to Silverton, attended a welcome party graciously hosted by Tyler’s aunt and mom, explored the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, and shared a delicious dinner at James Ranch. By the time our wedding day arrived, it felt like the perfect finale to an incredible extended celebration.

“When we began planning, we focused on three key priorities for our wedding. First and foremost, we wanted our dog, Jarvis, to be there to join us in celebration and to sign our marriage license. Secondly, we envisioned a destination wedding that offered fun activities leading up to the big day. Lastly, we wanted an intimate atmosphere, so we kept our guest list small.”

THE VENUE

We chose Purgatory for its breathtaking views at the Paradise ceremony location which we initially saw in pictures. We loved the unique opportunity it offered our guests to take the chairlift to the ceremony site and to have our dog, Jarvis, present at both the ceremony and the cocktail hour.

The wedding day itself was everything we could have hoped for. We began the morning together with our dog, Jarvis, before parting ways to get ready for the ceremony with our families. Once ready, Tyler and I each took the ski lift up separately to Paradise, where we had our first look and private vows.

THE CEREMONY

The ceremony was filled with personal touches. Jarvis walked down the aisle with Tyler as our pup of honor, followed by my nieces who were the flower girls, and Tyler’s brother who officiated the ceremony. Following the ceremony, we gathered at Purgy’s for drinks, a relaxed dinner, and an evening filled with desserts and dancing. We ended the night sitting by the fire pit.

THE DETAILS

CUFF LINKS

Before the wedding, Tyler purchased cufflinks engraved with the coordinates of our ceremony location. We used Google maps to determine the coordinates beforehand, just to be sure. After our first look, we double-checked, and fortunately, they were spot on.

WATCHES

As our wedding gift, we each bought Shinola watches for one another, hoping to surprise each other. However, Tyler already knew my choice because it turns out we went to the store on the same day, and the associate helping him mentioned that I had been in the store before him.

DRESS

It had always been a dream of mine to wear a wedding dress from Anthropologie, and I was thrilled to find one that I truly fell in love with. I was especially drawn to the floral details and the delicate ribbons at the back, which I believed added a unique touch to the dress.

SOCKS

Tyler wore fun socks with hot air balloons, highlighting our bucket list dream of going on a hot air balloon ride.

PHOTOS

My favorite décor detail was the collection of photos of our loved ones on their wedding day. This was especially meaningful, as we surprised our moms with photos of their own parents on their wedding day.

FAVORS

Tyler, who has a hobby for origami, created origami animals that we used for our place cards.

LOOKING BACK

I would definitely stress less and hire a day-of coordinator earlier! Having someone manage all the details made everything run smoothly, so we could enjoy every moment leading up to the wedding without any extra worry. In the end, all the stress was unnecessary because everything turned out perfectly!

ADVICE

Take a moment to sneak away together and savor the day, sharing a quiet moment to soak it all in, just the two of you. After all the planning, give yourselves the chance to fully appreciate it. Remember to be present, as the day will fly by, and cherish the
beautiful memory you’ve created!