There’s nothing  quite like a bride in ski boots to beat the heat wave!  Sally and Chad wed on the top of Aspen Mountain on a beautiful June day surrounded by their closest friends and family.  Sally wore a stunning Anne Barge gown tied with an Ivy and Aster sash that she found at Lovely, and though we never thought we’d say this, we think they both look stunning with ski goggles.  L.A. Photography was on site to capture all of the magic and their beautiful love!

Lovely: Tell us about THE dress and what inspired your look.

My sister and I live in Aspen, Colorado and we both got engaged within a few months of each other. We had already scheduled a trip to New York to meet our mother from Alabama for a girl’s weekend. Once we were both engaged, that trip turned into a wedding dress search.  When we arrived at Lovely, I had a hunch I was going to find my dress there. It was so beautiful and laid back – so different from the other pushy bridal salons we had visited. I felt instantly at ease.  When I tried on the Anne Barge gown, I felt glamorous and pretty and comfortable, all at the same time. Cassandra, my Lovely consultant, helped pull the look together with an Ivy and Aster sash to give the dress a bit of sparkle.  I was never the girl who dreamed of her wedding dress or her wedding, so I went solely based on how I felt rather than any mental image of what I thought I wanted to look like as a bride. I knew it was the right dress for me because I didn’t want to take it off.

Lovely: What were the most important details to pulling off your dream wedding?

Chad and I wanted a wedding where guests felt our love for each other and our love for them. We wanted to maximize our time with our guests who had traveled all the way to Aspen to celebrate with us. In order to do that, we knew we would need to organize time (other than the ceremony/reception) to visit.  Planning a whole wedding weekend on a small budget seemed daunting, but we did it by hosting our own welcome party in a city park; organizing an after-wedding dance party with pizza and beer; and doing a day-after brunch at our house with waffles served up by my dad.  We also opted to hold a pre-ceremony cocktail hour with mimosas so we could visit with any family or friends either of us hadn’t met yet. We didn’t want anyone watching us make this huge commitment to each other without them having met one of us.

Lovely: What was the most memorable moment?

We were married at the top of Aspen Mountain on The Little Nell Wedding Deck. Fortunately, the weather cooperated with sunshine and warmth, but because we had such a snowy spring in Colorado, the top of the mountain was surprisingly still open for skiing in June.  The Aspen Skiing Company was kind enough to keep the lifts running for us after our lunch reception, so we were able to ski a lap (me in my wedding dress) before taking the gondola back to town. About 20 of our friends and family joined in on skis and snowboards to take a huge group run down the mountain. There were lots of high fives and big smiles. It was the perfect, unexpected part of our dream wedding and one of the most memorable moments of my life. The dress was easier to ski in than walk… no heels required on skis!

Lovely: If you could give future brides any advice, what would it be?

• Work with your budget and the opportunities you have, and never do something because you think you have to or as a slave to tradition.
• Take advantage of the beauty in nature… it will save you money on flowers.
• Be happy to have found your mate, and delight in the love and joy around you.

DRESS:  Anne Barge

SASH: Ivy and Aster

VINTAGE NECKLACE: Bride’s grandmother

HAIR & MAKEUP: Haley Spaulding, Bride’s cousin

PHOTOGRAPHER: L.A. Photography

FLORIST: A Funky Mountain Flower

DAY OF COORDINATOR: Ashley Cantrell, Events Elevated

VENUE & CATERING: The Little Nell

SKI RESORT: Aspen Skiing Company