Puppies, coffee and open fields in Colorado. Yes. Yes. And, yes.
It is weddings like this one that are truly the reason I have anything to do with this industry. You can feel that Fall crisp in these photos, but you can feel and see Josie and Javram’s love and heart even more. And, I love the intimacy and story behind their courthouse ceremony.
Keri Doolittle met up with the couple right after they tied the knot on Veteran’s Day to capture their joy.
From the Bride:
Javram and I were high school sweethearts and then friends. After I graduated college, we lost touch when Javram moved to California and I traveled to New Zealand and Italy. A few years passed, and we both landed in Denver again. We ran into each other one night through a mutual friend, and instantly felt that familiar connection. We hung out together for the next several months, and then finally I told him I still had feelings for him and that I wanted to date… again. He told me this was very good news 
That was on November 11th, 2007.
When Javram proposed on Valentine’s Day this year, we were planning on getting married on November 11th (our anniversary date), 2012 in Costa Rica. However, I had always envied a close friend of mine’s wedding at the courthouse. She showed me her pictures once, and she looked so classy, the whole event seemed so meaningful, intimate and low-stress.
As we started to plan, the idea of a destination wedding became less appealing and more stressful. After much deliberation, we decided not to wait a year and instead take advantage of our serendipitous anniversary date, do a civil ceremony and then meet our family at our favorite restaurant for dinner afterwards. The day we made this decision, I ran into a friend of mine who had also done a courthouse wedding and she had glowing reviews for the judge who married her and her husband. I took it as a sign.
We booked 11-11-11 with the recommended judge, made dinner reservations for 11 people (total coincidence!) planned a photo shoot with Keri Doolittle, and we were done planning our wedding! It was amazing. I felt a huge weight lifted off of the whole occasion and I started looking forward to it instead of stressing out about it.
Getting married at the historic City and County Building downtown was magical. It happened to also be Veteran’s Day, so the entire place was empty. Javram and I met with the judge who was the only person there, save one security guard, and she performed a lovely ceremony for just the two of us.
Afterwards, all dressed up and nowhere to go for a couple hours, we did an impromptu champagne toast and lunch at Le Central, where strangers kept offering their congratulations. Our wedding was simple, meaningful and intimate. It was perfect for us.
Javram and Josie live in Denver with their 2 dogs and 2 cats. Javram is in school to become a Holistic Health Counselor. Josie owns and practices in her acupuncture clinic, Immortal Palace, where she specializes in women’s health and nutrition. She also runs a popular online nutrition program called The Only Nutrition Program You’ll Ever Need.
Ceremony Venue: City and County Building (Downtown Denver) | Photography: Keri Doolittle Photography | Flowers: The Perfect Petal
It’s a big day for the Landlocked Bride tomorrow. I officially make the trek from the Midwest to the Mountains. And, as I head West, I cannot help but want to share this wedding. It’s special and meaningful to me for so many reasons. But, more importantly, Bill and Cara made every single effort to make their wedding uniquely them, personal, full of love and memorable. I had the hardest time picking photos and narrowing down her story.
Enjoy the mountains and the love.
From the Bride:
Planning the wedding of my dreams was something I wanted to make sure was perfect. Making sure everything Bill and I did screamed us, not what other people want, and to make sure we focused on us on the big day. So since I come from a large family of siblings, step siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends in which have been family to me for so long I wanted to get creative making everyone feel important without compromising my special day with what I considered a small group.
I initially tried to plan a wedding in St. Louis, but nothing felt right, having that feeling of the right decision was important to me. Bill is from Pittsburgh but spent most of his adult life in Colorado, and I love the mountains and traveling. It made it hard to incorporate a city wedding or to have our wedding pictures in front of the Arch. St. Louis has been my home for my whole life, but St. Louis was not Bill. So after many long discussions we knew that Colorado would be the place for us to get married. We went there almost four years ago as friends, and had the most amazing trip, and I can actually say there on a mountain in Keystone is where I had the moment where we discovered we were more than just friends. So we decided to make the wedding about where we fell in love.
