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2 durangoweddingsmagazine.comMaggie & ChrisFrom the bride...Aer postponing for two years due to the pandemic and engaged for almost four years once we nally tied the knot, Chris and I were so ready to nally be married! We were so ready to celebrate, and celebrate we did!THE PLANNINGWe used Durango Wedding Magazine as a starting place for our vendor search and actually ended up hiring all vendors that have been previously featured in the magazine! Not being local to Durango, we didn’t want to waste time contacting Denver vendors who might not service the Durango area or would charge high travel fees. e magazine was a beautiful source for inspiration and to help envision our day ahead.THE VENUEPurgatory Resort drew us in because of the views. We received a lot of compliments about all of the food. Everyone was full and happy. e bartenders were great and never kept anyone waiting.
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4 durangoweddingsmagazine.comFAVE MOMENTe most memorable moment for me was our last dance. ere is so much hype and pressure around the rst dance, but the last was actually, by far, my favorite. Ahead of time, we had asked our DJ to play "Free" by the Zac Brown Band as our last song. Swaying in Chris’s arms, all of the nerves of the day melted away by this point, enamored by my love for my new husband - I still tear up thinking about it or any time I hear that song. It was the most incredible ending to the most perfect day! VENDOR TEAM Venue: Dante’s at Purgatory Resort Photographer: Jenne Anne Photography Flowers: April’s Garden Planner: Shea Brazill Cake: Sweet Cakes Bakery DJ: Aiko Aiko Sound Hair & Makeup: Hair Fusion Video: Southwest Wedding Films
Durango Weddings Magazine 5Looking back, I denitely underestimated the amount of setup it takes when you are DIYing all of the décor except for the owers. In retrospect, I would have hired additional help the day-of to set up and tear down, in order to o load that from us and our loved ones.ADVICE: Take time the very next day to write down all of your favorite memories of the day. ey fade SO quickly and I am very grateful that Chris and I took the time to do this when memories were still fresh. We have both gone back many times to read them and bring back all of the memories of the day.Marrying my soulmate in the breathtaking San Juan Mountains surrounded by unmatched beauty and our absolute favorite people was a fairy tale!
6 durangoweddingsmagazine.comFrom the bride...FIRST LOOKWe wrote letters to one another that we exchanged before seeing each other. By the time I read the rst line of Colton’s letter, "To my wife," I was already crying. It was such a sweet moment for us to share before the ceremony.My grandmother wrote the blessing of our marriage. She couldn’t read it without crying, so the preacher read it for everyone. It was so personal, and as a wedding gi, she hand-wrote the blessing and framed it for us. It now sits on our kitchen counter and will for many years to come.FLOWERSMy mom and her best friends made all the bridal bouquets and large oral arrangements. I’ll never forget how special those owers were!ADVICETry not to lose sight of the reason you’re doing all the planning. It can be stressful to plan such a big event. In the end, if and when little hiccups happen, you’re still going to have an incredible day with all the people you love under one roof. It doesn’t get much better than that! VENDOR TEAM Venue: LePlatt’s Pond Photographer: Bryce Hart Photography Makeup: Summit Beauty Caterer: Durangourmet Bartender: irsty Rooster Rentals: Any Event RentalAbby & Colton
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8 durangoweddingsmagazine.comFrom the bride...THE VENUERiver Bend Ranch was the best selection for us. It had plenty of space, the barn was gorgeous, and it had a beautiful pond. e Bride's clan, Tábaahá, means water edge, and we wanted to incorporate water for that reason. THE FLOWERSApril's Garden did an amazing job! I loved our arbor and the ower bouquets. e pinks, whites, and greens created a lovely summer look.Alexia &Shannon
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10 durangoweddingsmagazine.comADVICE: Stick to a budget. Have fun! ere will be stressful moments, but remember to slow down and enjoy it. VENDOR TEAMVenue: River Bend Ranch Photographer: Ginger Moose PhotographyFlorals: April's Garden Bridal Store: Katerina's Darling Bridal Hair & Makeup: Hair FusionCaterer: Et Voila CateringCake: Eat Me CakeryLiquor: Star LiquorsRentals: Durango Party RentalDJ: Aiko Aiko Sound
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12 durangoweddingsmagazine.comFrom the bride...THE VENUEI picked Ridgewood Event Center for the option to have both an inside and outside venue for the reception and ceremony. You never know what the weather will be in spring but I really wanted to be outside and barefoot so it was the best of both worlds. Ridgewood Event Center is a perfect, intimate, tucked-away building that gives a very cozy and private feeling. e view of the La Plata mountains made it absolutely stunning. Having Joan Alford and her team with all their expertise was an added bonus. MEMORABLE MOMENTe rst look with my dad was one of the best moments of the wedding. My dad and I wrote each other letters that I still read each week. It makes my heart sparkle and my eyes swell with tears. Cassie &Chad
Durango Weddings Magazine 13 e ceremony was outside, in the aernoon sun, on the grass, in front of the La Plata Mountains. It was a private ceremony with only a handful of people and it was perfect!I felt like a princess in my dress and still wear it around the house when I need a little pick-me-up.
