This Couple Took the Art of Personalization to the Next Level When Planning Their Wedding in the Colorado Mountains

From their first meeting at Chicago's Heritage Coffee in November 2014, Casey Scherrer and Andrew LeGalley bonded over their shared love of skiing, football, and the mountains of Colorado. Three years later, Andrew surprised Casey with a candlelit proposal at home followed by a night out with their family and friends—and the couple began planning both a wedding in and a cross-country relocation to Colorado.

Eager to share the beauty of their new home with their loved ones, Casey and Andrew threw an outdoor ceremony and reception at Blackstone Rivers Ranch in Idaho Springs. "We toured Blackstone Rivers Ranch and knew immediately it was where we wanted to get married," says Casey. "We discovered the Chicago Creek running through the property and felt it was a sign." Casey, who owns wedding floral company La Rue Floral, jumped at the opportunity to accent the site's lush surroundings with a unique combination of colors. "I always knew that a dark burgundy, deep raisin, and mauve lavender would look incredible with a dusty blue, smoky palette," she says. "For whatever reason, I could never find examples of real weddings that had these colors. It's daring, bold, and very different, so I understand why brides might shy away—but I was ready to rock and roll with it."

Her vision came to life on August 10, 2019, as she and Andrew exchanged vows—interrupted by a sudden rainstorm—in front of 125 guests. Their reception included a performance by Casey and her former dance company, ski-inspired details, and an impromptu game of catch between Casey and her dad—all of which gave the day the unique, personal atmosphere the couple hoped for. "Your guests are there to celebrate the two of you and just want to see you happy at your wedding," says the couple. "It's the one day you're allowed to really focus on your love with your partner, so make sure you do that wholeheartedly and have no regrets."

Watch Casey and Andrew's wedding video by New Pixel Films.

The stationery suite from Before Noon Paperie nodded to the wedding's mountain location through an abstract landscape, designed in gray-and-blue watercolor. Marbled vellum wrapped each deckle-edged invitation, while a custom map of the location and a wax seal in the palette's signature shade (dusty blue!) created a moody, natural first impression.

Casey and Andrew met for their first look at an elevation of 10,000 feet, on the very top of Echo Mountain—an extra stop that they insisted on adding to the busy wedding-day schedule—and invited only their parents to join them. Seeing each other for the first time, they say, erased the stress of the morning, and as they rode down to the wedding site together, they agreed their solo time was "the perfect way to settle nerves, enjoy each other, and get even more excited about the day ahead."

Casey's ivory crepe sheath wedding dress with a high beaded neckline from Justin Alexander wasn't one she, herself, chose—but at the urging of a salon stylist, she tried it on anyway. "I put it on and was immediately overwhelmed by how beautiful I felt in it," she says. "I felt like a movie star wearing that dress and right then, I knew it was the one."

Andrew's dark blue suit from Bespoke Edge came with an initialed jacket and a custom lining, while a pocket square that belonged to Casey's late grandfather added sentimental polish.

With help from Cochic Styling, Casey and Andrew chose a combination of gray-and-blue shades for the bridal party. The bridesmaids wore long gowns in two different colorways from Watters, and carried blue leather clutches from Jay Davis Bags.

No two textural slate clutches were the same—a salient metaphor for Casey's 'maids.

The groomsmen, on the other hand, wore matching gray suits, The Tie Bar ties, and personalized argyle socks.

Casey set aside hours before the ceremony to create her own bouquet, the bridesmaids' flowers, and the boutonnières. "I knew that giving myself time before the wedding to design the personals would actually bring me incredible peace of mind and calm any nerves I might be feeling," she says. She carried an organic bunch of her favorite blooms, including black dahlias, burgundy ranunculus, lavender larkspur, and chocolate cosmos, and created smaller versions with the same tones and flowers for her bridesmaids.

As a florist, Casey relishes creating boutonnières. The elegant set she created for Andrew and his groomsmen included chocolate cosmos, lisianthus, dusty miller, and ranunculus; the combinations incorporated the burgundy and dark raisin colors in the palette. Andrew wore an ivory flower for contrast.

For their ceremony, Casey and Andrew chose an outdoor site anchored by a large tree, which was decorated with an oversized serpentine floral garland.

Wooden benches and dramatic floral arrangements in stone vessels marked the service's seating area; a river running just out of sight provided a soothing background hum.

