Whispering River Ranch Wedding
Picture waking up to the sight of misty, low-hanging clouds brushing against the vibrant aspen trees in Breckenridge. It’s your wedding day at Whispering River Ranch, and the crisp fall air has finally arrived. Your closest friends and family have traveled from all corners of the country to witness your wedding in the stunning Colorado mountains. You can feel it in the air—nothing is going to stand in the way of this being the best day of your life.
The Ranch
Whispering River Ranch is nestled on the north side of Breckenridge, surrounded by nature’s beauty. The river flows right through the property, ensuring peaceful and relaxing nights with the windows open. Situated between Breckenridge and Frisco, you’ll have plenty of options for fun activities and great dining in either direction.
Serving as both a short-term rental and a wedding venue, Whispering River Ranch offers the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. It is one of the most stunning, exclusive all-season destinations to host your micro-wedding near Breckenridge, Colorado. Spanning 15 pristine acres with nearly half a mile of river frontage at the fork of the Swan and Blue Rivers, the ranch is adjacent to the White River National Forest.
The 8-bedroom luxury lodge accommodates up to 18 guests – perfect for you and your guests to stay for your wedding – and is conveniently close to a variety of year-round outdoor activities. In winter, enjoy skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing, while summer brings hiking, fly fishing, golf, mountain biking, nature watching, 4-wheeling, and lake activities.
Shannon + Joe’s Morning
Shannon had a quiet morning getting ready with her bridal party, sister and mom. When I arrived, Ally was putting the finishing touches on Shannon’s hair and makeup and adding just a little shimmer to her collar bones. I grabbed Shannon and Joe’s wedding day details and set out to search around the house for the perfect spot to photograph them. I found a study with a desk, amazing light and a blue velvet couch. YES. Win. I played around with some loose florals and all of her amazingly fun details – peep the embroidered wedding day Chuck Converse!!
Shannon’s sister and mom helped her into her dress and then I went upstairs to find the guys. The guys’ space was above the garage, so you have to cross on the catwalk to get there. I found Joe watching college football with his buddies. We photographed the finishing touches of all of the guys getting ready – ties, shoes, etc. The energy all around was pretty calm. I guess they were saving it for dancing.
First Look
As soon as both parties were ready, it started sprinkling, which prompted us to have the first look on the deck of the house as it was semi-covered. With Joe wearing a green suit, I selfishly didn’t want him to have rain spots on his shoulders, but I think he also appreciated it. I led Joe out to the deck and went back for Shannon. She wanted to do a traditional first look to get his reaction and then surprise him with a gift. A few months prior we did Shannon’s boudoir session and she printed all of the photos into an amazing hardcover book. If you’re considering boudoir as a wedding gift, I highly recommend gifting it after your private first look!
Shannon and Joe read their vows to each other, then we took a few portraits and invited their wedding parties outside for more. Shannon loved the more candid wedding party shots, so we tried to keep it prompt-based. I loved the way they turned out.
Ceremony
The wedding ceremony site at Whispering River Ranch is located south of the residence on the lawn overlooking the river with aspen and pine trees behind it and it holds up to 75 guests. As soon as all of their guests were seated, Joe escorted his mom down the aisle and the wedding party followed. As soon as Shannon and her dad turned the corner, you could see the excitement in Joe’s eyes. This was it. The day they had been planning for over a year. The ceremony went by in a blur as they shared personal vows. Their first kiss was so sweet. Time to celebrate!
Cocktail Hour & Reception
The moment I’ve been dying to share – Shannon’s hair transformation! Shannon had been growing her hair out for their wedding day so she could style her hair up with her veil. The moment the ceremony ended, she was swept back into the house for a surprise transformation – cutting her hair into a bob! Her hairstylist let Joe do the honors, which is literally the cutest thing ever and a photo I’d cherish forever if that happened to me. :’) She popped out of the locked room to surprise her friends and family and finally say hi to all of her guests. Everyone was so surprised!
The reception was hosted in a transformed garage space on the property. Shannon and her family did all of the flowers, seating chart and reception design – and it looked amazing. After toasts the party began. This was one of the most wild dance floors I’ve seen in a while. Shannon and Joe made jumbo cutouts of their dogs’ heads (Moose and Miley) for their photo area, and someone had the bright idea to bring them on the dance floor. All in all, it was such a fun evening and I wish they could relive that day over and over again.
I specialize in intimate wedding days like this one. From suggestions during the planning process to documenting your wedding day, I’m here to help you create a unique wedding experience. If you love the idea of sharing an intimate and intentional day with your favorite people, reach out and we’ll start the planning process. I would LOVE to help you dream up your perfect day!
