I’ve begun learning this about myself as I’ve started this crazy planning process. I have friends who just assume I want a mountain wedding—complete with Mason jars, cowboy boots and tree stumps. But the truth is, I’m just not that kind of girl, and frankly, just because you’re a Colorado bride doesn’t mean you need a wedding that’s so literal. That’s why I love venues like The Studio Loft: They have an casual, urban and slightly rustic vibe. It’s very Colorado—without screaming “purple mountain’s majesty.”

But I digress. After I wrote the blog, I got an email from Victoria of Kevin Taylor’s at the Opera House with additional photos of The Studio Loft. And I thought I’d share these images, including a couple for a New Year’s Eve wedding at the venue. Perfect for any Colorado bride like me.

To learn more, email Victoria with KTRG or call 303-867-0671.

Not so long ago, not so far away, weddings were a formal affair. Big church, big puffy sleeves, big cake and lots of punch! Crowds of friends and family—with their shoulder pads and feathered bangs—would settle into a traditional, formal room. Think: hotel ballroom, church basement, country club. Someone would surely do the cabbage patch.

Today’s bride and groom seem to flock from tradition and formality to more fun, unique spaces (and less hair spray): mountainsides or valleys, performing arts venues, galleries, museums, bars or historic sites. There are no boundaries.

And arguably the coolest and most modern of venues for a Colorado couple these days? A loft. We like to think of it as “warehouse chic” or “industrial swank.” The loft-like venue is recognized by brick walls, hardwood floors, possibly some exposed duct work and elements of concrete. It’s a bit funky and totally urban, but with the right décor and crowd, a loft space can offer an unforgettable setting for your wedding day.

With that in mind, we scoured the Front Range of Colorado to find some amazing loft-style options.

1. Wash Park Studio

900 S Pearl St., Denver

When the Wash Park Studio is not being used for photography shoots, it becomes a cool, youthful wedding venue. Here, big windows offer natural light, and the red brick walls, hickory floors and exposed ceiling beams create a contemporary, comfortable and casual vibe. And because it’s not amid the hustle and bustle of downtown Denver, there’s plenty of parking.

Pricing: According to the website, $250 per hour. Four-hour minimum.

Perks: Two bathrooms, fireplace, high-end sound system and an open kitchen, which is perfect for a bar set up. Oh, and there’s a newly finished downstairs with a shuffleboard table.

2. The Studio Loft

In the Denver Performing Arts Complex, Denver

The Studio Loft is a fairly new space within the massive Denver Performing Arts Complex, and it’s partially used as a performance venue for local theater groups. It’s 8,000 square feet with cathedral ceilings, original brick walls and a wood dance floor. There is a smaller are with a bar—complete with rough concrete that contrasts beautifully with contemporary lighting fixtures. It’s a big space, holding nearly 500 people. See more of The Studio Loft here.

Pricing: 350 max seated/ 500+ reception; $7,500-$10,000 F&B minimum (before tax and service); $300-$1,000 rental: includes all tables, chairs, linen (white/black), votives, etc; $300-$700 stewarding: includes all set up and tear down of event space; and plated meals start at $50 per person for 2 course dinner.

Perks: Built in AV: Large screen and projector included in rental cost; full sound system with built in IPOD hookups and can build a stage in space for no additional cost. The location is very convenient as it’s in the heart of Denver—near countless hotels and public transportation. The space is also managed by the folks at Kevin Taylor’s at the Opera House, so prepare for some delicious goodies and professional staff.

3. McNichols Civic Center Building (pictured above)

144 West Colfax, Denver

I first saw the interior of the McNichols building during a huge installation art exhibit a couple years ago. The ominous structure was built in 1910, when it served as Denver’s first library. More recently, it sat as one giant vacant monstrosity amid more active landmarks: the Capitol building, Denver Art Museum and the Denver Library. Taken over by Arts & Venues Denver, which also oversees Red Rocks, the space has been transformed, opened up and made cool. Each floor—there are three, plus a garden—gives off an industrial vibe with steel beams, concrete and white walls. The three different floors have their own unique personalities and spaces, and there are even historic touches throughout the building, including an old staircase and beautiful tile work.