14 durangoweddingsmagazine.comVENDOR TEAM Venue: Ridgewood Event Center Photographer: Ginger Moose PhotographyPlanner, Florals & Rentals: Ridgewood Party RentalsHair: Jamie MarshallMakeup: Brianna GrossmanCaterer: Zia TaqueriaI was blown away by the owers. ey were stunning. ADVICE: Elope. en throw a party. Win, win.
Durango Weddings Magazine 15Molly & WilliamFrom the bride...THE VENUEBlue Lake Ranch was so beautiful in photos and when we learned we were able to host our guests for a weekend we were sold. e details in each of the rooms and casitas were so gorgeous, you really didn't need much to amplify its beauty. Our guests loved each of their unique experiences and the family-friendly experience that was given by the hardworking sta. We loved that we were essentially in our own southwestern oasis where we were able to spend time together and connect with our family and friends.
16 durangoweddingsmagazine.comTHE CEREMONYWe originally were going to be married on the lawn overlooking the lake and mountains. With weather concerns, we decided to move the ceremony location to the back deck. e deck worked perfectly and created an even more intimate setting. e ornate pillars on the deck and blossoming crabapple trees added a touch of decor that we hadn't even thought of in the rst place.I remember being so excited to marry William that I actually jumped up and down towards the end!
Durango Weddings Magazine 17Our favorite reception moment was our rst dance! We aren't dancers so it was a bit nerve-racking beforehand but it was so wonderful when the time nally came. We had a great time dancing with our family and had a super cute send-o with sparklers.ADVICE: Communicate with each other and spend time together outside of wedding planning. We spent time doing activities such as camping and hiking, which was really helpful when wedding planning was stressful. Looking back, I would have hired a wedding planner sooner rather than later. VENDOR TEAM Venue, Lodging & Caterer: Blue Lake Ranch Photographer: Ginger Moose Photography Planner: Durango Event Planners Florals & Rentals: Ridgewood Rentals
18 durangoweddingsmagazine.comBritta & HunterFrom the bride...THE VENUEWe instantly fell in love with River Bend Ranch and knew it was the venue for us. It was the only venue we even visited. River Bend Ranch had everything I wanted: fall colors, water, a cabin on site for us to stay in, a beautiful reception site, and breathtaking views everywhere you looked.THE CEREMONYWe had our ceremony between the majestic trees with a backdrop of water, red rocks, and fall colors. I rode in on a horse-drawn carriage. It was absolutely beautiful.
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20 durangoweddingsmagazine.comIf I could freeze a day in my life, this would have been it!VENDOR TEAM Venue: River Bend RanchPhoto & Video: Kara CavalcaPlanner: MountainesqueFlowers: Lady SouthwestDress: Katerina’s Darling BridalHair: Color DenMakeup: Erica ZimmermannCaterer: DurangourmetPies: BreadRentals: Durango Party RentalDJ: Southwest DJTHE RECEPTION We served pie instead of cake and had a whiskey tasting bar. Near the end of the evening, I changed into white pajamas and slippers and danced the night away. It was so much fun!
