Estes Park Mountain Weddings

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October 28, 2011 1ESTES PARK MOUNTAIN WEDDINGS

Estes ParkEstes Park

MountainMountainWeddingsWeddings

www.eptrail.comwww.eptrail.com


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An un orgettable wedd ngImagine arriving

at your wedding

in a horse-drawn

carriage.

WaltHester.com

Courtesy Photo

Imagine vows beneatha snow-capped peak

By Jamie Reed

Special to the Trail-Gazette

Imagine ... ..your vows spoken be-

neath the snow capped peaks of

the Rocky Mountains. The air is

cool, the sun is out, and your

riends and family are waiting for you to

walk down the snow filled aisle.

A winter wedding in Estes Park has

many things to offer you and your

guests. Yes, summer weddings aremore popular, but who wouldnt want to

come to the mountains during the win-

ter? The photo opportunities are end-

ess. Many sites in Estes offer views of

Longs Peak and/or the Continental Di-

vide as your backdrop. You may also

venture up through the Mountains with

a lake side ceremony and possibilities

of wildlife encounters. You can even ar-

rive in style, or take a post wedding ridein a horse drawn carriage.

The benefits of a winter weddingdont end at the views and scenery.Most wedding sites, venues, and lodg-ing accommodations in Estes Park offerdeep discounts for the off - season .

You can take advantage of our slowerseason, but reap the benefits while stillhaving and event to remember.

Tie in the winter elements into themany facets of your wedding. Invita-tions and favors can be customized to awinter wonderland theme. Your cakecan be enhanced by a creative snowcapped mountain design. Create a ro-mantic and cozy feeling in your tables

by adding lots of candles and lush, softtextures.

Your dream wedding can take placein one of the many beautiful locations inEstes Park. Visualize your exchange ofvows and rings in an unforgettable set-ting. Arrive in Estes Park with yourfriends and family and well make yourwedding day dreams come true.

Jamie Reed can be reached at Ja-

[email protected] or970-577-6428

2 October 28, 2011ESTES PARK MOUNTAIN WEDDINGS


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I f f ithf ll


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Im forever yours, faithfullyThe areas

spectacular

views provide

memorable

wedding

locations.

Visual Poetry byMeghan

Courtesy Photo

A spring wedding atThe Wild Basin Lodge

By Hillary Hanson


Having met on an internationalflight, it seemed fitting forKris and Emily Haack tochoose a destination wedding.

he couple spends about ten and a halfmonths a year touring around the globewith Disney on Ice. Emily is a seam-stress and Kris works as a carpenter forthe popular production. Kris proposedat midnight on New Years Eve, 2010 in

Costa Rica. Having scouted locationsaround the world, the task of selecting awedding venue seemed daunting.

However, their decision to marry athe Wild Basin Lodge in Allenspark,

came easily due to spectacular moun-tain views and the natural and eleganteel of the venue. Says Emily, It was

the warmth of the people, though, thatreally sold us.

The loving couple said their vows in aeautiful outdoor ceremony at the lodg-es St. Vrain River site on May 22, 2011.

The sunny ceremony was a gift, con-sidering heavy snowstorms earlier inthe week. The site was prepared for thecold, the lodge having rented heatersor the wedding party. Happily, the day

dawned bright and clear, quickly melt-ing all of the snow. Many ceremonypieces were handmade, and most partic-

ipants close friends or family. Thegrooms uncle, a minister, performedthe ceremony. Maid of honor and oper-atic performer, Cathy Compton, sangaccompanied by local string quartet LeSorelle. Following traditional vows, the

See WILD BASIN, pg. 5

800 MacGregor Ave. 970.586.9344 twinowls.net

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wild basinwild basinwild basin from page 4 from page 4 from page 4couple performed a unity candle cere-mony using a set handmade fifteenyears earlier for the occasion by the

rides grandfather. When the flameswere joined, the couple gathered close-

y, surrounded by their families andwedding party to make private, morepersonal vows.

