1. Real Weddings

Allison & John: An Indoor Ceremony in Boulder, CO

Both Allison and John were definitely moved the first time they met, although partly because they were riding the bus. They were classmates in their f

Both Allison and John were definitely moved the first time they met, although partly because they were riding the bus. They were classmates in their first year of graduate school at the University of Colorado and often looked forward to their bus trips together to and from class. The Bride Allison Santoro, 30, landscape architect The Groom John Graham, 32, architect The Date October 21 “Graduate school is not so easy on your social life, so we would talk when we saw each other at parties and sit next to each other at group dinners,” says Allison, “but it was almost two years before we went on our first date.” Both John and Allison love the energy of the city, so on their date they went to explore the building progress in the South Platte River Valley. The short stroll turned into hours of walking, talking, and hand-holding. After four years of dating, John surprised Allison and proposed while they were hiking in the mountains.

Guests left the reception with more than just sweet memories -- each guest got chocolate-covered graham crackers.
“Most women look for a dress that makes them look thin, but because I am only 5’2” and John is 6’2” I needed to find a dress that made me look tall!” says the bride. She chose a strapless gold Pronovias gown with a modified mermaid silhouette.
Allison and John shared their first dance to The Way You Look Tonight by Peggy Lee and Benny Goodwin and ended the night to Your Baby by Dean Wareham.
The three tiered cake consisted of three scrumptious flavors; chocolate cake with dulce de leche mousse, vanilla cake with hazelnut mousse, and vanilla cake with peach mousse. “People kept going up to the cake table to see if the sugar orchids were real,” says the bride.
The couple decorated their tables with favors and multiple flower arrangements: a full multiflower bouquet, three vases filled with flowers from the ceremony, and a branch display with dangling orchids.
For a natural and funky vibe the couple chose flowers and plants that were in-season, vibrant, and textural. The bride carried a composite of cymbidium orchids, pin cushion protea, green and red hypericum berries, viburnum berries, and black and orange calla lilies.