Create a Vision for your Colorado Wedding!

Steps to Help you Visualize “The Big Picture” when it comes to creating the vision for your Wedding Day.

 

Let’s Create a Vision for your Colorado Wedding!

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Some of the biggest fears couples have about their wedding day, after spending months of planning, and tens of thousands of dollars, are:

• Guests won’t enjoy themselves
• Weather will ruin their dream of an outdoor wedding
• They’ll be stressed out
• Guests will have to wait for long periods of time and get bored
• They don’t know how to create a fun event flow that everyone will love
• Going over budget
• That people won’t show up
• That guests will leave early
• The bride fears she won’t look her best
• Having all of the attention on them for so many hours

5 Critical steps you must take first before you begin planning and setting a vision for your dream Colorado wedding!

Before you go shopping for a Denver area wedding venue or jump into dress shopping, and spending a huge percentage of your budget, here are the most critical steps you must take first before planning your dream wedding.

1. Figure out your wedding guest count as close as possible before venue shopping

• Consider how many guests you absolutely must invite (family, cousins, close friends of the two of you, and your parent’s friends), and then consider who you would “like” to invite if you had more of an unlimited wedding budget.
• There’s no sense in touring venues that are far too big or too small for your guest count.

2. List your top 5 non-negotiables or desires for your Wedding Day and what you absolutely don’t want to happen.

You’ll then have a road map to determine what decisions you need to make or experts you need to hire to ensure your top priorities will come true, and that you have a plan to avoid what you don’t want.

• Reflect back on weddings you’ve attended, and what you liked and disliked. What stood out that made the other weddings boring, typical, or really memorable, fun and unique? Do you want a daytime reception feel or romantic evening feel, a Friday vs. Saturday, Winter vs. summer, large wedding party or small, open bar or cash bar, videography or not, etc.
• Really discuss Indoor or outdoor wedding pros and cons
• Do a fun exercise where each of you list your top 5 wants and top 5 things you want to ensure does not happen, and then compare them. Discuss how to compromise on your Wedding Day dream list.

3. Research and know what Denver Colorado Weddings cost in general
   • Before you go looking for venues, know what the average wedding costs in the Denver Area for the number of guests you’re planning to invite.
   • Experts say the average cost of a wedding in Colorado for 100 guests is around $30,000.
   • Find an all-inclusive Denver wedding venue to help you control costs by getting more value.

4. Ask each set of parents if and how they would like to contribute financially to your wedding budget.

• Often parents and grandparents are able and willing to contribute financially to your wedding. Once you know the realistic total cost from your research, you can share that with them and ask what they would be willing to contribute.

 

5. Ask yourselves what you can now afford in totality considering the number of months until your wedding day and how much extra money you can make until then. Once you’ve got the answers to these questions, and you’ve decided on the type of Colorado wedding you want, set your wedding budget.

Now that you have these 5 critical answers and your wedding budget set, do some more research on what your top Wedding Day priorities cost, and then begin your venue search. Happy venue hunting!

Still lost on how to determine what is most important to you because you haven’t attended that many weddings? Here are some helpful tips.

Tips to help you determine your top priorities and vision “as a couple” for your Colorado Wedding

Ask yourselves, “What type of wedding Ceremony and Wedding Reception experience you want, what “look and feel” you want, and if those answers reflect who you are and how you and your guests would like to celebrate?”

 

To Create your Colorado Wedding Ceremony Vision, ask yourselves the following questions:

• Indoor wedding ceremony or outdoor wedding ceremony in Colorado? – Ask yourselves if you’re dead set on an outdoor wedding in Colorado. With all of the weather risks including temperatures in the 90’s June – August, the risk of wind blowing your hair and decorations, guests having to sit in the direct sun for an hour, bugs, cold weather, or rain and a gloomy day, it can be something many couples regret. And if you’re willing to risk it, are you 100% ok with the back-up plan at the venue you choose if the weather prevents the ceremony from happening outside? Check the average weather by month in Denver, CO here: The Weather Channel Average Temperature by Month

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OUTDOOR WEDDING OPTION

• What are the reasons you’re considering an outdoor Wedding Ceremony in Colorado? Is it the vision of the two of you getting married in nature, with beautiful flowers, grass, warm weather or a majestic view? Or do you really not know the reason, and just assumed it would be the best choice in the summer?

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Will you be disappointed, happy no matter what, or regret your decision to have an outdoor wedding?

INDOOR WEDDING OPTION

 

• What are the reasons you’re considering an indoor romantic Wedding Ceremony in Colorado? Is it the look and feel of romance with lots of candles, a comfortable air-conditioned setting, and beautiful lighting?

 

• Do you want your wedding ceremony at your church?

 

• What type of look, style, and décor do you envision for your aisle and altar?
• Romantic
• Enchanted Garden feel
• Enchanted Forest
• Starry Night
• Modern
• Minimalistic
• Fairytale
• Bold
• Moody
• Elegant
• Glamorous and luxurious
• Rustic
• Whimsical
• Simple and chic=
• Beach
• Bohemian romance
• Industrial inspired
• Farm or country

 

• DJ, live musicians, or both?

• Kids or adults only?

• Will a Priest, officiant, friend, or family member marry you?

 

  

To Create your Colorado Wedding Reception Vision, ask yourselves the following questions:

• Indoor wedding reception or outdoor wedding reception in Colorado? – Ask yourselves the same questions as you did for your ceremony. Is there enough shade, will a tent create the look and feel you want, what about wind, rain, and heat?
• What “look” and “feel” do you want for your wedding reception – Imagine when you’re eating dinner at your head table and your first dance, do you want the setting to feel like daytime with a venue with lots of windows and natural lighting shining in, or do you imagine lots of candles flickering, beautiful colored lighting and a more dim reception ballroom that creates a romantic setting.
• All-inclusive venue with some flexibility and options, or a venue that allows you to choose all of your own vendors?

