Beautiful DIY Ranch Wedding in Colorado

It's always a happy Monday when we get to share a beautiful real wedding with you guys, and today's rustic bash has extra helpings of inspiration.

Lauren and Keith are an East Coast couple who married Colorado with a deeply personal and super pretty DIY wedding that was over two years in the making.

And their breathtaking pictures by Lauren and Tim, of Lauren Fair Photography shows just why all their hard work was worth it.

With the stunning backdrop of Spruce Mountain Ranch, this sweet couple created a day that was inspired by vintage details, handmade features, and great food served in an intimate and casual setting.

From stitching their own napkins and collecting glass bottles and jars, to designing wedding rings from family gold and having an old friend as their officiant, Keith and Lauren were passionate about making a day that was rustic, thoughtful, and deeply personal.

So much so, it even spawned a new business, using the wooden details they had handcrafted for their day to create Old Wood Soul.

DIY brides and grooms, prepare to be inspired by this very special rustic ranch wedding.

Wedding Day Snapshot

Our Wedding in Five Words

Outdoor, Romantic, DIY, Eclectic, Rustic

The Flowers

Pale pink ranunculus flowers, dahlias, succulents, anemone, greenery, blue vibernum berry, dark eucalyptus, mint eucalyptus. The bride wore a floral / greenery headpiece.

Attached to the bride’s bouquet were two gold lockets given to her from her mother. They included a picture of the bride’s Nana (grandmother) who has passed, as well as a locket the bride’s father had given to her when she was a little girl.

The Ceremony

We had 108 guests with 90 coming from East Coast or overseas. Our officiant was a college roommate and business partner of the groom.

Our best man was the groom's brother and the matrons of honor were the sisters of the bride. The groom's nieces were the flower girls and the nephews of the bride were the ring bearers and ushers.

Our ceremony included a tree planting ceremony with soil from bride and grooms hometowns in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, respectively, mixed with Colorado earth.

We chose to say personal vows under an arbor of lanterns. Our rings were designed by bride and groom using gold from family jewelry that was 100+ years old.

Our family gifts included handmade (by bride and groom) jewelry boxes for the women and whiskey boxes for the men.

The Photography

We decided to fly the husband and wife team, Lauren & Tim Fair in from Pennsylvania to capture our wedding day – we love their ability to capture the emotion of the day and candid moments.

Not to mention their ability to catch the perfect “golden hour.”

Decor & Details

Throughout the couples two and a half year engagement (as they awaited the completion of Lauren’s program) they had time to become intimately involved in the planning of their wedding – from the selection of venue and vendors to the construction of many of the ceremony and reception pieces.

Included in the list are tables from two-inch thick distressed timber, centerpieces from reclaimed wood, vases from three years of bottle collecting, name tags holders carved from wine corks and even napkins they made themselves.

The ceremony site was kept simple and classic with rustic lanterns hanging from the old Cottonwood tree, handmade boxes filled with baby’s breath lined the aisle, white wooden doors that were connected to a row of white lace quilts created the wall and indoor experience.

The venue had three fire places going at all times. Albert’s Lodge (the reception area) had large garage doors that continued to create the indoor/outdoor feel – benches with quilts lined the outdoor dance floor that was under a blanket of market lights.

The mantle behind the head table was filled with pillar candles and pictures of older family wedding photos.

Special Details

The Whittiers used the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the rustic decor to launch a business replicating the authentic experience they were able to create.

Front and center in this endeavor are a line of handcrafted farm style dining tables for sale with a portion of all proceeds going to local charities; and similarly styled, hand made tables for rent to the wedding and special event industry – helping those searching for decor made with the rugged beauty and charm (and durability) of yesteryear – all on a budget that fits normal working couples.

The Refreshments

Guests were greeted with pear and mint infused water at the start of the ceremony

Hors d'oeuvres buffet included; an antipasto platter and wood fired pizza from the pizza oven.

Signature cocktails were offered at the welcome party (the day before the wedding) which included blackberry infused whiskey mules and lavender lemon gin cocktails.

We had a food truck buffet, with Cheddar dill biscuits, Hawaiian kalua pork served on a banana leaf, Korean street tacos , mac & cheese, coleslaw and fresh fruit.

Vegan desserts were served with coffee bar, desserts were displayed on two antique dressers/desks with mismatched chinaware.

Desserts included a little bit of everything, and of course everything was miniature, bite sized treats. The desserts were made with love from a close friend (Kym Terribile) who recently left her NYC based catering business and graciously offered to make all the vegan desserts as a wedding gift.

For tableware, we selected an eclectic mix of fabric to make handmade napkins and used a variety of mismatched china for dishes. Gold silverware and mason jars completed the dining table.

The Music

First Dance: Dancing Shoes by Green River Ordinance

Father/Daughter Dance: Little Miss Magic by Jimmy Buffet

Mother/Son Dance: Days Like This – Van Morrison

Advice for Other Couples

The couple was very budget conscious, which was a big reason they decided to be hands on and build the majority of their accessories.

We chose to support smaller vendors when possible, as we worked closely with them and they were able to give the time and attention and got to know us personally.