From the Photographer:

Morgan and her bridesmaids had their hair and makeup done by the talented staff at Botega Salon and Gallery. I loved the cozy atmosphere and amazing artwork displayed on the walls! Morgan wore an absolutely stunning backless lace Alvina Valenta gown that her dad had picked out when they were dress shopping. The surprise was that Morgan’s dad didn’t know she had ended up picking the dress he chose for her so it was very special to see his reaction when he first saw her in it that morning before the ceremony.

When we arrived at The Meadow, the view stole my breath away! Could there possibly be a more beautiful place to marry the love of your life? The bride walked down the aisle with her dad to the sweet sound of the violinist playing, “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri. One of my favorite parts of a wedding day is listening to the couple exchange their vows to each other. It was so touching to watch Morgan tear up during their vows and to hear Justin tell her that since he first met her when they were 12 years old, she has been the girl of his dreams. After a fun afternoon of taking photos we headed to the Norquay Ski Lodge for their reception. It was decorated perfectly with beautiful, rustic floral centerpieces (skillfully created by Willow Haven), and the atmosphere was cozy and warm. After a delicious dinner and sneaking away for a few more photos, the speeches and dances began. The love that Justin and Morgan share could have lit up the room during their first dance, it was so beautiful.

Photographer: Melanie Bennett Photography / Hair Stylist: Botega salon gallery / Cake Designer: Cake Creations inc / Dress Store: Delica Bridal House / Pre Ceremony Location: Hidden Ridge Resort / Other Location: The Nordic Center / Floral Designer: Willow Haven Flower Shop / Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Dress: Vintage Opulence  / Roses: Pinterest  / Natural Lace: Pinterest  / Invitations: For Love Polka Dots / Ecru + Gold Nails: SoNailicious  / Handkerchief: Lollys Cubby Hole  / Ivory Lace Heel Booties: BHLDN / Bridal Bun: Elizabeth Messina

From the Bride…

The Proposal Story:
We went hiking in Jasper and had hiked all the way up to the top of a mountain. Chris had the ring the whole time, and seemed to be acting kind of funny but I didn’t think too much of it. He kept wanting to look at different spots and none of them were quite “perfect” enough (later he told me he was worried I’d faint and fall down the mountain haha). As we were hiking back down the mountain he told me he wanted to stop “at that beautiful lake we passed,” so we did but when we arrived and it was raining! He said he still wanted to walk down to the lake. As we walked down he slipped in the mud! So he went down to the water to wash his muddy hands and the next thing I knew he was down on one knee : )  Oh and did I mention the rain stopped at that very moment!? And the sun came out! It was magical and perfect.

Most memorable moment/s from the Wedding Day:
Honestly I couldn’t pin point one… the whole day was perfect and we couldn’t have asked for anything more! 

Advice to Couples in the Planning Process:
Don’t stress : ) I planned our wedding in just three months! I really lucked out on my dress which helped, but I just didn’t worry about crazy details. I went with my gut and hammered it all out and it was perfect. I don’t think I was stressed out even once. All that matters is that you are married at the end of the day and nobody got hurt. 

Photography: Photography by Ginevre / Venue: The Delta Lodge at Kananaskis / Dress: Vera Wang / Hair + Makeup: Finding Forever After (Calgary) / Flowers: Elements Floral (Canmore) / Décor + Planning: Bride / Cake: Whippt Desserts & Catering (Calgary)

Photographer: Annabella Charles Photography / Flowers: Haute Horticulture / Cake: The Flour Garden / Styling: Everbloom Designs

“My idea for the shoot was to create a unique bridal shoot with the idea of “pretty meets gritty.” I wanted to work with an industrial space but create something ‘pretty and whimsical’ with a dream-like feel to it. I liked the idea of using a studio location, so I could control the lighting and create more of a fashion story for the gowns. I chose Laura from Weddings of Desire to style the shoot as I had seen some of her work and loved her style. Once we met, we talked about all things wedding and realized we both had a similar vision and ideas and we started planning to create something really magical together!” – Nikole Ramsay, Photographer

Photography: Nikole Ramsay  / Bridal Gowns: The Bridal Atelier : Lace Cap Sleeve Gown – ‘Sweet Nothings’ by Sarah Seven / Lace ruffled bust Gown – ‘Romanced’ by Sarah Seven / Tiered Gown – ‘In Bloom’ by Ivy and Aster  /Blush Gown – ‘Tea Blush’ by Elizabeth Dye / Props & Styling: Weddings of Desire / Tableware + Linen from Sassica & Salter / Flowers: Danielle Fraser of Moss Industry Weddings / Hair & Make Up: Kate Radford / Models: Georgie Fitzgerald & Lisa Brodbeck  / Cake: Victoria Keith Cakes

How They Met:
Joey has her MA in Counseling Psychology, and loves NY Times Crossword Puzzles, yoga, hiking, cooking, and meditation. Stephen is the CEO and founder of a 3D software company in Boulder, who loves to study history, to be active, hike with the dogs, and he makes a mean Margarita! Their relationship began when Joey was a hostess at The Kitchen Cafe in Boulder, CO, and Stephen was a regular patron. They slowly got to know each other, and over time (and one marathon conversation), found that they had many shared passions, similar worldviews, and both had the hope to start a family someday. “We share a deep love of our families and friends, and find that spending time with those we love enriches our relationship and gives us lots of support,” says Joey.

Details of the Day (from the Bride):
Food is a major shared passion of Stephen and mine, and we wanted the meal to play a big part of the night. Our caterer was fantastic and incorporated produce from The Farmette, as well as sourced all ingredients locally. Special touches were our Buddhist wedding vows, and the fact that it poured rain from our cocktail hour on into the night! It had been a notoriously dry summer in Colorado, so we like to think that our wedding rain helped out the land! The farmers had tears in their eyes because they were so grateful for the rain. Our guests said that the rain was actually their favorite part- so thank goodness we had rented a tent at the last minute, or else everyone would have been drenched!

Most Memorable Moment (from the Bride):
When I close my eyes and envision my favorite moment, I recall the feelings that I had when my father walked me down the aisle. It was such a pure, emotional moment, and I felt that my mother (who recently passed away)was there too. When I walked down the aisle and saw Stephen’s face smiling at me, I felt full of love and joy, and so happy that we had our closest friends and family there to witness us on that day. It was a profound experience of letting go and feeling so grounded during my transition to becoming a wife!

On the Location:
We chose the Lyons Farmette because we wanted to be outside and enjoy the natural beauty of Colorado, as well as giving our guests a unique experience. We loved the Farmette because of the precious animals, luscious vegetables and colorful flowers. But honestly, what made the location so special was the kindness of Betsy and Mike, who are the owners. Not only did they invite us in their house when we toured, we sat with them as they ate their pancakes and eggs, and then got a tour of their home, which is on the property. They were engaged and loving from the start, and we felt that we had such true supporters in them. They helped us so much, and we will forever be grateful to them!

Photography: Ashley Davis Photography / Venue: The Lyons Farmette / Florist: Living Interiors / Caterer: I Cook You Eat / Baker: Nathan Miller / Event Planner: DIY (Bride & Groom) / Music: Conjunto Colores / Makeup Artist: Randee Estes / Hair Stylist: Jacqui Jolly / Bride’s Dress: Monique Lhuillier (from www.recycledbride.com ) / Bridesmaid Dresses: BHLDN / Shoes: Tory Burch (from Nordstrom) / Groom’s Suit: Brooks Brothers

From the Stylists:

Rustic can be glamorous. This barn wedding styled shoot by the Cedarwood Design Team and Leslee Mitchel has some seriously gorgeous fashion shots, naturally, since Leslee is often found shooting on the runway and for some of the wedding industry’s top designers. We thought it would be fun to bring high style and couture fashion into the rustic setting of the Cedarwood barn.

Our barn and birch inspiration shoot with Leslee and some really cool friends centers around the ballet-inspired Vera Wang gown, Harlow. Vera says, “The way a dancer can bring the crowd to its feet with a drawn-out, well-executed pirouette: that’s the excitement I wanted to capture with Harlow.” Cedarwood Designers wanted the bride’s bouquet to be as flowing and dramatic as her dance-inspired wedding gown, and used white Anthuriums, Wax Flower and hanging Amaranthus.

Wedding Venue: Historic Cedarwood / Wedding Photographer: Leslee Mitchell / Event Styling, Floral Design, and Decor: Cedarwood Weddings Design Team – Historic Cedarwood / Wedding Dress: “Harlow” by Vera Wang, from Ivory and White / Bride/Fashion Styling Assistant: Opulent Couturier / Hair and Makeup: Studio BBC Salon / Catering: A Dream Come True / Wedding Cake: Patty Cakes inspired by The Caketress / Invitations and Paper Goods: Designs in Paper / Lighting: Uplight Events / Model: Janika Laine (and puppy Lily Rose)