Kris and Emily were privileged toave two incredible photographers re-

cord the celebration: Meghan from Vis-ual Poetry by Meghan and Matthewrom The Beautiful Voyage Photogra-

phy. Visual Poetry by Meghan is a flour-ishing Estes Park photojournalist-stylewedding photographer. Matthew, the

rides brother, traveled from Chicagoto stand up as a groomsman before cap-turing the couples reception and a wed-ding hike photo session above Lily Lakeon the day following the ceremony.Both photographers produced stunningshots of the bride in her lace Mori Leegown and heirloom veil, the handmadeyellow and white tulip floral arrange-ments, the newlyweds and their guestsat the mountain venue, and the eve-

nings enthusiastic reception.The couple departed from tradition at

the reception, choosing to serve appeti-zer-sized portions of entre selectionsset up at stations around The Wild Ba-sins elegant and panoramic Copelandreception room. As a result, guests

formed many new friendships (and atleast one new couple), as they were en-couraged to mingle throughout the eve-ning. Highly praised were the Boursincheese stuffed mushrooms and cha-teaux of beef over mashed potatoes pre-pared by Wild Basin executive chefBrent Lewis. The couple brought indozens of homemade desserts, includ-ing family recipes of personal favorites.Guests took turns as DJ with music pro-

vided by the couple, while the dancefloor remained ever full.

For their first dance, Kris and Emilyselected Journeys Faithfully. Thesongs lyrics, specific to this couplestouring lifestyle, express the promisethat for one another in their new mar-riage they will be Forever yours, faith-fully. That night the couple departedbeneath hundreds of brilliant sparklersheaded into the world as husband and

wife, eager to face the journeys to comein their new life together.

Visual Poetry by Meghan / Courtesy Photo

Careful planning can make that special day a special one for the happy couple.

Imagine the Mountains of Possibilities...

Officiating, Photography, Floral and more.

Rocky Mountain National Parkand Estes Park

Complete Wedding Packages from $495.

P.O. Box 810, Estes Park 80517www.MarryMeinColorado.comwww.MarryMeinColorado.com970-586-5708970-586-5708

All-Inclusive Destination Wedding and Elopement Packages


E t P k t h dd g


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Estes Park a top cho ce or wedd ngsEstes Park is a

favorite wedding

destination in

Colorado.

WaltHester.com

Courtesy Photo

Setting, intimateatmosphere, putcommunity at the top

of many checklistsBy Lorie Cooper


Estes Park has quickly risen tobe one of the most popular des-tinations for weddings - ratingnumber one in Colorado and

number seven Nationally.Unlike Estes Parks ski town cousins,

(Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge), travel is

ess of an issue for those traveling. Be-cause the town is located at a bit lowerelevation, and on the east side of theContinental Divide, snowfall, while stillabundant, isnt as accumulative,therefore highways in and out of Estesare easier to maintain and rarely com-pletely close due to weather conditions.

he grandeur of Rocky Mountain Na-tional Park is unsurpassed as the per-ect backdrop for wedding ceremonies

and spectacular photos. The quaintnessand small town feel of Estes Park lends

to a less busy area and creates a nostress zone for wedding parties andguests. The abundance of activities isalso appealing to guests turning a wed-ding day into a mini vacation. With twogolf courses, white water rafting, fish-ing, spas and salons, unique shopping,horseback riding, hiking, off road jeeptours, snow tubing and snow shoeing,and the constant presence of wildlife,there is something for everyone.

While not every couple has the finan-cial freedom to plan the ultimate wed-ding of their dreams, they do have theability to plan a wedding day - in EstesPark which they, and their guests,

will never forget. Here are tips from

Estes Parks as to how to make yourwedding possible.

So Many People - So Little Mon-ey: while many brides envision theirday surrounded by hundreds of friendsand family to make their day complete,consider this ... imagine looking at

your photo album five or 10 years fromnow and realizing that half of yourguests you dont even remember.

