An Intimate Wedding in Aspen

Lisa and Stephen tie the knot in Aspen, Colorado

Stephen and I met in Denver two summers ago through mutual friends, and we knew soon after we met that something was different and particularly special about the relationship that was developing between us.  It wasn’t long before we realized we were spending as much time together as we could and getting to know one another’s families and friends.  Stephen proposed while we were on a weekend getaway last December at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, and the resort was very charming with everything decorated for the holidays.  He asked and I said yes!

How did you decide on Aspen?
Aspen is a very special place to each of us as individuals and together as a couple.  I lived in Aspen during my summers in college working as a rafting guide in town, and Stephen came out to Aspen several times before to ski with friends.  When we started dating, one of our first weekend trips together was to Aspen.  We had each fallen in love with the town before we ever met one another, but then we fell in love with Aspen all over again together as a couple.  When we began planning our wedding, we couldn’t think of a better place to have such a special weekend than this place that had become so important to us.

From the moment we began planning the wedding, we knew we wanted a small, intimate affair with just our closest family and friends—people who had known us for most, if not all, of our lives.  We chose Memorial Day weekend so that our guests could make a long weekend out of the wedding if they wanted.  It was perfect!  Everyone came in for the long weekend and it was amazing to have so much time to spend with everyone for several days.  Our guests made the most of being in Aspen and enjoyed bike rides, hikes and great restaurants each day.

What advice do you have for someone planning an Aspen wedding?
Hire a wedding planner!  Windy Gillespie was absolutely amazing and made the whole wedding planning experience so simple.  Her advice on various vendors and creative ideas to make the wedding special and unique were invaluable.  Having a wedding planner—even just for the day of the wedding—allows you to simply enjoy being with the family and friends you are surrounded by rather than worrying about the details of the day.  Everything went flawlessly the entire wedding weekend and I know it was only that way with the help of a fabulous planner.

How did you decide on your ceremony site?
We knew that since virtually everyone was going to be traveling in from outside Colorado (some as far as Russia and Australia!), we wanted everyone to enjoy the best views and mountain experience that Aspen has to offer—so we had the wedding at the top of Aspen Mountain.  It was magnificent!  Not only was the weather perfect but the mountain was open for skiing the day of the wedding, which was so much fun!  Lindsay McConnell at The Little Nell did an amazing job with the ceremony and the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding, and every single detail was handled perfectly.  Our guests loved the cocktail hour on the top of the mountain following the ceremony before everyone headed back down the gondola for the dinner reception.  It gave everyone a chance to take in the views and celebrate with the amazing backdrop.

Your reception and after party site?
Around the time we had gotten engaged, Stephen and I were eating dinner at The Wild Fig, a restaurant in the heart of Aspen, when we looked at each other and had the same idea—this is the perfect charming setting for an intimate dinner party wedding reception!  With its lovely patio and French doors that we left open all night, we had the ideal combination of a formal seated dinner while also feeling casual and laid back.  Given that our wedding was small, we tried to incorporate a few personal details to make our guests feel special, such as writing a note to each person that was placed at their seat at the dinner and the canvas map that held the escort cards (and Aspen leaf Christmas ornament favors) showing where each person had travelled from to be there.

The after party at Eric’s seemed the natural choice because it was only steps away from The Wild Fig and there was plenty for everyone to do as the celebration carried on until late that night!  Billiards, the lounge and patio, and the Cigar Bar offered lots of different ways to have fun late-night while all still being together in one place.  It was a wonderful end to the most memorable celebration that we could have ever imagined!

Aspen Wedding Guide Preferred Vendors:

Event Planning: Windy Gillespie of Events by Windy

Ceremony Location: The Little Nell, Aspen Mountain Wedding Deck

Hair and Makeup: Full Circle Aspen

Flowers: Mountain Flowers of Aspen

Printed Pieces: Express Yourself

Photography: Robin Proctor Photography

Ceremony Music: Silver City Strings, Ceremony Quartet

Kelsey Stamps

Hey, I’m Kelsey! I studied Social Psychology at CU Boulder and now split my time between writing about dreamy Aspen wedding spots, clever planning hacks, and real talk on international marriages (yep, American guys and foreign girls). I also run a small psychology practice, helping couples navigate love, culture, and everything in between. Connection and honesty are my non-negotiables.