Wedding date: August 1, 2015

Venue and Caterer: Steamboat Ski Resort – Champagne Powder Room & Thunderhead Lawn
Dessert: Whole Foods
Wedding Planner & Florist: One Fine Day Productions
Band: Mannequin
Wedding Attire: Nordstrom
Hair & Makeup: Rocky Mountain Day Spa
Photographer: Nate & Jenny Weddings
Videographer: AdamFusion Films – Adam Bradley

Ellen and Jon’s story began with a casual introduction to one another. They were often seen in similar social circles and one of Ellen’s friends had a crush on Jon so Ellen kept things casual. Their interactions led to Jon being invited to Ellen’s house for an Easter brunch where Ellen dropped a plate of caramel buttons in-front of Jon. As Ellen picked them up and put them back on the plate Ellen’s friend, Alex, told Jon that it would be okay to eat them later because Ellen had really clean floors. At the end of brunch Ellen hugged Jon and it was then that Jon decided he needed to ask her out on a date.

Ellen remembers him asking her to dinner and she thought it was a casual group hang until he mentioned where they would be going. She knew that the restaurant was too nice for a group hang and told Jon that she would need more time to get ready…she needed to shower for her date.

During their four years of dating they spent time learning the ins and outs of the culinary arts, traveling, and going to CU football games.

In May 2014, Jon graduated with his MBA and was looking for the perfect time to propose to Ellen. He had the engagement ring since February and was hoping that Ellen would not find the ring. Ellen knew that a proposal would be coming soon since Jon was finishing up school. She also knew the time was getting closer when she cut her finger and Jon’s response was, “what hand?”

Ellen and Jon were going to the Ellie Goulding concert at Red Rocks with some friends and Jon decided that it would be the perfect place to ask Ellen to marry him. He was trying to hide the engagement ring box in his sweatshirt but didn’t pull it off so well, as Ellen could see the outline of the box. Jon asked Ellen if she wanted to go take a picture at the stairs. When they got to the stairs and were “posing for a picture,” Jon got down on one knee and asked Ellen to marry him. Both of them were caught up in the excitement of the moment and didn’t remember if Ellen even said yes. On the way back to their friends, Ellen and Jon confirmed with one another that yes, a proposal just took place and yes, Ellen agreed to marry Jon.

The wedding fun began as Ellen and Jon got ready with their bridal party and continued as they danced with friends and family at the reception. The first look was a big moment and a favorite — it made everything seem more real! Ellen and Jon wrote their own vows and had a close friend officiate their wedding that added a personal touch to their day. They spent Friday night with their guest, as it allowed them to spend quality time with the people they loved and they were able to enjoy their big day focused on one another. One of Ellen’s favorite moments from the day was when Jon sang to her at the top of the mountain. As Ellen put it the wedding day was perfect.

Ellen and Jon spent their honeymoon in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. It provided the perfect mixture of culture, adventure, learning and relaxation. They were able to see the Andean Mountains, the rainforest, and old colonial towns.

Shannyn: How was working with Adam?

Ellen: We heard about Adam through a friend, and he was so fun to work with. He’s been great so far! He was really easy to work with. We had the perfect mix with our photographer and Adam. Our photographer’s style was more organic and hands off, Adam provided a lot of direction and guidance so it was great to have a mix of both! He was calm, timely and seemed to be having fun himself. So he helped keep the entire day calm, easy and all about Jon and I.

We had the privilege of working alongside Nate and Jenny Weddings. Here are a handful of their pictures from the day: