A Magical, Winter Wedding at a Rustic-Chic Resort

By Kimberly Krajicek
James & Schulze

Mountains, snow, and lots of love at this Colorado celebration.

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Meshach and Warren

James & Schulze

Meshach and Warren met when they least expected it—while volunteering for a non-profit legal organization in Denver. "We hit it off immediately," Meshach recalls, "We were amazed by each other"s stories, and fell in love shortly thereafter."

After a few years of dating and the birth to their daughter, Meshach was selected to participate with a foundation in Germany, and spent an entire month travelling through Europe. "Warren decided to fly out to Paris to meet me. He brought my mom, aunt, and our daughter on the trip," says Meshach, "After a few magical days, we headed to Switzerland." Hiking happens to be one of the couple's favorite activities, so during a climb in the Swiss Alps was the perfect setting for Warren to pop the question. "After a long morning of hiking with the group, Warren insisted that we push to the summit of the mountain. It was breathtakingly beautiful," Meshach recalls. Moments after commenting on the sweeping landscape, Meshach found Warren down on one knee. "Just after I said yes, my mom and aunt reappeared, and we all celebrated. It was incredible, and one of the best moments of our lives."

Honoring their love for the mountains and winter, the pair decided to tie the knot at Dunton Hot Springs Resort in Colorado. With only four months of planning, Heather Dwight from Calluna Events ensured their celebration was full of nature and romantic details. On March 12, 2016, Meshach and Warren exchanged vows in front of 44 guests—including their two-year-old daughter—and had a memorable weekend-long winter retreat.

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The Welcome Totes

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"We worked with Lana's Shop to make sure the invitations had just the right Colorado touch," says Meshach of the stationery suite, which featured their custom wedding logo. That same imagery also appeared on their welcome bags, which were stuffed with wine, cake pops, local snacks, and essentials like water, lip balm, sunscreen, and ibuprofen. Custom maps, which featured each guests' name corresponding to a cabin at the resort and weekend itineraries added a fun, personalized touch.

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The Location

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The pair picked Dunton Hot Springs Resort because of its picturesque views of endless mountains and nature. "We wanted a place that was unique and exemplifies Colorado and its remote beauty," says Meshach, "We also wanted our entire family to be able to spend time together and enjoy a vacation." With individual, rustic cabins and renowned hot springs, the resort provided the outdoor, winter experience they loved and wanted to share with their guests. 

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The Style

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"I tried on about ten dresses before I found the one," shares Meshach of her Mariel gown made of silk chiffon, beaded lace, and tulle overlay, "I knew it was the one because it was feminine, unique, and I was able to dance in it!" A custom veil and stole from Mariel's and Swarovski jewelry gifted to her by Warren before the ceremony, accessorized the gown.

Warren donned a custom suit from Brooks Brothers with Tiffany & Co. cufflinks and a gold Rolex watch.

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The Bridal Bouquet

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Plum Sage Flowers created the bride's bouquet using roses, sweet peas, ranunculus, tulips, and astrantia with Tono & Co. ribbons tying everything together.

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The First Look

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While guests were filling the seats for the ceremony, Meshach and Warren had their first look amidst falling snow, which stopped moments before the service began.

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The Rings

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Muted pastel velvet monogrammed ring boxes held the couple's wedding bands.

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The Flower Girls

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The flower girls kept warm in dresses and boots from Neiman Marcus.

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The Program

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Lana's Shop created the programs, which featured a hand drawn illustration of the ceremony spot.

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The Ceremony

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A wooden house served as the focal point of the ceremony, and was decorated with candles and greenery. Guests were seated on wooden chairs with pillows, and stayed cozy with blankets.

The bride walked down the aisle with her father, Gary, as the classic song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" played. Meshach wrote a poem that she shared with Warren, followed by the exchange of heartfelt vows that they had prepared for each other.

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The Kiss

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"My favorite moment of the day was when Warren was reciting his vows, and he choked up a bit—our two-year-old daughter chuckled and said out loud ‘Oh Daddy, he's so happy'." The newlyweds shared a dramatic kiss, as Warren smoothly dipped his bride—which their daughter also loved seeing.

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The Recessional

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Meshach and Warren recessed hand-in-hand with their daughter, Elliette, who wore a pink ensemble.

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The Group Photo

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Following the service, the couple and all their guests took a group photo on the porch of one of the cabins.

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The Reception

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Calluna Events designed the reception room to match the natural, breathtaking scenery. One long wood table was decorated with a Tono & Co. table runner and a mix of candles. Plum Sage Flowers created romantic, textured centerpieces that mimicked the bride's bouquet.

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The Place Settings

James & Schulze

Tables were decorated with birch wood chargers, slate gray plates, gold flatware, and rose-colored water glasses from Yonder House. The menu included butternut bisque, roasted beet salad, wood-fired bison ribeye, and pan-seared tenderloin.

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The Cake Pops

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POPSUX by Samara created cake pops for guests to enjoy, instead of a traditional wedding cake.

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The First Dance

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The newlyweds danced to "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. DJ Ryan Smith continued to spin fun tracks, keeping the energy high throughout the celebration.

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The Favors

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Thank you notes were tied to mason jars of hot chocolate -- with a little kick of cinnamon and chili powder -- which were created by the bride's mother.

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The Sendoff

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"The fireworks display at the end was absolutely breathtaking," says Meshach. At the end of the night, the newlyweds and their guests retreated back to their cabins. "The weekend was so beautiful, and it was special to have our daughter participate in all the events. We snowshoed, hiked, and got to spend the weekend in the incredible hot springs. And we loved that our families had the opportunity to spend the entire weekend together," she says.

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Sources

James & Schulze

Photography, James and Schulze Photography

Location and Catering, Dunton Hot Springs

Event planning, Calluna Events

Flowers, Plum Sage Flowers

Videography, Adam Fusion

Stationery, Calligraphy, and Welcome Bags, Lana's Shop

Music, Ryan Smith

Rentals, House of Yonder; Premier Special Events

Bride's gown and veil, Mariel Boutique

Bride's accessories, Jimmy Choo (shoes); Swarovski (jewelry)

Hair and Makeup, Matthew Morris Salon

Flower Girl dresses, Neiman Marcus

Groom's suit, Brooks Brothers

Groom's accessories, Tiffany & Co. (cufflinks); Rolex (watch)

Cake pops, POPSUX by Samara

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