Those work associates you felt obligat-

ed to invite, or your third cousinstwice removed that you felt would

break a cardinal rule by not asking toattend. This is one of the top ways thatwedding budgets can spiral out of con-trol. When you consider costs - larger

venues for sufficient seating, the elabo-rate dinner, alcohol and beverages, theextra slice of wedding cake, the chaircover and sash, wedding favors, andeven the additional invitation the av-erage expense for each wedding guestis $100 or more. Lets face it - the

more guests, the more stress. Keepingtrack of meal choices, plotting out seat-ing charts, arranging for out of townguests accommodations let alone en-suring that you have sufficient time to

visit each guest during your receptionis mind reeling. The answer? Take a

look at your guest list and reconsiderthe size of your wedding. Less guestsopens options for different venues,huge budget cuts, and a decrease in

your stress level. Whittling down yourguest list to include those who attendbecause they are an intricate part of

your life will leave you with a manage-able wedding size, cost and more timeto celebrate the day with those sur-rounding you that are the most impor-

tant to you. Tip: When it is time to ex-plain to co-workers or distant family

why they arent invited? Tell them Weare planning an intimate destination

wedding - and due to the cost of thewedding and what it would require of

See ESTES, pg. 7

St. BartholomewsEpiscopal Church

Wedding Coordinator:

Ginger Harris, 970-227-0806Email: [email protected]

www.stbartsestes.org

880 MacGregor AvenueEstes Park, Colorado

Consecrated to theGlory of God

Mountain SettingLog Church

Available forall Christian Weddings

Proud member of the Estes Park Wedding Association www.estesparkweddings.com


es esestesestes


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es esestesestes from page 6 from page 6 from page 6our guests to have to spend, we optedto keep our guest list to immediateamily and life-long friends.

Wedding Date: one of the ultimatetricks to planning an affordable wed-ding in Estes Park is in selecting yourwedding date. Off season deals beginthe first of November and run throughmid-May in most cases. Venues are anx-ious to fill guestrooms and ballroomsthis time of year and are eager to makedeals to make this happen. The day ofthe week is also a tip to consider - withproper advance notice to your guestsor their scheduling, your wedding can

take place on a day that falls during themiddle of the week. Weekday weddingscan be as much as 50% less than week-ends - especially during prime weddingseason.

Time of the day: for your weddingalso changes the scope of your budget.Hosting a late morning wedding savesyou money by allowing a brunch buffetin lieu of a plated dinner that is morecost effective. By having your wedding

earlier in the day, it also allows you tocelebrate your wedding all day. Also,consider an adventure for your guestsafter the ceremony such as a charteredparty bus tour over Trail Ridge Road,white water rafting, snowshoeing inRocky Mountain National Park, a golftournament, horseback riding. You canend the day by serving your weddingcake and coffee back at your hotel or ata local club for libations and dancing. If

you are night owls, consider a later can-dle light ceremony at 7 or 8 p.m. andprovide a dessert only reception withdancing. A lavish buffet of bite size des-serts such as flavored cheese cakes andtarts, a chocolate fountain and tower ofcupcakes with a candy buffet will give

your guests energy for dancing into thewee hours. Tip: let your guests knowyour plans by subtlety announcing it inyour wedding invitation - Brunch Re-ception to Follow or Dessert Recep-tion to Follow lets your guests knowwhat to expect and plan accordingly fordinner before your wedding.

Prioritizingyour goals for your wed-ding is another consideration. Mostcouples - especially the bride has a

Vision going into the planning pro-cess. That vision many times focuses onparticular highlights that stand out - afour-tier wedding cake, flower-embel-lished aisle and guest tables - the prin-cess gown. The beginning of planningis the perfect time to dissect your wed-

ding into categories - the must haves,

the want to haves and the like to haves.

By looking over your list, it is manytimes possible to eliminate some of this

less important like to haves in order to

make the must haves a reality. Here aresome tips on ways to reduce your bud-

get: Photography: dont ever skimp onphotos. At the end of the day, it is allyou have left. however, a 10-hour pho-tography package is not necessary inmost cases either. Break your day down

See ESTES, pg. 8

WaltHester.com / Courtesy Photo

Proper planning of the wedding day leaves plenty of time for the extras, such as the

dance.


The wedding cake is the centerpiece of

the post ceremony festivities.

