1. Real Weddings

Allison & Bart: A Formal Wedding in Denver, CO

Ironically, it was Allison's boyfriend that led her to the man she was to marry. The Bride Allison Riekse, 30, high school counselor The Groom Bart

Ironically, it was Allison's boyfriend that led her to the man she was to marry. The Bride Allison Riekse, 30, high school counselor The Groom Bart Bansbach, 30, finance The Date June 12 In 1997 the Michigan native moved to Denver with her guy, briefly meeting Bart after six months in the city. As fate would have it, more than a year later the new singleton ran into Bart again and, as Allison says, the rest is history. Following a romantic Pebble Beach proposal, Allison and Bart started planning their huge country club wedding with help from a wedding coordinator and websites like ours truly, TheKnot.com. How did anyone with a job plan a wedding without the Internet? Allison exclaims.

The Flower Girl Details
The Couple
The Bridesmaid Looks
The Couple
Allison wore a Helen Morley strapless, diamond white zibeline mermaid bonded gown.
Upon finishing off bites of the white fondant wedding cake, a group of 20 Michiganders sang a song for the newlyweds. It was awesome, says Allison. I love having this on DVD for life! Indeed, it was history in the making. The cake, decorated with small white dots at the base of each layer, featured carrot cake, white cake, and white chocolate mousse with fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Yum!
Allison’s biggest asset was an innate sense of style. My taste is pretty contemporary...I don't like a lot of fluffy decorations, the bride says. Allison, who grew up sailing, was also drawn to blue, selecting navy save-the-date cards with white printing to set the modern tone. I felt like navy and white would be somewhat nautical, while remaining fashionable, she says
The Couple
After a fast photo session, the wedding party joined the swinging cocktail hour at the Denver Country Club, an oasis in the middle of the city, Allison says. A string quartet and a seafood bar engaged the 240 guests before moving to a beautiful, clear-ceiling tent with tiny white lights strung at the top. Minimalist decor (white -- with hints of navy, natch) filled the structure. Elegant centerpieces of white pillar candles wrapped with navy ribbons, white votive candles, and small medleys of white flowers adorned tables sprinkled with blue sea glass. An ice sculpture of a mountain and a wave, representing Allison's love of water and Bart's Colorado upbringing, was stationed right outside the tent.
The Bride