We initially looked at Sapphire Pointe; an amazing overlook in between Breckenridge and Keystone. Unfortunately it could not be booked until 6 months prior to the date we wanted. We contacted good friends of ours in Breckenridge and asked if we could use their amazing restaurant Modis, and thankfully they said yes. With the restaurant beautiful as-is, we hardly needed decorations. Just a couple centerpieces and the place would be great. For food, they just told us to trust them. The owners are very close friends of Bill’s, and since we had eaten at Modis before, we knew the food would be absolutely delicious.
We definitely tasted the cake. Katy Schabert from SugarBreck was so nice, and I could tell from her website that she was an absolute artist. Bill and I tasted the cake and chose our flavors, I told her our colors, mentioned my desire for fondant, and I told her my flowers were sunflowers. We also spoke with Cindy from Bloom Flowers, a good friend of Bill’s and fellow Pittsburgher. I told her to that I wanted sunflowers all different kinds and I wanted them everywhere.
When Christmas came around, it was time to book Sapphire Pointe, but to my horrifying dismay, for two weeks out of the year the road to this location would be closed. And, sure enough, the week of our wedding was one of them. I was devastated and freaking out. So I frantically looked online and decided to call a wedding planner at Keystone Resort. Bill had worked there for so many years and I thought they could help lead us to a good location. I got a hold of Alicia Hein, and she pointed us in a couple directions, one of them being Keystone Ranch. I had been there only for dinner, and never really thought of the idea of getting married on a golf course. Bill of course loved the idea. Golf is his passion, and he used to work there at the restaurant. So the decision was made. And it felt right; better than Sapphire Pointe.
One of the major decisions we made was who was going to marry us. I wanted to choose someone who would guide us and help us through our journey together. Someone who knew us, and to Bill and I we both knew that answer. Bill’s friend Brian was it. They had been friends since they were kids growing up in Pittsburgh, him and his wife had been such a support to Bill so many times in his life, and he and his wife are a relationship we work toward as a couple and as parents. They have four amazing children who we love as family, and they are people we will have in our lives forever and whom we always know we can turn to.
The day following our at home “Preception,” Bill and I started our drive with a car full for our next adventure, the big day. Since we were full of excitement we made the 12-hour drive, no problem. As we made it to Denver, Colorado we were so excited, until we received a text message from a friend of 8” of snow in Breckenridge. As we knew we had three more days till the wedding, we didn’t care if there was 2 feet of snow.
I didn’t really get nervous until I was waiting to walk out on our wedding day. I remember I was standing inside the restaurant at the golf course with my dad, and just wanted to hear Bill say something (I knew he was on the other side of the wall from where I was standing), but not a peep. But the moment I walked out and saw him was something I will never forget as my heart felt whole and filled with joy.
We went to Modis where everyone was waiting for us. The food was to die for (many months later people are still talking about it). The sunflowers everywhere were amazing. And let me tell you about Jonny Mongambo, unreal. We had a Led Zeppelin song as our first dance called Thank You. He sang it beautifully; I can never thank him enough for how awesome he did. And then the rest of the night, I never left the dance floor, I mean never. At moments I was even by myself, which my awesome brother made sure didn’t happen for very long. He was always right beside me.
I didn’t have one complaint of the day; it was the most perfect day of my life and I loved sharing it with the people who mean the most to us. I felt like the luckiest person in the world.
Ceremony Venue: Keystone Ranch | Reception Venue: Modis | Floral Designer: Bloom Flower Shop | Band: Johnny Mogambo Band | Bakery: SugarBreck | Photography: CF Photography
When you think of a Colorado wedding, you often envision open fields and mountain backdrops. This one will surprise you. It takes place in the heart of the Denver Theater District, set with the city as it’s backdrop. While the details are simple and pretty, it’s the urban feel that downtown provides that helps to give this wedding character. Diana and Theodore clearly gave their wedding much thought, in thinking about who would be attending and planning their wedding around family and love. Those are the best types of celebrations. Ones brought together by love.
