Wedding Day

Our Wedding

Seattle Washington, January 2021. A city locked down tighter than most. Where a vaccine card was more important than a drivers license; where shops were shuttered, restaurants closed, events cancelled, and where masked strangers would freak out if you began to approach anywhere close to their 6-foot bubble.&nbsp; What’s a single person to do during a global pandemic in the heart of a Pacific Northwest winter? Start swiping of course! Chris saw a beautiful girl who loved hiking and had a passion for travel. Rhiannon saw a Colorado boy who loved the outdoors…and nachos. Soon a match was made. After some brief chatting, we decided to do about the only thing you could do at the time…grab a coffee and take a walk. A walk along Alki Beach turned into a 4+ mile trek along the water in West Seattle, where we watched the sunset and decided we liked each other enough to go grab dinner as well!&nbsp;

With a successful first date behind us, the next weekend came and so did a snowstorm. After a great dinner and hanging out at Rhiannon’s apartment, Chris went to leave and soon realized he couldn’t, due to multiple cars crashing and blocking the road on the steep icy exit. Seattleites not being able to handle winter driving ended up being a blessing in disguise as the night continued, Ms. Pacman was played, and we ultimately decided to delete our dating apps together. After only 2 weeks it was official!&nbsp;

We continued to get to know each other with the PNW as our playground, enjoying epic weekend adventures, hiking to countless waterfalls and lakes, biking all kinds of trails, climbing all the mountains, road-tripping and camping up and down the coast, and visiting multiple National Parks.&nbsp;

Eventually we decided to both head back to where we both grew up…Colorado! We added two kitties to the mix (McKinley and Mochi), and continued to enjoy all the things we love while being back in our home state. We’ve enjoyed all our adventures since being back, but have also enjoyed traveling to Hawaii, Switzerland, Germany, California, and Southern Utah. After all these travels and not driving each other crazy, Chris knew for sure Rhiannon was “The One” (okay, maybe he knew before that)! On a week-long road trip vacation in the San Juan Mountains, Chris proposed to Rhiannon after hiking up to Hope Lake. She said “yes!” and soon the next chapter begins!&nbsp;

We are so excited to celebrate with our closest friends and family this September!

Our Story

Photos

Wedding Party

Q + A

Our venue is within Golden Gate Canyon State Park; about a 30-minute drive from downtown Golden. Outside of Airbnb venues, there aren't many accommodation options near the venue. If you are traveling or prefer to book overnight accommodations we recommend staying in the Golden or Denver West areas as they offer easy access to and from the venue. We've scoped out rates in our area for our special weekend and have provided some of the more reasonable options below. If you have any questions on other options or areas, please reach out to us, we are happy to help!

Book your stay in Lakewood, Colorado, just 10 minutes from Red Rocks, Coors Brewery, and Golden, and 20 minutes to downtown Denver via light rail.&nbsp;Rest well in a room or suite, featuring amenities like Netflix-enabled HDTVs, mini-fridges, and breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains or downtown Denver. Sheraton Denver West offers a fitness center and complimentary parking.Located nearby various dining options.

Sheraton Denver West Hotel

Set at the base of the foothills, this hotel is just minutes from downtown Lakewood and blocks from the light rail and bus station offering easy access to Denver and beyond. Home comforts await in your inviting suite, with kitchen, and free WiFi. Fuel your day with free breakfast served every morning. Located nearby various dining options.

Home2 Suites by Hilton Denver West - Federal Center, CO

Just 15 minutes from downtown Denver, we're the closest area hotel to St. Anthony Hospital. Explore William F. Hayden Green Mountain Park, five minutes away. For dining options, we have free breakfast, several restaurants in walking distance, and a kitchen in your suite. Join us for a complimentary evening social from 5 – 7 pm on Wednesdays. Enjoy WiFi on us.

Homewood Suites by Hilton Denver West - Lakewood

Travel

About the Venue: We love our venue! We’ve hiked many miles within Golden Gate Canyon State Park and knew once we saw the venue that it would be perfect for the celebration we want to throw! Both the ceremony and reception will be held at the Red Barn Group Picnic Area within the State Park.

Getting There: Red Barn Group Picnic Area9467 Drew Hill Rd.Golden, CO 80403 From downtown Golden, it’s about a 30-minute drive northwest of town. Please use the above address for GPS coordinates. GPS will take you one of two routes.&nbsp; 1- CO Rd 70 (Golden Gate Canyon Rd) for 12.7 miles to Crawford Gulch Rd.2- CO Rd 70 (Golden Gate Canyon Rd) for 3.7 miles to Crawford Gulch Rd. Both routes will get you to the venue safely in any vehicle, but we recommend the 1st option as the majority of the road is paved highway and easiest to navigate. Option two is just a few minutes faster and a beautiful drive, with a longer section of windy dirt road and a large downhill section into the valley before reaching the venue. Choose your own adventure!&nbsp;

Parking: There is limited parking in the lot directly connected to the venue, with a larger parking lot about 100 yards to the West, on the North side of the road. We’d like to reserve the connected, closer lot for our vendors and family. If you are able, we ask to please park in the lot down the road. If you have any physical limitations, please let us know so we can make sure to save you a spot in the closer lot! As the venue is within a Colorado State Park, all parked vehicles must display a valid Colorado State Park Pass. Paid passes will be available for anyone who needs them at both parking lots, to complete and display from your vehicle. Look for the music stands in either parking lot to pick up and fill out your parking pass. Passes must be displayed on your dash for the duration of the wedding. Please don't pay for a pass in advance! We’re more than happy to provide these for all our guests!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Attire: The ceremony and reception are outdoors, with packed gravel paths, concrete, and some uneven ground—so we encourage guests to dress nicely, but comfortably. Garden Party or Mountain Cocktail Attire: Think elevated but relaxed; dresses, skirts, jumpsuits, dress pants, and button-downs are all perfect. Footwear: We recommend flats, wedges, boots, or block heels that are easy to walk in. Please avoid stilettos or thin heels, as they won’t suit the terrain. No need for anything too formal—just your stylish, comfortable best with a touch of mountain charm. Don’t forget a layer for when the mountain air cools in the evening!

Good to Know: - There is limited to no cell coverage at the venue itself.&nbsp; - September in Colorado is typically AMAZING, but it is Colorado. We’re hoping for great weather for our big day, but the venue does have covered areas to avoid the elements. We recommend bringing a jacket as evenings in the valley can get cool quicky.&nbsp;

Things to Know

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Schedule4:00 - Ceremony Begins4:20 - Cocktails &amp; Family Photos5:30 - Dinner6:15 - First Dances/Cupcakes6:30 - Party!9:00 - Bubble Send-Off

Chris & Rhiannon

Chris & Rhiannon

C&R