From The Bride...Jason (my now husband) and I had been dating for four and a half years before he proposed and we were smitten from the start. Once he proposed, we decided immediately to have a destination wedding. We love to travel and knew we wanted to create a weekend away for all of our family and friends. After taking a trip in October (shortly after we were engaged) to visit venues in Colorado, we felt there would be no better place for a wedding than the Rocky Mountains… the same place where we both learned to ski, visited in the summer, spent our first four Thanksgivings as a couple together, and a place that had a huge spot in our hearts. With a love for the outdoors, what would be a better location to say our vows than high up in the mountains.

We decided on a September 1st wedding and chose the beautiful Westin Riverfront Resort in Avon, Colorado. A large mountain range became the backdrop for the ceremony and being from Kansas, we swooned over the view. The reception, held in a ballroom lined with windows, opened to a terrace glowing with the ambiance of festival lighting. We kicked off the weekend with a lively welcome party at the Westin followed by karaoke at a bar in Avon. The celebration continued into Saturday with a special bridal luncheon and intimate rehearsal dinner. The wedding took place on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. It was a late afternoon ceremony, followed by cocktails, dinner and dancing.

Jason and I had always thought we would see each other for the first time on our wedding day as I walked down the aisle. However, we could not pass up the adventure of taking the chairlift to the top of Beaver Creek for pictures. Our "first look" took place on a romantic bridge over a rushing river in the quaint town of Beaver Creek. We then headed up to the top of the mountain enjoying a spectacular view with our bridesmaids and groomsmen. The pictures were beyond our imagination. Between the bright blue sky, the fluffy crisp white clouds and the green of the mountains, there could not have been a more perfect setting for our wedding photos. With the girls in a bright red/ poppy color and the boys in a classic black tux and bow tie, the wedding party looked stunning.

We chose a theme of mountain chic for the ceremony and reception… all very natural, but with an elegant flare. The flowers were green and white with the use of many different textures. The bridesmaids' bouquets were wrapped in aspen bark and the ceremony was held under an arch of lush, garden inspired florals and greens. Glass lanterns containing white and green hydrangea, seeded eucalyptus, rosemary, silver brunia berries, and curly willow branches lined the aisles. After the ceremony, the guests were greeted with signature cocktails and monogrammed sunglasses. The escort cards were set in aspen logs that my grandfather, father and I carved. Each name card was adorned with a golden aspen leaf cutout created by my aunt. The floral arrangements in the ballroom were in aspen bark vases set on moss with mini vases of rocks surrounding them. Dramatic sprays of curly willow, green and white dendrobium orchids, and eucalyptus made up gorgeous, tall centerpieces. The room glowed with candlelight, setting the perfect atmosphere for our evening.

After a sit down dinner with touching speeches from my father, the maid-of-honor and best man, our band kicked off the party. Within minutes the dance floor was crowded and stayed that way until the end of the night. Our best family friends' children (ages 3-10) even put together a surprise dance and song for the crowd that is Good Morning America worthy. Another favorite moment came when our friends who travelled from Switzerland brought with them their traditional umbrella dance. Jason and I danced under a "parapluie" to a French love song as guests threw streamers over the top. We were told that there wasn't a dry eye as the umbrella was decorated with colorful ribbons. The entire night felt consumed with love and emotion. Every guest was truly on a Rocky Mountain High. I could have not imagined a more perfect way to start my life with my new husband.

I have to give a special thank you to our incredible vendors. My mom and I spent time meeting with different companies and choosing ones with whom we connected. By the end of the wedding planning process, I wanted to be best friends with each of them. They really helped us create a night that was exactly our vision, while adding unique touches that represented Jason and me as a couple. We could not have done it without them and appreciate their hard work to create a night so special that our guests are still reminiscing and re-living each detail of the wedding. It truly was the wedding I had always dreamt of.