Jan 6, 20232 min read

Destination Wedding in Vail, Colorado

Updated: Mar 19

She's from New York and he's from Europe, and they moved across the US to San Francisco for work. Seeking a central location for friends and family members to join them at their wedding, they decided on Colorado. They said Vail had all of their favorite things to do in one place. Destination weddings are a great way to force people to take a vacation. I mean that in the best way, because what's better than a reception full of guests, than a reception full of guests on vacation?! This wedding had an epic party after their ceremony, and it was so much fun to photograph!

Before we get to the reception, I have to stop and tell you about their Wedding Island. Yes, an island in the middle of land-locked Colorado. Our bride walked over a bridge to join her husband-to-be on a secluded island, surrounded by a lake, pine trees, and one of the most gorgeous backdrops I have seen. Snow, Grand Traverse, Buffalo, and Red Peaks dazzle in the background. I have no idea if Red Peak is named after the hue it takes on during sunset or if that is a coincidence, but it truly is this amazing red beacon of a mountain that made all of our jaws drop. I want to applaud the Vail Nordic and Golf Center for aligning their wedding aisle with these peaks in the background- it looked like a fairytale.

Choreographed First Dance, toasts that roasted our bride and groom in the funniest way, ice cream instead of cake, and breakdancing. Their goal was to throw a wedding and reception party that represented how they live their lives: fun and full of adventure! Each of their table settings was dedicated to a place they had traveled to together. The Nordic Center represented their love of skiing, and in fact, that's how he proposed. They skied out of a helicopter and then he pulled out a ring on the slopes!

It all was so perfectly personal to their relationship, and all the fun they like to have with the people they care about. When you're thinking about the kind of wedding you want to have, I wouldn't worry about "traditional" versions, and think about YOUR version! This is your chance to celebrate your love and joy, and do it the way you want to remember it!

P.S. I'm going to put a link at the bottom for the Dj who moonlights as a breakdancer. He'll surely get everyone up on their feet (or off of them-if you're spinning on your head)!