Weddings in the Mountains

Occasionally I come across young event planners doing creative, highly-individualized events that are so good I just have to tell you about them.

Virginia Edelson runs Bluebird Productions, an event coordination and design firm based in Aspen, Colorado. She works throughout the West, specializing in innovative, personalized events, and she revels in making every detail of a party or wedding unique and memorable.

Photo by Rebecca Sanabria

Virginia manages all aspects of her events, from design to budget to selecting the perfect “cocktail” of vendors for each client. She works on weddings, corporate events, non-profit fundraisers, and galas – there’s really nothing she can’t execute with style and warmth. What makes Virginia an exceptional event planner, and one with great foresight, is her commitment to making her events as green as possible, educating her clients throughout the planning process about decisions they can make to “green” their event through composting, recycling, soy inks, local and/or seasonal flowers, reduced printing, group travel, local produce, or more.

Photo by Bryce Covey

In addition to some photos of Virginia’s work, here are her tips on planning a mountain wedding, which give you a sense of her expertise and experience:

Plan a Trip to your wedding location: It’s good to familiarize yourself with the area and the vendors.

Drink plenty of water: The altitude in the mountains is usually something that you and your guests are not used to, so make sure to hydrate prior to and during your trip to avoid dehydration.

Create an experience: Your guests are most likely traveling from all over, and have never experienced the mountain lifestyle. Make sure to orient your guests and plan some fun activities for them to do upon arrival.

Guest attire: Remind your guests to bring comfortable footwear, and also make a point to explain the unpredictable weather here. Many ceremonies take place in the outdoors, where the temperatures may significantly change throughout the day. Coats, hats, or gloves may be essential.

Wear sunscreen: The sun in the mountains can be very intense, so make sure to have plenty of sunscreen on hand, and supply some for guests as well.