Durango Weddings Magazine 21Elizabeth &LaytonFrom the bride...THE PLANNINGDurango Weddings Magazine was our go-to for nding vendors in the beginning of the planning process. It helped us envision our wedding and choose our vendors based on the look and feel of weddings they had created in the past. We basically had the whole magazine tabbed up in the month aer getting engaged.Every detail about our wedding was discussed, designed, and chosen by us together as a couple. We made all of our decisions based on what felt right for us, down to the wine that was shipped in from our favorite California winery.THE VENUEI can't say enough about how much we loved the Black Diamond Lodge. Aer getting engaged in late summer 2021, we toured several venues in Durango and the surrounding areas that fall. When we saw the aspen grove ceremony site at the Black Diamond Lodge, we knew we had found "e One". e reception area was also great because it was easily customizable to t the vibe of our wedding, and the view of the mountains at that time of the evening was stunning. e lodge itself was also the perfect place for us and close family and friends to stay at for the wedding weekend.
22 durangoweddingsmagazine.come ceremony site was everything we had dreamed of and more. Our guests were seated on wooden benches at the opening of an aspen grove, which was in full fall color. Our wedding procession walked out of the aspen grove and stood at the edge of a meadow with mountains in the background. Our oral arches and bouquets were absolutely stunning and highlighted the natural beauty of the ceremony site. ere were golden aspen leaves all over the ground and it felt like we were in a magical forest. It was truly a surreal moment.
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24 durangoweddingsmagazine.comWe loved having owers that were grown just down the road from our venue, and we wanted that to add to our guests' experiences of a fall wedding in the San Juan Mountains.Looking back, I would have stressed less and enjoyed more. All of our hard work in planning and creating specic things for the wedding turned out beautifully, but I just wish I had not worried so much about getting everything done. Of course, there were little things about the day that went wrong (like any wedding), but to us it was the perfect day.ADVICEDo whatever feels right to you! Make decisions together based on how you envision your special day. Input from family and friends is important, but at the end of the day, it's about the couple. Also, don't let the stress of planning take away from the joyful season of being engaged. It's a really special time.VENDOR TEAMVenue: e Black Diamond Lodge Photographer: Candace Cross PhotographyCoordination: Durango Event PlannersFlorals: Mountain Belle Flower Farm & SuperettestudioAttire: Katerina’s Darling BridalHair: Jamie Does Hair Makeup: Ashley Drew ArtistryCatering: Farm to Fingers & Durango Catering Co.Bakes & Cakes: Black Bear Bakery & Dough!rango Dough BarPhoto Booth: DGO Photo Booth Co.
Durango Weddings Magazine 25From the bride...THE VENUE Since we fell in love in Durango, we chose to get married in Durango at Purgatory Resort. e Dante’s venue is rustic, romantic, and beautiful. e bridal suite and the groom's lo were perfect for getting ready. e sta was always making sure we had what we needed at all times. Our guests stayed at Purgatory Resort and were able to have fun and enjoy the open bar without a worry because they were all safely transported by Shuttles back down the mountain to their rooms. It was the perfect way to give all our guests a wild adventure in nature. VENDOR TEAM Venue: Dantes at Purgatory Resort Photographer: Kelsey Kaplan Photo Planner: Mountain Arrow EventsRentals: Durango Party Rental / Ociant: Rev. River StoneVioleta & John I remember walking down the aisle like it was in slow motion. I had tears of joy and gratitude. I felt like the luckiest woman in the world marrying the most incredible man in this heavenly place where the clouds were kissing the mountain tops.I had a sleeve wrapped around my bouquet and I embroidered the words that said, "DAD walk with me to John".
