Continuing our series of posts introducing international planners please welcome Kerri Butler of www.touchofblissevents.com from Colorado.

How does a typical wedding day run?

Weddings in Colorado usually begin with a few spa appointments for the ladies (maybe a yoga class!) and golf or a hike for the guys. Then off to prep for the wedding, get dressed, grab a bite to eat and off to the ceremony site! Bride and Groom are down the aisle, then off to pictures for the wedding party, and cocktail hour for the guests. Then dinner and dancing of course!

What type of location do most wedding ceremonies themselves take place?

In Colorado, about half of our weddings take place in a  religious building – a synagogue, church, etc. The other half take place in the great outdoors – under beautiful trees, at the top of a mountain – there are so many beautiful options in our state!

What type of location do most wedding receptions take place?

Colorado is well known for our diverse landscape, and the wedding receptions follow suit! We have urban locations in historic hotels, rustic lodges across the mountains, and tented receptions in fields of flowers!

How many guests are usual to such a wedding?

Most of the weddings we plan have a guest count between 75 and 200 guests.

What customs/traditions are most common in your weddings?

Involving guests in the ceremony and traditions, interactive stations at the reception such as photo booths and food stations, and memorable gift baskets for out of town guests are very popular in Colorado.

What does a typical wedding cost?

The average Colorado reception is just below $30,000, but most of the wedding that we plan at A Touch of Bliss are in the $50,000-$150,000 range.

How important are independent wedding planners in your country?

Independent planners are very important in Colorado because we are a destination wedding location, and our local area expertise ensures that a bride and groom are pampered during their wedding planning process. We can make sure that the bride and groom’s vision of their wedding is consistent across all of their creative vendors, and their family and friends are taken care of during the wedding weekend.

Any anecdotes/comments/tips on planning a wedding in your country

–Always have an EMT on site at mountain weddings in case of altitude sickness

-Be sure to gently remind your guests to enjoy alcohol gently, it affects them greatly at these heights!

– Pamper your guests with local items from the area of your wedding. In Colorado, tea, lotion, sunscreen, and water are all things that are made here and your guests need during their visit!

Many thanks to Kerri from us all at the UKAWP – we don’t get backdrops like that in our neck of the woods.