oso's overlook, small wedding

Wedding at Oso’s Overlook

Small mountain weddings are my absolute favorite to photograph. Couples really choose their guests carefully and make sure that everyone present means so much to them. They take the time to create a unique day that incorporates their personalities, the things they love and their own special details. There are so many diy decor items from Rachel and Alex’s little wedding at Oso’s Overlook in Fraser, Colorado! I’m so excited to share them all. It was such a fabulous day. The rain just missed us to the north and the south, but the dark clouds made for

They really wanted beautiful portraits that would incorporate the gorgeous mountain scenery as well as amazing candid photos of all their friends and loved ones. Small weddings mean that everyone that is present is special, so it is such an honor to be a part of them. These intimate occasions make for such great atmosphere that is so much fun to photograph. Oso’s was the perfect location, set back in the mountains, this former bed and breakfast, now vacation rental home / private home, sleeps over 20 people and each room has it’s own bathroom. There is also a stone patio and firepit, a hot tub and private decks off of some of the rooms. With multiple fireplaces and plenty of room to spread out, it is awesome! I secretly want to get all of our old college friends together and spend a weekend there sometime! This was the second wedding I have shot at Oso’s. Check out photos from the first wedding I photographed at Oso’s here.

intimate wedding in the mountain scenery at Oso's Overlook in Fraser, Colorado, Winter Park,

Small Wedding Timeline

The couple decided to do a first look after getting ready separately. I love that it creates such a special moment where they actually get to see themselves as the bridal couple! We went straight into some portraits with the mountains as the backdrop. With the threat of rain, we rounded up the guests and decided to do the ceremony an hour early before it hit. We were lucky though, the rain passed by and we were able to do all of the family photos as well and portraits outside to take advantage of the scenery. The ski lift swing stationed just outside the home made for some great portraits as well as the amazing veil that Rachel wore.

We headed over to Da Vinci in Winter Park for cocktails on the patio that included a mini gyro platter as well as a cheese and meat platter. I’m a sucker for cheese….yum. Da Vinci’s really took care of them with special service and one long table lined up right next to the windows. There was amazing live music and the couple spontaneously had their first dance right there in the restaurant. The chef worked with them to create a special menu and I can’t rave enough about how delicious it was….homemade pasta purses with pear, gorgonzola and shrimp. To. Die. For.

After plenty of conversation and libations it was back to Oso’s for champagne toasts, and a pie cutting – homemade of course!

Of course, nothing quite beats a bonfire and sparklers at the end of such a beautiful night.

intimate wedding in the mountain scenery at Oso's Overlook in Fraser, Colorado, Winter Park,

Mountain Wedding Details

For their attire, the beautiful bridesmaids dresses in pastel shades were perfect even without the traditional matchy-matchy. They all wore cowboy boots and the men came together with blue, plaid ties, beige linen vests and jeans. The flowers were on every table, pulled together by the florist at Safeway in Winter Park and they looked perfect. Big, beautiful sunflowers and hydrangeas were the main pieces, surrounded with other wildflowers and roses for the centerpieces and the bride’s bouquet.

The bride wore a gorgeous lace dress with an open back and added a ribbon sash. Her veil was a family friend’s hand-me-down that was purchased in Europe many years ago and has been worn by over 20 brides (all friends and family)! Even her gorgeous engagement ring was a family heirloom of the groom’s.

Rachel really wanted to incorporate vintage-y, rustic details and made sure a lot of them were diy. She created the fabric and burlap bunting to decorate the back patio and dug out her grandfather’s old suitcase and filled it with cozy, flannel plaid blankets to keep guests warm on those cold, Colorado evenings. They gathered mason jars and hung name tags for guests to fill with drinks all weekend and slung up a hammock amongst an aspen grove for portraits later. Even their guestbook was custom with a giant version of Jenga for guests to leave notes and messages on.

intimate wedding in the mountain scenery at Oso's Overlook in Fraser, Colorado, Winter Park,