Mountain Elegance, a Vail Wedding Deck & Donovan Pavilion Wedding

November 25, 2014

Mountain Elegance, a Vail Wedding Deck & Donovan Pavilion Wedding

The moving melody of A Thousand Years played sweetly on a single violin as Brandon, full of anticipation under an aspen chuppah draped in folds of soft white fabric, watched his bride appear over the gentle rise with a backdrop of breathtaking mountain peaks at Vail Wedding Deck.

The natural beauty and captivating elegance of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains inspired Viviana. “The inspiration behind my day came from the beautiful backdrop of our wedding location. I wanted an elegant and beautiful wedding, mixed with a casual and unstuffy vibe. The mountains spoke to me – beautiful, natural, and elegant.” Molly from Blair Bennett’s Photography captured the beauty exquisitely.

Her romantic details complimented the majestic peaks and verdant slopes. The soft blush of bridesmaid dresses, the singular elegance of calla lily boutonnieres, and the satin sheen of a flattering Lazaro wedding gown combined in a statement of elevated yet graceful elegance.

After witnessing a meaningful mountaintop ceremony, guests rode the gondola down to enjoy cocktails next to a gurgling creek by the rustling leaves of an aspen grove, while inside willow branches in vases of river rock were adorned with orchid blooms and the soft glow of candles floating over calla lilies from Best Day Floral Design showcased the concept of elegance inspired by natural beauty.

A chic white cake wrapped in ribbons of gold and accented with ruffled white flowers from Cornerstone Chocolates & Confections was displayed on luxurious sequins, a highlight that greeted guests as they entered the airy pavilion featuring high wooden beams and windows framing candlelit teardrop orbs suspended in faux crystals. Guests picked up their delicately scripted escort cards from aspen logs on a bed of moss sprinkled with white orchids. Moss covered numbers hung from willow branch centerpieces, directing guests to their gold chivari seats where an orchid bloom topped each blush-framed menu and satin napkins lined textured gold runners.

The evening continued with a sumptuous dinner from Taste 5 Catering featuring a gourmet dual entrée, and the wildly popular ice cream sundae bar. One of Viviana’s favorite moments happened on the dance floor. She recalls, “It is so hard to pinpoint my favorite part of the weekend and/or wedding day! There are so many to choose from as there were so many magical times! I will say that I loved seeing all of my favorite people in the whole world together to celebrate such an important time in our lives. There was a moment I remember at the wedding reception when I looked around the dance floor and saw my gorgeous new husband dancing. Behind him were his family and friends, as well as my family and friends, all commingled and having a great time! It was so special physically seeing the coming together of two families.”

Guests wrote notes and bits of advice on wooden hearts which Brandon & Viviana keep in a cute box as their guestbook. When asked what advice she would give to future brides, Viviana replied, “This is really going to sound absolutely cliché, but I would say to enjoy the wedding planning process as much as possible. I really enjoyed planning every detail of my wedding, and all the festivities leading up to the wedding – the bridal shower, the bachelorette party, etc., etc.! Its such an exciting time and it goes by so fast. I would urge brides to enjoy every second and savor the memories!”