One Couple's Personalized Summer Wedding in Colorado

Lauren and Shane

When Lauren and Shane both registered for the same Supply Chain Management class in college, she was smitten from the start and decided to pursue him. "I asked Shane out on a few dates and he always seemed to have a reason to decline," Lauren recalls. But on the third attempt, he said yes to her invite to a local craft beer bar. They enjoyed a bottle of La Folie sour ale and the rest is history. And since hindsight is 20/20, Shane kicked himself a bit. "I can't believe I turned Lauren down on two dates!" he says.

They graduated the following semester, moved to New York, and got jobs in the financial services industry. After dating for a few years, Shane asked Lauren to join him for drinks. This time she was the one making things difficult—she was slated to host a book club that night, wanted to attend a spin class, and needed to prep a poster for her sister's run in the upcoming marathon. But she agreed to one drink if Shane promised to help her when they got back to the apartment.

But the drink was just the start. Afterwards, the couple was discussing a possible staycation that fall. They were debating between the hotel whose bar they had just visited or another option in a different neighborhood. Lauren was leaning towards the latter, but Shane suggested they get a pamphlet for the former. The front desk staff said they didn't have any brochures, but could show the duo a room if that helped. So up they went. When they entered the room, Lauren turned around to see some items on a table, and that's when Shane asked her to sit and open a gift. It was only then that Lauren realized what was happening. Shane had remembered a conversation years prior where Lauren said a custom boyfriend sweatshirt was a cute engagement present, and he made her one with Mrs. and his last name on it. He also brought a bottle of the beer they'd shared on their first date, plus an engagement ring. The whole proposal had taken Shane about a month-and-a-half to orchestrate, but it all worked out. She said yes, and 21 months later, on August 5, 2017, they became husband and wife.

They took to the mountains for their big day, picking Blackstone Rivers Ranch in Idaho Springs, Colorado—just a 40 minute drive from downtown Denver. "I always envisioned a Colorado wedding outdoors, particularly in the mountains," Shane explains. Light summer tones (soft pink, pale yellow, peach, and white) played up the natural beauty of the scenery, and with their 110 guests, Lauren and Shane celebrated in style—and with plenty of beer.

01 of 18

The Invitation

From the beginning, Lauren knew that the stationery was going to be a big deal for her. "I love anything paper and invites set the tone for the event," she says. She found Carolyn Jane Design and they decided on a traditional layout with a map and response card. A custom crest sporting the couple's initials and wedding date was first introduced at the top. All pieces in the suite were letterpressed with blue ink on double-thick paper.

26 Monogram Wedding Ideas We Love

02 of 18

The Attire

Shane stepped out of the box a bit and wore a blue tuxedo and shirt from Knot Standard, while Lauren donned an ethereal lace-and-tulle Watters gown from Anna Be.

The couple met in a private, wooded area with wildflowers for their first look—Shane's favorite moment of the entire day. "It was the first time I saw her that day and it was nice to be able to experience that between just the two of us," he says. "It definitely helped me to relax before the ceremony."

5 First Look Videos That Will Give You All the Feels

03 of 18

A Pretty Updo

bride hair low bun clip — Ashley Sawtelle

Since Lauren's dress was not incredibly formal, she did her hair in a loose chignon accessorized with a headpiece by Davie and Chiyo.

10 Ways to Upgrade Your Wedding Updo

04 of 18

The Bridal Bouquet

Park Floral Design created Lauren's bouquet in soft, summery tones, using roses, ranunculus, berries, and greenery.

05 of 18

In Her Shoes

Given the varied terrain at the venue, Lauren knew she needed a manageable wedding shoe, so she opted for a block heel Loeffler Randall sandal. The tassels on the straps served as her "something blue."

06 of 18

The Bridesmaids

bridesmaids pink dresses — Ashley Sawtelle

Bridesmaids chose their own blush pink gowns from a mix of designers, and all carried bouquets tied in trailing blue silk ribbons, just like Lauren's.

07 of 18

The Ceremony

wedding ceremony outdoor — Ashley Sawtelle

The late afternoon ceremony took place nestled among the evergreens, with Lauren's brother-in-law officiating. The bride and groom opted to exchange traditional vows but wrote letters to one another and shared them during the service. They also participated in a letter box ceremony, where they placed letters (and some beer) in a box to be read on their first anniversary.

Two floral arrangements in urns, on cement risers, framed the couple.

08 of 18

Cocktail Hour

Guests ventured down to a riverside spot for cocktail hour, where they enjoyed bacon-wrapped chorizo-stuffed dates, burrata crostini, Spanish shrimp tapas, lamb kubideh with raita, and fruit and cheese boards.

Chris Webb played folk and singer-songwriter songs on his acoustic guitar.

09 of 18

Signature Sips

lauren and shane cocktail signage — Ashley Sawtelle

Two specialty cocktails—a Greyhound (the couple's signature drink when entertaining guests at home) and a Salty Dog (the bride loves a spicy beverage)—were on offer. Shane made the sign that outlined the choices.

10 His and Hers Cocktails to Inspire Your Own Signature Drink

10 of 18

Drink Details

Coasters reading "Please Don't Take My Drink I'm Dancing" were ordered from Sip Hip Hooray. Swizzle sticks from Uniquely Printed featured the couple's names and wedding date in gold.

30 Cute Wedding Coasters & Napkins

11 of 18

The Seating Display

wedding seating cloche — Ashley Sawtelle

A Vintage Affair Events and Park Floral Design teamed up on this unique take on a seating chart. Assorted garden roses were arranged under glass cloches calligraphed by table and displayed vertically on a light gray backdrop.

25 Ideas for the Prettiest Calligraphed Escort Cards

12 of 18

A Closer Look

Taryn Eklund hand lettered table names in script and guests' names in a block type.

25 Unique Wedding Seating Charts to Guide Guests to Their Tables

13 of 18

The Reception Tables

Dinner was set in the sailcloth tent along the river and a near grove of Aspen trees. Immediate family members and the wedding party sat at long rows of farm tables, with the rest of the guests seated at round tables around the dance floor. The long tables were draped with an airy runner and set with light wood chairs.

14 of 18

The Table Details

floral centerpiece place setting — Ashley Sawtelle

Pops of blue, by way of taper candles and the ticking-stripe napkins, livened up the tables. Table numbers were painted on to rocks and tied into the river rocks at the location. Menus were printed on vellum and outlined the meal, which began with a salad of spinach, arugula, dried cranberries, pepitas, chevre, and sherry vinaigrette.

15 of 18

Everybody Dance Now

The couple kicked off the party with their first dance to "Crazy Love" by Van Morrison. Lauren then danced to London Music Works' version of "Tale as Old as Time" with her dad while Shane chose James Taylor's "You've Got a Friend" for his spin on the dance floor with his mother. When it came time to end the fun at 11 p.m., Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" sounded.

16 of 18

A Sweets Station

The three-tiered cake had a base of chocolate cake covered with marshmallow buttercream with graham cracker crumbles. The top two tiers were strawberry cake with Champagne buttercream, and barely frosted with gold leaf specks as a fun touch. Fresh flowers and wooden cake toppers in their likeness finished it off. The confection was flanked by pedestals of donut holes on a vintage console.

25 Unique Wedding Cake Toppers

17 of 18

Donuts to Go

In addition to sour beer, donuts have been a big part of Lauren and Shane's relationship. To incorporate them into the festivities, they sourced local donut holes from Denver favorite, LaMar's, and set out paper bags embossed with "A hole lotta love" in calligraphy and the couple's names for guests to take home.

61 Edible Wedding Favors Guests Will Eat Up (Literally!)

18 of 18