866-577-0170www.Rolls-RoyceWeddings.com [email protected]

Elegant Mountain Lodge (Panorama)On The Shores Of Beautiful

Lake Estes In Estes Park, Colorado

For High Quality, Smaller Weddings & Elopements

At An Affordable Price ($1,900)

WeddingSiteEstesParkWeddingSite

iSpectacular

Includes: private usage of lodge for 3 hours/officiant services/digital photography/coffee, cake service/bride and

groom photo tour around Lake Estes in classic Roll-Royce convertible


es esestesestes


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es esestesestes from page 7 from page 7 from page 7into Album Worthy photos - the cere-mony, family photos, romantics of thetwo of you, wedding party photos andreception highlights such as cake cut-ting, toast, first dance and father/

daughter mother/son dances are mostimportant. This is the time to hire aphotographer - and if you timeline thoseshots, a 3-4 hour photography packageis typically sufficient. For the Non Al-

um Worthy but still want to haveshots - delegate your friend with thenew camera to be there for the gettingready shots, the driving the ceremonyshots, and the reception shots thatwhile fun to have, typically dont make it

into the album, i.e. the Im on my sev-enth cocktail and now watch my moveson the dance floor images. Scrap the favors: endless hoursand budget busters come from weddingavors ... the wrapped candies that litter

the reception tables or engraved picturerames that end up in the junk drawer is

a prime part of your budget dollars thatcan better be allocated to those must

aves.

Entertainment: if your wedding ismore intimate and dancing isnt a major

priority to your reception plan, considerrenting a sound system that includes amicrophone and the invaluable iPodhookup. Create playlists of your favoritesongs for dinner background music, the

important first dance, father/daughter,mother/son and wedding party dancethen switch to the dance all night play-list and let it show off its own shuffle.For important announcements delegatea master or mistress of ceremonies whocan gather everyones attention for thecake cutting, toasts, etc. however, If thetwo of you are big into entertainmentand plan to dance the night away, hav-ing a professional DJ or band should re-

main on that must have list. Hidden Talents: your wedding isthe perfect time to harness the creativ-ity of your family and friends who are

willing to lend a helping hand. Creatingcaptivating table arrangements or even

your wedding party flowers can be acinch for someone with the right touch,and with todays spectacular choices oflatex and silk flowers, these can bedone weeks in advance. Bakers in your

inner circle can create tasty and crea-tive wedding cakes - for insurance on

the structure of that multi-tiered cakeconsider a cake stand with multi tiersrather than doing a stacked wedding

cake that requires lots of experience increating and securing in place. The sim-plest of cakes can be the most beautiful

when accented with flowers. All Inclusive Packages: planning a

wedding from a distance - or even fromdown the street - can be a harrowingand time consuming experience whenhaving to deal with multiple vendors.Finding a company who specializes inall-inclusive packages (Marry Me In

Colorado) can eliminate the need to in-terview, sample, preview portfolios andendless hours laboring over different

websites to select from multiple choicesof coordinators, officiates, photogra-phers, florists, bakers, musicians andmore by finding a reputable company

who has all of those professional gemswrapped into one nice package. Itmeans less phone calls, less time, andless stress.

Reception Site Alternatives: EstesPark is filled with numerous hiddengems to consider as your reception site.

While the natural instinct of couples isto visit the larger and more commonlyknown venues, if your wedding is onthe intimate size you have a whole

world of options to consider. Restau-rants in Estes Park are always anxiousto host wedding dinners for patrons.