26 durangoweddingsmagazine.comFrom the bride...THE VENUEWe met as instructors at Purgatory Resort, we were engaged at Purgatory Resort so it was only tting to tie the knot where it all started.THE FLOWERSApril’s Garden helped us transform our scrambled thoughts into a beautiful vision.omas wrote a love note on the bottom of my shoes to surprise me when I was getting ready.MEMORABLE MOMENTOur rst look was very personal, just the two of us. A special moment we will not forget. Taylor & Thomas
Durango Weddings Magazine 27Our ceremony was short and light-hearted. We had whiskey barrels framing the altar. We didn’t want anything blocking the beautiful mountain backdrop.
28 durangoweddingsmagazine.com VENDOR TEAM Venue: Dante’s at Purgatory Resort Photographer: Ginger Moose Photography Flowers: April’s Garden Planner: Mountain Arrow Events Cupcakes: Sweet on Durango DJ: DJ CodestarADVICEPlan early. Ask for advice. Hire a wedding planner and use their experience. A wedding planner will keep everything on track and make your day so much easier and more enjoyable.
Durango Weddings Magazine 29From the bride...Our Durango wedding couldn’t have been more perfect! Being from Texas we wanted to escape the heat and have an outdoor summer wedding. e mountains made for a beautiful backdrop for our special day. We loved having several dierent locations at the venue to keep the party moving. We started with a quiet riverside ceremony. We then had cocktail hour on the lawn, dinner under the tent, and cake and dancing inside the event center. It was the most incredible day! VENDOR TEAM Venue: Ridgewood Event Center Photographer: Ginger Moose Photography Flowers: Adela Flora | Musicians: Tennille’s Violin House Caterer: Durangourmet | Hair: Shear MischiefAnna & Garrett
30 durangoweddingsmagazine.comFrom the bride...Our wedding day was absolutely perfect! Our vendor team captured our vision to a T and brought it all to life. Everyone enjoyed themselves and couldn’t get over how beautiful everything was. It was breathtaking and we say so many times how we wish we could go back to our day to experience more. It all went by so quickly, we did not get to see a lot of things until we saw our photos later.Danielle & Dennison
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32 durangoweddingsmagazine.comVENDOR TEAM: Photographer: Kara Cavalca Photo & Video / Venue: Ridgewood Event Center / Planner: Mountainesque Ociant: Rev. River Stone / Caterer: Spare Rib BBQ / Cake: Haahtii Sweets / DJ: GB Entertainment Gis: Hammered in the Mountains & e Burnt Nailer
Durango Weddings Magazine 33ADVICE: Build a day that you both want and you’ll be happier for it. You’ll have so much fun and make many memories to last a lifetime. Just be yourselves and everything else will follow.
34 durangoweddingsmagazine.comBailey& JakeFrom the bride...Our wedding day was very laid back. I kept thinking I would feel some kind of stress prior to our ceremony, but it never came. Since we had all of our friends and family in one place, we had been able to socialize with them throughout the weekend which made the wedding day that much more intimate. THE VENUEWe chose to have our wedding at the Black Diamond Lodge because we could easily house all of our friends and family in one place. It was absolutely perfect because everyone had their own space, but the Lodge had many additional amenities such as hot tubs on the balcony, a steam room and sauna, a movie room, a game room, and more where everyone could congregate if they wished to.THE FLOWERSOur owers were BEAUTIFUL. I didn’t have a specic wedding ower that I wanted, just that I wanted them to match with our wedding colors. April’s Garden went above and beyond to create the most incredible bouquets, boutonnieres, centerpieces, and so much more.THE CEREMONYOur ceremony was absolutely perfect. We had a beautiful view of the mountains behind us while we said our vows and shared our rst kiss as husband and wife. e snow was absolutely beautiful and allowed us to get once-in-a-lifetime photos that we will cherish forever.