From the Photographer:
Diana and Theodore currently live in Utah but decided to have their special day in Denver, Colorado so that Diana’s elderly family members who live there could be in attendance. There is no specific color theme with this modern bride. She loves all colors and didn’t want to limit her wedding palette! Chad Braithwaite was flown in to capture their special wedding day. There was magic in the air and emotions were high starting from the rehearsal dinner.
Diana was overwhelmed with how much love and support her and Theodore experienced on their wedding day. For the guests, they all left home with a baby spruce tree to plant. The Blue Spruce is Colorado and Utah’s state tree. It is very symbolic to both of them as it was like bringing together both of their backgrounds to start one life together. Theodore from Utah, and Diana from Colorado. As for the ceremony the couple mixed dirt from both states into one pot and planted their tree. The evening lead to dancing, dinning, and a dramatic fall to the floor as Diana laid on the dance floor for laughs and photos!
Ceremony / Reception Venue: Denver Performing Arts Complex | Caterer: Kevin Taylor’s at The Opera House | Faces Photography | Floral Designer: European Flower Shop | Wedding Gown: Maggie Sottero | Bridesmaids Dresses: Bill Levkoff | Jewelry: Mckay Diamonds | Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Jones of New York | Band: Peneplain Jazz
It’s definitely no secret my heart’s in Colorado. I was thrilled when Jessica from A Vintage Affair Rentals contacted me about a recent styled bridal shoot she put together with some great mountain vendors. She clued me in by sharing her Pinterest inspiration board. Sort of felt like I was in on the planning (even thought I wasn’t). I could not wait to see what she put together. This vintage, mountain-inspired session has so many elements of Colorado that I just love. The scenery. The mountains. The horses. Nature. Oh, man, Mother Nature. And, did I mention details?
From Jessica:
For this shoot I wanted to do something very “Colorado” in the mountains. Inspiration that brides could really relate to. The new venue- Deer Creek Valley Ranch was perfect for it. It has a ton of great history (once was a stage coach stop between Denver and Fairplay), is family owned, and even has the gorgeous Mount Evans as a backdrop. We focused on keeping with natural colors to compliment the scenery. Each and everyone one the vendors worked hard for this shoot together. Laura Murray has an eye for catching all of the perfect shots and details. Hailey Middleton, not only has that timeless beauty, but every singe second she was posing. She really knows how to work the camera. The dress, Fawn by Vera loaned to us by Anna-Be Bridal Boutique, was a dream. The make-up by Natosha Cooke Make Up Artistry really enhanced Hailey’s natural features. For the hair, Brandice Boss did a wonderful job styling Hailey’s hair with a unique braided look that complimented the inspiration. And Fleur Decor rose to the challenge of creating flowers for not just Hailey, but a horse. They not only looked gorgeous, but apparently were tasty because both horses keep trying to eat them. All in all, it came together better than I imagined.
Rentals / Styling: A Vintage Affair Rentals | Photographer: Laura Murray Photography | Venue: Deer Creek Valley Ranch | Model: Hailey Middleton, Agency: Wilhelmina Denver | Dress: Fawn by Vera Wang from Anna-Be Bridal Boutique | Make-Up: Natosha Cooke Make Up Artistry | Flowers: Fleur Decor | Hair: Brandice Boss
Denver, Colorado
Y’all. I’m beyond excited for today’s vendor. While I truly love every vendor I feature on this site, Cori’s work is just magical. I am a sucker for a stunning bouquet, and I cannot help but swoon over her beautiful floral creations. Her work is one of the reasons I really love working in this industry. It’s just inspiring.
Where are you located and do you travel for weddings and events?
We are located in Denver, CO. We do travel for weddings and service the Rocky Mountains (Vail, Aspen, Beaver Creek, etc) as well the Fort Collins and Colorado Springs areas. We also do several weddings in Orange County, California every year as that is where we began our business.