Pricing: According to the website, Sunday-Thursday before 5pm is $2,500; Thursday 5pm-Saturday is $3,500 for six hours. Fees not included.

Perks: Your rental includes access to 35 round tables and 350 chairs, 15 banquet tables, bride’s room with private restroom and two security staff. In-house speakers covering all floors and wired microphone with stand.

4. The Agave Room

Above the Rio, Mountain Ave., Fort Collins

While The Agave Room is not at all industrial, it is actually a loft. With yellow walls and pretty molding, this space is light and airy and primed for parties. Of course, it sits atop the first ever Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant (a business that started in Fort Collins more than two decades ago and now has numerous locations in Colorado and beyond). Here, tequila flows like water. That may or may not be ideal for your wedding, but it is an excellent room that can be transformed quite easily (I once attended a jazzercise-themed birthday party here).

Pricing: Coming

Perks: Proximity is a perk here; The Rio is a major anchor of downtown Fort Collins, and it’s the nightlife counterpoint. Also, you basically have the famous Rio marg on tap (not literally on tap, but close) for your guests.

5. Mile High Station

2027 Lower Colfax Ave., Denver

I won’t go on and on here because, well, Mile High Station is getting lots of attention these days. And the historic-cum-event space is totally deserving. It’s a very cool venue with lots of personality (it’s the former home to Midwest Steel and Ironworks) and historic charm. Here, you’ll find the old brick exterior walls, I-beam structure and original equipment. Plus, a balcony looks over a large open space that was just made for dancing (well, probably not).

Pricing: Coming

Perks: Cool brick bar and balcony, complimentary parking, historic charm and beautiful lighting fixtures.

I was engaged on a Saturday evening, and by Sunday morning, I’d heard so much wedding planning advice that I could have written a book. Instead, here’s a blog about  one particularly special piece of advice.
On the night of my engagement, I called my brother Morgan to tell him that his little sister was gettin’ hitched. He offered up, what so far is, the best advice I’ve received. Morgan and his wife Missy were married last winter in a beautiful Southern California mountain wedding. The venue was a treehouse-like patio in a forested area near Lake Arrowhead. The venue had limited space and they had a limited budget, so the guest list became a major deal. With that in mind, Morgan offered up this gem: Invite the people who you want to surround yourself with on this incredibly meaningful day.

“Don’t invite the people you think you should invite,” he said, in his wise older brother voice. “Invite the people you want to invite.”

That has become my mantra as we begin this planning process and especially this weekend, when my fiancé and I finally sat down to put together an initial guest list. Our wedding day is more than a year and a half away, and we want fewer than 100 guests (ie. We can afford to feed 80 guests). We want an intimate wedding. We want it to be personal and, most importantly, fun. I don’t want to look into the crowd and see my lame second cousin from Phoenix using our program to pick his teeth. I don’t want to hear my maid of honor’s roommate saying that our basil and cucumber signature cocktail tastes “weird.” And I don’t my former co-worker—you know the one—to give my friends dirty looks when they begin doing Irish car bombs.

But I digress.

We want a good group of guests who will celebrate with us. And that’s how Jon and I began our battle of the guest list. We silently sat in our living room holding large notebooks, making individual lists. This, to me, was important. I didn’t want us arguing about each guest, and who was or wasn’t inviting who. I didn’t want us to have to fight for the guests we really wanted. So separate lists were a must. And we split our mutual friends up evenly.

