Brett and Maggie’s Wedding Story:
Q: Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette? Did you incorporate any cultural or religious traditions in any part of your day?
A: We looked at a lot of places all over Colorado… but when we saw the Schmid Ranch, we immediately fell in love with it! The views at the upper ranch are breathtaking and on top of that, you can see the 14er in the distance where the proposal was! But not only was it great views, the ranch offered what really no other venues we visited could… a lot of time and flexibility with what we wanted to do! We really wanted to be able to camp with our friends and family and truly be able to celebrate without feeling rushed — the ranch allowed us to spend an entire weekend with our friends and family, not just a handful of hours like most places.
Q: Let’s talk wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?
A: The flip side to having a wide open ranch with endless possibilities is that there is a good amount of planning needed, so that was all us… who are we kidding, Maggie was the master planner! If it was cool and had a unique vibe, we wanted to make it happen… the main venue tent was clear (Colorado Party Rentals), so you could see the full moon and stars at night and the DJ lights rocking to the wee hours! (Colorado Wedding Productions). We also set up an area were anyone who wanted to rough the elements and camp with us could, but we also had glamping tents and shower tents set up to keep a touch of those modern comforts (Stout Tents). After that, it was DIY style for what mother nature wasn’t already providing… arbor to say our vows under, screen printed koozies and camping mugs, solar lights, artwork and flowers from friends and family… fire pits, yard games, dogs romping around… oh yeah… and coolers filled to the brim!
Q: What were the florals like in your wedding? Did you use flowers in any of your design elements like the bridal bouquets, centerpieces or ceremony backdrop? Did they play an important part in the overall style of your wedding?
A: Soon to be dead flowers are not our style… and that was not going to survive with us showing up days before the big day… so our solution: potted flowers friends and family grew for our wedding day, and for the bridal party we had wooden flowers made (Sola Flowers)… they looked awesome and everyone is shocked when you tell them that they are made out of wood which you can customize how you want them to look!
Q: Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment etc.)? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
A: With a venue that requires you to plan it all out… the entire thing feels personalized!
Q: Let’s talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look? Describe the looks in detail.
A: We chose what we wanted separately without the other’s input… some color coordination with the bridal party, but really just went for it from there! Brett had a custom suit made for the wedding (Bespoke Edge) and could not have been happier with that choice. Maggie chose a dress that was simple and elegant, nothing too flashy or frilly. She also wore the pearl earrings that were worn by her sister at her own wedding and a special blue anklet that was made by a cousin. Miles (our dog) was also in a tie and collar.
Q: How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.
A: We first met in college, but it wasn’t until a few years after we graduated that we serendipitously ran into each other again… Maggie was hit in her brand new car, so her cousin took her downtown to help take her mind off it; Brett had made last minute plans to go downtown to catch up with a friend… and that is where in a sea of people Brett spotted Maggie… next stop: Uncompahgre Peak where Brett asked Maggie to marry him!
Q: What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
A: We wrote our own vows and Maggie was thinking about saying them for months before and thought about them nearly all day before the ceremony. Brett also thought endlessly about the vows… all day before the ceremony too… the only difference is Maggie was the smart one who wrote them down!
Q: Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?
A: Three things: First, get married in a place that you will look forward to going back to on your anniversary, it should be a special place you want to go back to. Second, have fun at your wedding… do a quick math exercise… the number of minutes you have at your venue… minus all the time you are just with your bridal party… and divide that by the number of guests you have… you only get a handful of minutes with everyone if you are lucky! Eat quick and say a quick hello and thank you, then go enjoy the day! And third, spend money for a good photographer! Weddings are expensive and there are a lot of ways to get creative with costs, but don’t do it here!
Vendors:
Venue: Schmid Family Ranch
Caterer: La Cocina de Luz
DJ: Colorado Wedding Productions
Rentals: Stout Tent