There are restaurants on the river walk

that give your guests the treat of ambi-ance as well as food that is prepared in arestaurant setting versus a banquet as-sembly line. Private homes are also

abundant in Estes Park for day or week-ly rentals that in many cases have bothoutdoor areas as well as ample indoor

settings for receptions. Whether youhire a caterer or opt to provide yourown food, your bar expenses will re-duce ten fold by purchasing your ownalcohol and you will slash your budgetby combining your guests accommoda-tions and your reception setting in oneof these beautiful homes. Wedding Site Alternatives: while astunning view from the back yard of ahistorical property is a beautiful cere-

mony site, it can be a very costly one.Consider the ultimate cathedral with anoutdoor ceremony in one of EstesParks hidden treasures - Rocky Moun-tain National Park. The National ParkService offers ceremony sites for $150and range from intimate elopements for2 to 150 guests. Specific locations withinthe park are specified based on thenumber of guests. For larger weddingsconsider the Moraine Park Amphithe-

ater or picnic area at Lily Lake. Citysites such as the Estes Park Marina andPavilion and county parks as well as amultitude of smaller lodging venuesbased on the river are another optionfor an affordable site for a romantic out-door ceremony. Be sure to look into allof the necessary permits required forthese sites, and ensure that your com-mercial professionals - such as photog-raphers, Officiants and Transportation

Companies, etc. - are required to be li-censed directly by the National ParkService to work and photograph wed-dings in Rocky Mountain National Park.


Estes Park offers many venues for that special day.


Three cant-miss ideas for fall wedding planning


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Three can t-miss ideas for fall wedding planningTake advantage of theseason


When you think of primewedding months do Mayand June spring to mind?You might be surprised to

earn that October and November arealso popular months for nuptials. Whenyou realize autumn brings not only cool-er weather, but less busy caterers orwedding venues, the seasons appeal iseasy to understand.

Whether youre finalizing plans for awedding this fall or planning ahead forautumn 2012, youll be looking for ideasto add seasonal spice to your big day.From fall wedding decoration ideas toseasonally appropriate menu sugges-tions, here are some trends to consideror your fall wedding.

Alfresco and all natural

Many brides cash in on falls ample

sunshine and cooler temperatures byolding their weddings outside, says

Ray Miller of My Wedding ReceptionIdeas.com. An outdoor wedding cele-brates the season and plays to anotherpopular trend eco-awareness.

In many areas of the country, autumnbrings less heat and rain. Plus, sayingyour I dos outside, surrounded by

falls vibrant hues, makes Mother Na-ture your co-decorator.

If youre considering having yourwedding outside, dont overlook unusu-al venues. Municipal parks, nationalparks, botanical gardens, fruit orchardsand even zoos can all be fun and inter-esting places for a wedding.

Seasonal decor

and accessoriesThe colors and spirit of fall can also

inspire your accessories and decor. Rus-tic materials and touches like raffia,twigs and straw can add seasonal flair todecorations. Leaf motifs and autumnalhues can be used to adorn everythingfrom cake cutting sets and table linensto table centerpieces and slipcovers.

You can even tie your theme to fall

holidays like Halloween or Thanksgiv-ing. Leaf-shaped votive holders, person-

al-size pumpkins and other Halloweenwedding favor ideas can add seasonallyappropriate fun to your celebration.

Remarkable menus

A fall wedding also opens up opportu-nities to create memorable menus thatplay on the flavors of the season. Just asspring and summer wedding menusbenefit from the seasons fresh produce,you can incorporate the fruits of the fallharvest into your autumn nuptials.

Fall vegetables like pumpkin, butter-nut squash, beets, carrots and rutaba-

gas can be served slow-roasted for aside dish that capitalizes on the sea-sons most colorful and nutritious offer-ings. Greens such as spinach, endiveand celery root come into season in au-tumn and can be incorporated intosoups and salads for a pop of flavor andvitamins.

Main course choices also open up infall, when great game comes in season.Replacing boring beef with venison ormundane chicken with pheasant notonly puts a seasonal stamp on a menu,but creates a culinary experience wed-ding guests will remember.

Courtesy ARA Content

www.jubilationscatering.cominfo@ jubilationscatering.com

Full service catering in Estes Park

JUBILATIONSCATERING

BRISTLECONEINN

Elegant Events & Intimate Celebrations

[email protected]

970-586-4370215VirginiaDr.,EstesPark

&

P ho to b y D av e Ru ss el l Ph ot og ra ph y Ph ot o b y S us an A rm it ag e P ho to gr ap hy


Outdoor settings can bring the vibrant hues from Mother Nature into the fold.


Considering a destination wedding?


