Cassie and David's Snow Filled Outdoor Winter Wedding in Colorado by Sam Murch Photography

It may be warming up a bit here in the UK now spring is around the corner but over in Colorado it is still winter and the mountains are full of snow. Cassie and David were married this time last year and they really did make the most of the stunning Colorado views and used them as the most beautiful backdrop for their outdoor winter wedding. The idea of the decoration was not to draw attention away form the scenery around them, so they kept the flowers minimalistic and modern. However it’s their pert dog who acted as ring bearer who really stole the show and really added something to their portrait shots. I love the cosy aspects of this wedding from the candle filled tables to the soft fur rugs. Big thanks to Sam Murch Photography for these lovely photos.

The wedding day went by entirely too fast, I know so many people say this, but I truly wish I could rewind and re-live the day more slowly and take in every single detail. It was the most beautiful mix of the usual – waking up together, taking care of our dog, getting ready with our loved ones – and the spectacular – all of our favourite people under one roof (and on one balcony), delicious dinner, dancing the night away, and a night cap at a local dive.

Cassie and David were married on 16th March 2024 at The Peaks Resort & Spa, Telluride, Colorado. ‘Given we were doing a late winter/early Spring wedding in Colorado at the end of March and had the majority of our guests flying in from out of state, we wanted to wow our guests with a gorgeous and hospitable ski town where we could spend 3-4 fun filled days together. We had 108 guests. As for the planning, we took a little bit of time to enjoy being engaged and the holidays, but once we decided on an early Spring wedding in a ski town the planning went pretty quickly. We narrowed down venues to our top 2, and once we selected one, we had about 8 months to iron out the details. Our planner, Krysta, helped us make the big decisions early on so that we didn’t feel overwhelmed as the date approached.’

How they met
We met in 8th grade, David’s cousin was Cassie’s best friend. We rode jet skis and flirted and then spent the next 3 years as friends.

The proposal
We spent a number of winters skiing in Park City together, but the first trip there was extra special. David coordinated with Cassie’s sisters on a trip nearly 10 years later re-creating some of the details of that first visit – dinner at the downstairs Asian fusion restaurant, a quick Guinness at the Irish pub, and an ascent back up the ~250 stairs back to the house. He popped the question about 2/3 of the way back up while catching our breath and caught me by complete surprise. Back at the house the rest of the crew had confetti bombs and nice champagne on ice to celebrate, then back down into town sporting ugly Christmas sweaters (it was Dec 15th).

How did you allocate your budget?
We tried to be very intentional about how to spend our budget, eliminating some of the wedding traditions that didn’t hold as much personal meaning to us while leaning into others. For example, in lieu of a massive wedding cake and the cake cutting tradition, we opted for self-serve cheesecake boards adjacent to the dance floor. We re-purposed the florals surrounding the wedding “altar” inside for the reception. Instead of bringing on a full band, we opted for a DJ/Saxophonist who were INCREDIBLE. We brought in some of our own decor but splurged on upscale wine and cocktails, and our pre-wedding spiked hot chocolate mugs doubled as our guest gifts.

How did you choose your photographer?
We reached out to a couple of the photographers in the area who our planner recommended, and immediately could tell that we clicked with one. On a visit to the venue, we carved out time on the way home to meet with Sam who wanted to take time to get to know us as a couple, what was important to us, and how we wanted the day to go. She was exceptional and so many guests the day of commented on what a good communicator she was – organized and efficient while still being her charming self.

The dress
Bride – Dress was off the rack from a cute boutique in Littleton Colorado called The Green Bride They were awesome, And I would imagine readers of Boho Weddings would love.
Pearl booties from Betsy Johnson. Everyday jewelry but added some gold and pearl drop earrings. Found a gorgeous fur stole from a local vintage shop in Denver.
Groom – Suit was Indochino
Bridesmaids – Each selected their own long silky black dresses with matching faux furs.

Theme or colour scheme
For the aesthetic, we wanted the stunning backdrop to speak for itself and to focus on minimalistic pops of warmth and beauty with the goal being comfort. We kept with soft neutrals and pops of terracotta and coppers.

Flowers
There was a wide range of winter/spring blooms blended with touches of protea. Florals such as hyacinth, hellebores, white/blushing narcissus, varying roses, with a small pop of privet berries. A small amount of greens were incorporated for a bit of a natural feel.

Decoration
There was a large focus on the warmth of candles and faux fur throws. Touches of greenery and bud vases kept the overall aesthetic romantic.

What did you eat?
PASSED HORS D’OEUVRES
Ponzu Tuna / sashimi grade ahi marinated in yuzu and tamari soy w/ cucumber (some on wonton chips)
Colorado Elk Tenderloin / Balsamic and blackberry marinated Colorado elk w/ fresh berry salsa
Creole Shrimp and Grits / pan seared shrimp in creole spiced cream w/ cheddar grits
SALAD
Spinach & Pear Salad / baby spinach / seasonal pears / goat cheese / pecans/ balsamic dressing / sweet chili / clover honey
ENTREES (choice)
Smoke Rubbed Tenderloin / smoke and spice rubbed filet / charred broccolini / garlic sour cream mashed potatoes / port wine demi-glace
Pan Seared Salmon / farro pilaf / charred asparagus / lemon aruga salad / citrus dressing
Sweet Potato Gnocchi / fresh bruschetta cream (vegetarian)
DESSERT
New York Style Cheesecake / classic style cheese cake / bourbon caramel sauce / spiced chocolate w/ salted pecans / brandy peach compote

Entertainment
DJ Techjitsu kept the energy level high throughout the evening. He was accompanied by a live saxophone player, Dave Camp, from the Stu Miller Band. Hipster Mama Productions crafted the incredible collaboration.

Who supplied the stationery?
We did everything digitally, we loved using the Appy Couple app!

Where did you go on your honeymoon?
We waited 3 months and then honeymooned in Hawaii, splitting time between Kauai and Maui

Personal touches
In order to both save money and also stay authentic to my style, I loaded up the car with a bunch of decor from home (faux fur rugs and throws, vases, Aesop room spray, etc) as well as vintage skis and boots that were family heirlooms.

Special moments
One of my favourite memories for the day was sitting with my 3 bridesmaids at brunch at the restaurant overlooking the ceremony terrace. Krysta and the crew were out there meticulously arranging and re-arranging the furniture and fire pits to come up with the perfect comfy/casual setting. It started lightly snowing and just felt so magical and this culmination of planning for something uniquely just for us. We really felt understood and supported and seeing Krysta drive the ship with a smile on her face reminded me how lucky we were to have worked with her.
Also, our dog was the ring bearer. She trotted down to us with the rings and then frolicked around with guests for the rest of the ceremony.

Advice for other couples
Stay true to what is meaningful/valuable to you as a couple instead of trying to replicate what you think a wedding is supposed to be. If you have trouble pinpointing what those features might be, go back through weddings you’ve been to together and recap the most memorable parts of your favorites to get a sense of what stands out. Divide and conquer!

Biggest surprise
Looking down and realizing I’d left my engagement ring at the spa (oops). Kidding… We wrote our own vows and I think we both surprised each other by what we came up with when we put pen to paper recapping our 20+ year relationship and articulating promises to each other as witnessed by our friends and family.