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Durango Weddings Magazine 37e reception was perfect. We all drank, danced, and enjoyed each other’s company. Since everyone was staying at the lodge, they could come and go as needed and just walk to their room once they were ready to go to bed. It felt like a big family reunion and we couldn’t be happier.We decided last minute to do a nal dance. We chose the song, "Beyond the Sea." It was quiet, intimate, and so sweet. We got to share this moment alone and it was something I’ll never forget.Looking back, I would have extended our trip a day or two. Durango is absolutely beautiful and we didn’t get a lot of free time to explore aer the wedding day. VENDOR TEAM Venue: e Black Diamond Lodge Photographer: e Light Seeker Florals: April’s Garden DJ: Aiko Aiko Sound Hair: Lindsay Kelly
38 durangoweddingsmagazine.com Katie & Jake From the bride...Our wedding day was cloudy and rainy. Not ideal, but you just gotta roll with the punches. Although we wanted to do the ceremony outside, I'm actually happy that it was inside. People were comfortable at their tables, you could hear every word, and it felt that much more intimate.e rain cleared up just in time to do our photos which, thanks to Kara Cavalca, turned out STUNNING. e surrounding mountains couldn't have been a better backdrop. We had a hog roast for our dinner. A lot of guests loved watch-ing the whole process of getting the hogs cooked. Knowing that this magical day would y by just as quick as it came, Jake and I tried our best to slow down and soak up every minute.MEMORABLE MOMENTMy dad and I were waiting for our queue to walk into the venue. We were sitting in his truck to keep me hidden and he says, "Hey kid, I just want you to know everyone is here today." He pulls out of his pocket my grandma's harmonica, my grandpa's zippo lighter, and was wearing my other grandpa's cowboy hat. I was very close with all of my grandparents and have desperately wished that they could have met Jake. It took every ber of my being not to smear makeup all over my face with tears before walking down the aisle.
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40 durangoweddingsmagazine.comMy dad surprised me with a special song for the Father-Daughter dance. It was so touching. VENDOR TEAMVenue: Kendall Mountain Recreation Center Photographer & Video: Kara Cavalca Photo + VideoCoordination: Summit Sunset EventsFlowers: Pickletown Flower Co.Caterer: Farm to FingersCake: Lavender Fields Picnic CateringDress: Grace Loves LaceHair: Liv Franklin & Christiana Lawson, Soko SalonMakeup: Andrea Tucker, Studio Salon
Durango Weddings Magazine 41ADVICEYour day is what it is. Be exible. ings are gonna go wrong...expect it...but don't dwell on it. Just pivot.e best gi I gave myself on my big day was a day-of coordinator. Book vendors you get along with. I had a crew of amazing women who I genuinely liked. It's a very intense time of your life and having people who aren't alarmist and are always professional makes a huge dierence.Marry your best friend. Life can get tough, so having your best friend through it all makes things a lot better.Jake refers to me as a dierent bird each day of the week, so being an artist, I drew all of our table numbers with dierent birds and their funny names... i.e. Blue Footed Boobie.
42 durangoweddingsmagazine.comFrom the bride...We live in Denver but think Southwest Colorado is the prettiest part of the state. Durango's mountains, greenery, hometown feel, and farm-to-table atmosphere were all reasons we decided to get married in Durango.THE VENUELe Platt's Pond was the only venue we visited. We looked at several online, but between the meticulously manicured setting and beautiful scenery, we decided not to look elsewhere. e communication from the time we reached out was clear, consistent, genuine, and we felt a connection right away. e venue oered special and customized touches that matched what we wanted to do and oered the space we needed. e inclusion of the tent allowed us to have an outdoor wedding no matter the weather. e beautiful bridal lo was a wonderful bonus.. Kellee & Alex
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44 durangoweddingsmagazine.comTHE CEREMONYOur heartfelt ceremony was ociated by long-time friends. We incorporated aspects of Alex’s Jewish faith that included the 7 blessings. It was a quick thirty-minute ceremony as we wanted to spend more time dancing and eating!
