Real Weddings:
Shannon and Matthew’s wedding at Crooked Willow Farms
photography by Katherine Ridgely
With a love for European travels and soft elements, Shannon and Matthew wanted their wedding day to reflect something close to Shannon’s heart while also incorporating Matthew’s love for clean, modern touches. Nestled in the foothills of the Colorado mountains, Crooked Willow Farms provided a beautiful backdrop for the day. NuBlu Events and BellaLu Floral Design carefully curated their soft, muted color palette with neutral hues and the slightest hint of blush. Their sweet King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, Oliver, has brought so much joy to their lives and having him join them on their wedding day meant the world. Check out all the beautiful details in these fine art film images captured by photographer, Katherine Ridgely.
What made your wedding special and unique?
We had a beautiful wedding venue, Crooked Willow Farms. With my love of horses and Matthew’s love of the mountains, the location couldn’t have been more perfect. BellaLu Floral created the most gorgeous arrangements that were both natural to the venue and modern.
Tell us about your gown.
I had always imagined having a gown that was classic yet a little less traditional. My wedding gown was partially customized as I was able to modify certain elements to make it truly my own. I absolutely loved the lace detailing on the train!
What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?
To make our wedding day uniquely ours, we added a few personal touches like handwritten seating cards, custom made card holders, wax-stamps, and gold foil touches on our invitation suites.
What was the most memorable part of your wedding day?
The most memorable part of our wedding day was our first look. I was so excited to see Matthew! Just having that quiet moment to ourselves was so special before we shared our vows with our friends and family.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
Matthew and I met via a dating app called Bumble. Our first date was at a coffee shop here in Denver, Colorado and it was at that time Matthew asked me out on a second date to watch the Banff Film Festival screening later that evening.
I absolutely love horses and thought Matthew was going to propose over the Christmas holiday when were were visiting his family in Ohio. It would have been the perfect setting. Well, on December 10th 2017, Matthew had suggested having a “date day” – this certainly wasn’t uncommon for Matthew! We began our day with church, followed by visiting my favorite coffee shop and park. Soon after, Matthew had mentioned wanting to visit a friend and that this friend of his was more than happy to let us visit with his horses. We absolutely had to go! We pulled up to the beautiful property and walked around the back of the barn where I was greeted by a warm fire, cozy blankets, flowers, and twinkle lights beautifully arranged. Matthew dropped to one knee for the sweetest proposal and moments later, my sweet dog, Oliver, came running out of the barn. The barn door continued opening and I immediately noticed that inside were our closest friends and family members. The day couldn’t have been more perfect!
Photography: Katherine Ridgely // Event Planning and Design: NuBlu Events // Floral Design: BellaLu Floral Design // Venue: Crooked Willow Farms // Film Lab: PhotoVision Prints // Bridal Boutique: Emma and Grace Bridal Studio // Makeup: Makeup By Heather // Hair: Phia Alchemy Salon and Spa // Grooms Attire: Suit Supply // Bow Ties: Huckle Berry Bow Co // Rentals: Event Rents // Dessert Table: Cocoa Bites // Bridesmaids Gowns: Adrianna Papell / Revolve / LuLus / Bridesmaids Social // Cake: Sweet Ride Bakeshop // Catering: Footers Catering and Events // DJ: Skyline Productions