Julie and Zane turned their log house in the mountain forest into a magical wonderland for their wedding. Embracing their love for Burning Man’s whimsical and enchanting atmosphere, they chose the fitting theme of “Funky Forest” for their special day right in their own backyard. The guests added to the charm with their whimsical attire, while the handmade animal sculptures and surprise llama visitors made the Colorado backyard wedding truly one-of-a-kind.

The couple turned the forest into a magical venue space with rainbow arches, a floating umbrella installation, and a serpentine tablescape adorned with shimmering iridescent confetti. As the sun set, the evening came alive with a spectacular light show illuminating the dance floor, where guests joined the pair, dancing the night away.

Curious to witness the magical transformation of Burning Man vibes into a wedding wonderland? Don’t miss out on how Julie and Zane turned their passion into a celebration. Thanks to From the Daisies, every funky detail has been beautifully captured for all of us to savor. Keep scrolling for a visual feast of whimsy and joy!

The Couple:

Julie and Zane

The Wedding:

Colorado, United States

Festival-Inspired Fashion and Makeup

My good friend from college made my dress and glitter cape. She studied fashion and is also a Burner. She has made countless costumes for me in the past (even matching a couple’s outfits for Zane and me) and really understood the assignment. Beauty-wise, I was decisive about needing glitter and rhinestones. Our wedding planner again found a burner-esque makeup artist who understood the assignment. Everyone had glitter and rhinestones, including all the dads, brothers, etc. It was magical.

How Burning Man Inspired Their Colorado Backyard Wedding

We live in a log house in a beautiful woodsy forest on the mountains. So we went with the theme “Funky Forest” and had the wedding at our home. We are longtime Burners (people who attend Burning Man) and wanted to bring that whimsical and magical feel to our event. From the guests’ whimsical formal attire to our crafted animal sculptures to our llama visitors, the wedding was everything we hoped for and more! We are also makers. I’m a designer, and my husband is a software engineer, and together, we brought the art pieces to life. 

A Funky Forest Wedding Extravaganza That Was Interactive For Their Guests

Every guest received a jackalope, bear, or fox badge specially programmed with their name. As they approached the corresponding animal sculpture, a unique and interactive experience awaited them. For example, when Guest 1 approached the giant bear, it playfully blew bubbles and bathed in a radiant purple glow. Guest 2 encountered the fox, setting off the fog machine and casting a warm yellow glow. Guest 3 discovered the jackalope nestled in the disco ball forest, treating them to a delightful serenade amid a soothing blue light. The brilliance of the LED lights on the animal sculptures responded to the colors on the guests’ badges. Amidst these enchanting interactions, the celebration featured a variety of activities, including decorating sparkly crocs in a dazzling dome with handmade charms, engaging in an audio guest book experience within a greenhouse adorned in rainbow reflecting film, trying their hand at ax throwing, participating in a giant moose color-by-numbers station, and exploring a family art gallery. The highlight was witnessing the joy brought by Bubble Bear, a gigantic 3D-printed sculpture of a bear that blew bubbles overhead.

Wedding Advice: Embrace the Uniqueness of Your Day

Do whatever you want. It’s your day. I often wanted to ask other people, “Is this normal?” or “Is this crazy?” to try and tone our ideas into a socially “acceptable'” shape. We aren’t normal. And we are crazy. So I’m glad at some point, we just let the wedding be super funky and creative regardless of worries of outside judgment. Our guests followed us down that path once we were confident, too. My dad walked me down the aisle with rhinestones on his face. It was everything.

The Artistic Afterlife of Their Colorado Backyard Wedding Creations

Our gigantic bubble bear and Foggy Fox sculptures now live in Spectra’s immersive gallery in Denver for everyone to enjoy! Making these more extensive interactive installations lit a spark for us. Now we spend much of our time thinking of new art pieces to build for various events. We had this fantastic fabrication/artist company called Dark Moon Designs (another impeccable find by our planner) build a multi-piece giant rainbow flower portal through the forest to walk to the ceremony spot. It now lives in our backyard forever. We see it out our bedroom window when we wake up, and nothing makes us happier. 

Cost-Effective Thrifted Treasures

Since our wedding was at our house, we were able to cut spending on furniture rentals. We bought all these cute vintage chairs and couches on Facebook Marketplace or from thrift stores on the cheap rather than renting. Furniture rentals get super pricey super fast. We have done a lot of remodeling to our home to make it unique, so it’s very special to us. We have a giant circle window, a geodome, and a greenhouse all in the forest. It also allowed us the time and space to set up the sculptures and other activities. You only have 24 hours in most venues, so you can’t decorate to the extent we did.

Glitter Crocs, Furry Geo Dome, and DIY Touches at Their Colorado Backyard Wedding

We gave everyone glitter Crocs. They have become a staple to us here in Colorado. And what’s fun about Crocs is you can decorate them to be your own. We had disco balls, pom poms, laser-cut bananas, happy faces, and various charms for people to have a little craft project while relaxing in the geodome. Did I mention we covered the inside of our geodome walls with fur? The invites, save the dates, thank you cards, and all the signage we designed and made. I’m a graphic designer, so we had a specific look I was trying to achieve.

Congratulations to Julie and Zane for pulling off a wildly creative and funky Colorado backyard wedding inspired by Burning Man. And a big thank you to From the Daisies for capturing every detail and moment this couple can relive over and over.

Your wedding is a canvas waiting for your personal touch, just like Julie and Zane did with their creative passions and interests. Unsure where to start on your own journey to a unique celebration? We’ve got you covered! Explore our comprehensive guide to planning a wedding that reflects your individuality, sparks your creativity, and turns your special day into an unforgettable masterpiece.