1. Real Weddings

Julie & Randy: An Outdoor Wedding in Aspen, CO

Spontaneous is definitely the word for Julie Anne Zacha and Randy Brodsky. On their first date, they’d planned on cocktails but hopped on Randy’s Harl

Spontaneous is definitely the word for Julie Anne Zacha and Randy Brodsky. On their first date, they’d planned on cocktails but hopped on Randy’s Harley and hit a James Taylor concert at Red Rocks instead. “It was an amazing show and an electric connection for us,” remembers Julie. The Bride Julie Anne Zacha, 27, architect The Groom Randy Brodsky, 36, business owner The Date June 18 The couple went out to Aspen the next weekend and then spent the next three weeks together when Randy (who’s now 36 and a business owner) asked Julie to move in with him. Less than a year later, he proposed on a hot-air balloon ride! Clearly, a by-the-book wedding wasn’t in the cards.

Julie and her mother had been searching everywhere for the right bridesmaid dresses, to no avail, when they finally stumbled on Coren Moore. “This is no exaggeration: We truly walked into the store and looked at the samples and made the decision in about five minutes!” Julie says. Each one of her maids wore halter dresses in the length of their choice, with each maid in a different shade of orange, red, or pink.
The Reception Decor
Julie and Randy exchanged vows in The Little Nell’s Sundeck banquet hall at the top of Aspen Mountain, before a spectacular Rocky Mountain backdrop. Since Julie and Randy’s guests practiced different faiths, the couple worked with their husband-and-wife team of officiants to create an all-inclusive ceremony. They reworked a traditional Lutheran ceremony to include a Hebrew prayer and a moment of silence. After saying “I do,” the newlyweds walked back up the aisle to “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You),” a nod to their first date.
The Centerpieces
Guests remained in the Sundeck for the reception. “Using the colors that we chose, we really wanted to brighten up the ski lodge while still preserving the great views,” Julie says. They hung Japanese rice-paper lanterns from exposed beams and picked up the colors of the bridesmaid dresses in the table runners and seat covers.
The Cake
Randy (who owns a metal manufacturing shop) created brushed metal coasters that were cut in the shape of mountains and doubled as escort cards.
Julie carried a cascading bouquet of white orchids that shaded to purple at their centers.
The Bridesmaid Bouquets