While we sat there, meditating on the people who mean the most to us, it brought up all sorts of questions. Do you invite people who you know won’t be able to attend? What happens if you make new friends between now and the wedding? Do you invite the cousins you never see or your best friend from high school? Jon has family members who never get invited to family events (apparently, he says, they’re a little weird). “I feel bad that they never get invited,” he said, “so I kinda want to invite them.” We talked through each issue as it arose. Yes, we will invite a few people who we know won’t be able attend. No, most likely we won’t invite the cousins we never see or the childhood friends who we only see on social media. We’ll give ourselves a few openings for any new friends. Yes, Jon will invite his weird relatives. But that’s what works for us.

I also had issues just remembering people. And then I struggled picking which friends/family I wanted there and the ones I could do without. I went through my Facebook friends to make sure I wasn’t forgetting someone. If I questioned whether I wanted them there or not, I tried to picture them dancing with me at 11pm to “YMCA” or watching me as I read my vows. If I couldn’t picture it, they didn’t make the cut.

Once the lists were as complete as possible, we counted: Nearly 125 total. I had 64 and Jon had 60. It’s actually better than I thought it would be. With Jon’s giant extended family and my bevy of step-siblings and step-nieces and step-nephews, somehow I thought our list would be around 200. I’ll call it our first planning victory.

They say that about 2/3rds of the people you invite to your wedding will actually attend. We’ll likely have to make a few more cuts. But we’ve highlighted the folks who will likely not attend, and we’ve highlighted guests who may get the boot (sorry but weddings are a tough business!). For the next 12 months, until we send our save the dates, we will consider this list a working document. As a couple, we decided we’ll only offer plus ones to guests in serious relationships, and we will nicely ask our guests not to bring children unless noted on their invitation. These will be the rules we will ask our g
uests to respect.

I know a lot of people dread the guest list process. But I think it’s a pretty cool endeavor. I get chills when I think about bringing all our favorite people into one room to celebrate with us. Even if it is a battle, it’s a good thing to fight for.

I’ve been working on our newest issue—out soon, I promise—and in speaking with several wedding industry pros, I’ve heard more than just a few exasperated gasps when I mentioned the infamous Mason jar. Somehow, this simple kitchen item has become the wedding planner’s archnemesis.

Before 1859, when the Mason jar was patented, preserving food was a nightmare. We don’t need to go into the details here, but just know that it wasn’t pretty. When John Landis Mason invented the Mason jar, home cooks rejoiced (or at least, that’s what I imagine). With transparent glass and a design that creates a hermetic seal when turned shut, the Mason jar was heaven sent. Eventually Mason jars become fodder for modern collectors, who now search out antique versions at flea markets and online auction sites.

And at some point during the last few years, brides adopted the Mason jar as their very own. They’ve used them as vases, as candle holders, as cups for signature cocktails or lemonade. They’ve been covered in burlap, ribbon and sprayed with gold paint. They’ve hung from trees, perched on ledges and sat on feasting tables. While Mason jars are not necessarily old school or archaic, they have been done…and done…and done.

And now it’s time to do something else. So Colorado Brides has come up with a list of alternatives.

Milk Bottles

Milk bottles create a clean look, and they harken back to a more simple time (or maybe, a more complicated time, when we didn’t put everything in plastic). Like Mason jars, milk bottles say “this is a casual wedding but we still want to impress you with our creativity. See also glass soda bottles.

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Mercury Glass

Mercury glass is not going to be as affordable as jars, but it is beautiful and sophisticated and elegant, and it commands attention. It says, “This is not a cheap wedding. Please don’t break anything.”

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Wrapped vases

The Mason jars obsession, we think, began with the trend of eclectic weddings. Brides want weddings that are—ironically—unique, individualized and eclectic. And somehow, Mason jars became that poster child for Anthropologie-ish weddings. One amazing way to show your personal style through your vessels is by wrapping simple glass or plastic containers or vases in paper or fabric. Go colorful or simple, patterns or solid. Even try lace.

