Mountain Elopement

9/11/2019 0 Comments

When the Mountains Are Calling

We all know the famous quote, "The mountains are calling and I must go", by John Muir. And if you are so inclined, you can learn more about what he was describing in a letter to his sister through this intriguing essay. Even if Katie and Dylan have never read the full letter by Muir, they embodied his spirit for nature through their simplistic, yet stunning, elopement deep in the Colorado hills - ok, mountains. Either way, their love is a traditional story that writes it's own ending and we were thrilled to be witness to it.

Katie and Dylan were high school sweethearts who met...wait for it...at a high school football game. Right?! It doesn't get much more "all American love story" than that. But after nine years together, they knew it was a forever love story and not just a high school flame waiting to burn out. As avid hikers, they traveled the country discovering the world around them together. And even though neither had ever been to Colorado, they knew the magic in these mountains were where they wanted to solidify their love story.

You would think that with such a traditional beginning that the natural next step would be a 150 person country club wedding in their home state of Virginia. But, no. Not these two. They had a vision and it was much different than that. Surrounded by just thirteen of their favorite humans and their beloved dog, they exchanged vows in a "circle of love" nestled in a clearing in the forest. They exchanged their first kiss just as the sun set behind the mountains. They exchanged swings at a wedding cake shaped-pinata hung high in a pine tree and spilled candy on the forest floor. They exchanged forks full of cake, more kisses, and dances on the deck of their VRBO venue underneath strings of light. And they exchanged glances of fulfillment as their loved ones raised glasses to their successful future together.

We learned from this wedding. We learned that a little can go a long way. We learned that you don't have to follow anyone's rules. We learned that it's only as stressful as you make it. Here is a couple who had never set foot in the place they were going to get married. They went with the flow, they trusted the expertise of the professionals they hired, and they did everything just the way they wanted. It was one of our favorite weddings to date. It wasn't without it's own challenges, but hey, "the best view comes after the hardest climb". And man, what a view.