Words by Lauren Ertl
Photos courtesy of Danna Frost Photography
Kayla and Mac were both raised in a city known as the “Country Music Capital of the World”: Nashville, Tennessee. Naturally, when the couple got engaged, they considered having a hometown wedding. Knowing that it would likely turn out to be a huge event with hundreds of guests, however, the couple began their search elsewhere. It didn’t take long before deciding on a destination wedding in the Rocky Mountains.
“When we first started dating, Mac lived in Denver. So, Colorado felt like the place our relationship really started. We both love the mountains and it just seemed to make sense," Kayla says.
Having traveled to Vail many times as a dating couple, Kayla and Mac felt a connection to the mountain town and it’s famed Vail Village. After hours of research on the computer, they located a venue called The 10th, booked a trip to see it in person, and as the couple says, “It was a done deal!”
Excited for the opportunity to spend a weekend in the Rockies with their closest friends and family, the couple wanted to recruit a wedding planner to handle the bulk of the planning so they could stress less and enjoy the build-up to their wedding weekend.
“My wedding planner, Jeni from Gemini Planning & Design, made [planning] such a better experience! I could not have done it without her,” the bride says.
A Vail local, Jeni knew just about everything there was to know about the town. She recruited some of the best vendors the area has to offer, immediately taking a load of worry off of the couple. After lots of phone calls and emails with their team of helpful vendors, Kayla and Mac’s wedding weekend in the mountains arrived.
Luckily, travel for the couple and their guests went fairly smoothly, as most flew into Denver and took a shuttle into Vail. There was no need for a rental car once arriving in town anyway since the Vail Village is easily walkable. Guests who arrived early Thursday night got to enjoy a welcome party with the couple. The following night was the rehearsal dinner, allowing plenty of time for mingling and catching up before the wedding, an important element of the weekend for Kayla and Mac.
“We were always running into people in the village during the day as well. If we had been married at home, we would not have had this opportunity,” Kayla says.
If connecting with guests is important for you and your partner, you may just want to follow in Kayla and Mac’s footsteps and say “I do” surrounded by loved ones in a destination as serene as the Colorado Rockies.
Vendors: Photographer: Danna Frost Photography; Wedding Planner: Gemini Planning & Design; Detail Photograhper: Angelica Marie Photography; Ceremony/Reception Site: The 10th; Florist: Vintage Magnolia; Stationery: Emily O. Holmes (Invitations), Four13Designs (Save the Dates); Cake: Mountain Flour; Hair & Makeup: Weemala; Gown Designer: Sarah Seven; Groom’s Clothing Designer: The Black Tux; Bridesmaids' Clothing Designer: After Six; Band: Tunisia Band; Videographer: Bosha Videography
