Woodsy Colorado Wedding
As soon as we heard that bride Becca was inspired to have her wedding dress designed after the very gown showcased in this shoot from Alea Lovely, we knew we had to share it with you all! With her own brother making up one half of the talented photography duo We Are the Parsons, it was a no-brainer who would capture her wedding day to groom Michael. Read on for some inspiring words and dazzling images:
From the bride, Becca: Because we live in Colorado and had a winter wedding, we wanted to include a lot of elements from nature, but to bring those elements indoors due to the unpredictable weather. Both of us wanted the atmosphere to be as comfortable and down-to-earth as possible, while still being a most special and unique day in our lives.
From day one, we insisted that our wedding day be very ‘us’. As a result, there were a lot of wedding traditions that we chose to forgo, simply because we didn’t want to include things that weren’t of genuine personal meaning to us; however, our goal was still to maintain a reverent, profound, and authentic event as we made this huge commitment to one another.
I’d describe our wedding as whimsical, rustic, warm, natural, collaborative, and full of juxtapositions! (i.e. burlap meets lace, tulle ball-gown meets hiking trails/sticks/bushes/snowy fields, tulle ball-gown meets our Lab mix Gabe, nature meets indoor venue, etc.) Our color palette was full of earth tones, which included greens, browns, champagne, gold, and dusty pink. I liked the way things were soft and blended as opposed to appearing stark or frigid.
Our budget was modest and our engagement was only four months long, so just about everything decorative was a DIY project. This includes the bouquets, which were assembled by bridesmaids and the boutonnieres that were made by Michaels mom and consisted of burlap, buttons, and feathers, all bought at a craft store. The ceremony backdrop frame was constructed from PVC pipe in my old living room with the ribbon and fabric strips each having casings sewn in by my mom and sister. I collected burlap, pinecones, log pieces, sticks, candles, and greenery over the course of our engagement for the table decorations, and the amazingly awesome programs were designed by my best friend and printed at home. We chose to add supplemental lighting for the ceremony from candles and paper lanterns and Christmas lights. All of these projects were spearheaded by us and our family and friends (who all are saints, by the way.) Some of the projects, particularly the gold-dipped, individually-tied feathers, were rather comically tedious to work on; but, in the end, everything meant a lot more to us because of how hard we worked to pull it all off! Our fingerprints were all over our wedding. Plus, it saved us a bunch of money in the long run.
Any advice for brides planning their weddings now? First and foremost, remember that the ultimate outcome of planning a wedding is that you get to marry your best friend and spend the rest of your life with that person, regardless of how the details of your wedding play out! But, in the meantime, have fun with each step of the way. Be respectful with ideas and suggestions that come from other people, but make the decisions that will ultimately mean the most to you. Try to keep a good sense of humor about things. Plans can and will go ‘wrong’, but most guests will never even know. And, when people offer to help you with projects, accept their help!
View all images from this wedding in the gallery
Wedding Music:
Processional: “January Wedding” The Avett Brothers
Recessional: “Helicopter,” Branches
During the ceremony/cord tying: “You Won’t Relent,” Jesus Culture
First Dance: “Hazy,” Rosi Golan and William Fitzsimmons
Dad/Daughter Dance: “You’ll Be In My Heart,” Phil Collins
Mother/Son Dance: “Tears,” by Rush
Wedding Location: Greeley, CO / Photographer: We Are the Parsons / Wedding Venue: Zoe’s Café / Bouquets: Bride and friends / Wedding Dress and Veil: Janay Andrews / Hair and Makeup: Bride’s friends / Groom and Groomsmen’s Attire: H&M / Ceremony Musicians: Annie and Sarah Parsons, Travis Thompson, and Paul Beveridge of Paul Beveridge and Company / Wedding Caterer: Benny’s Kitchen / Desserts: Friends and Family / Wedding Invitations: Video invite by Bride and Groom