Sometimes just a handful of lovely details, put together with thoughtfulness and restraint can make for a perfectly pulled together wedding. Here Teaira and Steven incorporated sweet rustic details for their red barn wedding. Teaira also dispenses some fabulous hindsight wedding advice. My Favorite: “A wedding is a party, not a performance.”
Teaira + Steven
Sep 19, 2013
Evergreen, Colorado
Why a Mountain wedding?
Honestly, we weren’t after a mountain wedding, we were after a red barn. It just so happens that my MOH lives in Evergreen and happened to know of a red barn there. Steven and I went and looked at it, after looking at a few other red barns, and decided before we got home that The Meadows at Marshdale was the place for us. We called the next day and booked it!
Where did I find my inspiration?
PINTEREST! How did people plan weddings before that site! I knew that I wanted a fun wedding. We weren’t about inviting everyone and their neighbor for gifts or to show off, we just wanted the people that cared about us to be there to celebrate such a special occasion! A laid back country theme seemed perfect. I was able to make it relaxing yet beautiful!
My favorite moment of the day?
The day went by so fast. I honestly don’t remember all of it, or even most of it. I do remember standing at the alter with Steven and telling myself not to fidget. I greatly enjoyed being there with him at that moment however my favorite part was probably Steven and I sitting on the floor of our hotel room in our pajamas and sharing a sandwich.
Three things I’m glad I did?
- I’m glad I had my MOH’s mother as a stand in day of planner. From what I hear, she really kept things the way I wanted them and made sure my day was as imagined!
- I’m SO glad I didn’t wear heals and tested out my boots beforehand! I was able to keep my boots on all day with no pain at all!
- I’m glad we had a smaller wedding so that we were able to see everyone and didn’t have to spend our whole night doing so.
Anything I wish I hadn’t done?
It flooded exactly one week before our wedding, I know I can’t control the weather but I wish I would have known and planned our wedding the week BEFORE the flood. We had outdoor games and it was just too cold to go out and play for to long.
What was the best piece of wedding advice I got?
I read somewhere “A wedding is a party, not a performance. If, at the end of the day, you’re married to the one you love then everything went perfectly!” I couldn’t agree more!
What piece of wedding advice do I wish I had followed?
I really didn’t receive that much advice BUT people told me from the start to not plan a wedding and just go on an awesome honeymoon. Had you asked me the day of the wedding, I would have said that is what we should have done however looking back, all of the hard work planning our wedding was totally worth it!
Anything I wish I hadn’t worried about?
My husbands BM is a total goofball. Put them together and they are both totally crazy and wildly inappropriate. I was very worried that Jason would be this way on our wedding day and took great measures to tell him he better behave. He was amazing! I should have trusted him a little more, he wouldn’t have done anything to ruin that day for my husband.
Anything I wish I would have known sooner rather than later?
I don’t think there is. I planned every detail of our wedding with the help of a wedding planning book. I am SO glad I came across that book, it was a complete day saver. It had details that I never would have thought of so I was able to stay on top of the game and get things done on time!
How did I choose my Vendors?
I choose my vendors mainly because of location. Our cake was through The Village Patisserie who happens to be, basically, in The Meadows at Marshdales back yard. Dave and Sara are AMAZING and our cake was out of this world! They make a new top layer for our first anniversary and we can’t wait! At first I was going to do my own floral arrangements but as we got closer and closer to the day I worried more and more about getting it done. My MOH’s mother found a florist who happened to be two doors down from our cake place, Hearts in Bloom. Judy was amazing and did all of my flowers as well as a lot of set up for just slightly more than what I would have paid to do it myself PLUS she took so much stress off of me! We just ordered sandwiches from Panera and my husband picked them up on his way to the venue. It worked out well, we made salads and the sandwiches came with chips. It was kind up like an upscale picnic.
What is the best advice to other Mountain Brides?
Tell your guests to bring a jacket!!! Remember, this is your day! Have people who agree help you plan, however, if something doesn’t turn out perfect, you probably won’t remember anyway. You won’t have much time to eat during the wedding so make sure you bring food with you to your hotel or wherever you plan to stay that night.
Colorado Wedding Vendors
Photographer: Dash Photography // Cake Designer: Bee Sweet Bakery // Floral Designer: Hearts in Bloom Flowers // Reception Venue: The Meadows at Marshdale //
Bonus: wedding vendor Notes from the bride
Joe Dobrota was our officiant. He runs The Meadows at Marshdale so he was going to be there already. He put some of “us” into out ceremony, it was perfect!
The Village Patisserie who made an amazing cake, both in taste and presentation!!
Hearts in Bloom, Judy was literally a day saver. I am forever grateful for her and her help. Plus I had the best looking flowers EVER!
I found my DJ and photographer through Wedding bug. They didn’t have much contact with me but once Ryan Hickey (DJ) and Autumn Lee (photographer) got a hold of me, those two were awesome! I forgot Autumn was even there, she flows so smoothly with her photography and she got some amazing photos! Ryan kept my guests entertained without needing anything from me and that was such a relief!
Overall I was extremely happy with my vendors. They made the day what it was!
I planned 98% of my wedding myself and executed almost as much. I am a huge fan of being organized so I knew what I wanted before I did anything. Steven and I stamped and put together favors, painted signs, roller silverware, put name tags on jars, and planned where everything was going to go… then I drew diagrams and put together a “go to” book. I was very ready for this wedding!