A Rustic Wedding at Dry Gulch Placer in Breckenridge, Colorado

Katelyn (Katie) Russell (25 and a teacher) and Kyle Shimkus (30 and an insurance agency owner) met through a mutual friend. The couple went on vacation to Maui when Kyle got down on one knee and said, “I had an unforgettable day with you today and want to keep having unforgettable days with you forever. Katelyn, will you marry me?" “It was incredibly sweet, simple, and romantic,” Katie says. Katie and Kyle exchanged vows in Breckenridge, Colorado, where they met and had their first date. They loved the rustic, authentic feel of Dry Gulch Placer and the exclusivity of it being up a secluded four-wheel-drive road just outside of the town. Colors were key for their rustic mountain wedding. Katie’s favorite color is purple, so she made that their main color. “I am also obsessed with peacocks, but did not want it to be overwhelming, so we added hints of peacock throughout the wedding,” she says. “And since we were getting married in the Rockies, the mountains of course played a huge role. Our colors were inspired by nature, the purple mountains and flowers, and green moss and landscapes like the ones in Breckenridge.” Their florist, Garden of Eden, incorporated lots of sweet peas and chrysanthemums into the arrangements to add purple and green peacock-like flair. One of the best parts? The delicious menu and cake! From the Bride: “We had Moe’s BBQ cater delicious pulled pork, cornbread, mac 'n cheese, and a broccoli salad. During dinner, our DJ played music that Kyle and I had personally selected. We cut the cake which was strawberry with buttercream frosting and had layers of purple mountains on the outside, with green trees. Our wedding topper was a little ceramic tree stump with our names carved into it, surrounded by flowers, and with two pairs of hiking boots on top! After dinner, we did toasts, and then the best part, dancing! We definitely threw down an epic dance party.”