Durango Weddings Magazine 45We had the most beautiful sunset we have ever seen. Everyone was taking photos.We danced, ate, drank, smoked cigars, laughed, sat by the re pit, and enjoyed the pond under the moonlight. It was the perfect evening.VENDOR TEAMVenue: LePlatt's Pond Photographer: Allison Ragsdale PhotographyVideographer: Kara Cavalca Photo + VideoFlowers: Mountain Belle Flower FarmRentals: Durango Party RentalCaterer: DurangourmetDress: EtsyHair: Autumn Hardy & Leslie LeachMakeup: Black Aesthetics & Summit BeautyDJ: Stand Alone Entertainment
46 durangoweddingsmagazine.com Heather & Ryan From the bride...THE VENUERiver Bend Ranch had everything we needed. From on-site accommodations, a ceremony site, a reception area, and even paddle boats. is venue was packed with the essentials but also boasted superb customer service, which included an on-site coordinator, Brittney.Our rst look was so special. We are a fairly private couple, so we knew we wanted to set aside a moment prior to the ceremony just for the two of us.THE FLOWERSWorking with Colleen at April's Gardens was a great experience. Colleen and I worked together to identify a natural yet vibrant bouquet that would help to compliment my general love of owers. My initial reaction to the bouquet is one I'll never forget. In fact, I have preserved Colleen's work and had the arrangement pressed into a frame.VENDOR TEAMVenue: River Bend Ranch Photographer: Ginger Moose PhotographyFlowers: April’s GardenRentals: Durango Party RentalCake: Black Bear Bakery Ociant: Rev. Chessa GillCatering: DurangourmetMusicians: Maddy and KevHair & Makeup: Hair Fusion
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48 durangoweddingsmagazine.com Catherine & TomFrom the bride...THE VENUEAer visiting LePlatt’s Pond and meeting with Krii Black, we were certain beyond a shadow of doubt that this was the place we were destined to join our lives together as husband and wife. It felt full of promise with wide-open pastures and an endlessly beautiful horizon.As soon as we pronounced ourselves Mr. and Mrs., “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” by Stevie Wonder erupted and we danced o into the sunset to celebrate under a glorious full moon!THE CEREMONYIn bringing our lives together, it was important to us to have a very small, intimate gathering of our closest friends and family in which we could share our hearts, tell our story, and seal our lives to one another in private abandon.
Durango Weddings Magazine 49VENDOR TEAM: Venue + Coordination: Le Platt's Pond | Photographer: Ginger Moose Photography | Flowers: Bayeld Blooms Dress: Bri’s Bridal | Rentals: Any Event Rental | Musician: Rob Webster Music Looking back, I can’t imagine having to do all of this without the help of our Wedding Coordinator, Lacy Gra, who works with Krii at LePlatt’s Pond. She made sure everything was in order and ran smoothly. Because of Lacy, Tom and I had zero stress about any of the day’s details, leaving the most important day of our lives to be eortlessly enjoyable.
50 durangoweddingsmagazine.comTHE VENUEDouble R Ranch was an absolute beautiful place for our wedding. e sta did everything they could to make sure everything went as smoothly as possible.All of the decor was handmade by family and friends.THE CEREMONYe ceremony was outside. It was pouring rain all day but just as we were supposed to start the ceremony the rain broke into just a slight sprinkle. Haley & JesseVENDOR TEAMVenue: Double R Ranch Photographer: Kelsey Kaplan PhotoCaterer: Mona Makes Hair: Jessica Bungton, e LoMakeup: Color Den
Durango Weddings Magazine 51ADVICENo matter what goes wrong, because something will, don’t stress about it. At the end of the day, you are still marrying the person who makes you the happiest person in the world.We are huge hockey fans. e Colorado Avalanche team were in the playos the same time as our wedding. We were gied a personalized replica of the Stanley cup for everyone to sign. It was the perfect touch to the day as the Avalanche team won the Stanley Cup.
