Selena and Kris got the mountain ceremony they had traveled to Colorado for, but they didn’t trade away the parts of a traditional wedding they cared about to get it. Forty guests joined them at Maroon Bells Amphitheatre before everyone headed back to Top of the Village in Snowmass, where the intimate reception turned into a full-on party and, eventually, a group jump into the pool.

Junebug vendor Maye.Be Take A Photo, was there for more than the photos. She helped Selena and Kris work through the planning from a stage when they didn’t yet have a venue or guest list, which gave her an intimate role in this Colorado mountain wedding. 

What We Love About This Colorado Mountain Wedding

• A Maroon Bells ceremony where 40 guests could take in the mountain views without a difficult trek
• Their favorite Cheesecake Factory cheesecake, picked up three hours away and brought to Snowmass
• Both sets of parents dancing to their own first dance songs
• A cancelled plan for star photos that ended with the wedding party and parents jumping into the pool instead

Figuring Out The Wedding Started With One Non-Negotiable: The Mountains

When Selena and Kris first found Junebug vendor Maye.Be Take A Photo on Facebook, many of the usual wedding decisions were still open. “We really didn’t know a lot when we started planning,” their photographer, Sam, recalls. “They didn’t have a venue picked or a guest list. It was so fun figuring it all out together!”

The clearest part was where they wanted to be. “They really wanted to get married in the mountains, but they also wanted some elements of a traditional wedding and an epic party with their favorite people.”

Maroon Bells Amphitheatre ended up solving more than the scenery question. It offered the mountain setting they were after, along with built-in seating and accessibility for friends and family. Pairing it with Top of the Village in Snowmass gave their Colorado mountain wedding a natural second half: everyone could return for the reception, then stay there once the party ended. As Sam puts it, “Epic views at the Bells. And then no one had to worry about driving after the party because everyone stayed at Top of the Village.” Convenience at its finest. 

Getting Everyone To Maroon Bells Took Some Advance Planning

The biggest logistical question had to do with getting 40 people to the ceremony site. Maroon Bells admittance includes only a limited number of vehicle permits, so most guests needed to arrive by shuttle. 

Once everyone had made the trip, Selena and Kris took a few minutes away from the group for their first look. Kris stood facing the mountains while Selena approached from behind and tapped him on the shoulder. “They shared the sweetest hug, a few tears, and lots of smiles. Selena had so much fun showing off her dress and veil.”

There was also a small detail she didn’t catch until later. “When I was editing their video, I realized that in his vows he called her stunning, which was exactly what he said during their first look!”

An Intimate Guest List Didn’t Mean Having A Quiet Reception

Back at Top of the Village, the 40-person guest count worked in Selena and Kris’ favor. Their photographer describes the reception as “very intimate, but also a party.”

One running competition helped. Selena’s younger sister and another bridesmaid decided to see who could collect the most ties from the men at the reception. “They ran around trying to convince guys to give them their tie. It was really close.” Family traditions made their way onto the dance floor too, with both sets of parents dancing to the songs they’d used for their own first dances.

Then there was dessert. Selena and Kris had repeatedly mentioned their favorite Cheesecake Factory cheesecake during planning. The closest location was three hours from Snowmass, but because it was near the airport they flew into, they picked one up on their way.

It was exactly the kind of specific choice that suited this Colorado mountain wedding. Not every detail needed to reference the location. Some could simply be things Selena and Kris genuinely liked enough to haul into the mountains.

Bad Weather Scrapped The Star Photos And Sent Everyone To The Pool Instead

The night was originally supposed to end with Selena and Kris heading out for star photos. But the weather wasn’t cooperating, and the reception was going too well to pull them away simply because something was on the schedule.

Sam suggested taking the party to the pool instead. “Their whole bridal party and even their parents got into it,” she recalls, calling it “an amazing example of how going with the flow on a wedding day leads to the most incredible experiences.”

For a Colorado mountain wedding, where weather can easily interfere with carefully laid plans, their pivot worked because they didn’t spend much time mourning what wasn’t happening. The party was already there. They followed it.

Featured Vendor:
May.Be Take a Photo

Moving Some Portraits To The Next Day Took Pressure Off The Wedding Timeline

The next morning, they headed back into the mountains for a couple’s portrait session with just the two of them. “It was a great way to take the pressure off of getting all their couple photos done on the wedding day, while also taking advantage of the fact that they had traveled so far for their wedding.”

They had private moments together, but they didn’t spend half their reception away from the people who had traveled to celebrate with them. “Throughout the party I watched them split apart and come back together so many times.” 

It’s also the advice she’d give couples drawn to a similar mountain wedding: “You can have your cake and eat it too! It is possible to have the mountain views, the party, and the healthy balance between time alone plus time with everyone.”

For Selena and Kris, stretching some of the festivities beyond the wedding day made that possible. The mountains got their time. Their guests got theirs. And when the weather changed the final plan of the night, there was still a pool waiting downstairs.