What is you biggest inspiration when working on floral design for a wedding?
Our brides. Our goal is happy brides. We design in a variety of styles (classic, modern, rustic, funky, etc) and our goal is to determine the style/vibe of our brides and design flowers that perfectly suit and compliment her style of wedding. We are also always very inspired fashion and interior design. Anything from a fabric pattern to a lampshade to the color palate at Crate and Barrel inspires us with new ideas for design. For this reason, we think it is very important to stay “up” on what is in style in these industries. Plus, it’s a great excuse to go shopping (:
What got you interested in flowers?
I have always been interested in nature. My mother is a nature-lover and always made my family stop to notice and thank God for the beauty and intricacies of nature. We used to plant flowers together every Spring and she often bought herself weekly flowers to decorate the house with. I have always, always appreciated flowers. After graduating college, I had a strong urge to work with flowers. So I went to a floral design school and started doing friends’ weddings. Thankfully, God has given me great favor in this industry and I realized I had a natural knack for design.
What do you think sets you apart from other vendors in the industry?
Passion! I am very passionate about what I do. I think it is always, always important to be learning, growing, and maturing in my ability to design and run a business. So I am always trying to better myself and my business model. We work very hard to make our brides extremely happy with our services. And because we specialize in only weddings, we have time to invest!
What are your favorite flowers / plants to work with?
This is always hard question as a florist to answer. I really can appreciate just about any flower for it’s unique qualities. But what makes me squeal with delight when I have it in my cooler are peonies and lily of the valley. I have expensive taste (:
What keeps you busy outside of floral design; what are your hobbies?
I think it is important to have a BIG life outside of my career! First of all, I have an amazing husband who I love living life beside. I also have a great family and circle of friendships. Those are my priorities. Besides spending time with those people, my other hobbies include cooking, running, reading, singing, gardening (a brand NEW hobby), DIY home décor, volunteering in the youth ministry at my church, camping, etc. I want to do it all!!
Denver, Colorado
Erica is a fabulous Denver-based Colorado whose work I was introduced to thanks to a dear friend. She recently re-located back to her home state of Colorado after living and planning weddings in Florida. Her love for life and planning unique and personal events is infectious. Plus, she really encourages her clients to make their event what they want it to be. Not what society tells them it should be. If that’s not a girl after my own heart right there, then I don’t know what is.
Where are you located and do you travel for weddings?
We are located out of the Mile High City, or Denver, Colorado. We love it here!! And we are world travelers – ready to hit the road wherever the next event takes us. We have planned weddings in Florida, Oregon, MEXICO, and of course all over the state.
What is your biggest inspiration when planning and / or designing a wedding?
The greatest inspiration comes from my Brides and Grooms. Nothing inspires me quite the way each individual couple does; there is something special to be said about each one and I love to focus on their uniqueness so that it definitely shines through in every aspect of their big day. I really strive to make their day incomparable to any other, and I’m talking about more than color scheme, flowers and monograms!
What got you interested in event planning? Did you start out in weddings?
I have always been a planner, and super organized! No detail is too small in my eyes. Whether it was our high school groups Halloween party, a friends surprise birthday party in college, or a charity kickball tournament – I seem to gravitate toward making the impossible possible (and making it look good too!). I was offered the opportunity to work for a premier planner in Tampa, Florida and I took the opportunity with guns blazing. I fell madly in love with the wedding and event industry… and Voila! Here I am today, starting my second company here in Colorado.
What do you think sets you apart from other vendors in the industry?
What sets me apart is my desire to help create something that is so distinctive that its unmistakable who’s wedding it is. I’ll refer back to question #2 about what inspires me – and I’m passionate about creating such an experience that not only my B&G won’t forget it, but their guests wont either. I think weddings should be catered to the B&G, and not the B&G catering to what is deemed “a wedding”… a little personality is just what I look to infuse in every wedding. I also like to think that my experience, education and expertise not only proves to be helpful, but I strive to be a resource to all my couples – giving direction, suggestion and insight (and of course FUN) into the wedding planning process!
