The Lodge at Breckenridge
When Brendan and Kristie decided not to get married in their home state of Illinois and instead have a destination wedding in Breckenridge, Colorado, they took a massive leap of faith in choosing their venue and vendors. I have to say I am thrilled they took that leap and so grateful that we got to work with them.
Brendan, Kristie, and I didn’t get to officially meet until two days before their wedding day to do an engagement session. Usually, we get to meet our couples months in advance, and I know they were just as nervous as I was. I wanted to make sure that they felt comfortable and give them photos they would love! When I met them at the Airbnb in Breck, I immediately fell in love with them! They are so genuine and have such playful, heartfelt personalities. I knew we would have the best time together, and we did! With their wedding day, two days after the engagement shoot, I knew I wouldn’t be able to get all of their photos ready, but I did manage to get a sneak peek to them the day before their wedding.
The Special Day
After meeting Brendan and Kristie in person, I couldn’t wait for their wedding and for Christopher to meet Brendan. I knew they would hit it off right away, especially after Brendan told me he played hockey and was obviously a Hockey fan. Once we arrived at The Lodge at Breckenridge, Christopher dropped me off and headed to the Airbnb to meet up with the guys. When he returned, Brendan’s dad Shane had given Christopher a nickname…Calgary 🙂 And I became Calgary’s wife 🙂 Hahaha!!! It was hilariously awesome. We loved it and are pretty sure those are going to be nicknames that stick with us 🙂
One of my favorite things during a wedding morning is hanging out with the Bride and entourage. The time is priceless. I get to listen to stories, watch them get their hair and makeup done, and then see their reaction when the Bride steps into her dress! It’s such a joyful time because all the emotions are so genuine. When I walked into the bridal suite, everyone’s hair and makeup were almost done, and all looked phenomenal! Kristie came around the corner, and WOW, she was glowing. Her hair and makeup were so classy and elegant. But when she put on her wedding gown, Oh My Gosh, she looked like she had just stepped out of a movie! So glamorous…she needed the red carpet treatment.
A First Touch to Remember
So many of our couples choose to do a first look, but Brendan and Kristie opted to do the first touch. Talk about melting your heart; their first touch was beyond words. We had Brendan set up, and Christopher just kept telling him, “keep your eyes on me” 🙂 As we walked Kristie out, their eyes began to fill with tears. Back to Back, so Brendan couldn’t see her, Kristie gave Brendan the sweetest gift, just talking about it again brings tears to my eyes. She made him a unique remembrance pin to go inside his suit coat with a photo of one of their dogs and his grandfather. I don’t think anyway made a sound in that moment; it was such a heartfelt and loving gift. Once the tears subsided, they read their personal vows to each other, only to have more tears start to flow 🙂 And once again, I was moved beyond words by their love’s tenderness and sincerity. You could feel how much they love each other through their words; it was awe-inspiring.
The time had come to get these two hidden away and ready to say I DO! With the gorgeous Colorado Mountains as their backdrop and their closest friends and family seated, Kristie made her entrance. Brendan couldn’t take his eyes off of her. His smile spread from ear to ear as his Bride walked toward him. I don’t think anything in the World could have broken the connection they had at that moment. Their ceremony was filled with words of tenderness, love, and joy. After waiting all morning, they finally got to exchange their rings and say, “I DO.”
As the party started, the wedding party made their Grand Entrance into the beautifully decorated reception area. With the deep green, gold, and splashes of white, It would be impossible not to notice the romantic elegance in the reception area.
Brendan and Kristie’s reception was phenomenal! From how they held and sang to each other during their first dance to everyone getting out on the dance floor, Christopher and I even jumped in to celebrate.
Remembering Family
One genuinely magical thing about Brendan and Kristie’s wedding that stole my heart was the small yet grand 🙂 Sentimental pieces. Sewn on the hem of Kristie’s wedding gown was a piece of her grandma’s original wedding dress and a small white and blue bow with a blue gem and pearl from her dad. That’s not all. Kristie’s three-ring set was created from Grandma’s ring. Her engagement center stone, the diamonds on her wedding band, and the small gold band are all crafted from a piece of their family history and love. Brendan’s ring was grandpa’s ring they had re-plated. Later that evening, Kristie and her family took a moment to spread some of her grandma’s ashes.
We couldn’t believe how we came to love these families so much in one day. Both of their families made Christopher and I feel so welcomed and loved. Between the hugs, joking, and stalker moments, LOL!!! By the end of the evening, we felt like family ourselves. We take our nicknames Calgary and Calgary’s wife proudly 😉 We are blessed beyond measure to have spent the day getting to know everyone. I can’t wait for Christmas Dinner in Chicago 😉 😉 Y’all are the best!
Brendan and Kristie, CONGRATULATIONS!! We are genuinely so grateful that we had the opportunity to celebrate you and your love for each other on your day! We are thankful and blessed to have met your friends and family and for the open arms, they extended to us. Most importantly, we love you both so much and can’t wait to see what this next amazing adventure has in store for you! Please stay in touch!!!:)
Photographer | Brittani Chin Photography
Venue & Catering | The Lodge at Breckenridge
Wedding Coordinator/Planner | Jessica Valvo
Videographer | Miranda Adame
DJ | Will at A Music Plus
Cake & Dessert | Gina Perez
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