1. Real Weddings

A Rustic Fall Wedding at Yellow Pine Ranch in Cuchara, Colorado

Everything about Sarah Leonard (29 and a community-affairs manager) and Phillip Arroyo’s (29 and works for the fire department) wedding screamed fall—

Everything about Sarah Leonard (29 and a community-affairs manager) and Phillip Arroyo’s (29 and works for the fire department) wedding screamed fall—from the colorful seasonal flowers to the fall leaves the flower girl threw down the aisle. The day started with a sweet outdoor ceremony overlooking a small pond and the mountains as the backdrop at Yellow Pine Ranch in Cuchara, Colorado, and ended with a laid-back reception in the rustic string-lit ballroom. A dear friend of the couple created all the lush floral arrangements with the help of Sarah’s mom, which were a combination of vibrant dried flowers and leaves that were perfect for the fall season. “We didn’t want to limit the day to a few colors,” Sarah says. “Instead, we chose to use all the colors of the sunset and autumn foliage. Colorado really inspired everything. What could be better than yellow aspens in the fall?” They added rustic wooden rounds, pumpkins, twigs and grasses to bring their vision to life. Another standout detail? The delicious menu included smoked brisket and pulled pork in honor of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo cook-off in their home state of Texas. There are so many more pretty details to see, and Caroline Colvin Photography captured all of them, below. A tip from Sarah: “Try to take in the day. It goes by so fast. Don't worry about the tiny issues that really don't matter. This day is about you and your love. Smile, laugh and enjoy everyone who is there to celebrate you. I really couldn't have asked for a better weekend. You will feel every emotion.”

“The flowers were a very special part of the day,” Phillip says. “A very dear friend of Sarah's family created the bouquets with Sarah's mom. They were a combination of vibrant dried flowers.” The bouquet featured shades of orange, yellow, purple and red to match the fall season and natural Colorado foliage.
Phillip wore orange and yellow leaves on his boutonniere accented with dried wheat and a bronze wire-curled to look like curly willow. They loved how the boutonniere fit in with the fall season and rustic theme.
The flower girl wore a cream-colored lace dress from Etsy that was flowy and adorable. She completed her look with pink cowboy boots to match the wedding party. She carried a black wire basket down the aisle and threw orange and yellow leaves.
“The whole day really reflected us,” Sarah says. “We are very outdoorsy. The ceremony site overlooked a small pond and the mountain chain in the distance.”
“We were married in Cuchara, Colorado, at the Yellow Pine Ranch,” Phillip says. “Sarah's family has a long history of visiting Cuchara, from her dad camping there as a young child to now her mom and stepdad having a house there. It has been weaved into most of her life.”
Several years before Sarah’s wedding, Sarah went shopping with her sister for a wedding dress for her sister. Her sister chose a gorgeous strapless A-line lace dress, and Sarah knew she wanted to wear it for her own day too. Sarah also loved the sentimental value of wearing her sister’s dress.
The indoor reception was decorated with taupe table linens topped with dried floral arrangements, including natural Colorado wildflowers and branches. Sarah and Phillip added wood, pumpkins, grass and candles throughout the decor to fit with the fall season theme.
For dessert, Sarah and Phillip served chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate leaf and pinecone toppers. They also had caramel apple dip with apples, pumpkin cheesecakes with pumpkin candy toppers, banana bread, pecan pie and apple tarts in honor of their rustic fall theme.
Sarah and Phillip had a small, personal naked cake for them to cut and enjoy. It was topped with a red fire truck in honor of Phillip’s job and wooden letters representing their initials. The cake was surrounded with fake yellow and orange fall leaves to tie into their autumn theme.