What is one quirky thing about you that people don’t know?
I named my Boston Terrier Murphy after Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. He seems to hold himself to that!
When you’re not busy planning weddings for couples, how do you like to spend your downtime?
I would have to say (when I’m not playing with my two pups, Sadie and Murphy), you can find me cooking, or enjoying a good movie. I cherish Sunday’s during football season (Go Broncos!) and during the summer’s you will find me outdoors camping and hiking 14ner’s.
3
Jun
Today’s fab engagement session is brought to you by the delightful Amanda Forbes out of Colorado. And, the wonderful couple is Nicole of Bella Vista Weddings and her fiance, Roman. Amanda took these two around downtown Denver, then headed a bit West to get a few beautiful shots in the foothills of the mountains. Quite fun, if you ask me.
Intricate Icings
Denver, Colorado
Rachael Teufel is a cake superstar. Literally. Not only does her cake shop, Intricate Icings Cake Design in Denver, Colorado, bake some of the most uniquely delicious cakes, but she really listens to her customer. Plus, it helps that she has a little street cred, with a few appearances on the Food Network. And, with delicious cake and beautiful designs, it’s not wonder brides look to her for their wedding cake.
Where are you located and do you travel for weddings and events?
Intricate Icings is located in Erie, Colorado, just north of Denver. We can safely travel about 2.5-3 hours from our studio with our cakes. Which means we can deliver to most of northern, southern and eastern Colorado and as far west as Vail. We also deliver to parts of Wyoming.
What is your biggest inspiration when designing a wedding cake?
If I had to sum up our design approach in one word it would be inspiration. I absolutely love designing cakes and what I love even more is personalizing every cake we create. It’s extremely important to bring the bride’s personal style to the design in every way possible. I enjoy using things like her bridal gown, invitation, linens, color schemes and flowers as inspiration. I really try to create an image of what the entire event will look like before sketching the cake for them so that the cake suits the feel and style of the reception. If I had to pick one item for inspiration, it would definitely be the bridal gown.
What got you interested in wedding cakes?
I have always had a passion for art since I was a little girl. I grew up baking with my family and didn’t really explore cake decorating until after I graduated College. I made my first fully decorated cake in 2001 and haven’t stopped since. Once I found my passion for cake decorating, I knew wedding cakes would be my focus. I love simple, clean lines with intricate detail and weddings suit that style very well.
What do you think sets you apart from other vendors in the industry?
I think Intricate Icings is one of the few companies around that is capable of creating great tasting cake, phenomenal designs, and wonderful customer service for every one of our clients. We really pride ourselves in providing all of these elements to insure your cake is the highlight of the party.
What is your favorite cake flavor combination?
Picking my favorite cake flavor is really difficult. I enjoy so many of the flavors we offer. But I guess if I have to choose, my favorite cake flavor would be Tiramisu. It’s an espresso cake soaked with additional espresso and Kahlua, layered with a Mascarpone cream filling and cocoa powder. A very close second would be our zucchini lime cake with cream cheese filling. It’s our top seller and such a light, refreshing cake.
What tips do you have for couples in the market for their wedding cake?
Couples in search of a wedding cake really need to decide what is important to them and then find a company that is able to provide everything that they are looking for. This goes for any industry, not just cakes. It’s important to meet with a few vendors in each category for the sake of comparison because every vendor has something different to offer. Before meeting with your cake designer, collect inspiration items in order to guide the design. The client doesn’t need to know exactly what they want but it’s nice to narrow it down a little. Bring a few photos of cakes that you like as a starting place to build from. I personally want to hear all about the wedding before I even start asking about what they want their cake to look like. It’s important to pair your cake design to the venue, décor, flowers etc for the most dramatic effect. Above all, feel comfortable with the vendor you choose.