• Do you want a wedding venue with experts who will help you create the dream wedding you envision from start to finish?

• Do you want a fun wedding reception or a more mellow and laid-back feel?

• Do you want a celebration similar to the best vacation you’ve ever taken, and why? Most likely the most you’ve ever come close to spending on an event like this before was a well-planned vacation to a destination of your dreams. What made that vacation so fun, special, unique and memorable for you? What do you find yourselves talking about years after that vacation has passed? Are those the type of wedding day experiences and memories you want? If so, how do you achieve that kind of dream Wedding celebration that you know will create memories of a lifetime?

• Will you benefit from a Wedding Event Production expert who can help you create the event flow and fun ideas?

• Is the guest experience a priority for your reception? – Do you want a unique and one-of-a-kind wedding with the guest experience a priority? If so, this takes planning and a realistic understanding of your Wedding Day timeline and how long things take.

• Kids or adults only at your reception?
• Traditional or untraditional? An untraditional wedding with your own unique style vs. a traditional wedding that follows a typical timeline of events and traditions?
• Your wedding décor and design vision. Do you see pastels, greenery and neutrals, or bold vibrant colors for your wedding reception décor?
• Do you want to walk into your venue on your Wedding Day and have everything done for you or do you want the flexibility to do some decorating on your Wedding Day yourself?? Does an all-inclusive wedding venue appeal to you or a DIY option? Why?

• Wedding Videographer? – After it’s all said and done, would you really value a video of your wedding day or just prefer still images from your wedding photographer?

 

 

Everything you need to consider for your 2025 Colorado Wedding; Let’s Break it Down by Segment & Service

 

Engagement

Rings

Engagement photography

Engagement Party

 

Wedding Ceremony items & services to consider

Church (aisle or altar flowers)

Priest and class fees

Officiant

Wedding Ceremony Venue – (chairs, linens, guest book, photo display, aisle décor, altar décor, ceiling décor, guest sign in table, card box, signage, runner, unity candle, lighting, and other rentals)

DJ

Band / Live muscians

Event coordinator

Programs

Signage

Card box

Flower petals for aisle

Flower petals for flower girls

Flower girl basket

Ring bearer pillow or ring case and accessories

Aisle décor

Altar backdrop décor

Guest book table linen

Guest book or other sign in option

Rehearsal

Rehearsal dinner

 

Wedding Reception & Cocktail Hour items & services to consider

Wedding Reception Venue – (décor including tables, chairs, linens, centerpieces, floral, candles, table #’s, menu cards, ceiling décor, head table décor, cake table, cake cutting set, custom toasting goblets, set up, tear down, and other rentals)

Wedding tent and all rentals, décor, set up, tear down

Wedding Planner

Wedding Designer

Wedding Coordinator

Wedding Event Production Expert

Colored lighting & custom wall monogram 

Entertainment for your wedding – musicians, singers, caricature artist, painter, comedian

Catering

• Rentals – china, glassware, silverware, chargers, cake plates, coffee cups, etc.
• Hors D’ oeuvres / appetizers
• Entrée’s – buffet or plated
• Late night snacks

Alcohol / Signature Drinks

Liquor / Bar / Champagne –champagne, bar package, bar tab, glassware rental, etc.

 

Gratuity & Tax

 

Other Professional Wedding Services in Colorado to consider

Wedding Photography – engagement photos, ceremony & reception, prints

Wedding Videography

Content creator – one who will film the best highlights with an i-phone and create a highlight video for you for social media or other.

DJ / Emcee

Entertainment – musicians, singers, caricature artist, painter, comedian

Fun “Specialty Experiences” or special effects for your wedding – fog, pyrotechnics, confetti, etc.

Wedding Cake, Desserts or candy table

Flowers (centerpieces, ceremony, bouquets, corsages, boutonniere’s, petals)

Stationary & Signage– Save the dates, Invitations, Ceremony Welcome signage, Seating chart, Escort cards, dessert table signs, food or beverage station signs, menu cards, bar signs, table #’s.

Transportation – limo, party bus, classic car, guest transportation

 

 

Personal Wedding Attire & “Your Look”

Bride’s Attire – wedding dress, veil, undergarments, shoes, tiara, jewelry

Hair and makeup – hair, makeup, trial runs for hair and makeup, tanning, eyelashes, or other beauty services

Alterations for your wedding dress

 

Groom’s Attire – tuxedo, shirt, tie, pants, socks, suit, shoes, cufflinks

 

 

Flower girl & Ring Bearer Attire – tuxedo, shirt, tie, socks, suit,  pillow or ring case, dress, shoes, leggings or tights, flower basket, hair

Misc. Wedding Items to consider

Misc. small items – other items and ways to personalize your wedding

Dance lessons

Wedding party gifts

Bride Gift

Groom Gift

Favors or gift bags for guests

Marriage license

Hotel

Honeymoon – airfare, hotel, food, beverages, excursions, shopping

Did this help you Create a Vision for your Colorado Wedding?

Phew! That was a lot to take in, but hopefully this process and these lists will help you get a better view of the “Big Picture” and all of the things you need to consider before you just dive in and start spending. The #1 priority is that you are marrying your soulmate, and all of the people you love are going to be there to cheer you on and support your marriage through a fun celebration!

So many couples aren’t able to visualize the actual day and how it will feel and flow, and wonder if what they planned will really be the type of celebration they want and will find to be fun and memorable. Having an expert team who understands the “Big Picture” of planning a wedding, and how valuable the Event Production is to the success of the outcome, is key.

 

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