Erin + Matt
June 03, 2012
Estes Park, Colorado
There is something completely classic about Colorado mountains weddings. Maybe it’s just me. My first time away from home was when I moved to Colorado, and I learned to snowboard in Crested Butte. You could say I have a soft spot for Colorado. But what makes this wedding amazing, besides the gorgeous location and charming details, is the Hindsight Advice. Here’s a teaser:
- Don’t stress about the details.
- Don’t go into debt to pay for your wedding
- Spend time with your husband
See why Erin chose those pieces of advice. Scroll down… AND, Erin also has the cutest lifestyle blog, complete with home inspiration and DIY projects. Check it out: http://www.magentaandlime.blogspot.com/
Why a Mountain Wedding?
Matthew (my husband) and I both grew up along the front range in Colorado, and knew that having our wedding midst the beautiful surroundings of Estes Park would be the perfect setting. Everything about the mountains, the trees, the wildlife, the feeling of peace, was exactly what we wanted our wedding day to be.
Where did you find your inspiration?
Initially, we found inspiration from simply growing up near the Rockies. Then, when the planning began, I found a ton of inspiration in wedding magazines specific to Colorado, and mountain weddings, and of course, on Pinterest. We wanted to keep our wedding simple, and did so with minimal decorations, and a rustic feel.
Our colors were dark purple and an olive/sage green, which worked well since my favorite color is purple and my husband’s favorite color is green.
For our ceremony itself, we wanted it to be intimate, with about 60 guests, and centered around our relationship together, and our relationship with God in our marriage. Our reception was simple with a delicious dinner, and spending time with our loving family and friends. I personally found inspiration from my Aunt and Uncle’s wedding about 5 years ago. It was so beautiful, and their love for each other, and their love for God shined through the day. I was just 18 years old, but at that moment, I knew that was exactly what I wanted in a wedding, and more importantly in my marriage.
Three things you wish you had done?
- I wish I had asked someone to take more pictures at the rehearsal and the morning of my wedding. I have a few from rehearsal, but I don’t have any from the moments I shared with my family and my bridesmaids before the craziness of getting ready began (where the fantastic Andy Sams took so many great pictures). I would love to have pictures of us eating the delicious breakfast my parents made us, and chatting with my grandparents about my future. My Advice: Ask one of your bridesmaids (or a few of them) to snap some photos of the morning of your wedding, when everything is still calm, to capture those sweet moments.
- I wish I had remembered everything to take on the honeymoon! We both left our toiletries in the cabins we stayed at before the wedding, and had to buy travel sizes at the airport the next day. I thought I had it all together, and I’m usually pretty organized, but there is nothing like the fast pace that you feel when you are about to get your dress on and walk out the door to your wedding. My Advice: Make a list of the things that you will need to have in your luggage for the honeymoon (especially those items like toiletries, phone charger, etc. that you will use the day of your wedding) and ask someone, like a bridesmaid to help you remember to double check everything. It is a hassle to spend all that extra money on tiny versions of shampoo that aren’t right for your hair anyway, but what the airport had.
- I wish I had more water that day. I wasn’t passing out or anything, but I definitely felt a bit dehydrated, and I think if I would have been more hydrated, I wouldn’t have felt as exhausted at the end of the day. My Advice: Have a water bottle with you the whole time during the day before your wedding. I have found that when I have one of those insulated cups/bottles with a straw, I tend to drink a lot more water.
Three things you wish you hadn’t worried about?
- Overall, I tried to stay calm about this wedding, and the worrying was kept to a minimum. There were days in the planning process where I was stressed about the timeline, or where everyone was going to stay, but that was not too often.
What is your very best hindsight advice?
- Don’t stress out about the details. I will tell you now that all those things you worried about: the centerpieces, the flowers, making sure the purple is the exact shade it’s supposed to be…they won’t matter. When you walk down that aisle and see your husband-to-be and then marry him, You. Will. Not. Care. You will be so focused on your marriage, and the love from your family and friends, that it won’t matter.
- Don’t go into debt to pay for your wedding. Having a big, glamorous wedding would be amazing, but I have so many other dreams that require money, too. Spending a whole ton of money and blowing through your savings account, or piling on a load of debt is not something I would ever recommend. We had a relatively small budget for our wedding, and I’m so glad we did not go overboard. But even so, sometimes I wish we hadn’t spent as much as we did. It’s a beautiful day, and a beautiful celebration, but it’s still just one day. I would so much rather have the money for our life, and for our marriage, than for expensive flowers, or a designer gown.
- Spend time with your husband. Your wedding day is about a commitment between you and your husband, and yet it seems so often at most weddings, the bride and groom spend very little time together. Matthew and I made a priority to spend time together. We had a sweetheart table for our dinner, and it was so great to sit together and enjoy our day as a couple. We weren’t always right next to each other, as we would make rounds to see all of our guests, but having the time just the two of us was perfect.
- Enjoy your day. Take in every moment; it will go by so fast. But, if things go wrong, try not to get too upset about it. Laugh it off, give your hubby a kiss and think about all the wonderful things that did go right!
Team Wedding
- Photographer:PAndy Sams Photography
- Venue: YMCA of the Rockies
- Cake: Schmidt’s Bakery
- Bridesmaids Dresses: Davids Bridal