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Created by internationally-recognized Chef Richard Sandoval, the restaurant features a thoughtful selection of Latin wines, house-made sangrias and classic cocktails paired with a selection of delicious Spanish tapas.  In fact, there are so many exciting tastes to try, it makes choosing difficult—which is why Al Lado decided you shouldn’t have to.

For parties of four or more, you can order the entire menu for $170—and add a magnum of wine for just $50 more.  Talk about impressive.  Imagine showing up with your best girlfriends to fête your impending nuptuals and telling the waiter, “We’ll take one of everything.”

I don’t know about you, but it’s kind of a bucket list dream of mine to say that…

What’s even better is that everything on the menu is worth ordering.  Take the tuna crudo, for example, with rich chunks of sushi-grade tuna, baby beats, caper berries, avocados and a Catalan olive vinaigrette.  Or the rioja braised short ribs with parsnips and piquillo peppers—Spanish comfort food at its finest (pictured above).

Find the one. Get engaged. Watch a million reruns of TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress, dreaming about your perfect gown. That’s usually how it goes, isn’t it?

Choosing the perfect wedding dress is anything but easy, but Kleinfeld’s fashion director Randy Fenoli always makes it look effortless, offering tips and encouragement to Say Yes to the Dress’s brides. Unfortunately for Colorado brides, Kleinfled’s is almost 2,000 miles away, and Randy’s one-of-a-kind. In this economy, a trip to New York—even for the perfect dress—is out of the question for most of us.

Luckily, Randy is jumping behind the wheel of a semi-truck to cart wedding gowns to brides across the country for the second season of his spinoff show, Randy to the Rescue. Randy will stop in eight cities, bringing along not only gorgeous dresses but also his wedding expertise and styling tips.

And this season, Colorado brides are in luck.

In December, Randy’s closing that 2,000-mile gap and travelling to the Denver area to help Colorado brides find the perfect dress and pull off their wedding fantasies.

Randy to the Rescue will film in the Denver area on Dec. 8, 9 and 10 for an upcoming episode. The show is casting now for this episode, so if you’re planning on getting married in 2012 to 2014 and are seriously looking for a dress, email randytotherescue@gmail.com with your name, age, location and wedding location as soon as possible.

The two were married on Oct. 19 in southern Italy surrounded by a star-studded audience of friends and family. Timberlake serenaded his stunning bride, and the two wrote their own vows. Biel, who lived in Boulder when she was young, wore a custom, petal pink Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown.

Sure, that’s not what most brides want to hear. We want big, beautiful, deluxe and trendy. I dream of a Rolls Royce taking me to the chapel in my Vera Wang dress. Cascades of hydrangea, garden roses and dusty miller line the aisle. Blackbelly Catering serves up a feast along with paired wines. That’s after a tasting of signature cocktails that tell the story of our love through flavor, smell and aesthetics. We dance the night away to a live performance from The Lumineers.

And scene.

That, my friends, is how disappointment begins.

Instead of thinking big and beautiful, think about subtlety, simple elegance and personality. If you are looking to create a magical evening for you, your husband, your friends and family, you may not be able to give them your dream wedding. But you can give them a really special evening that reflects you as a couple. Here’s how to change your mindset from Champagne and caviar to local beer and bacon-wrapped shrimp.

Creativity Matters

Take the traditional elements of a wedding and give them a little spark. Give your programs some personality: with bios and photos of the bride and groom and your wedding party. Spice up your bridesmaids by having them pick a mix of dresses in both solids and patterns but all in the same color. Instead of having water at each table, create a help-yourself table with iced water and iced tea in pitchers. Instead of hoping that Rolls Royce rolls up your driveway, ask a friend with a vintage car to be your driver or even check out the Hippie Limo.

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Courtesy Matters

A friend recently said to me before her wedding, “This is my day. It doesn’t matter what anyone else wants.” That’s partially true. But you also have to realize that you are asking your friends, families and co-workers to spend money on traveling, on hotels, on gifts, on taking time off work, etc. Before you send your guests on a 10-minute hike up a mountain to your picturesque ceremony site, remember to warn them in the invitation to bring comfortable shoes and bug spray. Maybe even rent umbrellas to shield them from sun or rain. It’s Colorado, anything can happen. Your uncle Mitch may not care if you have a 5-tier cake, but he’ll care if he fractures his ankles.