Denver harpist Mary Keener played renditions of the couple's favorite songs during the ceremony. She strummed "Crash" by Dave Matthews Band as the bride processed into the space, accompanied by her father.

Though Casey and Andrew decided not to have a traditional religious ceremony, minister Keith Horstman created a personal, spiritual text. "He really worked in a lot of stories and quote we had shared with him prior to the day," says the couple. "It was a beautiful service."

During the ceremony, a sudden, unexpected downpour soaked the guests as Casey and Andrew stood protected under a tree. "Keith, being the professional that he is, gave us the most hilarious, light-hearted cue that it might be time to move inside!" reflects the duo.

Friends and family dashed for cover, standing around the bride and groom in a half circle under the candlelit reception tent as they were pronounced husband and wife. The rain drummed down on the tent's roof—an appropriate ceremony soundtrack for a couple who met in the rain and loves watching storms from their front porch. "It ended up being the best thing that could have happened to us on our wedding day at that very moment," says Casey.

In lieu of a guest book, Casey and Andrew set out a pair of antique wooden skis where guests signed their names and penned their hopes for the newlyweds.

The newlyweds' love of skiing also inspired their escort card display, where rows of blue-and-gray envelopes mounted on a wooden sign contained "ski passes" that directed guests to tables named after their favorite mountain spots.

Outside the tent, wooden picnic tables surrounded by black chairs—and, most importantly, protected by strung canvas—offered guests a space to step away from the party.

Inside, slim garlands of greenery were hung overhead to create an indoor garden atmosphere. Long wooden tables with dusty blue runners alternated with rounds draped in floor-length linens; a collection of high and low centerpieces from La Rue Floral displayed a bounty of fresh blooms. Custom candles from Chandlerie in the wedding's signature blue shade provided the eye-catching contrast Casey always envisioned.

The tall centerpieces, mounted on black metal pedestals, brought drama to the space. For the head table, Casey and her team created elevated arrangements that ran its entire length—the striking showpiece was accented by smaller vessels of flowers, glimmering candles, and natural stone and glass details.

Marble white chargers coordinated with other stone accents throughout the décor, while black flatware added a modern edge. Calligraphed table names from Simply Scripted Ink—each inspired by one of the couples' favorite ski locations—helped guests find their seats, where they were served a meal from Relish Catering that included a mixed greens salad; herb-marinated grilled chicken breast or grilled trout; and a s'mores bar.

Wildflower Cakes created a three-tiered confection in a chocolate lavender flavor, carrying the marbled design from the invitation to the icing. "One of Andrew's aunts even said, 'I can't believe how much this cake looks like the invitation we received!'" reflects the couple.

Casey and Andrew shared their first dance to "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King. Andrew and his mother chose "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts for their dance, and Casey and her father twirled to "Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen)" which is, they say, "filled with advice Casey's dad has always given her throughout her life."

In a surprise nod to Casey's childhood days on a softball team—and her dad's as her coach—her father pulled out their gloves midway through the song, and the pair spent the second half of their time in the spotlight playing catch.

Before opening her flower business, Casey performed as a professional dancer with Chicago-based group CODA. She surprised Andrew and the rest of the guests with a choreographed set to Bishop Briggs' "River," adding a solo after the group performance. "It was so much fun for me to see Casey finally perform with her former company, and for Casey to dance with her closest friends one last time," says the groom.

The couple sent guests home with the most personal favors: Champagne flutes illustrated with their likenesses by Shinycraft.

Photography, Carrie King Photography
Venue, Blackstone Rivers Ranch
Event planning, Revel and Bloom 
Catering, Relish Catering  
Flowers, La Rue Floral  
Videography, New Pixel Films  
Officiant, Keith Horstman
Stationery, Before Noon Paperie
Calligraphy, Simply Scripted Ink  
Cake, Wildflower Cakes
Music, Mary Keener (ceremony harpist); O'Dea Entertainment (reception)  
Rentals, Colorado Party Rentals
Bride's gown, Justin Alexander  
Bride's shoes, Bella Belle  
Hair and Makeup, Liana Kathryn Makeup
Bridesmaids' dresses, Watters 
Groom's suit, Bespoke Edge
Menswear, CoChic Styling
Lighting, Skyline Productions
Bouquet Ribbons, Hey! It's Oh, So Pretty
Candles, Chandlerie
Favors, Jay Davis Bags (clutches); Shinycraft (Champagne flutes)
Rings, Diamond Vault of Troy