1. Real Weddings

A Refined Rustic Wedding at Spruce Mountain Ranch in Larkspur, Colorado

Rustic elements never looked more refined than with Meagan Brown (25 and a senior publicist) and James Harris’ (27 and a production coordinator) winte

Rustic elements never looked more refined than with Meagan Brown (25 and a senior publicist) and James Harris’ (27 and a production coordinator) winter wedding. Heather Allen from Table 6 Productions worked with the couple to find the perfect balance between formal and simple throughout the details. “We wanted it to be a fun, semiformal affair, but we also wanted to play up the natural beauty of Spruce Mountain Ranch,” Meagan says. “We enjoy getting dressed up and going to a fancy party, but we also really love hanging out with friends and enjoying the outdoors.” They used a soft ivory, gray and green color palette in honor of their mountain venue and added wood, pine and candle accents throughout the decor. Steve Stanton Photography beautifully captured all the details of the day. For their ceremony, Meagan and James chose St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church in Castle Rock, Colorado, because of its swoon-worthy views of the city from the top of a hill. “I’m Catholic, and James is Episcopalian, so we had a Catholic priest and James' family priest both preside,” Meagan says. “It felt very relaxed and comfortable to have them both there blessing our marriage.” Mount Gay rum with tonic water and lime (The Hermie Louise) greeted guests into the reception, which was decorated with lush centerpieces, floating candles and wooden table numbers. “Spruce Mountain Ranch immediately stood out to us simply because it was a beautiful location,” Meagan says. “We loved that it was very private. When you book an event there, you essentially get all 400 acres of the ranch to yourself. It also has a distinctively Colorado feel to it.” At the end of the night, the couple enjoyed a photo booth (secretly arranged by Meagan for James) and white-, dark- and milk-chocolate truffles for a sweet ending.

“I had an idea in my head when I went wedding dress shopping that I wanted long lace sleeves and a lace dress,” Meagan says. “I tried on every shape and form to see if I might be wrong, but ended up with one that was exactly what I'd wanted. I was so lucky to work with Oscar de la Renta's team on my dress, and to design the lace bolero I wore. The dress was exactly what I'd hoped for, and I was so excited for James to see it.”
“The bridesmaids wore long Donna Morgan dresses in sterling, and my sister, my maid of honor, wore a different dress,” Meagan says. “She was in a special beaded dress of the same color, which I loved. My sister is my best friend, and I was happy to have her stand out and look so beautiful at the wedding. They all wore fur wraps as well that my mom had found. The vintage furs were all slightly different, but went well together.”
James wore a very classic black-and-white tuxedo, complete with a black bow tie and white boutonniere. The groomsmen wore similar Vera Wang tuxedos with gray bow ties to match the bridesmaid dresses. Also, having slightly different bow ties helped them to look similar enough to the groom to match the formality of the wedding, but different enough for a little personalization.
“The church is absolutely stunning, and it sits up on top of a hill overlooking Castle Rock,” Meagan says. “The priests and coordinators there were very welcoming and happy to work with out-of-state couples. I loved that it represented all the tradition of the church that I'd grown up with, but that everyone was also open to including parts of James' background (Episcopalian) and allowing his family priest to take part in our ceremony.”
“Our ceremony took place in the beautiful church of St. Francis of Assisi in Castle Rock, Colorado,” Meagan says. “I’m Catholic, and James is Episcopalian so we had a Catholic priest and James' family priest both preside. It felt very relaxed and comfortable to have them both there blessing our marriage.”
Catholic Stained-Glass Cross at St. Francis
White Rose Petal-Throwing Exit
“Guests enjoyed our specialty drink of the night, one of our favorites that is simple and delicious: Mount Gay rum with tonic water and lime,” Meagan says. “We've introduced a number of family and friends to the drink over the years, and everyone loved having it there.”
Wanting to play up their ultra-chic, rustic wedding theme, the couple added glamorous accents to the shabby chic ballroom. Meagan and James loved the natural rock fireplace, wooden ceilings and black iron lanterns of the space. They decorated with silver table linens to match the bridesmaid dresses and a mixture of tall and short centerpieces to add some dimension to the room.
Chic Rustic Reception at Spruce Mountain Ranch
The reception tables were decorated with tall floating-candle vases surrounded by gorgeous floral arrangements. The hydrangeas, tuberoses and hellebores perfectly complemented the ivory, gray and green color palette. Adding a little rustic flair to the otherwise elegant centerpieces, the tables numbers were blocks of wood with another kind of wooden inlay.
“The theme throughout our stationery was the trees,” Meagan says. “We did ivory stationery with green and taupe ink. I loved the spruce trees and the way it played into the reception location, and that it was also a nod to Colorado. Most of our guests were traveling from out of state, so I wanted them to really get a feel for Colorado, and the ranch lent itself perfectly to that.”
Meagan and James enjoyed a four-tier ivory buttercream wedding cake for dessert. It was a marble cake with raspberry buttercream frosting on a few layers and a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting on the other layers. Meagan’s cousin made the rustic wooden ski and snowboard cake topper in honor of the couple’s love for the outdoors.
Vintage Brown Fur Stole