For Melissa and Sean, Aspen wasn’t just a beautiful backdrop, it’s where their story began. The mountain town that brought them together became the setting for their wedding day, filled with personal touches, family tradition, and a couple who was exactly where they were meant to be.
Why Aspen
Long before it was their wedding destination, Aspen was where Melissa and Sean met.
“My husband, Sean, his family has a ranch nearby, so we go up there a lot. Also, logistically for the wedding, most of my family’s in California, and his was in New York and Florida, so Colorado was kind of in the middle.”
The couple got engaged closer to home, at their house in Evergreen, but Aspen remained the obvious choice for the wedding itself.
“The Little Nell was the only location we looked at. I knew I wanted to get married at a hotel. The sun deck is where the ceremony took place, and that was my favorite part. I liked that everything was in one spot. People didn’t have to get on a bus to go somewhere else.”
A Blend of Traditions
Melissa and Sean’s guests may have noticed a chuppah and other Jewish elements woven into the ceremony, a meaningful nod to Sean’s family.
“I am not Jewish, my husband and his family are. It was important to his parents, so we included them. We picked the blessings and all of that. It was all very new to me, and I loved learning it.”
A Weekend, Not Just a Day
Rather than a single event, Melissa and Sean’s wedding unfolded across several days, giving them time to truly connect with the people who traveled in to celebrate with them.
“We asked our wedding party and some family to come in early, so we got to spend Wednesday with people, Thursday with people, and then Friday we did a welcome party with everyone who was invited, at the St. Regis. Friday was our wedding-chic, elevated western night. It turned out really cute, I thought everyone dressed up perfectly.”
Flowers, Draping, and a Detail Straight from an Aspen Tree
Melissa and Sean took the design of their wedding almost entirely into their own hands.
“I did the flowers, I picked all the flowers, the colors, the kinds. I wanted it to look colorful and organic.”
Sean brought his own personal touch to the day as well, incorporating the very landscape that shaped their relationship.
“Sean wanted the chuppah made of an aspen tree.”
And of course, no Aspen wedding would be complete without the cake to match.
“Sean also wanted an Aspen cake for our wedding cake.”
A Nod to Their Pups
Guests also may have spotted a sweet detail on the menu: a small gondola carrying the couple’s three dogs.
“We have two dachshunds and an Australian Shepherd, that’s on the menu. I had the company who did our stationery draw that up for me. I asked her to put them in a gondola. It turned out really cute.”
The Little Details That Made It Theirs
From candlelight to an unexpected amenity, Melissa and Sean filled the weekend with small, memorable touches.
“Since we weren’t doing colored linens or plates, I wanted different colored candles. We also had a hot chocolate bar and an oxygen bar that everyone really enjoyed.”
A Weekend in Aspen
When asked about her favorite part of the weekend itself, Melissa didn’t point to just one moment.
“That’s so hard, I honestly loved all of it. I think the dancing was super fun. I also enjoyed dinner, because we got to walk around and talk to people we didn’t get to see on Friday.”
Looking back, what stands out most to Melissa isn’t one single moment, it’s how effortlessly the entire weekend came together.
“It all just turned out really well. Nothing went awry. Nothing turned out differently than I had imagined, so I feel like everything was my favorite, if that makes sense.”
“I never felt stressed, which was nice.”
A calm, present host often makes for a celebration guests feel just as at ease in, and for Melissa and Sean’s wedding weekend in Aspen, that ease was felt by everyone in the room.