Subtlety Matters

Having an over-the-top reception is the dream of many a bride. But showing your personality is the best way to wow people without dropping big bucks. If you can’t afford glamour, embrace the idea of having a DIY wedding with eclectic touches. Or a themed wedding with fun elements. Have each of your aunts bake pies—so you don’t have to purchase a cake. Make tissue-paper bouquets. Have a crafty friend make your fascinator with the help of some Pinterest guidance. And make fun signs for each of your tables (we love the use of house numbers, simply nailed on a piece of stained wood and propped up against flower arrangements). And have your family and friends help your planning process by collecting china, vases or milkglass for your reception. Mix-and-match table displays or place settings have a ton of personality, especially at eclectic weddings. But remember that you don’t need to go all out. Simple is sometimes best.

If you focus on the details, people won’t even notice that there was no cake and the food was served on paper plates. Either that, or they just won’t care. And neither will you.

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Sometimes renting chairs for your wedding can be like picking the lesser of two evils. Do you want the ugly beige non-folding plastic chairs or the ugly black folding plastic chairs? It could all just make a bride lose her cool.

But hope is not lost. Chairished Vintage Chair Rentals, nestled into the uber-chic Highlands of Denver, has a growing collection of mix-and-match vintage chairs that will make you adore your chairs just as much as you adore the flowers, cake and gown. The eclectic group of pretty seats are redesigned in antique white and reupholstered in a soft cream palate.

In September, Chairished’s inventory will grow from 2o to 50, and owner Gretchen Moore expects to have 200-plus chairs by January 2013. Moore says once her inventory is fully grown, she hopes to offer customizable upholstery to allow brides and grooms to match their chairs to their colors. Which is legitimately cool.

All that’s left to do is plan your dream wedding and you’ll be on your way to marital bliss!

So where do you start?

For brides opting to forgo a wedding designer, figuring out one’s personal wedding style can be a little tricky. Sure, bridal magazines, blogs and Pintrest are filled with photos of happy brides holding a picture-perfect bouquet, enjoying herself at her reception that perfectly complements her personality.

If you’re stuck and just can’t seem to find inspiration, head to your local antique or vintage shop. There are so many affordable items to create a unique wedding style of your own.

Old mason jars and pretty tea cups are the perfect vessels to display bouquets of beautiful arranged flowers in. Old desks and tables can be found for cheap and repainted and repurposed as gift tables or makeshift bars. You might even find an old mailbox or a desk drawer  perfect for collecting cards from well-wishers.

At Serendipity, a vintage shop just on the outskirts of downtown Longmont, the sky is the limit when it comes to finding the perfect accents and décor for your wedding. A wall along the back of the store is dedicated to old barn wood and window frames—perfect for hanging in a tree to create an inexpensive frame for a photo booth. Old window screens can be dusted off and used to pin place cards on. The stacks and stacks of old records will not only give you some inspiration for your music playlist, but can also be used to enhance a gift table or buffet table. Old suitcases can be stacked up and used as a unique cake display or riser for a cold food item to sit on. Antique mirrors make a perfect tray for holding passed hors d’ourves. And my favorite—beautifully-crafted handkerchiefs and table runners are fabulous, budget-friendly alternatives to linen overlays and add a nice pop of color and personal touch to a basic ivory linen.

And the list goes on and on. Serendipity also has a section of the store dedicated to wedding jewelry, hair pins, veils and even wedding dresses. Pretty cool—and a great place to find that ‘something old’.

I even found a portion of a white picket fence at this cool vintage store—which let’s be real ladies—aside from the perfect wedding, a white picket fence and a happy ending are next on the list.