Ralph Lauren Meets Yellowstone But Make it a Little Gay
Ralph Lauren Meets Yellowstone But Make it a Little Gay
That was the brief. And honestly it is one of the best briefs we have ever received.
Hanna Bird and Lauren Smith got married at Spruce Saddle Lodge in Beaver Creek, Colorado, and the whole weekend felt like a love letter to the mountains, to each other, and to the specific kind of couple that shows up to their own wedding completely and unapologetically themselves.
Abby Jiu photographed this one. It was the kind of day that does not require much direction because the direction was already there in every choice the couple made.
The setting
Spruce Saddle Lodge sits up in the mountains above Beaver Creek. Getting there requires a gondola ride, which means by the time guests arrived they were already in a different headspace. That matters. A venue that requires a little effort to reach tends to produce guests who are more present once they get there.
The welcome party was held at 4 Eagle Ranch, which set the tone perfectly. Western, warm, genuinely fun. Not a theme in the costumey sense but a feeling that carried through the whole weekend.
The aesthetic
Lauren wore a tailored ivory jacket. Hanna wore an ethereal Ines Di Santo gown. Together they looked like exactly the couple they are, two people with strong individual style who also somehow make complete visual sense together.
The florals were done by Birch Event Design and they were a statement. Vibrant rainbow arrangements that did not feel like a Pride flag moment but like a genuine expression of joy. Color as personality rather than color as symbol. There is a difference and they nailed it.
Gobella Design planned and produced the entire weekend. The details throughout, from the stationery and gifting by Richard's Notebook to the cake by Cornerstone Chocolate, felt considered without being precious. Everything had a reason to be there.
The moments
Hanna's mother performed a surprise during the reception. We are not going to describe it beyond that because some things are better experienced than read about, but it was the kind of moment that makes a gallery.
The night ended with a gondola ride back down through the mountains under the stars. Again, not something that was manufactured for the photos. Just what happened at the end of this particular wedding. We were there for it.
On the photography
Abby has photographed a lot of mountain weddings. What makes this one stand out in the gallery is not the location, it is the couple. The light in Colorado is extraordinary and the setting does a lot of work, but the images that last are the ones where you can feel the specific energy of Hanna and Lauren. Two people who were fully present, fully themselves, and genuinely happy to be exactly where they were.
Planning and Design: Go Bella Design | Venue: Beaver Creek | Floral and Decor: Birch Event Design | Rentals: Colorado Party Rentals | Beauty: Divine Beauty Artists | Stationery: Richard’s Notebook | Cake: Cornerstone Chocolate | Videography: The Andrews Films