A Sky-Blue Palette Complemented the Mountain Backdrop at This Crested Butte, Colorado, Wedding

The decision to wed in nature was an easy one for Marissa as she'd always dreamed of emulating her parent's Yosemite wedding when it came time for her own nuptials to James. "My parents got married in Yosemite National Park at a small chapel in 1990 and I have always dreamed of a wedding like that," explains Marissa. "James and I are from opposite sides of the country, so we decided to meet in the middle and have our wedding in Colorado where we first met, and currently live. I knew I wanted a mountain town destination, but we also needed a church for the ceremony. I had fallen in love with Crested Butte when I had visited for a long-weekend ski trip, and when I found the purple mining-era church in town, I knew I wanted to get married in Crested Butte. The church ceremony venue paired with the views at Ten Peaks was exactly what I wanted for our semi-destination mountain wedding." Beyond just the locale, even the couple's choice of color palette was inspired by familial ties. "The light blue color palette was an homage to all of the women in my family, who had all opted for various shades of blue bridesmaid dresses at their own weddings, and my husband's alma mater, University of North Carolina's Carolina blue." Given the stunning natural hues surrounding their venue, the sky-blue color palette, which popped up everywhere from fashion to stationery, was a perfect fit. 

The most anticipated moment of the entire Crested Butte wedding took place during the ceremony. Marissa recalls the joy and anticipated she felt as she walked "down the aisle with my dad and [saw] James standing at the altar." Marissa shares that "James loves surprises, and we decided early on that we did not want to do a first look. My dress was kept a secret, and I also surprised my parents by walking down the aisle to 'Moon River.' My mom started crying as soon as she heard the song. James and I both fought back happy tears as I approached the altar. It was such a beautiful moment having all of our friends and family packed into cozy church pews while the rain poured down outside. Thank goodness we did not opt for an outdoor ceremony!" 

Following the emotional ceremony, the couple celebrated with a reception with a live band, which was another highlight of the mountain wedding celebration. "James and I love going to concerts and experiencing live music, so budgeting for a band was one of our top priorities," says Marissa. "The musicians of Kind Hearted Strangers are friends of ours and they put on an incredible show. We opted for southern rock and Americana ballads in lieu of the more traditional wedding reception music and our dance floor was packed the entire night! Instead of waiting to dance until after dinner and speeches, James and I entered the reception to our first dance with a surprise flip-move that dazzled our guests."

Marissa recalls that rather than planning with certain details or aesthetics in mind, the feelings she wanted the wedding to elicit served as her guide. "In my planning, I focused on the feeling that I wanted for the day; I wanted to throw the best party of my life and for each and every guest to know how important and special they are to me and James as we start our married life together," says Marissa. Focusing on the joy of the day also helped Marissa react with ease when rain threatened to derail her wedding day. "So much of my timeline and vision flew out the door when it began hailing and pouring rain just before the ceremony, but I had absolutely no control over what Mother Nature chose to throw at me so I chose to make the most of the wedding day I had planned for over a year. Our cocktail hour was moved from the Ten Peaks deck into the Umbrella Bar and reception tent, and our photo portraits were condensed to keep our families dry, but it was still the most beautiful, magical ceremony and reception, and our guests had the best time jamming out at the top of a mountain!"