52 durangoweddingsmagazine.comIrene & DustinFrom the bride...Our vendor team rocked it! I am so glad I made room in the budget for Britt's coordination services {Mountain Arrow Events} as she made planning and day-of go smoothly. I LOVED my owers. Adela Flora did such a beautiful job with styling and set up. I can't give Marc and his team at the irsty Rooster enough props for keeping the drinks and shots owing for the Chào Ban toasts. It really pays o to do a little research and book those vendors early. We couldn't have asked for a better day! It is no joke the day goes by so quick, but Kara Cavalca did a fantastic job capturing our crazy fun family with her style of photography. Looking through the photos is like reliving the day for us. VENDOR TEAMVenue: River Bend Ranch | Photographer: Kara Cavalca Photo + VideoCoordination: Mountain Arrow Events | Flowers: Adela FloraDress: Katerina’s Darling Bridal | Bartender: irsty Rooster Photo Booth: DGO Photo Booth
Durango Weddings Magazine 53Kelsey & WillFrom the bride...All morning and on the drive up to the venue it was pouring rain. I was so nervous but everyone reassured me it would be okay. As guests started arriving, the clouds parted and we had the most beautiful clear skies for the rest of the day. I grew up Southern Baptist so having the ceremony out-side the church is a little frowned upon, but gosh, you can't get any closer to God than the mountains up at Purgatory Resort. It was so magical!
54 durangoweddingsmagazine.comADVICEIf you are having your reception at Dante's, plan speeches before the sun goes down. e sunset in the background was breathtaking and made our pictures that much better. Provide your families with instructions about pictures. My family has been to so many weddings they know the drill, but Will's family did not. We were waiting on them for so long that the sun started to go down and we had to rush through our bride/groom photos.
Durango Weddings Magazine 55 VENDOR TEAM Venue: Dante’s at Purgatory Resort Photographer: Kara Cavalca Photo + Video Coordinator: Summit Sunset Events Florals: Adela Flora DJ: Revolve Mobile Disco Hair & Makeup: Hair Fusion My favorite decor detail was our balloon wall that one of my friends made (Emma Caraway Design).
56 durangoweddingsmagazine.comElise & RyanFrom the bride…Ryan and I were on the same page about everything, the colors, the ow of the day, and most importantly, that we wanted our whole family present; including all the little kiddos! We both have large families and we are also blessed with a beautiful congregation we call family. We didn’t hold back on invitations. We wanted our wedding day to be warm and cozy, like having a campre and s’mores on a cool October night. DIY TOUCHESRyan built the Chuppah, I arranged the owers that were on the Chuppah and painted our Ketubah, and the words we exchanged all had our touch. We received several comments on how the whole day was just perfectly “us”.THE CEREMONYWe were very selective with what we included in the ceremony. We wanted each piece to mean something. We preformed a foot washing, salt covenant, reading and signing of our Ketubah, we partook in the bread and wine and ended with the Aronic Blessing. It was short, simple and sweet.
Durango Weddings Magazine 57Looking back, we would not have done assigned seating at the reception tables. It worked for other weddings we had been too - which is why we thought it would be a good idea. However, with our guests and family, everyone is friends and several wanted to sit with people they had not seen in a while. VENDOR TEAM Venue: River Bend Ranch | Photographer: Kara Cavalca Photo + Video Planner: Mountainesque | Florals: Adela Flora | DJ: Southwest DJ Caterer: Sweetwater Gypsies | Bartender: irsty Rooster Cake: Kelly's Kitchen | Hair & Makeup: Spring Reitz
58 durangoweddingsmagazine.comErika & JensenTHE VENUE Finding a venue where our whole family and bridal party could stay together was important to us. When we arrived at the-Black Diamond Lodge, we fell in love; the pictures did not do it justice. It was the perfect location for all of the bridal party and close family to stay for the weekend as well as have a welcome dinner, rehearsal lunch, and the whole wedding day at the lodge. We received so many comments from our guests about how much they loved the venue and location.We both love the outdoors, so a ceremony in a meadow was impossible to pass up.THE FLORALSApril's Garden did all of the oral design and they did a phenomenal job. When deciding on aspects of the day I wanted to prioritize, owers were at the top of the list. e team at April's Garden were very responsive and professional. ey created a design based on things we talked about. e owers were my main decor and they truly stood out. We never imagined a more perfect wedding day. It was full of so much love and beauty. VENDOR TEAM Photographer: Karla Wedding Photography Venue: Black Diamond Lodge Coordination: Durango Event Planners Florals: April’s Garden Catering: Durango Catering Co. Cakes: Black Bear Bakery Rentals: Durango Party Rental
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