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Considering a destination wedding?Advice to help a coupledecide


The number of American coupleschoosing destination weddings

has tripled in the last 10 yearsand the trend continues to grow.

The notion of a wedding ceremony thatcombines the allure of travel, a wonder-

ful, maybe exotic location, and an ex-tended celebration with family and

friends . . . well . . . whats not to love?

While destination weddings have defi-

nitely captured the imagination ofAmerican couples, what exactly does

the term mean? Put simply, a destina-tion wedding takes place away fromhome, it involves travel, and it usuallyextends beyond one day. At the sametime, because of the travel element, adestination wedding can be more com-plicated to plan than a hometown mar-riage ceremony.

Lisa Light, founder and CEO of Desti-nation Bride (destinationbride.com), a

New York wedding and internationalevents planning company that special-izes in destination weddings, is perhapsthe foremost authority on destinationweddings. She has just published thefirst comprehensive book on the sub-

ject, Destination Bride: A CompleteGuide to Planning Your Wedding Any-where in the World (North LightBooks, January 2006). This invaluableresource offers a step-by-step descrip-tion of the planning process, with sug-gestions, tips, and advice along the way,as well as practical, area-specific inform-ation about wedding resources and ven-ues in over 50 regions worldwide.

But, are destination weddings for ev-eryone? Lisa Light has outlined some ofthe common considerations concerningdestination weddings and suggestsdoing the following exercise as a cou-ple:

With destination weddings, the pos-sibilities are endless. Does this give youa giddy the world is our oyster! feel-ing or a daunting, overwhelmed feel-ing?

See DESTINATION, pg. 11

[email protected]

Call (970) 586-5151

Transportation

for You andYour Guests:

Hotels toWedding Sites

RehearsalDinners

Discounts forAirport Shuttle


Destination weddings can provide unique memories - along with stunning settings.

Year-Round Mountain WeddingssHosting Brides and Grooms for Over 50 Years

3 Beautiful Wedding Sites: Mountaintop,Chapel or Meadow.Complete Rehearsal Dinner& Reception Facilities.Renew Your Vows, Celebrate

Your Anniversary!

475 Peaceful Valley Road Lyons, CO 80540 on the Peak-to-Peak Hwy.303-747-2881 Peacefulvalley.com email: [email protected]

On-Site Lodging forUp To 130 Guests.


destinationdestinationdestination f 10f 10f 10


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destinationdestinationdestination from page 10 from page 10 from page 10 A destination wedding promises amemorable experience. Either youdont mind facing the unexpected, andunforgettable is just what youre look-ing for . . . or youd rather control every

aspect of the experience rather thanrisk the wrong kind of memorable!

A destination wedding is often alonger celebration than at home, lastinga few days. You and your chosen onelove the notion of spending some timeaway together! On the other hand, youmay feel that one day is plenty for thegroup portion of the festivities.

A destination wedding typically in-volves fewer guests. You are eitherokay with the idea of having only yourclosest family and friends, or you wontfeel as though its really a wedding with-out your fourth-grade school bus driveror second cousin there to share the fun.

Because of the travel factor, a desti-nation wedding typically is more chal-lenging to plan. You see the difficultiesof planning as a fair price to pay for a

once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Or, your fo-cus is already beyond the wedding;youd prefer a simple ceremony and lesshassle.

Lisa further suggests that after a cou-ple has thought through some of theforegoing questions, they should askthe must-haves on their prospectiveguest list whether they would be agree-able to the idea of a destination wed-

ding.With the pros and cons considered,

and the guests on board, the answer tothe question Is a destination weddingreally right for you? may well be yes!

In any case, according to Light, a des-tination wedding can be a wonderful ad-venture. When you combine the allureof travel, a remarkable occasion, and anextraordinary cause for celebration,

she says, the mix is rich with meaning,memories, and opportunities for bond-ing.

Courtesy BNN (Bridal News Network)


Destination weddings offer new settings for many traditions.

Estes Park Stories

You Need to Know.

Whenever and WhereverWhe

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Estes Park Mountain Weddings

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