An Outdoor Autumn Wedding in Mancos

Joanna & Max  | October 14th

From the bride: My inspiration was outdoor elegance with light toned autumnal colors and dark accents. My family owns the property we were married on so much of the design and inspiration was related to the aesthetic of the land. The bridesmaids wore a range of champagne and blush dresses and the groomsmen wore matching grey suits.

THE FLOWERS

We picked and made the bridal bouquets from a combination of foraged plants, lavender we grew specifically for the bouquets, and a few select flowers from April’s Garden.

THE CEREMONY

Our ceremony was located in a field that guests had to cross a bridge to get to. The altar was made from aspen trees and decorated in a beautiful garland made by April’s Garden. The ceremony was officiated by a dear friend. Our dog, Akela was our ring bearer. We had a Persian rug for Max and I to stand on. We crafted our own vows, it was an absolute highlight of the ceremony.

THE RECEPTION

The reception was located in a tent in the adjacent field. We ate an incredible meal by Durangourmet of elk tenderloin and salmon. Our band, The Diamond Empire Band, put on a classic, creative, and upbeat show!

THE DÉCOR

Barn wood tables, eclectic floral patterned plates, a range of silk napkins that were my grandmothers, numerous candles of various sizes and centerpieces with fall foliage adorned every table.

THE FAVORS

Our favors were bundles of garlic grown in our garden and handcrafted olive oil from friends in Tuscany.

THE WEATHER

The reception was insanely cold, somewhere around 23 degrees that night. I would say the ONLY regret I have is not making the tent warm enough. After dinner everyone put on square beanies from the 80s and danced like crazy to keep warm. It was pretty hilarious.

ADVICE

Wedding planning is stressful and is all too easy to lose sight of how important and celebratory this transformational ritual is. Don’t wish the engagement period away or become fixated on little details. Be present in the process so when the best day of your life comes, you will be better prepared to stay present in the moment.

THE WEDDING TEAM

Photographer & Video: Illuminarts. Drew went above and beyond to help me create the day. In many ways he was our wedding planner as well.

Flowers: April’s Garden. They really pay attention to your creative vision.

Caterer: Durangourmet. Jimmy is hands down amazing. Everyone devoured the delicious late night barbeque ribs.

Rehearsal Dinner: Ridgewood Event Center. I highly recommend for its rustic elegance and outstanding fall views.

Tent & Rentals: Durango Party Rental