landlocked bride® | midwest + mountain west wedding inspiration

When I first stepped foot into Colorado almost seven years ago, I knew I had to call it home. See, I grew up in Florida and beaches are nice and all, but seeing snow-topped peaks, and trees that turned amazing hues of red and orange and yellow and other colors I can’t even put words to, won my heart in a millisecond. I was hooked! I think that it is this natural beauty that makes this landlocked region an amazing location for not only weddings, but intimate honeymoon getaways! Doesn’t just sounds so romantic waking up to freshly fallen snow softly blanketing everything outside while sitting by a fire snuggled up to someone special. A really great way to experience that is through some of the Front Range’s amazingly cozy and romantic bed and breakfasts. But these aren’t your typical bed and breakfasts with lace, your grandmother’s antiques and those creepy dolls that seem to stare you at you no matter where you go in the room. These B&Bs offer a timeless, yet modern, feel with all the luxurious amenities, décor and more that you’d get at any other city hotel or resort. We’ve collected a few of our favorites tucked into the corners of the Front Range.

Arrowhead Manor is a luxury bed and breakfast in Morrison, Colorado, near Denver. It offers incredible mountain views private balconies, luxury linens and modern meets antique décor.

Arrowhead Manor

The Highland Haven Creekside Inn can be found in Evergreen, Colorado, and offers a modern touch to the typical bed and breakfast experience. You’ll find warm woods, private entries, and a sleek, modern aesthetic in the guest suites and common areas. Plus who could resist an inn that serves Romance welcome packages, including one with champagne and a “Cuddle Blanket”?

Highland Haven

For the still urban loving couple looking for a unique place to stay, The Queen Anne Urban Bed and Breakfast offers sleek décor and an urban oasis in the heart of Downtown Denver married with historic architecture.

Queen Anne Urban Bed & Breakfast

This engagement session has so many things I love: Denver, the urban backdrop, and colorful murals. Plus, it always helps that these two are crazy adorable (and her bangs are awesome).

Love•n•Joy Photography

Harper Point Photography

From Jessica, Owner of A Vintage Affair Rentals:
Susan and Michael are such a sweet down to earth couple. She is a math teacher, which provided the student and teacher idea. The other main inspiration came from dominos. Susan and Mike started playing dominos with a set they had bought awhile back. When Susan moved out of her childhood home two years ago she came across my grandfather’s set of dominos which was used in the shoot. The glasses on the bristo table they used were also from her grandfather. Their adorable dog, Forbin joined the shoot to make it all the more personal.

There is just something charming about a backyard wedding. Maybe it’s the intimacy of the affair, the closeness to home and family (literally) or the simplicity. Sarah and John’s wedding details were the perfect balance of sweet and uncomplicated.

Lindsay Carole Photography

About the Couple:
John and Sarah met sometime in 2001 or 2002. Neither of them is sure which year it was, but for the sake of continuity, let’s go with the Fall of 2001. They became close friends in the Summer of 2003. They fell in love in the Spring of 2005. But they broke up in the Winter of 2010. Luckily, they worked through many issues and became engaged in the Fall of 2010!!

John remembers first meeting Sarah at her friend Wendy’s house. Wendy was hosting a small impromptu gathering, where someone was trying to teach about half a dozen people to play poker. Wendy and Sarah sat next to each other and kept laughing and not paying attention. Sarah still does not know how to play poker. John sat next to Scott (Sarah’s and John’s mutual friend) at the opposite end of the table. John wasn’t paying attention to the poker lessons either…he was paying attention to Sarah. But Sarah had a boyfriend at the time.

Sarah remembers first meeting John at a different (earlier) social gathering (also organized by our dear friend, Wendy!) at a Westminster billiards bar, called Pink-E’s. Scott had been saying recently that she just HAD to meet his new friend, John, because his sense of humor reminded Scott of hers, and he thought these humors united could result in heights of hilarity for all! Extending Wendy’s invitation to Scott, Sarah was delighted when he said he’d be bringing John. Finally, she’d get to meet this John fellow. Amidst a sea of hot pink felted pool tables, Sarah was soon charmed by John, who was handsome, tall, fun, and had the charisma, maturity and galantry that she wished her current boyfriend would have honed by then. Now, Sarah knows that this was their first meeting, because she remembers the party at Wendy’s house very well, having again extended Wendy’s invitation to Scott, and to John, whom she’d already met… and already adored.

Things were pretty crazy for many months prior to the wedding. John and Sarah were at the tail end of rehabbing their house, and were at the point where they needed to decide which things could wait until after the wedding (which was being held in their backyard). As an example, a mere week before the wedding, there was a toilet and a bathtub sitting in our backyard!!

Ceremony / Reception Venue: Private Residence | Wedding Coordinator: L. Elizabeth Events | Photography: Lindsay Carole Photography | Cake / Desserts: Living the Sweet Life | Ceremony Backdrop: Décor ‘N More, Inc. | DJ: Maestro Mobile Music Productions | Caterer: Serendipity | Hair / Make-up: Ahh Mobile Spa | Florist: Timeless Floral & Events | Event Rentals: Butler Rents | Gown / Bridal Accessories: A Total Images Bridal Wearhouse | Groom’s Tuxedo: Men’s Warehouse | Paper and Sky Lanterns: JustArtifacts.com

Lola Elise

From the Bride:
Eli proposed on July 23, 2011. We have a tradition of going to the local park on Saturdays, after going to the library and getting frozen yogurt. Our routine started off the same, but when we got to the park, he was insistent that we sit under the trees, while I wanted to sit on a bench. I agreed but wanted the picnic blanket. Yet when I offered to get it from the car, he wouldn’t let me. I should have been suspicious, but I wasn’t. I just started reading and he went to go throw the yogurt container away. When he came back, he had a picnic basket with him. Upon opening it, I found a dozen roses and packages upon packages of popcorn (my favorite food). Then he pulled out a piece paper and read me a sonnet he had written. It ended with talking about being under a tree, and then he asked me to marry him. It was truly perfect for us.

Today’s anniversary session is perfect given Christmas is just two days away. A perfect little way to celebrate marriage – with a little snow and snuggling.

Sara Hasstedt

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.

Keri Doolittle Photography

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

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.

Faces Photography

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

Cori Cook Floral Design

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!!

Colorado Occasions

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.