real wedding: eva + kevin

As seen on Mountainside Bride: 

Why did you choose the Mountains for your wedding?
Eva grew up in the area and her parents still live in Steamboat Springs. Steamboat Springs is beautiful in the fall and one of our favorite places to visit year round. With nature as the backdrop, it was the perfect setting for our wedding.

Wedding day theme:
Elevated Southwest Wedding

Where did you find your inspiration?
Eva has always loved themed weddings. She wanted to stay true to the theme, but didn’t want the theme to overwhelm the natural beauty of the venue. We ended up just choosing things we liked, while keeping the theme in mind and it all came together in the end.

How did you choose to personalize your wedding?
We did a lot of DIY projects with the help from our friends and family. The table numbers, antlers, feathers, place cards, card box, guest book, signage, photo displays, and aisle decor was all DIY. All of these included sentimental touches that were important to us. For example, we made corn hole boards painted with mascots from our alma maters. The cake topper was a tribute to our alma mater too. We even displayed a painting of our proposal photo (a wedding gift from a good friend), which was a very personal and special moment to us!

What was your favorite part of the reception?
The band and the desserts. Two years before our wedding we heard the band play at a local Steamboat Springs restaurant. We were instant fans! Better yet, our guests loved the band. Our dessert bar was stocked with our favorite treats including Cayanne Chocolate and Bananna Foster mini cupcakes and French Macaroons! By the end of the night there wasn’t a crumb left! It wasn’t clear whether the band or the dessert was more popular.

What are three things you’re super glad you did?
Hire a wedding planner; Give the florist full creative control; Keep the wedding small.

What was the biggest challenge in planning your mountain wedding and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge was having to plan the wedding from a distance and having to travel to Steamboat Springs frequently. We overcame this through planning far in advance. The major things were booked and planned 9 months before the wedding. It was helpful to have experienced vendors and wedding planner.

How did you find and choose your vendors?
A lot of internet research and some recommendations from our wedding planner.

What is your best piece of advice to other mountain brides who are planning their weddings?
Plan early! At least in Steamboat Springs, things book up fast! Also, incorporate the natural beauty of the mountains in your wedding! You don’t need a lot of decor when you have the mountains as your backdrop.

Wedding Dress Salon: WToo gown from a&bé bridal shop denver
Wedding Photography: Andy Barnhart Photography 
Wedding Planner: Pink Diamond Events
Floral Design: Hana Style
Cake and Cupcakes: Cupcake Minibar 
French Macaroons, Truffles, and Cookies: Happy Cakes 
Hair and Makeup: Wildhorse Salon 
Venue: Catamount Lake House 
Hairpiece and belt: BHLDN | Bridesmaid Dresses: Etsy | Cake Topper:Itty Bitty Wood Shoppe | Rentals: Colorado Event Rentals | Band: Loose Change | Grooms Jacket and Groomsmen Blazers: Mens Wearhouse