WEDDING BLOG

Kristin and Ryan’s wedding at Devil’s Thumb Ranch might have been set in a rustic venue, but their timeless and elegant style took center stage to create an unforgettable celebration of love! The oh-so-talented planners at Calluna Events helped bring this couple’s dream wedding to life. They set up the ceremony outside, which showed off the epic Colorado mountain landscape. Then, for the reception, they used a combination of long farm tables, gold tableware, and stunning florals to elevate the rustic feel of the barn. Plum Sage Flowers created lush greenery installations above the head table and matching chair adornments for the bride and groom’s chairs to make the head table the focal point of the entire space. We love that Kristin went for a classic Theia Couture gown and Art Deco-inspired accessories, while Ryan opted for dapper midnight blue Hugo Boss suit. Every detail of this wedding was thoughtfully curated by Calluna Events, and Jill Houser Photography captured it all so perfectly!

The Couple:

Kristin and Ryan

The Wedding:

Devil’s Thumb Ranch, Tabernash, Colorado

Ryan surprised me with the sweetest love letter along with shamrock stickers. He told me to put the stickers on the bottom of my shoes for good luck but also explained how this was an old family tradition for them. It really made my day, and I loved the thoughtfulness of it.

Ryan and I are both big outdoorsy Colorado people so the mountains have always been our happy place, and we wanted a venue that would hold a lot of people! Ryan comes from a huge Irish family and we are fortunate enough to have a lot of close friends. We didn’t want to have to limit who we invited based on space — the more the merrier! Because I am from Texas and had a lot of friends coming up, we wanted it to feel like a destination wedding weekend. Plus, we loved the idea of a ranch where everyone stayed close together.

We had heard of Devil’s Thumb Ranch before and Ryan had been to a wedding there. We liked the idea that it held over 200 guests, the ceremony site overlooked the beautiful Rocky Mountains, and that it was fairly remote. It is also right outside Winter Park, which is where we both learned to ski as kids! We loved that the food and beverage were all provided onsite because it was easier not to have to bring in additional vendors. (Plus the food was great!) We also loved that our family and friends were all able to stay nearby either on the ranch or next door at the Wild Horse Inn B&B next door.

While it’s so hard to narrow down the most memorable part of such an amazing day, there was one moment during our ceremony that really moved everyone. Ryan‘s father passed away tragically in 2013 and one of my bridesmaids, Danielle, had passed away from cancer only 8 days before our wedding. As Ryan‘s Uncle Tim was speaking and mentioned our loved ones who had passed, the sun finally broke through the clouds and shined down on the ceremony. No doubt this was thanks to Ryan‘s dad and Danielle up above. It gave us all chills and really made us feel as if they were watching over us on our special day.

I loved my Devon dress from Theia Couture. It was so simple yet elegant and timeless. Because I am petite and wanted to show my shape a bit more, I added a Sara Gabriel scalloped crystal belt, which gave off some Art-Deco vibes. I also had an amazing back necklace from Sara Gabriel that added some more style to an overall very simple look.

Because the reception was in a barn, we wanted our decor to be more traditional. We had a bold head table for our bridal party and made that the focal point in the room. Our florist added greenery above the table to draw the eye to the center of the room. This enabled us to save money elsewhere as we didn’t have to go big on the other tables. It was gorgeous and really worked out well! Our flowers were a mix of rusty reds, whites, pops of blue, and green and we had accents of gold. It was the perfect combo for looking more formal yet fitting in with the mountain vibe.

Processional – “This Must Be the Place” by Iron and Wine (Talking Heads cover)
Recessional – “Sweetest Thing” by JJ Grey and Mofro
First Dance – “Just the Way You Are” by Billy Joel

Congratulations to Kristin and Ryan, and a special thanks to Calluna Events for sharing this beautiful Devil’s Thumb Ranch wedding with Junebug! Want to see more mountain wedding magic? Grab your tissues for this impossibly sweet Rocky Mountain National Park elopement!