1. Real Weddings

A Classic Red Wedding at Highlands Ranch Mansion in Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Rachel Bajema (29 and an It Works! distributor) and Lanson Knepper (27 and a marketing executive) met at a bank. The couple took a spontaneous road tr

Rachel Bajema (29 and an It Works! distributor) and Lanson Knepper (27 and a marketing executive) met at a bank. The couple took a spontaneous road trip through Las Vegas on their way to the West Coast. “We went back to our beautiful hotel room which overlooked the strip and sat in the dark admiring the beautiful lights of the city,” Rachel says. “It was a very special and intimate moment. Lanson snuck away and returned with a gorgeous, princess cut diamond ring. He got down on one knee and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. That was one of the happiest moments of my life and an unbeatable way to kick off a road trip.” The couple quickly fell in love with Highlands Ranch Mansion and its natural stone walls, vaulted ceilings and exposed wood. Not wanting to take away from the natural beauty, they used red, black and white for their color palette accented with small stones and flowing tulle. Rocky Mountain Catering served chicken picatta, tellicherry sirloin steak, roasted rosemary potatoes, green beans almondine and baked rolls for dinner. Afterwards, they had a three-tier chocolate, carrot and poppy seed square cake by The Makery Cake Company and danced into the night to Sounds Of The Rockies.

Lanson proposed with a princess-cut diamond surrounded by black stones and smaller diamonds. His band was simple black and silver.
Rachel wore elegant, dramatic makeup for her wedding day with a crystal headpiece that draped across her forehead. She wore her hair down in full, beachy curls.
The ring bearer wore an all black suit with a white tie and pocket square to match the groom.
The bridesmaids wore floor-length red dresses in different styles to fit their tastes and personalities. The groomsmen wore all black with red ties and handkerchiefs.
“The wedding venue was absolutely breathtaking so we didn’t want to detract from its natural beauty,” Rachel says. “We chose apple red, ivory and black for our color palette, which accented the mansion’s wood and stone theme beautifully.”
“We both got pretty emotional when we said our vows,” Rachel says. “And I still get chills when I think about the moment that we were pronounced husband and wife.”
Rachel and Lanson Recessional
“The venue was absolutely magical, and felt almost royal,” Rachel says.
“I rented tall vases, poured a layer of rock for the base, inserted a long-stemmed rose into each one, filled with water and topped them with a floating candle,” Rachel says. The centerpieces were inspired by Rachel's love for spa-like atmospheres.
“The cake was also to die for, and had three different flavors: chocolate, carrot and poppy seed,” Rachel says. The Makery Cake Company created a three-tier white fondant cake wrapped in black ribbon and topped with fresh roses.
Rachel and Lanson First Dance